Geoffrey Feakes – författare

Bat Out Of Hell was released in 1977 during the height of disco fever and punk rock. The product of two larger-than-life figures in composer Jim Steinman and vocalist Meatloaf, it remains an ambitious debut album that bucked the trend and confounded critics. With the help of several hit singles, it struck a chord with record buyers and became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Benefitting from a combination of catchy melodies, anthemic rock, dazzling musicianship, inventive choral work and audacious narratives, the songs – like ‘You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth’ and the epic title track - have a universal appeal that has stood the test of time. The memorable hooks and high production values also signposted the power ballads and arena rock style of the 1980s.This book examines the individual songs that make up Bat Out Of Hell, along with the album’s conception, recording, reception, subsequent tour, and legacy. It also traces the backstory of its creators and their work – together and apart – that followed in the album’s wake. This includes two successors, released in 1993 and 2006, respectively, and Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical, which premiered in 2017.

Geoffrey Feakes is an author, music journalist and retired design engineer based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in the north of England. He has five previous books to his credit: The Moody Blues On Track published in 2019, The Who On Track in 2020, Steve Hackett on track in 2021, 1973: The Golden Age of Progressive Rock in 2022 and Rick Wakeman in the 1970s in 2023. He has been a writer for the online Dutch Progressive Rock Page since 2005 with hundreds of reviews and interviews to his credit.

During a decade that defined progressive rock, 1973 was a pivotal year. Influential bands like Yes, Genesis, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull, The Electric Light Orchestra and King Crimson released some of their best-selling albums and there was a plethora of releases from less well known but equally worthy acts. This book is a journey through this creative period; stopping off on route to explore symphonic rock, the Canterbury scene, Krautrock, fusion, progressive folk, art rock, space rock, album artwork and much more.As well as the big names from the year when progressive rock was arguably at its commercial and artistic peak, the book also looks in depth at albums by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Greenslade, Rick Wakeman, Gong, Le Orme, Can, Kayak, Gentle Giant, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Renaissance, Caravan, Nektar, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and Magma.But this book is much more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It’s a comprehensive and knowledgeable guide to an era when music incorporated multiple sections, rich textures, intricate time signatures, inspired arrangements and diverse influences performed by skilled musicians. It was possible to take a dip in topographic oceans, encounter pot head pixies from a distant planet and still be home in time for larks’ tongues in aspic.

Geoffrey Feakes is an author and music journalist. He has published three previous books, The Moody Blues On Track in 2019, The Who On Track in 2020 and Steve Hackett On Track in 2021. He has been a writer for the Dutch Progressive Rock Page since 2005 with hundreds of reviews and interviews to his credit. He lives in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK and when he’s not writing, he spends a good deal of time listening to music including contemporary progressive rock.