Many men retire at 65, so why shouldn't rock-stars? The choice is to continue trawling your hits until you resemble a wizened old sultana and sound like a chest complaint or go out in a blaze of glory - or like a Bat out of Hell. Meat Loaf has finally reached his ultimate career milestone - his retirement from touring.

Born in 1947 as Marvin Lee Aday, the explosive performer set a new precedent for rock, pomp, theatre and ceremony with a string of multi-platinum albums that drew him away from music theatre (he spent a few years in the '70s performing in the Rocky Horror Picture Show) and onto stadium stages and the bright lights of fame and fortune. Over the next three decades, Meat Loaf issued several classics including "Dead Ringer", "Midnight at the Lost and Found" and "Bat out of Hell 2", on which he declared to the amusement of parody and comedy writers, ""I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)".

But perhaps his most revered work is his very first solo effort - 1977's "Bat out of Hell", a seven-song litany of histrionics, drama and legend that burst out of speakers across mainland Britain at a time when punk was already providing a viable alternative to the mainstream. It elevated Meat Loaf to superstar status with songs such as ""You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth", "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" and the raging powerhouse that is the title-track.

But it's time to say goodbye. After over thirty years in the business, Meat Loaf is hanging up his microphone, for the time-being at least, with a farewell tour. Called "Last at Bat", the shows will be split into two parts - one with greatest hits, the other with the entire "Bat out of Hell" album performed in its entirety. He may only play a couple of others from his later trio albums - I suppose, either way, two out of three ain't bad.

Shows start in Newcastle on 5th April 2013, followed by Glasgow, London, Birmingham and the usual suspects until closing out in Cardiff on the 21st. We will have tickets on sale from 9am Friday 21st December, priced at £45 to £57.50.