Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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This is the common version of these recordings that has been shared around since it was initially unearthed. I have not had to do much work here at all as the lossless rip of the tape is so great in quality anyway. In the timestamps, I have labelled the tracks as they are labelled on the tape but have also included the alt. names of tracks where applicable, and small notes about each track below.

Unfortunately the lineup for these recordings is still unknown, except for Jim Steinman on backing vocals, and almost certainly piano. Steve Margoshes was musical director so it's possible he is present here as well. The vocalist and other musicians alas remain obscure to us. The first three songs are very delicious instrumental covers.

These recordings come from the 1975 New York Shakespeare Festival production of 'Kid Champion', with book and lyrics by Thomas Babe and music and lyrics by Jim Steinman. There was another production in 1979 but all of the audio we have dates to 1975. The instrumental part of this tape would have played while audiences were entering and exiting, with the songs including vocals being featured in the play, dubbed a 'multimedia experience'.

00:00:00 1. 'Candy Rock' [Montrose - Rock Candy]
00:02:36 2. 'Crazy' [Queen - Stone Cold Crazy]
00:05:22 3. 'Space Station' [Montrose - Rock The Nation]
00:07:23 4. [Entr'acte]
00:10:03 5. 'Spice Dog' [The Storm / When Your City Is Burning]
00:14:05 6. 'Chinko' [Chinkachain]
00:15:56 7. 'Gadzooks' [Song Of The Gods]
00:19:16 8. 'A Minor'
00:23:02 9. 'Ending' ["Kinda Like An Angel"]
00:25:09 10. 'For Crying Out Loud'
00:32:55 11. 'Yogi'
00:36:45 12. 'Bosco False Start' [For Crying Out Loud (Reprise)]
00:41:58 13. 'Donny's Guitar'

"The long instrumental piece was played as the audience was entering and taking their seats, the other tracks used as incidental music within the play. The vocalist's identity is sadly unknown." - jimsteinman.com

"Demo recordings of various instrumental music and song tracks used for NYSF production of Kid champion. These demos were unearthed by bellminer from the New York Public Library in 2011. No performers are known, apart from Jim, who at can be heard singing backup vocals on "For Crying Out Loud". With what we know today, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that sections of the opening track sounds sound very familiar." - mljs.evilnickname.org

1-3 are instrumental versions of covers.

4 seems to be an abbreviated version of 'Entr'acte' from The Dream Engine.

5 is an early version of 'The Storm', basically a rearrangement of 'When Your City Is Burning', also from The Dream Engine.

6 is 'Chinkachain' from 'Rhinegold'.

7 is an instrumental version of 'Song Of The Gods' that is identical to the version that went on to be performed on the Bat Out Of Hell Tour, from 1977-78.

8 was previously misidentified as originating from 'Rhinegold', it contains elements of what became the instrumental section in 'Let The Revels Begin', and later 'God Has Left The Building', as well as borrowing slightly from 'Song of The Golden Egg'.

9 has an intro the same as 'Who'd Do The Dirty?' from 'Rhinegold', but is a unique song for this project, dubbed 'Kinda Like An Angel' by fans. It satisfyingly ends with the intro riff from 'Hymn To Fire/Spice Dog/The Storm'.

10 is of course a demo version of the iconic 'For Crying Out Loud', notice the intro and how it's the same as 'The Future Just Ain't What It Used To Be', the "stem the tide of the rising waters" part.

11 has nothing more to do with Jim Steinman than being on this tape, as contrary to popular belief, he did not write the music or lyrics. Nonetheless it is a very lovely song. [Edit - It is possible that the music is by Jim, but not the lyrics.]

12 is a reprise version of 'For Crying Out Loud', and the name on the tape leads me to wonder whether the mystery vocalist could have been nicknamed 'Bosco'? Who knows, still it's an interesting version, and rather polarising, some people really dig it and others loathe it. I enjoy it personally, especially the unique ending, a very beautiful piece of Steinman music indeed.

13 is possibly a repurposed instrumental demo of 'Yogi', and is a very sweet instrumental in my opinion.

Photos from slleiter.blogspot.com/2020/08/286-kid-champion-from-my-unpublished.html, and the Jim Steinman Wiki.