‘Rocky Horror’ live EP from Meat Loaf’s band The Neverland Express + Caleb Johnson
THE NEVERLAND EXPRESS + CALEB JOHNSON
Live from Cleveland: Performing Music from Rocky Horror – 4 song EP
Deko Entertainment (vinyl, CD, and digital format)
By Warren Kurtz
The Neverland Express + Caleb Johnson, the combined force who debuted on vinyl last year with the Deko Entertainment album Paradise Found: Bat Out of Hell Reignited, recreating Meat Loaf’s 1977 Cleveland International Records breakthrough album Bat Out of Hell with songs by Jim Steinman, are back with the 4-song Deko EP Live from Cleveland: Performing Music from Rocky Horror. Goldmine spoke with Paul Crook, who joined Meat Loaf’s band, The Neverland Express, in 2002 and produced his final two albums, 2011’s Hell in a Handbasket and 2016’s Braver Than We Are. Crook is a guitarist and the music director of the octet, who carry on the legacy of Meat Loaf’s music.
Crook told Goldmine, “I am so excited about this live Deko EP that we recorded at the Hard Rock Live in Downtown Cleveland. I am going to reach out to the Rocky Horror Picture Show creator Richard O’Brien this weekend to invite him to one of our upcoming shows. The set opens with “Science Fiction Double Feature” with both Lyssa Lynne and Kiley Baxter swapping verses. They are fantastic.”
Crook continued, showcasing American Idol winner Caleb Johnson, “We hear Caleb on the next three songs, beginning with ‘Sweet Transvestite.’ Andy Ascolese’s really pounds the piano on this one. It is a fun song. Tim Curry was so awesome performing it originally. The lyrics are hysterical, and I hope people will enjoy this.”
The group’s three vocalists join forces on “Time Warp.” Crook shared, “The vocal order is Caleb, Lyssa, and Kiley."
The EP concludes with “Hot Patootie,” the most Meat Loaf-like song of the four, as it was Meat Loaf, as the character Eddie, who sang this number in the ‘70s cult favorite film. This new version is propelled powerfully by Johnson’s vocal, twin electric guitars, bass, and thundering drums. Crook concluded, “Randy Flowers and I battle each other on our guitars in a friendly way, with Ed Avila on bass, and John Miceli on drums, who started working with Meat Loaf in 1992 and was on the ‘I’ll Do Anything for Love’ tour. We started this venture six years ago with Meat’s blessing. I am grateful that we can continue carrying on his legacy with his dedicated fan base lovingly supporting us. It is beautiful.”
The Neverland Express are on tour this month in England and back on the road in the U.S. next month with their Celebrating Meat Loaf shows.
Related Links:
dekoentertainment.com/the-neverland-express
Goldmine 2023 Neverland Express interview
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