Meat Loaf has issued a heartfelt apology to the Australian football league and nation in a lengthy post on his Facebook page.
The US rocker and the AFL have been locked in a war of words ever since his heavily criticised performance at the 2011 grand final.
In a recent article in Billboard magazine, Meat Loaf said the AFL were the “cheapest people I’ve ever seen in my life” and blamed a haemorrhaging vocal cord for singing out of tune at the event.
Now the 67-year-old is trying to re-build bridges, taking responsibility for both his actions and the Billboard interview. “I want to now make an apology for any angry or harsh words I have made towards the Australian football league, their fans and the people of Australia,” he wrote on social media. “I am truly sorry.”
Billboard quotes Meat Loaf as saying: “We did a thing called the AFL, I thought it was like halftime in the middle of a field, which I’ve done for NFL and World Football League finals ... These were the cheapest people I’ve ever seen in my life. They said: ‘We’re gonna have 100 motorcycles, they had three.’”
The Bat Out Of Hell singer says he was taken out of context. “I can’t take it back. It happened and I am truly sorry,” he said. “I have learned one lesson from now on, no matter what happens or when it happens there is only one person to blame and that is myself.
“Stand like a man and say I am sorry. I may never see you again and I can never repay what the people of Australia have given too me. I betrayed your trust, I apologise for any feelings that I have hurt.
“My behaviour was extremely inappropriate, immature, and lacked the respect for the people of Australia and the Australian football league. Again, I am sorry for my actions and I hope that we can put this matter behind us.”
The singer signed off, “With much Respect, Meat Loaf”, before announcing he was about to tour the US again and apologising for his “terrible spelling and grammar”.
The AFL have yet to respond to Meat Loaf’s message but its recent announcement that Bryan Adams, Ellie Goulding and Chris Isaak would perform at the 2015 grand final was met with criticism by fans who would prefer a homegrown headliner.
