Meat Loaf's comeback tour may go ahead without Meat Loaf actually singing

Meat Loaf
(Image credit: Anthony Harvey / Getty Images)

Meat Loaf is apparently considering the possibility of a Bat Out Of Hell tour where his place on vocals would be taken by American ldol winner Caleb Johnson. 

Following the success of the Jim Steinman musical of Bat Out Of Hell, Loaf is rumoured to be planning a tour in which he tells stories about his long career and relationship with Steinman, while Johnson performs the songs.

"He’s been relying on pre-recorded vocal tracks for a while but doesn’t want to face accusations of miming on a huge tour, so is passing the baton on to Caleb, who he’s a big fan of, " a source told The Sun newspaper.  

“Instead his involvement will be telling stories of how he met Jim Steinman, who he’s worked with since the Seventies, and other anecdotes. But the singing will be left to Caleb. It’s going to have a feel of Stars In Their Eyes to it.”

“He has a really committed core fanbase who often put up with his weird and wonderful ways. But them paying to see someone else sing his hits might be a step too far.”

In 2016, Meat Loaf revealed how he was adhering to a strict health regime after collapsing on stage.

Johnson's American Idol triumph came in 2014, when he won after performing songs by Aerosmith, Whitesnsake, Imagine Dragons, Bon Jovi, Rival Sons, and the Rolling Stones. In the final, he performed Paul McCartney’s Maybe I’m Amazed and a medley of two Kiss songs — accompanied by the band themselves.

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.