Steve Steinman brings his rock tribute concert Vampires Rock to Preston on April 8 and admits being a vampire who plays AC/DC tunes can really play havoc with your image.

"Yeah it can be pretty dark," Steve Steinman said.

Steve is the star of Vampires Rock, a fantasy concert featuring immortal rock anthems made famous by bands including Queen, Guns n Roses and Meatloaf.

"But I'm sat here in my pyjamas with fluffy slippers."

You are? "Am I heck!"

Steve Steinman was born in Manchester in 1965 and is probably better known for his Meat Loaf tribute, which he performed on Stars in their Eyes in 1993.

After seven years of performing the Meat Loaf Story all over the world, Steve eventually met Meat Loaf while appearing on Channel 4's Big Breakfast' in 1995.

So what did the star say to him?

"Shift!'" Steve laughed. "No really, it's not like you can sit and have a massive conversation on a TV set.

"You say hi, how's it going. But he's fine with what we do. It's professional and he's happy."

At the time of Stars in their Eyes, Steve was a chef in a restaurant.

"But I was already singing in pubs and clubs. It wasn't all of a sudden I'm on tour, I'm a 20-year overnight success."

What gave him the idea of Vampires Rock?

"There's a big surge in the greatest songs from bands like Queen and AC/DC and all these big rock bands are still going.

"The Stones are still selling albums. And although there are lots of tribute acts there was no show with a vast array of music.

"I didn't want to do a "tribute" to Queen, I wanted to do the music.

"I had the idea for vampires because people are intrigued by them look at the great films.

"And it's good fun, it's comedy as well. So I thought I'd put the two together and wrote a bit of a script and away we went.

"It's an excuse to do those great songs really. Kids love it and dress up.

"It's a touch of Rocky Horror. It's fun. It's not designed as shock horror show.

"It's about the music at the end of the day."

Even the darkest princes of rock, like Ozzy Osborne, Steve pointed out, are soft and cuddly underneath.

"It's quite theatrical. Most rock has panto in it."

And, if nothing else, it's a chance to dress to impress.

Just remember the garlic.

Vampires Rock is on at Preston Guild Hall on Saturday, April 8. Tickets £14.50, £15.50.