meat loaf
Photo: Redferns, Paul Bergen. All rights reserved.
Notable gesture of the bearskin hats. Over the weekend, the Royal Unity Band performed a brass band version of “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” outside Buckingham Palace. A tribute from the Queen’s Guard to US musician Meat Loaf, who died on January 20 at the age of 74.
The Queen’s Guard or British Guard is a traditional regiment of the British Army, which guards the respective head of the monarchy. The unit is known for its iron discipline when its members stand still for hours at the entrances of royal residences. The elite force, which has existed since 1660, consists of fully operational soldiers. In front of the palace gates in London or Windsor, however, their guns are usually not loaded.
The troupe’s musicians rearrange popular pop titles for their wind instruments to suit the occasion. In 2014, for example, they came up with soundtrack titles from the blockbuster series “Game of Thrones”. Meat Loaf’s loved ones said: “We know how much he meant to so many and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we navigate this time of grief. We have lost an inspiring artist and good person.”
A clip has been circulating online of the members of the Queen’s Guard Marching Band playing their arrangement of the 1993 hit. The song from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell reached number one in 28 countries, sold in platinum dimensions in the US and won a Grammy for Best Solo Vocal, Rock Category.