To hell and back: the autobiography

by Meat Loaf, David Dalton

"Stories are like legal tender in Texas; the stranger the better. It's not that people in Texas are particularly morbid or anything. It's just that they love stories, and the best stories naturally have some bizarre aspect to them." That's Meat's summation of his home state, and a read of To Hell And Back proves he's a Dallas boy through and through.

It's fantastic to report that this is the huge, bombastic rags-to-riches-back-to-rags-back-to-riches tale that it really should be, with Meat coming across as a thoroughly charismatic madman--with thanks, no doubt, to the homely style and incisive editing of ghostwriter David Dalton. The gothic-styled To Hell And Back is replete with tales of fingerless drummers, arms-dealing managers and perpetually overdosing lead guitarists, and while Meat seems slightly horrified by his own excesses, even the doldrums are here in gory detail. "I've blacked out the whole thing," says Meat, of laying Mum to rest, "but apparently what I did at the funeral service was pull my mother out of the casket and say they couldn't have her. I actually lifted her into my arms, and people were horrified."

From the depths of cocaine psychosis, all paid for by the multi-million selling Bat Out Of Hell, Meat pulls back from the brink and when Bat Out Of Hell II makes him a superstar again, even the critics are onside. "When Rolling Stone reviewed the concert in Madison Square Garden and gave us a rave, I nearly had a heart attack and died. I literally got dizzy, fainted" explains Meat, proudly. Steady on, big guy--what they're saying about To Hell And Back might just spark off a full cardiac arrest. --Louis Pattison

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Memoir, Biography Memoir

285 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), better known as Meat Loaf, was an American singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. His Bat Out of Hell trilogy—Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose—has sold more than 65 million albums worldwide. More than four decades after its release, the first album still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually and stayed on the charts for over nine years, making it one of the best-selling albums in history.

Aday appeared in over 50 movies and television shows, sometimes as himself or as characters resembling his stage persona. His film roles include Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), and Bob Paulson in Fight Club (1999). His early stage work included dual roles in the original Broadway cast of The Rocky Horror Show, and he also appeared in the musical Hair, both on- and off-Broadway. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[Deana The Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface, rock stars are seemingly quintessential, and none of these more so than Marvin Lee Aday, aka Meat Loaf.

With his heaven-tinged voice, boyishly round cheeks, ruffled tux shirts, and silky red handkerchiefs, Meat Loaf became the unwitting female fantasy of the '70s: Part baby boy to be cherished and part undying lover ready to be worshiped at the alter of hedonism. What girl wouldn’t want him serenading her (and more) in her dreams?

Co-author David Dalton does a mesmerizing job of coalescing Meat's tales, taking us behind the swoon-worthy cult hero to show readers the true origins of this big boy from Texas. From being shamed as a 240-pound tween to accompanying his mother to the dregs of seedy bars in search of his alcoholic father, Dalton brings every moment of Meat to life with purpose and clarity.

But aside from the facts most Meat lovers already know, Dalton pieces together the portrait of a Meat completely unprepared for the stardom that befalls him after wunderkind composer Jim Steinman works his alchemy and turns bluebonnets into gold. With just the right chords and verse, Steinman brought the tragic hero of Meat to life on stage for the world.

Dalton weaves into the tapestry everything from Meat’s raging temper (he once destroyed a piano at which Steinman was playing and then tried to patch it back together with chewing gum) and drug-fueled blackouts to his loss of self after months on the road. Meat was absolutely unable to deal with his hard-won fame, while at the same time Steinman, the brains behind the curtain, began to resent the fact that everyone knew Meat, yet no one knew him.

We also learn about those endless lawsuits that roared like a Texas twister between Meat and Steinman for years, leaving Meat bankrupt, broken, and mocked. Oh, and we can’t forget the loss of Meat’s voice (part overuse, part psychosomatic) and his desperate search to find a cure, if lying on the floor and being caressed with power tools can be counted as such.

In the end, however, Dalton completely humanizes Meat and allows us to see through his renowned brutish behavior to the insecure fat boy from the past crying for help. We also see Meat pushing through all odds and coming through the fire of reformation stronger, braver, and more beautiful than before.

