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Patrick John,
Dublin, Ireland
eMail: pat_kelly@hotmail.com
Dear Jim,
I remember everything……I was 12 years of age, sitting in my best mates’ living room watching music videos on T.V., when suddenly this short movie started playing, and in to the bar walked this great big beast with long hair and sunglasses, screaming at the top of his voice about Saturday nights, rock ‘n’roll ‘n’ beer, beggin’ on his knees and then dancing on the bar with Cher. We were both captivated. Hooked. Spellbound.
Shortly after seeing and hearing "Dead Ringer For Love", I was telling an aunt of mine about the song – upon which she introduced me to the album that changed everything. It was the artwork first. The roaring motorcycle out of hell, the bat perched on the tombstone. And then came the first nine minutes and forty-eight seconds of sheer astonishment, listening to the title track. "The Awakening", as I like to call it. I figured you were the guy with the white glove on the back cover – and "Songs by Jim Steinman" on the front cover of "Bat" was the beginning of my long and lonely quest to dig out everything you’d ever written and recorded on vinyl.
Lonely because while all my classmates were listening to U2 and Simple Minds at the time, I was on a different plain. I never caredfor any of their three minute "we’re in, we’re cool" chart songs or hit albums. I wanted Excess. No Limits, No Boundaries, songs that played fire with teenage dreams and yet touched every raw nerve and every emotion tanked up inside a teenage heart. You gave me that. I was different from the rest then, and I’m different from the rest now.
Long because the journey isn’t over yet. Although I can’t think of anything written and produced by you that hasn’t made it to my Steincollection. They’re all there. Meat Loaf, Air Supply, Streets Of Fire, Pandora’s Box, Celine Dion, Bonnie Tyler, Sisters Of Mercy, Whistle Down The Wind – need I go on?
The one song that will always mean the most has to be "Objects". You told my life story there in those three verses. Being a musician myself, I have enjoyed playing and singing many of your songs for friends and for fun, but "Objects" is the one song that drags up far too emotion for me. It says it all. If I cry listening to it – what would I be like trying to sing it!. Maybe someday I will – when I learn to bury the past – and you’ve helped me do some of that Jim. On that thought – I wish you a very happy birthday my friend, and never, ever forget ….. you are a very special person. Have a great day.
Patrick John
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