MEAT LOAF - BAD ATTITUDE 12" Vinyl LP Album

- A theatrical hard rock album from 1984 featuring collaborations with Roger Daltrey and songs by Jim Steinman, recorded in the UK with a powerful new sound.

MEAT LOAF - Bad Attitude 12" LP Vinyl Album front cover https://vinyl-records.nl

Released in 1984, Bad Attitude marked a powerful return for Meat Loaf, blending theatrical rock with a harder-edged sound. Featuring collaborations with notable artists like Roger Daltrey and Clare Torry, the album showcased Meat Loaf’s dynamic vocal range and dramatic flair. Tracks like “Modern Girl” and “Nowhere Fast” offered a radio-friendly energy, while deeper cuts revealed the album’s emotional and sonic depth. Recorded at Marcus Music and Abbey Road Studios, and produced by Meat Loaf, Paul Jacobs, and Mack, Bad Attitude stands as a testament to Meat Loaf’s continued evolution beyond Bat Out of Hell.

"Bad Attitude" Album Description:

While best known for his theatrical, over-the-top rock anthems, Meat Loaf's 1984 album "Bad Attitude" signaled a shift in sound and a tumultuous period in his relationship with songwriter Jim Steinman.

A Departure from the Steinman Formula

"Bad Attitude" stands apart in Meat Loaf's discography primarily due to the minimal involvement of his long-time collaborator, Jim Steinman. Only two songs on the album, "Modern Girl" and "Sailor to a Siren", were penned by Steinman, both of which had appeared on previous albums by other artists. While these tracks retain some Steinman grandeur, the album, as a whole, lacks the sweeping, epic feel characteristic of the pair's most iconic work.

Production Changes and Collaborations

Recorded in England, "Bad Attitude" saw Meat Loaf exploring new production styles and collaborators. The album features a harder rock edge on tracks like the title song and "Jumpin' the Gun". Of particular note is the duet with The Who's Roger Daltrey on "Bad Attitude," lending a raucous energy to the track.

Mixed Reception

Upon its release, "Bad Attitude" received mixed reviews. While some welcomed the change in direction and Meat Loaf's foray into harder-edged rock, others felt the album lacked the cohesive force and theatrical narratives of his prior works. Despite this, tracks like "Nowhere Fast" and "Piece of the Action" have developed pockets of dedicated fans over the years.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

Rock / Hard Rock

Label & Catalognr:

Arista Records Ltd - DM 206 219

Album Packaging

Standard sleeve with custom artwork.

Inner sleeve photo by Sheila Rock.

Media Format:

12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record

Year & Country:

1984 – United Kingdom

Producers:
  • Meat Loaf – Producer. As the lead artist and co-producer, he had creative control over the sound, performance, and artistic direction of the album.
  • Paul Jacobs – Producer. A key collaborator who also performed on the album (piano, keyboards, vocals), Jacobs contributed to musical arrangements and production decisions.
  • Mack – Producer & Mixer. A renowned engineer and producer (noted for work with Queen and ELO), he handled technical production and mixing, especially during sessions at Musicland Studios in Munich.
  • Alan Shacklock – Original Recording Producer. Credited as the original recording producer, he was responsible for earlier sessions and recordings, possibly before final versions were completed or reworked by the other three.
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Femi Jiya – Engineer
  • Julian Wheatly – Second Engineer
  • Marcus Holmes-Newsome – Second Engineer
  • Stephan Wissnet – Assistant Engineer
Recording Location:

Marcus Music U.K. & Abbey Road Studios, London

Mastering Engineer & Location:
  • George Marino – Sterling Sound, NYC
    George Marino was a legendary mastering engineer whose expertise shaped the sound of countless iconic albums. Born in 1947, he honed his craft at Capitol Records before joining Sterling Sound in 1973. His mastering work on albums by AC/DC, Metallica, and Guns N' Roses defined rock and metal's sonic power. His legacy endures through his meticulous audio craftsmanship. Learn more
Album Cover Design & Artwork:
  • Nicolas Marchant – Art Direction
  • Graphyk – Artwork
Photography:
  • Bob Carlos Clarke – Photomontage
  • Sheila Rock – Inner Sleeve Photo
  • Name of the model sitting on the motorbike: Unknown

