#Feature to (Belatedly) Celebrate the New Edition of Dear Mr Pop Star Book 1 by Derek Philpott and Dave Philpott #Humour #NonFiction @DerekPhilpott

If you’re wanting to read something completely different, Dear Mr Pop Star would certainly qualify. It consists of a compilation of letters written by Derek and Dave Philpott to various pop stars and bands referencing or querying some of their song lyrics.

For more than a decade, Derek and Dave, have been writing to pop stars from the 1960s to the 90s to take issue with the lyrics of some of their best-known songs.

But then, to their great surprise, the pop stars started writing back…

Dear Mr Pop Star contains 100 of Derek and Dave’s greatest hits, including correspondence with Katrina and the Waves, Tears for Fears, Squeeze, The Housemartins, Spandau Ballet, Devo, Deep Purple, Nik Kershaw, T Pau, Human League, Eurythmics, Wang Chung, EMF, Mott the Hoople, Heaven 17, Jesus Jones, Johnny Hates Jazz, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, Chesney Hawkes and many, many more.

A donation will be made to homeless charities from the profits of every copy of this book sold, as a thank you to the artists involved and to you, the reader.

To be honest, I was surprised at the number of replies that were received, some more lengthy than others, but written in the same spirit as the initial letter of, shall we say, ‘enquiry’. Those who replied did so with with wit and courtesy, regardless of the amusing and sometimes outlandish, suggestions and questions. Some of the bands weren’t known to me, some were a blast from the past, but whichever they were I enjoyed the replies.

Dear Middle of the Road,

Given that ‘Little Baby Don’s’ momma and poppa vanished on the very same night, it appears that they may have been the subjects of a Mafia hit….

…Our secret has been rumbled. I hope the ‘Fuzz’ do not read this. Since the disappearance we’ve been dominated by ‘Baby Don’ screaming for sweets and fizzy drinks. He even threatens to write a follow-up to “Chirpy Chirpy Cheap Cheap”.. a truly terrifying thought.. Ian ‘Tweedle Dum’ McCredie

I particularly enjoyed Heaven 17’s reply to the comments on their song (described as an advertising jingle) after Derek and Dave saw them on Top of the Pops, which is too long to include the whole, but begins…

‘If by any chance we were using this song (not a jingle) to sell a product, I can assure you it would not be a stairlift, it would be something more befitting a song of its stature. Perhaps a luxury brand of cereal or mid-range SUV.

I do hope that I have put your misconceptions to bed and that you might now enjoy ‘Temptation’ with a clearer knowledge of what you are listening to. 

 Kind Regards,

Glenn Gregory’

It’s true that sometimes songs lyrics make little sense when taken literally and it was an inspired idea to write to the bands or artists querying the meaning behind certain lyrics and also band names. The letters are inventive and entertaining, so are the replies. It’s a fun book, great to dip in and out, which is what I’ve been doing.

Derek’s explanation of what sparked the idea…

‘Back in 2008 I was at a wedding with my friend Wilf Turnbull who, like myself, is a retired gentleman from Bournemouth, when the DJ played, as Wilf put it ‘that’ The Jacksons. I admit at this juncture that ale had been copiously imbibed at the free bar and after a third mushroom vol au vent, as little Michael and the rest of his sibling quintet’s song filled the air (not literally), I remember Wilf suddenly standing stock still and declaring that sunshine, moonlight, good times and boogie can hardly be held accountable for a failed romance. Then, mid chicken drumstick, the DJ put Living In A Box on and we wondered why in heaven’s name a pop star would be residing within a cardboard box, given that the job is notoriously well-paid?

I asked Wilf what in the blazes we were going to do about it and after a bit of thought we decided that there was one course of action available to us. ……… There was nothing for it other than to write to both of them, and take them to task by letter over their questionable lyrics.’

The book can purchased at Amazon UK and Amazon US