HE is famous for his earsplitting voice and sweat-soaked, drawn-out performances.

Now it has emerged the late rock legend Meat Loaf is an inspiration for Ian Blackford.

The SNP Westminster leader revealed today that he regularly listens to Meat Loaf before taking part in Prime Minister’s Questions.

He told an Edinburgh Fringe audience that the US artist, whose Bat Out of Hell LP is one of the best selling albums of all time, helped get him in the “right frame of mind”.

Speaking at the New Town Theatre, the Skye MP talked about how much time and effort all party leaders went though before PMQs each week to ensure “you’re not done over”.

He said his routine started on possible lines on Tuesday morning, then a team of six met on Wednesday morning.

He said: “So much of that Wednesday morning is taken up by making sure you’re in the right kind of space.

“We thrash the questions. I do prep. The last thing I do before I go down into the chamber is listen to a bit of music, just to help get me in that right frame of mind.”

Asked what kind of music he listened to, he said:  “I listen to things like Meat Loaf.”

He then revealed he had also been listebning to Karla DeVito, who sang with Meat Loaf  in the 1970s, mentioned it on Twitter and she had replied to him.

“I said to her, You’ll never guess, I actually listen to you sometimes before I go down t Prime Minister’s Questions. She’s quit politically engaged as a Democrat in the US. That was quite interesting to get that response.”

Mr Blackford also said he would love to see Ellen Foley, the other singer who partnered Meat Loaf, and recommended a duet she had done recently with Ms DeVito. 

Real name Michael Lee Aday, Meat Loaf died aged 74 in January this year.