Inside Meat Loaf's life – Heartbreaking loss, onstage collapses and 'murderous' father

dailystar.co.uk:

Meat Loaf has died at the age of 74.The death of the singer, whose biggest hits included Bat Out of Hell, I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That), Two Out of Three Ain't Bad and I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth), has led to an outpouring of tributes from fans and stars around the world.Since bursting onto the music scene with the chart-topping Bat Out of Hell album in 1977, he became one of the world's most famous performers, appearing in hit Hollywood films and a memorable Celebrity Apprentice stint.

However, before finding fame, the star endured a tragic loss and a tough upbringing, as well as a number of health battles and a reported feud when performing worldwide.Meat Loaf was born Michael Lee Aday on September 27 1947 in Dallas, Texas, to Wilma Artie who was a school teacher and gospel singer, and Orvis Aday, who was a former police officer.The singer also revealed to Rolling Stone magazine that it was his father who gave him his famous stage name, saying that his father said "he looks like meat".However in the same interview, Meat Loaf also revealed shocking insights into his upbringing, which saw his alcoholic father physically attack the singer as a young child, before disappearing for days at a time.Meat Loaf and his mother would then drive from bar to bar to try and find his father.However in 1966, tragedy struck when Meat Loaf's mother Wilma Artie died from cancer while the singer was just 19 years old.It was reported by Classic Rock Magazine that he was so gripped by grief at the loss of his mother, that during the funeral, he held his mother's body and told the undertakers "you can't have her".Shortly after the funeral, the singer recalled that his drunk father then came into his bedroom.