A NEW book of letters to iconic music stars with jokey replies from the artists themselves has been released by a father and son duo.

Dave Philpott, who lives in Salisbury, and his father Derek, have written Dear Mr Pop Star, which has been ten years in the making.

It was inspired Dave’s father’s funny responses about music records when he would question the song lyrics like ‘why hungry like the wolf and not peckish like the panda?’.

“I thought wouldn’t it be brilliant to have all that stuff he’s said [in a book],” said Dave.

Dear Mr Popstar features nearly 100 of the best letters about the lyrics of iconic pop and rock stars with their responses. These include Judas Priest, Starship, Tears For Fears, The Eurythmics, The Wurzels, and Suzi Quatro to name just a few.

“They were all primed and in on the joke before battle commenced. They adored it or wouldn’t have done it and they did it out of love. No brown envelopes changed hands,” said Dave

Dave says the Dear Mr Pop Star Facebook fans helped reach the bands through cousins of bass players, hairdressers, roadies, tour bus drivers, fans handing the artists letters onstage. Then the pop stars started telling each other.

But Dave says he never intended to write a book, adding: “It started out as a silly website of letters hanging unanswered in cyberspace - that was funny enough - then after a couple of years the replies came trickling in. Then it was a flood.”

Summing up Dear Mr Pop Star, Dave said: “[It is] Deliberately deranged letters to iconic 60s-90s stars with genuine in-on-joke replies from the artists themselves.”

The book has “snowballed” says Dave, adding: “It is surreal what dad and I wrote in the front room has been seen by thousands of people. It’s getting bigger and bigger.

“I’m still bewildered by it. I’ve been trying for ten years to do it.”

Dear Mr Pop Star is available to buy now.