Meat Loaf preferred to think of himself as an actor rather than a singer, according to a recently published interview.
The late American rocker said he had to “find the character” before singing a song, otherwise there was “no meaning or reason to sing it”.
The Bat Out Of Hell singer, born Marvin Lee Aday, died on January 20, aged 74, with his wife and daughters by his side.
Before his death, he told US media publication Variety that his stage performances were similar to musicals due to having “different characters” singing the songs.
“Before I can sing the song, I have to find the character. I don’t just walk in and sing a song,” he said in the never-before-seen interview.
“As far as I’m concerned, there’s no sense or reason to sing it. You’re just another singer singing a song.
“I never thought of myself as a singer. I consider myself an actor.
“So it’s the same as making a movie or a play. … So I guess in a way, everything I’ve ever done, even though I don’t think of what I do on stage as a musical, the way I think about it is like a musical.
“But I guess in the way of my arc through the show, it’s like a musical in that there are different characters singing these songs.
“But if you just go (to the concert), most people never notice that they have different mannerisms and it’s different people singing. It doesn’t cross their minds.”
When asked if he was worried the intricacies of his character work would be lost on fans, he replied, “No, because it’s not about them.
“It’s about what I do, and it’s about my ability to present the truth to them.”
The musician had a career spanning over six decades and sold over 100 million albums worldwide, including 1977’s famous Bat Out Of Hell.
The album was later adapted as a musical, which was written by longtime collaborator Jim Steinman and featured some of the musician’s best-loved hits.
Meat Loaf has also starred in some 65 films, including Roadie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club, alongside Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.
Following news of his death, Norton posted an image of himself hugging the rocker on set, writing “it’s been a wonderful month of laughter and irreverence.”
The actor, 52, added that the hardest part of working with Meat Loaf was “getting through one of those ridiculous moments without breaking down”.