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Members, Musicians:
  • Meat Loaf – Lead Vocals
  • Roger Daltrey – Featured Vocal on "Bad Attitude"
  • Clare Torry – Background Vocals & Female Vocal on "Modern Girl"
  • Stephanie De-Sykes – Background Vocals
  • Zee Carling – Female Vocal on "Jumpin' The Gun"
  • Paul Jacobs – Piano & Keyboards & Background Vocals
  • Bob Kulick – Guitars
  • Wells Kelly – Drums & Percussion & Background Vocals
  • John Siegler – Bass
  • Mo Foster – Bass on "Piece Of The Action"
  • Frank Ricotti – Percussion on "Nowhere Fast" & "Jumpin' The Gun"
  • Paul Vincent – Guitar Solo on "Surf’s Up" & "Jumpin' The Gun"
  • Curt Cress – Drums on "Surf’s Up"
  • Ronnie Asprey – Sax on "Cheatin' In Your Dreams"
  • Paul Buckmaster – Strings Arrangement
  • Steve Rance – Fairlight Programmer

Stephanie De‑Sykes: From Disco Diva to Rock Collaborator

Stephanie De‑Sykes, born Stephanie Ryton in 1948, is a British pop singer, songwriter, and session vocalist whose versatile voice has graced a wide range of musical genres and major artists. She first rose to prominence in the 1970s with solo hits like Born with a Smile on My Face, which reached No. 2 on the UK charts, and gained visibility performing theme songs for popular TV shows such as The Golden Shot.

While De‑Sykes enjoyed solo success, her broader impact came through her prolific session work. During the height of the disco era, she became a key member of the French-based vocal collective The Birds of Paris, a group that contributed harmonies and backing vocals to a string of influential disco artists, most notably Cerrone. These collaborations placed her at the center of Europe’s vibrant disco scene, working alongside legendary producers like Alec R. Costandinos and groups like Voyage.

Her reputation as a reliable and expressive vocalist led to opportunities beyond disco. In 1984, she was recruited to perform background vocals on Meat Loaf’s hard rock album Bad Attitude. This may seem like an unlikely match, but it reflects her broad range and the respect she earned within the industry. From pulsating disco grooves to theatrical rock ballads, Stephanie De‑Sykes adapted seamlessly, making her one of the more quietly influential vocalists of her time.

Her career is a testament to the value of musical flexibility and the often-unseen contributions of session artists who enrich iconic recordings across genres.

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Bad Attitude
  2. Modern Girl
  3. Nowhere Fast
  4. Surf's Up
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Piece Of The Action
  2. Jumpin' The Gun
  3. Cheatin' In Your Dreams
  4. Don't Leave Your Mark on Me
  5. Sailor to a Siren

Bad Attitude Album Photo Gallery:

Album Front Cover Photo
The front cover of Meat Loaf's 1984 album 'Bad Attitude' featuring a dark-haired woman dressed in torn fishnets, studs, and leather, posing on a custom motorcycle perched atop a pile of wrecked cars, against a vivid sunset sky gradient.

Front cover of Meat Loaf's 1984 album "Bad Attitude".

The image depicts a dramatic and stylized scene with a fierce-looking woman straddling a custom-built motorcycle. She wears a black leather jacket, torn fishnet stockings, studded bracelets, and leopard-print accents. Her left arm is raised dramatically over her head, her dark hair tousled and eyes gazing directly at the viewer. The bike is gothic in style, adorned with chains and adorned with animal fur and bones, symbolizing raw power and rebellion.

The motorcycle is perched atop a heap of colorful, crushed cars, painted in purples, greens, reds, and metallic hues, enhancing the sense of chaos and strength. The background is an ominous but beautiful twilight gradient, transitioning from dark indigo and deep blue to glowing red and orange along the horizon, giving the entire composition an apocalyptic but theatrical tone. The album title and band name, Meat Loaf - Bad Attitude, appear in the upper right corner in bold white stylized letters.

Note: Photos taken from personal collection; colors may vary slightly.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover of Meat Loaf's 1984 album 'Bad Attitude' showing a crumbling gothic stone wall with a tall, arched window through which part of the motorcycle from the front cover is seen, along with tracklisting and credits on the right.

