“It’s not over until it’s over.”
Meat Loaf was such an inveterate sports fan that he once brought legendary Yankees player Yogi Berra to a recording studio with him.
Tony Bongiovi, the famed producer behind New York’s Power Station studio, is one of many music actors mourning the rock legend, who died Thursday at age 74.
“One of my proudest moments as a son came courtesy of Meat Loaf during a session at Power Station,” Bongiovi, 74, recalled to Page Six. “Most people don’t know that Meat was an avid baseball player and Yankees fan. One evening, his pal Yogi Berra came to hang out in the studio.
“Well, my dad, Tony Bongiovi Sr., was a big Yanks fan too, and when I told Meat and Yogi about it, they said, ‘Call him on the phone! Yogi was so kind to my father, who was delighted with the surprise call. And Meat – who had met my father – was delighted to know that he had made it possible.
Bongiovi has produced records by Aerosmith, the Ramones and Talking Heads, among other big names, and is a first cousin of rocker Jon Bon Jovi. He started Power Station in a former Manhattan ConEd factory in 1977, and it became home to seminal recordings by Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and many more. ‘others.
Meat Loaf’s “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t)” and other hits were also recorded there, so the late singer was a regular at the studio.
“It was a privilege to welcome Meat Loaf, his producer Jim Steinman and his band to our studio,” said Bongiovi. “He was a wonderful talent and an extremely caring guy.”
Meat Loaf had thanked Berra, as well as another great Yankees, Don Mattingly, in the liner notes of his albums.
In a 2005 interview with The New York Times, the sports fanatic said he had been a member of 60 fantasy leagues at once.
“I love all fantasy sports,” Meat Loaf said. “I started playing baseball in the mid-80s. I play baseball, basketball, football, NASCAR, everything. This is my escape. I get so many phone calls. There are so many decisions I have to make. It makes me think of something other than what is happening in my life.
He also said of his off-stage obsession: “When I’m not working, I have NFL Sunday Ticket and I watch every game. At the same time, I have my computer on, so I can monitor everything in real time. On Monday, I do nothing. Tuesday is the day you normally pick up free agents, and I spend several hours working on that. I listen to NFL radio on Sirius. Sometimes I even make NFL radio calls with their fantasy football guru. Unless there’s a Thursday game, by Friday I have to set my lineups. Then you have to look at the injury reports on Saturday.
Stars who have publicly expressed their condolences over Meat Loaf’s death include Cher, Boy George, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Rick Astley.
Meat Loaf’s family announced his death via Facebook in a post that read: “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side…Daughters Pearl and Amanda and friends loved ones have accompanied him throughout the past 24 hours. »
The crooner, born Marvin Lee Aday, had been “critically ill” with COVID-19 days before his death, TMZ reported.
Meanwhile, we learn that Bongiovi — who started out working with Jimi Henxdrix, Stevie Wonder, and the Supremes — is currently working on a memoir that’s sure to be a page-turner for music fans.
