2006年VOA标准英语-Meat Loaf to Release 'Bat Out Of Hell III' on O

By Larry London
Washington, D.C.
28 August 2006
 
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One of the greatest epics¹ in rock music history will open a new chapter on October 31st with the release of Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell III". The winner of a 1994 Grammy for Best Rock Solo Performance and with 24 multi-platinum², platinum, or gold records, Meat Loaf, whose real name is Marvin Lee Aday, sat down recently with VOA's Larry London to discuss his latest album.

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Meat Loaf is celebrating a music career that spans more than 20 years, from his 1977 album "Bat Out Of Hell" to his upcoming release, "Bat Out of Hell III" But why a third?

"Everybody started talking about 'Bat Three,' 'Bat Three,' 'Bat Three,' " the performer told us, "and the minute people start talking about it, I go, 'Oh yeah, that's a really great idea.' "

How do his international fans feel about it? Duet partner Marion Raven³ answers that. "Well, Meat Loaf, he is huge in the whole world and he is such a big artist in Norway as well, so, they were very excited about me doing this song."

This new album includes several respected guests like Nikki Six, Todd Rundgren, and John 5.

Meat Loaf   
  
"You know this is the first time we reached out to so many people," said Meat Loaf. "Usually before we have kept it pretty internal.  We did reach out to Melissa Etheridge, for 'Anything for Love' and I think, I know she wanted to do it but the management thought. 'No we don't know,' well, that's the management's mistake. 

"You can not just call something 'Bat Out Of Hell Three.'  You cannot, it cannot be just a marketing⁴ tool.  It has to be because yeah, you can get some attention from it because its called 'Bat Out Of Hell Three,' but it does not serve any purpose.  It is a waste of time and a waste of effort … and a waste of my energy and (the) audience's energy so it has to reach levels that other things don't reach."

"This album," he continued, "I actually took less character studies into the songs then I have before and took them all a little more personal."

"I think people feel emotion and that's what you try to achieve if you are an actor, if you are a singer, if you are a writer of novels -- you want to reach an emotional connection with your audience and that's what you strive to do.  That is what you need to do.  That is what you have to do. If you don't do that, that is when you fail."

It has been a long road for Meat Loaf since 1977, and his latest project features a new version of one of his biggest hits, a duet with Marion Ravens⁵. 

"She is a really great singer.  She is perfect for the song because she is a real personality."

Will there be a bat out of Hell Four?

"You have got to figure out the gaps between them and figure out how old I will be when the next one, if we were to try to do another one.  I do not think doing 'Bat Out Of Hell Four' with a walker will work." (laughs)

1 epics   

n.叙事诗( epic的名词复数 )；壮举；惊人之举；史诗般的电影（或书籍）

参考例句：

• one of the great Hindu epics 伟大的印度教史诗之一
• Homer Iliad and Milton's Paradise Lost are epics. 荷马的《伊利亚特》和弥尔顿的《失乐园》是史诗。 来自互联网

2 platinum   

n.白金

参考例句：

• I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
• Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

3 raven   

n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的

参考例句：

• We know the raven will never leave the man's room.我们知道了乌鸦再也不会离开那个男人的房间。
• Her charming face was framed with raven hair.她迷人的脸上垂落着乌亮的黑发。

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 ravens   

n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wheresoever the carcase is,there will the ravens be gathered together. 哪里有死尸，哪里就有乌鸦麇集。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A couple of ravens croaked above our boat. 两只乌鸦在我们小船的上空嘎嘎叫着。 来自辞典例句