Blog Tour: Dear Mr Pop Star by Derek & Dave Philpott

Welcome to my blog on today’s stop on the Dear Mr Pop Star Blog tour.

The Blurb

For more than a decade, Derek Philpott and his son, Dave, have been writing deliberately deranged letters to pop stars from the 1960s to the 90s to take issue with the lyrics of some of their best-known songs. They miss the point as often as they hit it.

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

Dear Mr Pop Starcontains 100 of Derek and Dave’s greatest hits, including correspondence with Katrina and the Waves, Tears for Fears, Squeeze, The Housemartins, Suzi Quatro, 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.

 

My Review

3.5 out of 5 stars

Never Mind the Buzzcocks used to do a hilarious round called Indecipherable Lyrics where the panels would try to guess what the artists were actually singing. But even if you can understand them, have you ever been singing along to a song in the car, possibly even a favourite and realised that the lyrics make no sense whatsoever? You’re not the first. However, it has probably never even crossed your mind to ask the pop star just what they meant by their particular phrase, or even to gently rib them but utterly misunderstanding the significance of what they were singing.

For nearly 10 years, ‘Team Philpott’ as Derek and Dave are known, have been asking the questions that no one was really looking for an answer for. Sitting down in front of a typewriter and asking just someone like Katrina and the Waves just how she was going to be Walking on Sunshine; or if T’Pau really did have China in her hand. These letters are quite droll, often amusing, and pedantic with their tongues firmly wedged in their cheeks.

However, what is funnier still is these artists began to reply to these nonsense missives with even funnier replies in response to the letters sent over the decade. Their reputation grew, mostly because people loved seeing the responses on their website, friends of friends would ensure that the letter got to the bands in question and bands would let other bands would let others know what was going on and urge them to get involved.

Dear Ultravox,

I fear that your nonchalance towards Austria’s premier holiday destination may cause you to fall foul of the tourist board…

What you have here is a collection of the letters they wrote and the replies received. These would take as much glee in pointing out the errors in the first correspondence from Team Philpott. It is mostly about two guys writing daft things and getting equally daft correspondence back, and there are some very amusing moments. Great piece of light-hearted reading.

You can follow Team Philpott on Twitter : @DerekPhilpott

Don’t forget to have a look at the other reviews on the (humungous) blog tour:

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2 Comments

  1. Dave Philpott

    Dear Semi Digestive

    Thank you so much for this wonderful feature of our deranged tome, which many are using as a doorstop. Still, a sale is a sale. The Christians (no, not them) still had to buy Beatles’ records to burn them even though ultimately Lennon was right – they WERE bigger than Jesus Jones

    Thank for so eloquently capturing the genesis (no, not them) of our exploits and we can confirm that The Wurzels were handed their letter as they went on stage (well, hay bale) in Radstock. We are Philpott – We are Legion – British Legion. Working Men’s Club. CIU Jimmy

    You are certainly correct in that this really is unique as a concept and it really is nice to see these pop stars mucking in and displaying their humorous sides. We are getting a bit notorious now, which could go either way…

    In conclusion, thank you. It’s been a delight corresponding with you in the weeks and weeks leading to this glorious appraisal, and kudos not just for spending your valuable time and assets, but also for such a sublime critique that delves right to the essence and heart of our insane little world… Best and Highest, Dave and Dad Philpott

    • admin

      You are very welcome

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