I thought she was kinda cute (not sexy, not beautiful, just rock chick cute), Manga image before Mangas became popular. But you're right, she also had that heroin look to her.
To a lot of people, her voice was an acquired taste too, but she was part of the early Meat Loaf sound. Karla DeVito's vocals (her successor with Meat Loaf) weren't perhaps quite as an acquired taste, I liked her solo album at the time as well.
And Ellen looks healthier these days.
