Paul Crook
A versatile rock guitarist who became Meat Loaf's musical director, anchoring the bombastic live shows for over two decades.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American guitarist·Birthday: February 12·Generation X
Biography
Paul Crook operates in the high-octane world of rock and metal as a trusted sideman and sonic architect. While he has shredded alongside thrash legends Anthrax and glam frontmen like Sebastian Bach, his defining partnership was with the larger-than-life performer Meat Loaf. Crook wasn't just a guitarist for Meat Loaf; he served as his musical director, a role that required translating the dense, theatrical studio productions of Jim Steinman into something a live band could execute night after night. He joined in the late 1990s, just as the 'Bat Out of Hell II' phenomenon was reigniting Meat Loaf's career, and became a fixture on stage, his playing providing both the muscular riffage and the intricate melodic lines essential to the music's drama. Beyond the spotlight, Crook is also a respected producer and engineer, running his own studio. His career embodies the spirit of a dedicated session musician—technically gifted, adaptable, and the steady hand that helps superstar visions become a reality on stage and in the studio.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Paul was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Meat Loaf's lead guitarist and musical director for over twenty years, shaping the live sound of his tours.
- Recorded and performed with the iconic thrash metal band Anthrax, including on their album 'Stomp 442'.
- Toured extensively with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach as a member of his solo band.
Did You Know?
He is a certified audio engineer and runs his own recording studio, The Soundhole, in New Jersey.
Crook appeared in the HBO series 'Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp' as a counselor and performing musician.
He played guitar on the track "Man of Steel" for Marya Roxx's album 'Payback'.
“My job is to translate the artist's vision into a wall of sound from this guitar.”
