Tributes have poured in this morning for legendary musician Meat Loaf, who has died at the age of 74.
The I’d Do Anything For Love singer passed away yesterday, with his wife, daughters and some close friends by his side.
Meat Loaf, real name Michael Lee Aday, was best-known for his Bat Out Of Hell trilogy, the debut of which remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Celebrities including Cher, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Fry have all posted their own tributes to the star.
Credit: Facebook, Meat Loaf
Cher wrote: “Had So Much Fun With Meatloaf When We Did “Dead Ringer”. Am Very Sorry For His Family,Friends,& Fans. Am I imagining It, or Are Amazing Ppl In The Arts Dying every other Day.”
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Stephen Fry posted today: “I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light, Meat Loaf. Had a fun time performing a sketch with him on Saturday Live way back in the last century.
“He had the quality of being simultaneously frightening and cuddly, which is rare and rather wonderful …”
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I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light, Meat Loaf. Had a fun time performing a sketch with him on Saturday Live way back in the last century – https://t.co/RxoH36OYHw
TV presenter Piers Morgan said: “RIP Meat Loaf, 74. One of rock music’s all-time great characters whose seminal iconic album Bat Out Of Hell is one of the biggest-selling records in history.
“A wondrously talented, flamboyant, funny, outrageous and rebellious chameleon. Sad news.”
Boy George shared an anecdote of the star, writing: “R.I.P Meatloaf. Love and prayers to all his family and close friends. He once turned me upside down in a Chinese Restaurant in St Johns Wood.”
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My friend interviewed Meat Loaf about ten years ago and he graciously signed a printed-out meme for me. A king. pic.twitter.com/ZmvRSxuViU
DJ Jo Whiley posted: “God I loved Bat Out of Hell. Soundtrack to my youth. Sad news RIP Meatloaf. Extraordinary voice Phenomenonal character.”
Comedian Ed Gamble has also shared a tribute, saying: “Meat Loaf was an absolute one off and Bat Out Of Hell is a straight 10 out of 10 album. The title track is an always will be my impossibly long karaoke choice. (Also, Fight Club). RIP Meat x”
And music promoter Ade Dovey, who launched the Albert Hall gig venue in Manchester, shared a fond memory of when Meat Loaf came to visit our city.
Credit: YouTube, Meat Loaf
He posted: I remember when Meat Loaf came to [Albert’s] Schloss one afternoon in Manchester for PR launch of Bat Out Of Hell Musical.
“Was strange being in the same room with the chap, he wasn’t well back then but he still had this rad aura of pure awesome.”
The news was shared on Facebook this morning, with a message that said: “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.
“We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time.
“From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!”
Featured image: Meat Loaf
Music
Government to introduce price cap on ticket touts and launch consultation on dynamic pricing
Danny Jones
The UK government are finally set to install a price cap on re-sale tickets for touts and open an official consultation on the growing trend of dynamic pricing.
If you’ve bought a ticket to a live music show over the past year or so, you’ll have noticed that ticket prices in general are on the up – particularly if purchased from a reseller, in which case you might have paid through the nose for the privilege.
Not only does ticket touting remain a prevailing problem in the industry, with tonnes of tickets for big shows, especially, being snapped up in bulk or by bots and listed for re-sale before you’ve even added them to your basket, but the advent of this new dynamic pricing lark has made things even harder.
You only have to look at the controversy and chaos surrounding Oasis’ reunion tour, which ultimately saw some fans paying significant amounts more for practically the same ticket just a few days later in what many dubbed as ‘fraud’ and even ’emotional blackmail’.
Justin Timberlake at Co-op Live Manchester was one of countless gigs where ticket prices fluctuated. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Tackling resellers head-on
Knowing full well that people will go to extreme lengths to try and see the musicians and artists they love so dearly – in some cases being backed into a corner as the final figure displayed on the screen when they checkout suddenly jumps up – the modern ticketing industry is severely broken.
With all that in mind, the government are now looking to enact more stringent measures on resellers, by announcing a new price cap on tickets put back up for sale which is set to be introduced (hopefully) in the very near future.
Targeting sites infamous for inflating re-sale costs such as Viagogo, StubHub and others, the bill published on Friday, 10 January proposes a price cap of face value plus 10-30% but no more, with an obvious aim to keep that number as low as possible.
According to the current figures, touts reportedly cost music fans alone more than £145 million in extra re-sale fees when purchasing tickets every year – a frankly ridiculous sum. There will always be tickets ending up on re-sale sites, that’s unavoidable, but a price cap could seriously improve the situation.
The Manc music legends themselves claim they had little control over the situation.
Down with dynamic pricing
Labour, who were voted into power back in July, are also set to try and combat dynamic prices, which essentially sees gigs and events set people back more or less depending on how the popular ticket sales have been up to that point, market trends and general demand. An initial review was called for last year.
Put simply, the more people want to attend a gig, platforms like Ticketmaster feel they are able to jack up their margins even after the initial price point has been established. The European Commission has been investigating these methods since September 2024.
Although it is still unclear as to the exact time scale of when these changes will come in, Labour MP Chris Bryant told NME that although they are still in the early stages, it is “now just a matter of how the government takes action.” And that’s where you come in.
The consultation is also crucially public, with the calling for people to submit their evidence on current pricing practices and continue engaging in the discussion throughout the progress. New Year’s Resolution: let’s curb ticket touts as much as we possibly can.
David and Victoria Beckham’s son Cruz is kicking off his own music career
Danny Jones
David Beckham’s son, Cruz, is the latest member of the Beckham family to try and make a name for themselves, as he is now making his first foray into the music business.
Cruz, 19, is the third child of David and Victoria Beckham and while daughter (youngest of the four) Harper is still just a kid, each of the famous couple’s boys has begun making a name for themselves.
First-born Brooklyn has already enjoyed multiple ventures at just 25, trying everything from modelling, photography, being a chef, as well as investing in everything from hot sauce to saké and more. As for Romeo, the former footballer looks to have hung up boots at just 22 to focus on his fashion career.
Now, though, it’s the turn of Cruz who is looking to follow not in the footsteps of his dad but rather ‘Posh Spice’, as he has now started releasing the first glimpses of his new music.
As you can see, Becks junior has been spending plenty of time in the studio and trying to create his own unique sound.
While the fledgling musician will no doubt have greater access to the industry thanks to his mum’s massively successful career in pop, and no doubt a few contacts through his dad here and there, there’s clearly plenty of natural talent there the youngster it clearly putting the work in.
It’s also worth noting that the 19-year-old dabbles in various different instruments: as well as the guitar, he has taught himself to play drums, piano, mandolin and isn’t shy from offering vocals either.
Cruz looks to be working with multi-platinum songwriting and production duo, The Wavys – made up of musicians Jack Brady and Jordan Roman – and although he hasn’t properly released anything of his own just yet, we have now had a snippet of his original track, ‘Ya Love’, which is rumoured to drop very soon.
Rewind to 2016 when he was just 11, the little lad even did his own festive single for charity entitled, ‘Every Day Was Christmas’, which was his first-ever bit of original music.
It’s safe to say that while he’s still a pretty fresh-faced teenager, his general creative direction has come quite some way since then.
From what we’ve heard, it’s all sounding pretty too; you only have to head to the comments to see followers complimenting the funk guitar and overall sound, as well as even drawing comparisons to the likes of Oasis and more. One person conceded: “Nepo baby aside this is actually very good.”
Son of a Man United legend and British popstar or not, there’s enough style to his stuff so far that we’ll be keeping on his music – who knows, maybe the next famous Beckham will be an artist called Cruz?
Daisy Jackson -
21st January 2022 