For Meat Loaf lovers, this is a book definitely worth your time to hunt down.

Like, now.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I can't stand Meat Loaf as a human being, I absolutely go nuts over his music (most of it, anyway). TO HELL AND BACK is one of the most consistently entertaining rock memoirs I've ever read. It didn't give me any greater appreciation of Meat as a person (the horrible temper, the drugs, the petulance, the fighting), but it did give me a greater appreciation for him as a musician. It turns out the man paid his dues, whereas I'd always pictured him as something of an overnight sensation. The story behind his career is fascinating: I can't imagine anyone doing a worse job of dealing with a sudden influx of wealth and fame. And, as Meat Loaf himself admits, he never learns from his mistakes. Just witness his recent meltdown on THE APPRENTICE.
When I saw him in concert a couple years ago, Meat Loaf--eager to blame anyone other than himself--told the audience that he was actually tricked into doing THE APPRENTICE. Nobody was buying it. Meat Loaf then proceeded to antagonize the audience, berate anyone who hadn't purchased his last album, gripe at length about his advanced age, and refuse to finish songs unless the audience sang along as loudly and enthusiastically as he wanted. The company that booked the show later apologized to everyone via Facebook.
It's interesting to note that Jim Steinman, the legendary songwriter who created the BAT OUT OF HELL albums, comes across in this book as being every bit as unprofessional and difficult to work with as Meat. It therefore comes as no surprise that they had a big falling out so short a time after their first album was released. TO HELL AND BACK makes being a musician seem like the most unattractive job in the world. The people in the book all seem to wind up with drug overdoses, nervous breakdowns, prison sentences, or some such thing. After reading it, you'll probably never listen to another Meat Loaf album quite the same way again. On the other hand, if you're into the nitty gritty of rock 'n' roll, TO HELL AND BACK is epic stuff.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Like the title says Meat Loaf aka MichaelMarvin Lee Aday's life and career had its ups and downs. His career began through an audition and from there to sell millions of albums and become an actor in the midst of marriage, two children, drugs alcohol and bankruptcy. This is a must read!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the way a biography should be done. Almost as if you are sitting down in a one on one situation with the man himself. Meatloaf is a very interesting character. I always enjoyed the almost cinematic approach to the music he and his band was putting out. Little did I know that he was actually quite the stage actor as well. For fans of the music and the man this is a great book and one I would say should not be missed.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In light of the news about his sad death this morning, I'm going to start re-reading all about his wonderful life and career. I first got into his music as a child thanks to my mum's love of power ballads and he was an absolute legend. RIP Marvin/Meat. You've been reunited with Jim at last. Thank you so much for the music.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read into Meat Loafs early life and career. I am quite surprised by what I read actually, as his personality on TV seems very different to how he really is, unlike most celebrities I've read before.

[Nicola (Nikki) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read kept me gripped & could not put down

[Iftekhar Naim · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible memoir of my favorite rockstar from the teenage days. I still remember the day when my sister played Meatloaf's song and I was blown away. The biography had an almost similar effect. Meatloaf's life story is even stranger than fiction and his presentation feels so honest and true while also shocking at times..

[Wayne Wingate · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Meatloaf well worth a read

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ — 4.5/5

Meat Loaf’s To Hell and Back is one of those rare autobiographies that feels less like a celebrity telling their story and more like a human being giving you the whole, bruised, brilliant mess of what it meant to be alive in their skin. I didn’t grow up with a more quality musician to admire—no one else had that theatrical thunder, that voice that felt like a storm you could stand inside, that mix of vulnerability and epic, operatic ambition. And when I heard he had died, there wasn’t even a pause: I immediately bought his book. I’m careful—picky, even—about reading anything from the world of celebrity culture. Too many ego-driven retellings, too many polished versions of truth that aren’t truth at all. But much like Norm Macdonald’s memoir, To Hell and Back feels enchanted, strange, brutally honest, and magical, carrying that same electricity as the man himself. It gives the sense that Meat Loaf was allowed full command of his voice, free range to talk exactly as he wanted to talk, to frame his highs and lows as he lived them—not as a PR team would prefer. In that way, it is unmistakably his book: messy, funny, painful, loud, vulnerable, stubborn, tender, and absolutely unforgettable.

