News
Hell’s Bells: Meat Loaf Rings The Opening Bell At The NYSE
Amy Dupcak :: Friday, June 18th, 2010 3:15 pm
So after several albums, an epic and bizarre string of music videos, Rocky Horror fame and 51 other films, you might have thought Meat Loaf would eventually retreat to the “Where are they now?” files, but guess again! Meat Loaf, or Michael Aday, or just plain old “Meat,” is releasing a brand new record called Hang Cool Teddy Bear. To celebrate and promote the album, and to make sure you haven’t forgotten his skills, he’ll be ringing the opening bell at the The New York Stock Exchange on Monday, June 21st.
There’s something about Wall Street and music that’s never quite gelled for me, but I guess if you’re looking at it from an economic standpoint, what an ingenious, albeit not so creative, way to publicize your products and make some bucks—especially when you’ve got “Bat Out of Hell” under your (pretty big) belt.
Here’s a fun fact: These opening and closing bell rituals, acted out on the narrow marble balcony that overlooks the Big Board’s main trading floor, didn’t exist the way they do now before 1995. Special guests ring the bells on a regular basis, but this used to be the humdrum responsibility of the exchange’s floor managers.
Fun fact number two: the original signal wasn’t even a bell, but a gavel. During the late 1800s, the NYSE decided to switch the gavel for a gong, but after the NYSE changed to its present location at 18 Broad Street in 1903, the gong was switched to a bell. Too bad because I’d love to see Meat bang a gong.
Although ringing the bell might have lost some glamour over the years, especially with our declining economy, Meat Loaf is in the good company of many other bell-ringers, like Boyz II Men (remember them?), Anna Kournikova, The Boy Scouts, American astronauts, Autism Speaks volunteers, The New Orleans Saints, Jimmy Page, and even Darth Vader! May the force be with you, Meat Loaf.
It was great to see him up there this morning!
Amy, if you haven’t heard the new album yet, YOU WILL LOVE IT!! It rocks, it’s funny in spots, and there’s one song guaranteed to make you cry :)
-Kathy Borror
Posted by: Kathy Borror June 21st, 2010 at 10:58 am