The problems began when Steinman – who wrote the Loaf’s seminal 1977 album ‘Bat Out Of Hell’, as well as the 1993 follow-up ‘Bat Out Of Hell II – Back Into Hell’ –refused to be involved in the forthcoming ‘Bat Out Of Hell III – The Monster Is Loose’ project.

Steinman, who owns the copyright to the phrase ‘Bat Out Of Hell’, subsequently refused to allow his former friend to use the phrase for the album. On 26 May, Meat Loaf (real name Michael Aday) filed a lawsuit suing Steinman for $50 million, stating, “the contention is blackmail and a holdup”.

Steinman has penned virtually all of Meat Loaf’s hit songs, including ‘Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad’, ‘Paradise By The Dashboard Light’, ‘I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)’, as well as the classic title track to the original ‘Bat Out Of Hell’.

Now, new producer Desmond Child has attacked Steinman, claiming “Steinman has even taken to attacking me as a producer, despite my numerous efforts to include him. We licensed six of his songs from Universal Music Publishing for ‘Bat Out Of Hell III’ when direct communication broke down, in order to include him and honor his role in the Bat Out Of Hell tradition.”

Child claims that Steinman implied that the situation was akin to if Francis Ford Coppola had been fired from the ‘Godfather III’ film, prompting the producer to add, “at least Mr. Coppola doesn't use sour grapes to make his wine... well in this case 'whine!'”

‘Bat Out Of Hell III’, which includes contributions from Nikki Sixx and John 5 from Marilyn Manson, is still slated for an October release.  by Daniel Zugna (undercover.com.au)

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