Meat Loaf, the U.S. rock star otherwise known as Michael Lee Aday, has died aged 74. Meat Loaf was one of the most known rock icons in the late 1970s with epic anthems about love, lust, and motorcycles. His debut album, "Bat Out of Hell" became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Reuters described his style to bear "an intensity bordering on melodrama".

The singer and actor, who sold more than 100 million records worldwide, died with his wife by his side. His daughters, Pearl and Amanda, had been with him in his final hours. No cause of death was disclosed so far.

"Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away," his family said in a statement. "From his heart to your souls … don't ever stop rocking!"

 

 

 

 

 

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The life of the legend

Meat Loaf, who had roles in films "The Rocky Horror Show" and "Fight Club", had an appeal extended far beyond hard rock fans.

Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1947, Aday was bullied at school about his weight - he once said that his stage name was one of the name-callings he often received back then. The home was far from tranquil, his alcoholic father beat him and once tried to kill him. He left for Los Angeles and formed his first band. He eventually found success on the stage in the 1970s, performing in the musicals "Hair" and "The Rocky Horror Show".

"It was his voice – you knew what you got with Meat Loaf. It was 100 percent of everything," said British producer Pete Waterman.

However, it was later when he collaborated with composer Jim Steinman that he met his breakthrough into the big league would come with "Bat Out of Hell". The debut album, with a title track of almost 10 minutes in length, also has another hit: "Paradise by the Dashboard Light". It was a cocktail of gothic horror and guitar rock that initially struggled to find a record label but finally succeeded to showcase his powerful voice and establish his long-haired goth rock persona.

The rock legend toured extensively in the 1980s but chart success eluded him early in that decade, although his duet with Cher in 1981's "Dead Ringer for Love" did see some level of success. He rekindled with Steinman on a sequel to his debut in 1993 titled "Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell". It gave birth to the 1993's hit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" that topped the charts in 28 countries, including for seven weeks in Britain.

 

 

 

 

 

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