Ellen Foley‘s career essentially began with three words: Stop. Right. There. That was her opening line as the object of Meat Loaf’s feverish romantic desire in the Jim Steinman-penned classic Paradise By The Dashboard Light, the song that introduced the St. Louis singer and actress to the world.
Of course, it didn’t stop right there for Foley. She went on to have a long career in music, TV and movies. She sang with or for everyone from Ian Hunter and Blue Öyster Cult to Stephen Sondheim. She released three albums back in the ’70s and ’80s, including her sophomore album Spirit Of St. Louis, which was produced by her then-boyfriend Mick Jones of The Clash, and featured songs written and performed by the band. Later she focused on acting, appearing in everything from the sitcom Night Court to the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail, before backing away from the business to raise a family. More recently, Foley has made a welcome return to music. In 2014, she released her first album in three decades, the appropriately titled About Time. And this year, she finally followed it up with Fighting Words, an album that reconnects her with the guitar-driven rock of her past. As she prepares to return to the concert stage, Foley talked to me about the old days, her current album, how she more or less pioneered the rock ’n’ roll cameo and more. Watch it above, then read more about Ellen Foley and Fighting Words HERE.
