Jim Steinman a hack? So...
Jim Steinman composes, co-arranges and co-produces the third greatest selling album in the history of rock and roll, the greatest selling album in the history of Australia (still going strong), and the greatest selling debut album until Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrissette. Is that a hack? Jim Steinman composes, co-arranges and co-produces his own solo album, when Meat Loaf's voice goes bust, and it (surprisingly) with some of the worst vocals of all time goes platinum status on the charts: and kicks the hell out of Meat Loaf's (eventual) follow-up Dead Ringer. I wouldn't call that a hack.
Jim Steinman composes, arranges and produces... oh... this little song called Total Eclipse of the Heart (which you wouldn't know about) which, is not only one of the most instantly recognizable love ballads of all time, but: against a song called Making Love out of Nothing at All (also penned by Steinman) scored him a simultaneous No. 1 and 2 on the charts: and won him a Grammy for Best Selling Album of the Year: not to mention the album with Bonnie Tyler which became the first highest charting album from a British singer in history. Jim Steinman a hack? I don't think so!
Holding Out for a Hero is apart of Footloose, the second (probably) most instantly recognizable love-romp of all time, recently revived in one of the most profitable sequels of all time: Shrek 2 by Dreamworks. Jim Steinman a hack? You don't say! Jim Steinman scores ELEVEN NUMBER ONES: Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Dead Ringer for Love, Making Love out of Nothing at All, Total Eclipse of the Heart (TWICE! and a third time in France), Holding Out for a Hero, I'd do Anything for Love But I Won't do That (the fastest selling rock single in the history of rock), Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (a hit for him twice: once on his solo album, and second on Bat 2 with Meat Loaf), It's all Coming Back to me Now (Song of the Year 1997 for the most radio-play and broadcast that year) and NO MATTER WHAT Boyzone. And get this!! NO MATTER WHAT, with 18 million copies sold in the year of 1998, makes it the highest selling single in the history of MUSICAL THEATRE: according to the stats I have seen: and pretty much public knowledge as Lloyd Webber's biggest hit since Any Dream Will Do (Carribean) and Don't Cry for me Argentina. Not even PHANTOM scored this big! So... Jim Steinman a hack? Pardon me!
Whistle Down the Wind plays to four phenomenal years in London's Aldwych, does a fair enough run and spreads the buzz that it's something unique. Tanz der Vampire, before it was savaged and butchered and beaten on Broadway, is the most phenomenal musical success in the history of Germany: keep in mind that it's the land of Wagner and Beethoven, and opened in VIENNA, and is more successful than even their great works in their time. So... Jim Steinman a hack? I don't think so. Tanz der Vampire directed by Roman Polanski? Is he a hack? Goodness gracious. Goodness gracious me!!
Andrew Lloyd Webber a hack? Oh goodness. He may be one of the most successful profiting composers of the latter 20th century: and he's done more than Rodgers and Hammerstein in their years of collaboration: and has probably made more success than any living composer on the planet. Whistle Down the Wind is also yards ahead of (about) six of his more failed productions, so it's ridiculous to call that a flop: just because no one knows about and (furthermore) does not care too... Which is called IGNORANCE. Which means it's IGNORANCE IS BLISS (or Ignorance is PISS in my language) which is sad
Batman, by Tim Burton, the biggest seller at the box office in 1989 (and probably the most phenomenal seller at the box office ever: according to most GIGANTIC film encyclopaedias I've read across eight years! and all of them share the same info). Jim Steinman has had more success, in his records, that even Lloyd Webber is envious of. Just because Garbo was a stinker, and Dnace of the Vampires got screwed up, is no reason to walk around and say "oh, Jim Steinman's a hack"
And Batman not working? Well... Let's play a game, shall we? "Hey, sir. Will you produce a musical I wrote about Cats?" "NO!!". So a young little gnome gets two-hundred investors to raize the money, and 21 years later, they're filthy stinking rich and it's the longest running show in the history of Broadway. Also, a show about miserable wretches with little to no comic relief. Look at it now. It's playing, at least, somewhere inthe world: with a rendition of DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING every ten minutes. And a musical about a cannibal barber and his accomplice, who cook people in pies, a stunning success, and a currently well-done revival: should be a success all over again. It's amazing how different things seem to be.. when you believe anything is possible. They believed anything is possible and look what happened
Or, are you contented (forevermore) to sit back and watch endless, countless revivals taking over the world and kicking back the young ones. That argument goes to you Jen. I rest my case. Don't let me start quoting from the papers, and anything I can, to prove that yet again Jim Steinman is ANYTHING but a hack. Good-day
Who can explain it, who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try
-South Pacific
Updated On: 10/25/05 at 01:55 AM
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