The album Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf is now considered a classic. However, during the 1970s, it was a project that faced significant rejection.

Ultimately, Meat Loaf and his collaborator, composer Jim Steinman, were fortunate to connect with Steve Popovich from Cleveland International Records and producer Todd Rundgren.

As Rundgren recounted to UCR, it took considerable effort before they had completed music that someone like Popovich would want to release. He noted that they had been diligently working every opportunity available.

The Birth of ‘Bat Out of Hell’

“They were sort of grateful to have anyone at that point,” he explained. “They had pitched the music to every producer. They actually had a label [RCA Records] at that time, but they struggled to find a producer willing to take on the concept.”

He heard the potential material for Bat Out of Hell in an unusual way. They performed most of the record with Steinman on piano and two background singers enhancing the performance, while Meat Loaf moved around the room, “mopping his brow and singing this music.”

Suddenly, he understood — even if it wasn’t their original vision, he recognized a promising direction that encouraged him to support Meat Loaf and Steinman.

‘This is a Spoof of Bruce Springsteen’

“I got into my head that this is a spoof of Bruce Springsteen,” he said. “The music shares similar themes: retro ’50s motorcycles, switchblades, leather jackets, and so forth.”

Meat Loaf

“Bruce Springsteen had just appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, [the] hailed as the savior of rock and roll. I thought, ‘Oh no, we’re reverting back to the ’50s,'” he recalled. “So when I saw Meat Loaf, I thought Springsteen needed to be spoofed and this was the right guy for it. That was my approach to the record. [But] I didn’t make a big deal out of it. They were just thankful to have someone willing to take on the project seriously.”

READ MORE: Revisiting Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Time’ and ‘Newsweek’ Covers

David Sonenberg, an attorney from New York, took on Meat Loaf, Steinman, and Bat Out of Hell as his first management project. As Meat Loaf wrote in his 1999 memoir, To Hell and Back, Sonenberg proved to be a crucial ally.

They Needed Freedom to Do the Record They Wanted to Make

Both Rundgren and Meat Loaf mentioned challenges in securing funding from RCA. According to the producer, the label hesitated at the thought of involving E Street Band members for the recordings, baseball announcer Phil Rizzuto (who narrates “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”), and other enhancements they envisioned for the music. “You can’t hire a full orchestra for one song,” he recalled. “I essentially allowed them complete creative freedom.”

Watch Meat Loaf’s ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ Video

As Meat Loaf noted, it was Sonenberg who facilitated their total freedom. “[He] found this guy who owned several truck stops in New Jersey willing to invest $150,000 to buy out our contract with RCA so we could proceed.”

“In the end, I ended up financing the record myself. I had Bearsville [the record label and recording studio owned by Bob Dylan’s early manager, Albert Grossman, who Rundgren worked with] put it on my tab,” he explained. “When we finished the record, you get first right of refusal on it.”

‘Bat Out of Hell’ Got ‘Turned Down by Everybody’

“Bearsville rejected it as did Warner Brothers,” he said. “It took them another six months to shop it before it finally saw the light of day.”

“Bat Out of Hell was turned down by everyone four times; Clive Davis is the only person who ever admitted they made a mistake by not signing us,” Meat Loaf told UCR in 2016. “That’s the only person who has come up to me and said, ‘I made a mistake.’

Steve Popovich Understood Their Vision

He recognized the “magic” within the project. “Every major label passed on Bat Out of Hell before [his label] Cleveland International picked it up,” said the late record executive in a 2002 interview. “It was an era dominated by wimpy-looking artists like Peter Frampton. Then came Meat Loaf — this large man with an incredible voice.”

“I was just discussing with someone two days ago how A&R men used to have pianos in their offices; I recalled when Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman came in. Steinman played piano while Meat Loaf sang — it was electrifying,” producer Tom Werman laughed during a 2014 UCR conversation about their audition for Epic.

Watch Meat Loaf’s ‘Bat Out of Hell’ Video

“I said, ‘Jesus, you’re incredible! But I don’t think we can do anything with you.’ I was complimentary but felt it was too theatrical compared to what we typically produced,” he shared. “I can’t say if I was right or wrong; however, Steve became very enthusiastic about it. Very. He embraced it and ran with it.”

READ MORE: The History of Steve Popovich and ‘Bat Out of Hell’

The evidence now shows how correct Popovich was regarding his belief in these songs that were unlike anything else on radio at that time; eventually, they achieved success despite taking time.

This is where Popovich played a crucial role — tirelessly reaching out so that influential figures who could promote and sell records heard Bat Out of Hell. Meanwhile, Meat Loaf and his band toured extensively, bringing their music directly to audiences night after night.

You know the hits: “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night),” and yes, “Bat Out of Hell.” All anthems.

The eventual classics have propelled Bat Out of Hell to over 40 million records sold worldwide as per recent estimates.

By the time he passed away in 2022, Meat Loaf had made peace with his journey. He even released two sequel albums; one gave him another massive hit with “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).”

Watch Meat Loaf’s ‘I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)’ Video

“It’s part of life,” he summarized regarding his initial Bat Out of Hell experience during a 2013 interview with UCR. “You hear stories daily about individuals who started businesses or achieved success through hard work.”

“Look at Springsteen; he lost all his publishing rights on Born To Run. We all have those stories,” he pointed out. “I don’t have anyone playing a violin for me; trust me. There are no violins playing behind me. It was what it was; it is what it is; I just keep moving forward.”

He listed numerous individuals who worked tirelessly on his behalf during that same interview, emphasizing Popovich: “his fingers bled [because] from working so hard.” But then he made his main point.

“Any artist who claims they did it all alone is lying outright. So many people contributed; I’m sure I’m forgetting many local supporters who fought hard for radio play [to get them to play the songs] and so forth,” he explained. “You never accomplish anything alone.”

Meat Loaf and Karla DeVito