Northern Ireland

Meat Loaf 'offered to fly seriously ill fan from Belfast to New York in 1982', promoter reveals

Meat Loaf performing at Newbury Racecourse in England in 2013. Picture by Steve Parsons, Press Association
Meat Loaf performing at Newbury Racecourse in England in 2013. Picture by Steve Parsons, Press Association Meat Loaf performing at Newbury Racecourse in England in 2013. Picture by Steve Parsons, Press Association

MEAT Loaf once offered to fly a seriously ill young fan from Belfast to stay with him in New York during the early 1980s, a former promoter has revealed for the first time.

Alan Moneypenny, who was director of Antrim Forum for 17 years, brought the singer to the venue for a legendary two-night run in 1982 during the height of his fame.

He said the US star, who has died at the age of 74, was hugely generous to fans and staff and "put everything into what he was doing".

"I got a letter from a lady to say that her daughter, who was around 12, was very, very ill in the (Royal Victoria) hospital," he said.

"The girl was a huge fan (of Meat Loaf) and her mother asked if she could come to the Forum to see the show."

He added: "She was a delightful kid. I think about 10 doctors from the Royal came with her.

"I had said to Meat Loaf that this was happening and he said to bring her down (to meet him).

"He spent half an hour to 45 minutes with her. He gave her all these bits and pieces (of merchandise). Then he gave her a piece of paper and said 'don't show that to anybody, that's my telephone number and when you're well you're coming to New York and staying with me'.

"I've never told anyone else that before.

"When the kid went out he was virtually crying. When I said 'why did you do that?' he said 'because I had to'."

He added: "When I heard the news (of Meat Loaf's death) I sat down and thought of that kid and wondered if she's still alive."

Mr Moneypenny said Meat Loaf was a true star who was "fabulous to work with".

"He was larger than life. Everybody loved him and he related to all the staff," he said.

Antrim Forum became a draw for big names in rock during the 1980s, including Metallica, Megadeath and Status Quo, because "none of the bands wanted to go into Belfast", Mr Moneypenny said.

"We were close to the airport. We had all sorts of things going for us," he said.

"I made lots of trips to see promoters in London. It wasn't just rock and roll. It was indoor tennis and all kinds of things."

Mr Moneypenny said the Forum could have sold out both of Meat Loaf's shows "ten times".

"It was probably the best show we did," he said.

"He walked in and talked to every member of staff...At the end, the last number, every single member of the stage crew had a guitar. They came down off the lighting gantries and joined in. I had never seen anything like it."

Mr Moneypenny said the singer had suffered from ill health for decades and needed to have access to oxygen in his dressing room at the Forum.

But when he went on stage he was "leppin' about everywhere", he said.

Mr Moneypenny said during the shows Meat Loaf famously squeezed a full can of Guinness until the top popped off.

"He'd actually loosened it," he said.

"Everyone in the room thought this man had unbelievable strength but it was all show.

"He was a wonderful showman."

The singer played in Northern Ireland several further times during his career, including at the King's Hall, Ravenhill rugby stadium and the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

His most memorable gigs came in 1989 when he was booked for a tour of rural Ireland, playing in community centres, ballrooms and hotel function rooms.

During one gig in Moate, Co West­meath, the crowd threw shoes, empty beer cans and even a wheelchair at the singer, forcing him to leave the stage after half an hour.

Several years later, Meat Loaf was playing stadium tours again after he rekindled his musical partnership with producer Jim Steinman.

In 1993, his hit 'I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)', reached number one in 28 countries and earned him a Grammy award.