Meat Loaf begins with his Texas childhood, and he does not sanitize the hardness of it. He writes about his father, an alcoholic who could turn violent, and the emotional distance that haunted the house. There is fear there, and confusion, and the kind of childhood where survival becomes a habit learned early. His mother—gentler, steadier—was the warmth in that difficult world, and you feel the ache when he describes her death, and the way that loss carved a wound he carried for years. Already, in the early pages, he is giving you the heart of who he is: a kid who grew up in chaos but somehow kept finding a way to love the world anyway.

His stories about leaving Texas, reinventing himself, and eventually arriving in Los Angeles are told with that offhand humor he always had. Meat Loaf never pretended to be glamorous—his recounting of early gigs, rejections, humiliations, and disasters are told with a kind of shrugging enthusiasm, as if to say, Can you believe this happened? Because I barely can. He writes about the stage the way some men write about religion. Performing wasn’t just an outlet; it was the one place where everything inside him—anger, insecurity, longing, hope—could live at once. And when he talks about discovering that he had a real voice, a once-in-a-generation voice, even he sounds stunned by it. That humility, that I can’t believe this is happening energy, stays with him throughout the book.

Then there is the chapter of his life that everyone knows for the music but few know for the suffering: Bat Out of Hell. When he writes about meeting Jim Steinman, you see two planets colliding—Steinman with his gothic, explosive vision of rock opera, and Meat Loaf with the voice built to give it flesh. In the book, he lays out how difficult the process was: label after label rejecting them, not understanding what the hell these two were even trying to do. Too theatrical. Too weird. Too big. Too dramatic. Too much. Every gatekeeper told him no, over and over again. And yet Steinman kept writing, Meat Loaf kept singing, and somehow—through sheer will—they forced the world to hear them.

Reading him describe recording “Bat Out of Hell,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” and “For Crying Out Loud” feels like watching a man step into the thing he was always meant to become. He writes about hitting notes that should have broken him but didn’t, about pouring every ounce of himself into songs that were practically scenes from an unwritten Broadway show. He was a performer first, a singer second, and he approached the studio the way most people approach a stage in front of ten thousand people: with total surrender. His voice became a force, and he never describes it as a gift; he describes it as something he wrestled with, something he trained like a muscle and fought like an opponent. That honesty makes the triumph feel earned.

He is just as honest about the collapse that followed. The book doesn’t hide his struggles—losing his voice, the lawsuits, the breakdowns, the disputes with Steinman that cut deeper than he admits elsewhere. He writes about going bankrupt, about being told he’d never sing again, about the loss of faith in himself that nearly consumed him. The Meat Loaf in these pages is not the larger-than-life persona; he is a man hurt by the world, confused by his own demons, doing whatever he can to keep surviving long enough to find his way back to the music he loved. You read his pain, and you understand it. He doesn’t romanticize suffering; he just sets it down and lets it exist in the open.

The resurrection he describes later—the long climb back, the return of his voice, the rebuilding of his confidence—feels almost mythic. When he talks about performing again, about finding that he could still command a stage, still hit notes that shook the room, you feel the pride radiating off the page. Not arrogant pride. Earned pride. The pride of a man who had been told he was finished and refused to stay dead. Meat Loaf writes not as someone who wanted fame for fame’s sake, but as someone who needed the stage the way some people need oxygen.

His acting stories—The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fight Club, stage shows, television spots—are written with the same chaotic charm. He never takes himself too seriously, never plays the celebrity card, never pretends he was anything but grateful to be there. He talks about the madness of film sets, the weirdness of sudden recognition, the joy of meeting other artists he admired. He is always blunt, always a little self-deprecating, always unmistakably Meat Loaf.

And through it all, what stands out most is the simple truth: he cared. He cared about the art. He cared about the theatricality. He cared about the audience. He cared about doing something bigger than himself. Many rockstars are not meant to be admired—too much ego, too much posturing, too much destruction for the sake of image. But Meat Loaf’s greatness wasn’t built on behaving badly; it was built on being brave enough to be emotional. Brave enough to be vulnerable. Brave enough to throw himself, heart-first, into every note he ever sang.

