Welcome to the Neighbourhood is Meat Loaf's seventh studio album, released in 1995 as follow-up to the popular album Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The album went platinum in the United States and the UK.
Three singles have been released from the album: "I'd Lie for You (And That's the Truth)" (a duet with Patti Russo), "Not a Dry Eye in the House" and "Runnin' for the Red Light (I Gotta Life)." The first two reached #2 and #7 in the UK charts, while the latter reached #21. In some markets, radio stations were also playing "Amnesty Is Granted", even though it wasn't known as an official single.
Some of the songs were written in the late 1970s for the sequel, but due to problems with the singer's voice, and other disagreements, they were first included on Steinman's projects Bad for Good and Pandora's Box's Original Sin album.
In the midst of the success of Bat out of Hell, desperate for a follow-up, management and the record company put pressure on Steinman to stop touring in order to write a follow-up, provisionally titled Renegade Angel. In a 1981 BBC Rock Hour Special interview, Steinman recalls the writing process.
I started writing what I felt was Bat Out Of Hell part 2, definitely like The Godfather part I and part 2, that's how I saw it. I wanted to do a continuation and I wanted to do an album that went even further and that was more extreme, if possible, which a lot of people felt wasn't possible but I just wanted to see if I could make a record that was even more heroic because that's what I thought of it... Bat Out Of Hell to me was ultimately very heroic though it was funny... and I wanted to do one that to me would be even more heroic and more epic and a little more operatic and passionate.
In a 1993 promotional interview for the album, Steinman reasserts the continuation of the Bat world. "I didn't call it Bat out of Hell II just to identify with the first record. It really does feel like an extension of that... It was a chance to go back to that world and explore it deeper. It always seemed incomplete because I conceived it like a film, and what would you do without Die Hard 2?"
Steinman rejoined Meat Loaf and the band for a live performance in Toronto, Canada in 1978 with the intention of going through the songs for Bat II after the show. However, someone broke into their dressing rooms during the show and stole several possessions, including the new lyric book. Then, Meat Loaf lost his voice and was unable to record Renegade Angel. Steinman says "he sounded literally like the little girl in The Exorcist... like a dragon trying to sing - it was a horrifying sound." Steinman "kept writing the music to Bat Out Of Hell part 2... my sequel."Not being able to "bear for people not to hear those songs," Steinman recorded the album, retitled Bad for Good, as a solo project, although Rory Dodd contributed lead vocals on some songs. Four songs from Bad for Good were included on Bat out of Hell II. In 1989, Steinman formed all-female vocal group Pandora's Box. The album, Original Sin, was a commercial flop, but featured two songs which would also appear on Bat II. Meat Loaf says "Jim put "It Just Won't Quit" on Original Sin without telling me. I could have strangled him."
Bad Attitude is a 1984 album by Meat Loaf, recorded in England. It features two songs by Jim Steinman, both previously recorded, and a duet with Roger Daltrey. According to Meat Loaf's autobiography, he approached Steinman about writing the entire album, but waiting for new songs wound up taking so long that Meat Loaf recorded two previously-released Steinman songs and moved on with other writers.The album concentrates more on the hard rock side of Meat Loaf, was a minor success around the globe and released a few hit singles, the most successful being 'Modern Girl'.
The US release on RCA Records features a slightly different track list, as well as alternate mixes for some songs.
During the tour to support the album, his wife Leslie had a nervous breakdown and had to check into Silver Hill rehab facility in Connecticut.
"Modern Girl" was taken from this album and was the biggest hit. "Piece of the Action", "Sailor to a Siren" and "Nowhere Fast" were also released singles with extended mixes and exclusive songs: "Take a Number", "Stand by Me" (a Ben E. King cover) and "Clap Your Hands". The latter two songs were recorded during the sessions for the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know was the second album released by The Cross in 1990. Unlike the previous album, they decided to abandon the dance influences and recorded a straight rock album. This was also the first album to which each member of the band contributed. Roger's contributions to the record were considerbly smaller, because he was busy to promote The Miracle. Another unicom was that one of band members (Clayton Moss) sang lead vocals on one of tracks, instead of Roger. Unfortunately like Shove it, the album sold poorly and EMI Records decided to drop them so they had no label anymore in the U.K. In Germany, they released a limited box set (only 50 were made) which contained a cd single, video, stickers and press info.
Track Listing
"Top of the World, Ma" (Moss/Taylor/EdneyNoone/ Macrae)- 3:31
Roger Taylor: lead vocals, guitar and backing vocals Spike Edney: keyboards, mandolin and backing vocals Peter Noone: bass and backing vocals Clayton Moss: lead guitar, lead vocals on 'Better things' and backing vocals Josh Macrae: drums, percussion and backing vocals
Shove It was the first album released by The Cross, founded by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. This album contains a mix of rock with dance influences.
Originally, Roger Taylor was planning to release another solo album, but eventually he decided to form a band named The Cross and released it as a Cross album. However the album was almost completed and this explains why the other band members had virtually no input on the record. What's so special about this album is that fellow Queen members Freddie Mercury (singing lead vocals on "Heaven for Everyone"), Brian May (playing lead guitar on "Love Lies Bleeding") and John Deacon (playing bass on a few tracks), collaborated with Taylor on the album.
The album was poorly received by fans and critics and hit the bottom of the charts (it peaked at 58 at the UK charts). After only two weeks it dropped from the charts. In the US it even failed to chart at all.
Track listing:
U.K version
"Shove it" - 3:28
"Cowboys and Indians" - 5:53
"Contact" - 4:54
"Heaven for Everyone" (Freddie Mercury on lead vocals) - 4:54
"Stand Up for Love" - 4:22
"Love On a Tightrope (Like an Animal)"
"Love Lies Bleeding (She Was a Wicked, Wily Waitress)" - 4:25
"Rough Justice" - 3:22
"The 2nd Shelf Mix" (instrumental remix of Shove It) - 5:50
Personnel
Roger Taylor: vocals and most instruments Spike Edney: Keyboards and vocals Brian May: Lead guitar 'Love Lies Bleeding (She Was a Wicked Lady)(uncredited) Freddie Mercury: lead vocals on 'Heaven for Everyone (U.K /European version, b-side of 'Heaven for Everyone' single Europe), backing vocals on 'Heaven for Everyone (US version) (uncredited) John Deacon: bass on some tracks (uncredited) Joshua M. Macrae: additional drums Clayton Moss: additional guitar Peter Noone: adiitional bass
Rolling Stone magazine named Taylor the 74th greatest drummer in rock music on their list of the "100 Greatest Drummers", and in 2005 he was voted the 8th greatest drummer in classic rock music history in a poll conducted by Planet Rock Radio.
