Day 20: Coke and Nutters, It's What's for Breakfast

It's the classic rock story: Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll. Meat Loaf was newly married, upping his cocaine intake, and being demoted to mere vocalist on his next album. Every VH1 Behind the Music describes what happens when drugs take over a career. In Meat's case, a natural inclination toward violent outbursts mixed with an appetite suppressing stimulant created:

Nutters Out of Hell

The Megalomaniac Duo of Meat & Steinman was rapidly crumbling. The kicker came when Meat's voice crapped out. He couldn't hit a high note. He couldn't add vibrato.

The massive musical Meat couldn't sing. 

That's one hell of an ego check.

For Christmas 1979, Steinman gave Meat the heave-ho. Steinman couldn't stand the thought that the songs over which he had slaved wouldn't be released just because Meat was a drug addict nutball who had no medical reason preventing him from singing. Steinman had a chance to prove that Meat was just the vocalist, that their fame and success were due to his songs, his genius. Hell, Steinman would show all those who'd snubbed him, all those who'd given Meat the recognition that Steinman deserved. Steinman decided *he* would provide the vocals for Bad for Good.

I'll let you decide who did it better.

Jim Steinman: "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" from  

Bad for Good

Meat Loaf: "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" from

Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell

[Yes, that *is* Angelina Jolie in the video]