That is what makes To Hell and Back feel magical. It reads like a man who lived three or four lifetimes’ worth of chaos and still managed to find light. It reads like someone who didn’t want to be mythic—he wanted to be understood. It reads like someone who was gifted, flawed, generous, stubborn, brilliant, and absolutely, defiantly himself.

I loved his art. His music shaped my youth in ways I didn’t have words for until I became an adult. His personality—fiery, emotional, dramatic, funny—made him feel like someone you rooted for without even meaning to. And this book, this messy, honest autobiography, feels like the purest version of him we’ll ever have.

I take to heart the ability to be Meat Loaf: to care loudly, to perform unapologetically, to survive the unthinkable, to return again and again to the things you love. And when I close this book, I do it with gratitude—not just for the music, not just for the story, but for the man who lived it all, warts and wonder alike, and had the courage to write it down so the rest of us could carry it with us long after he was gone.

[Nikki-ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got to see Meat Loaf in concert in December 2010 after years of wanting to see him live. I’d got tickets for a Meat Loaf concert a few of years earlier, but the concert got cancelled just when the doors to the venue should have opened, then the rest of the tour was cancelled. Meat Loaf was ill. I was gutted, but the concert at Birmingham last December was brilliant and well worth the wait. The man really knows how to put on a stage show!

So what has this got to do with the book? It was at the concert’s merchandise stall that I saw his autobiography on sale, signed too. Well, I just couldn’t resist. I mean, what book-lover and Meat Loaf fan could? I can’t imagine I’ll ever get to meet the man, so a signed book is the next best thing.

‘To Hell and Back’ is an apt title for this book, in more ways than one. Not only is it a reference to his hit albums, but also to his life. He’s had numerous concussions, was picked on because of his size, nearly killed by his alcoholic father. He’s battled his own demons, as well as producers, record companies and managers, fallen out with creative partner Jim Steinman, and more. Of course, it’s not all bad.

To Hell and Back was first published in 1999, but the book focuses more on Meat Loaf’s childhood and life up to the 1980’s, with the 90’s being cover in just a few pages. An insight into Meat Loaf himself and about as close as some of us will get to the man. He’s led an interesting and varied life and has ended up with some great stories to tell...

Meat Loaf was at Parkland Hospital, Dallas when JFK was pronounced dead, he picked up a hitchhiker who turned out to be Charles Manson, met Elvis Presley and John Lennon and didn’t know what to say to either of them. He’s been on stage, in films and conquered the music industry as well as many other things.

This book is full of photos and stories, some of which you just couldn’t make up! I read the book in three sittings, due to it being to the point with short chapters and hard to put down. Meat Loaf has led quite a life. He comes across as honest, hard-working (to the point of it being his downfall at times) and sincere.

I highly recommend this autobiography from one of America’s hardest working rock stars and would love to read an updated version.

[Jennifer Thompson-Thalasinos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found out about Meat Loaf’s autobiography only recently. It’s out of print and not available as an e-book. If you are a fan, figure out how to get a copy!

So I took a chance and ordered a 19 year old book on Amazon through a 3rd party. My concern was I’m really allergic to dust. Well I think I got a sinus infection because I was reading this book but it was worth it!

This book is made up of 4 parts with small chapters (each with a title) in each part. There is also tons of pictures and artwork. The book starts with Meat’s childhood and goes through Bat Out of Hell II.

Meat is honest about his life and regrets he’s had throughout the book. He talks about losing his mom when he was in California and no one knew where he was. He talks about Rocky Horror at length as well as getting Bat I off the ground. He goes into a lot of detail about his tumultuous friendship with Jim Steinman, and Jim’s crazy genius and creative process.

He also tells the story of how he met his first wife Leslie. They married less than a month after they met. They were together over 20 years.

Meat goes into detail about his struggles with drugs and his mental health issues. Being someone who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks as well as social anxiety I really related to some of what he’s been through. He’s also definitely an introvert and you learn how he works around that being in a profession that puts you around people all the time.

Definitely a five star book! For my younger friends or ones who are sensitive to such this book is full of sex, drugs, and rock and roll! In addition there’s some pretty coarse language.

