The passing of Meat Loaf, at the age of 74, sparked a flood of tributes to one of the most beloved performers and one of the best-selling artists of the ’70s and ’80s.
“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man,” Meat Loaf’s family said in a statement Friday.
Multiple reports say the singer died from COVID, though no official cause of death had been announced. Meat Loaf had been in poor health for several years, battling severe back problems that robbed him of much of his mobility.
Despite his health, Meat Loaf revealed last November that he was back in the studio, on the verge of completing another album.
Tributes to the Bat Out of Hell singer poured in from all over the world, especially from fellow rockers.
Queen’s Brian May shared a remembrance Friday of the man he called “Mr. Loaf,” alongside a photo of them smiling together.
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“Remembering great times,” May wrote.
“Completely gutted that Meat Loaf has left us. Always full of madness, with the innocent sense of naughtiness of a 5-year old, Meat was forever young. I called him Mr Loaf, and he called me when he wanted some wacky guitar playing. We had so much fun so many times, and, just three months younger than me, he felt like a brother. Dear Meat, the world is mourning and will miss your fine and powerful presence for a very long time. RIP. Bri.”
Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash added his condolences, while Ted Nugent referred Meat Loaf his “soulbrother.”
“A great man great American rocksolid in the asset column of the American dream! The wonderful Meatloaf [sic] force of nature will be with us forever,” Nugent wrote.
Adam Lambert shared an image of himself with Meat Loaf from circa 2009. He recalled Meat Loaf as a “gentle hearted powerhouse rockstar.” Meat Loaf once praised Lambert as a vocalist on a par with Whitney Houston or Aretha Franklin.
A gentle hearted powerhouse rockstar forever and ever. You were so kind. Your music will always be iconic. I’m sure you’re singing concerts in the great beyond. Rest In Peace sir. #MeatLoafRIP #Meatloaf pic.twitter.com/9twdJcOeP1
— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) January 21, 2022
Ozzy Osbourne said that he’d “be sorely missed but never forgotten.”
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The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins revealed that he woke up Friday morning to the sad news, as a UK radio station called him for comment. He took to YouTube to briefly share his thoughts.
“This guy’s irreplaceable,” Hawkins said. “I’ve actually known him for the last 19 years. He took us on tour in mainland Europe — The Darkness was his support group for a while… Watching his show and seeing all the histrionics, all the drama, everything was completely over the top … every night was amazing.”
Living Colour’s Vernon Reid opined on how Meat Loaf achieved such riotous success while never compromising his edge and continuing to challenge his audience over the years.
Ubiquity as career aspect isn’t available to many performers. Meatloaf established that bonafide early, like Bowie. Like you say, all kinds of reasons to miss him. From Now, on. https://t.co/td9OIBNBzd
— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) January 21, 2022
Australian Nell Campbell, who was known as Little Nell and played alongside Meat Loaf as Columbia and Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, also paid one heck of a tribute.
“I had never heard of the person cast to play Eddie, my paramour, in RHPS, when into the rehearsal room sauntered a Texan chubster with the confidence of a cowboy entering the saloon bar after shooting dead all the baddies, ordering whiskey then heading upstairs to ravage his favourite whore,” Campell recalled.
“If that weren’t enough, his Texan accent made me come over all Scarlet O’Hara. And then he began to sing. A few bars into Hot Patootie and Pat Quinn and I were blown across the room, pinned to the wall, hair electrified.”
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