Back cover of Meat Loaf’s 1984 album "Bad Attitude".

This atmospheric image depicts a moss-covered, crumbling stone wall of what resembles a gothic ruin. Centered is a large arched window with ornate stone tracery. Through the opening, viewers glimpse the rear side of the same spiked motorcycle and leopard-skin motif featured on the front cover, reinforcing continuity in visual design.

The scene behind the window is drenched in eerie red light, adding an ominous glow to the already brooding setting. Ivy clings to the left side of the structure, while the right features stark stone texture in contrast. To the right of the window, in white serif font, is the complete tracklisting for both sides of the album. Beneath it are credits for production and distribution, including names like Meat Loaf, Paul Jacobs, and Mack. The Arista logo and catalog numbers are printed at the top and bottom corners.

Note: Photos taken from personal collection; colors may vary slightly.

First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Inner sleeve of Meat Loaf's 'Bad Attitude' album featuring a dramatic photo of Meat Loaf and his band The Neverland Express in warrior-style outfits with full printed lyrics.

Inner sleeve photo from Meat Loaf's 1984 album "Bad Attitude".

The upper half of the sleeve features a vivid color photo of Meat Loaf and four members of The Neverland Express. They are positioned in a dimly lit, industrial-looking corridor illuminated with deep blue light. Each member is dressed in theatrical, post-apocalyptic warrior attire reminiscent of Mad Max, with leather vests, studded shoulders, and armor pieces. Meat Loaf stands at the front left, looking intently into the camera with a stern expression and wearing a heavy dark cloak, emphasizing his role as frontman. Behind him, one band member wears metallic shoulder plates resembling a futuristic knight, while another appears shirtless in an open leather vest, oiled and muscular, adding to the rugged and dramatic image.

The bottom half of the sleeve is entirely devoted to the full printed lyrics of the songs "Bad Attitude", "Modern Girl", and "Nowhere Fast", printed in white serif font against a black background. At the lower right corner, the sleeve is marked with the words Meat Loaf and the Neverland Express in stylized white script.

Note: Photos taken from personal collection; colors may vary slightly.

Second Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Full inner sleeve of Meat Loaf's 'Bad Attitude' album featuring printed lyrics for all songs and detailed production credits in white text on a black background.

Second inner sleeve photo from Meat Loaf's 1984 album "Bad Attitude".

This side of the custom inner sleeve is entirely text-based, featuring the complete printed lyrics of Side Two of the album: "Surf’s Up", "Piece of the Action", "Jumpin’ the Gun", "Don’t Leave Your Mark on Me", "Cheatin’ in Your Dreams", and "Sailor to a Siren". Each song's lyrics are presented in a clean, white serif font, set against a matte black background, in narrow columns arranged for readability across the entire width of the sleeve.

On the far right column, extensive production and personnel credits are listed. These include producer names (Meat Loaf, Paul Jacobs, and Mack), engineering staff, studios used (Marcus Music UK and Abbey Road Studios), and individual contributions from musicians and support personnel. Special thanks and dedications conclude the sleeve, with a final note that the album is dedicated to Pearl and Amanda.

Note: Photos taken from personal collection; contrast and clarity may vary slightly.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Record label of Meat Loaf's 'Bad Attitude' Side One featuring track list, production credits, and Arista Records logo. Catalog number 206 619, stereo, 33 1/3 RPM.

Close-up of Side One vinyl label from Meat Loaf’s 1984 album "Bad Attitude".

This label is printed in white text on a dark brown background and displays the album title, artist name, and key production and publishing details. It lists the four tracks on Side One: "Bad Attitude", "Modern Girl", "Nowhere Fast", and "Surf’s Up", along with songwriter credits including Paul Jacobs, Sarah Durkee, and Jim Steinman.

The label also includes legal notices in German, stereo playback information (33 1/3 RPM), the GEMA/BIEM publishing rights organizations, and Arista’s catalog number (206 619 / DM 206 619 A). Below the track listing, production credits are noted for Meat Loaf, Paul Jacobs, Mack, and Alan Shacklock, with Arista Records Ltd. as the label and copyright holder.

Note: Image sourced from personal collection. Slight reflections and wear may appear due to lighting and age of vinyl.

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