[Kenneth Starcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been slowly getting into the music of Meat Loaf since I was in high school. I began with Bat out of Hell II on cassette tape, then went back and listened to the first Bat out of Hell. I was sorely disappointed with Bat out of Hell III, but when I discovered Bad Attitude and a handful of other random songs, my faith was restored. I picked up a copy of Meat Loaf's autobiography for a mere $3.00, and if I had known how much I was going to enjoy it, I would have lovingly paid full price for it. My only problem with this book is that it was too short and not detailed enough. I raced through it in a week, and I would have loved to have spent more time with a classic musician I think of now as a near and dear friend. Meat writes the book in such a way that it's like you're sitting around, listening to him tell you these stories. You feel privy to a special club after reading this book. If you don't walk away from this book with a reinforced respect for a true artist, then you didn't read it fully. It's full of interesting pictures, as well, that go along perfectly with the text you've read. Worth reading over and over again.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a fan of Meat Loaf's I was thrilled to learn about this book. Having seen a movie about his life I was wanting to find out more. The book is an easy read with most chapters being anywhere from half a page to only 3 pages long. The other plus is lots of pictures. So many that in fact the book could qualify as a photography book.

Starting when he was young and concluding right after Bat out Hell 2, Meat Loaf tells his story his way.
I had heard him discuss 2 of his stories on a talk show and now I wish I hadn't since these were 2 of the most interesting out of the book. Lots of stories about trying to get Bat out of Hell recorded and then finding a record label.

[Helen West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love his music, and now I understand the man behind the music all the better. I am always in awe of people who put parts of themselves into their art, and Meat Loaf is no exception. In fact, I think he sometimes gives more than he should, leaving behind a shell of someone he should be. His contributions to the world of music, specifically rock 'n roll and musical theatre, cannot be ignored. Yes, a lot of his best stuff was a collaboration with another brilliant mind, but to learn what he went through - what he was put through - is truly humbling. The man is an icon, a rock god, and I will remain a loyal fan for the rest of my days.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book’s terrific! It’s a very quick read, the book being a little more than 200 pages, but at the same time it’s an insightful and extraordinary look at the life Meatloaf has had. The chapters are really short. Some only a page! I had to smile when reading this book, because it reads like Meatloaf is sitting across from you, in a pub or coffee shop, telling you these anecdotes. I particularly found the part about the relationship between Meatloaf and Jim Steinman very intriguing. All up, a very entertaining book. Loved it and would read it again!

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE Meat Loaf's music, but I've never really been that invested in the person. I was right insofar as I just preferred to see the "character" that he admits in this bio he usually puts on as a performer. With this bio though I wanted to change that but found myself disappointed. I had hoped for facts, thoughts, insights and emotions, background. Nada. It's incoherent, uninteresting even, and I feel like I "know " as much as before. I guess it's better to keep it that way then.

[El Amethyst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing to read the adventures and stories! Fun, right proper nitty-gritty honest telling of one of my favourite legends! I'm glad I finally got round to reading the story behind the music that helped me through my own 4 years of hell. A fellow survivor, thank you!
PS as a massive Meatloaf fan, I've always know Jim Steimans name! Bat out of hell 2 was my rebel music that helped me fight and survive! Thankyou both, and thankyou for sharing the story x

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only downsides to this are that it was written in 1999 and some of the stories end abruptly and arranged a bit out of sequence or are written so the individual story takes detours out of sequence. However, those meanderings make it seem like you're sitting on a couch in a pretty bare room just talking to Meat Loaf, which is a great effect. I'd still love to see him in concert and would definitely read a book in the same style about the past 20 years.

[Lea Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each chapter stands on its own as an intimate story from Meat Loaf's rise and fall and resurrection in the rock world. If you're looking for lots of lurid tales of sex, drugs and rock and roll and won't find it here. Instead, reading this book is like story time around the kitchen table with a friend who just happens to be a music legend.

[Ann York · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved reading about meat loaf it was very good and all about his childhood and how is dad ran afte him with a knife and how he got the nickmane meat loaf it is a really good read into his life.

[Ming Wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great indepth look at the rock icons life, fantastic book, only complaint, is the book should be longer, I could have just kept reading this book, on and on and on. Learnt so many things about the rock icon that I did not know.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!!! I am a Meat Loaf fan. Loved his open and honest look at himself and the things going on around him. A must read for any fan and non fan.

[Mauricio Coindreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

If all of this is remotely true... than wow.

[Jess Vardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. So eye opening and learnt a lot.

[Irishcoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a Meat Loaf fan since Bat Out Of Hell was released Way Back When In Olden Days. I loved him in “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. I have two of his Bat follow-up albums. He was certainly different, bringing characters and acting to life as he sang. He was loud, a large presence on stage, and put his all into his performances.

Once again, my ebook list brought me to his autobiography, To Hell And Back. I looked for it at the library and, to my delight, I was able to request it quickly. However, apparently I just beat out a crowd of fans because I had to read and get the book back on time for others to enjoy it.

To Hell And Back is almost like a picture book, like Renegades. The difference is that Meat Loaf covered his life in short, easy to read chapters. I learned a lot about his childhood and teen years, how he got into music, collaborating with Jim Steinman, success, failure and how he began to tame some of his wild ways after marrying the love of his life, Leslie.

I’m glad I got to read this book and enjoy it. I miss him. If you enjoy Meat Loaf’s music – or even if you didn’t particularly – I would recommend this book.

[Aihpos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of Meatloaf. Knew him during my early years and only knew that he is from the heavy metal music group. I am not into this kind of music. I thought it would be interesting to read about musicians like him. He is really an accident prone during his early years. Trouble always come to him like magnet. Fortunely, he survived! He is funny throughout this book. I didn't quit enjoy reading this book coz ithe didn't have what I was looking for in a biography book. However, this book did have lots of information on his road to success as a musician. What it lacks is words to the many photos inside it. Like me I not a fan I don't know exactlyet who is standing next to him in the photo and when taken. He never mentioned much about his father in this book so guess that their relationship is pretty bad. What I dont like is during his mom's last moment, he left her in her dying bed and ran away to build his dream. Sado thing. Nothing much about his marriage, how he knew her and kids. It is just all about him making it, in a funny way.

[BruceSB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meat Loaf - What An Interesting Fellow!

I often, read mostly, select a book based on whether it looks interesting.
This was a really interesting book about a really interesting person.
Meat Loaf tells his story in a series of mini chapters.
Mostly one or two pages, occasionally three pages.
He had the type of hard life that many people would just give up on.
He worked and worked and eventually became a successful actor and singer - as well as a phenomenon.
A really engrossing story told honestly.
I have read some biographies where the whole aim was to make the person look good.
Not here.
A sad, but in many ways loveable person.
His dad tried to murder him when he was ten!
Met lots of people and did lots of interesting things.
It is a shame though that it ended in about the year two thousand instead of continuing on until he died.
Still highly recommended.
Bruce

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick little read filled with interesting stories from Meat Loaf about his career. It reads like he simply sat down with a microphone and recorded his stories as if he was talking on a radio interview. Which makes it interesting yet at times a little too general and superficial. A lot of the stuff has been rehashed from his standard interview answers which is a little frustrating. I think he could have sat down with a biographer with loads more questions to be answered for a more complete story. Also I feel they could have made an effort to update it with a few extra chapters after the original 2000 edition. This one’s probably for the fans. You get a real sense of M.L’S voice, I just wish there was better structure, detail and attention to the emotional journey of Meat Loaf.
It also ended very abruptly I would have loved had more reflections.

[Heath Alberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't fantastic. It's written very much in the words of Meat Loaf (as opposed to being muddied when another writer assists in the production). This makes it sort of a non-engaging read, but if you're a rabid fan (like me) then you won't mind it all that much. The first half of the book is a lot of anecdotes about his life prior to breaking out into stardom. It's a bit slow in places, but does contain some interesting gems. The second half of the book was far more interesting, especially learning more about the ever-elusive and eccentric Jim Steinman (who I am also a rabid fan of). On the whole, it's something of an oddly put together work (the photos have no captions - they're all listed in the back, instead - which I found annoying), but if you're a fan, it's a must-read.