Starlust: The Secret Fantasies of Fans

by Fred Vermorel, Judy Vermorel, Pete Townshend (Introduction)

'I go in my bedroom and lie on my bed and soon as I set eyes on Nick it's like magic...' (Alison, 14)

Starlust is a stunning oral history of pop music fandom in all its glorious, unexpurgated ecstasies and deliriums. Through first-hand accounts collected from interviews, diaries, letters and confessions Fred Vermorel presents an unprecedented, multi-faceted portrait of 1980s-era pop adoration and obsession - from lonely teens love-struck by Nick Heyward, to the androgynous disciples who claim psychic connections with David Bowie, to the housewife-devotees who share 'lashings of Manilust' for Barry Manilow.

'This book, at first glance full of the fantasies of maniacs, is really full of the wonderful dreams of people just like you and me.' Pete Townshend

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still fairly astonishing compendium of 1980s dreams, fantasies and anecdotes from superfans, with added Situationist gloss in the afterword.

[Bryan Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who would ever have thought that there are people out there who regard Barry Manilow as the second coming of Christ? Or that T-Rex’s Marc Bolan spoke to them from beyond the grave? Not to mention the theory that David Bowie is a semi-divine space alien (of course Bowie himself is at least partially to blame for that one). Sure, a lot of the entries in this collection of fan ramblings are in the more traditional, mundane mode, fantasies about having sex with Robert Plant and the like. But others display absolutely fascinating pathology, such as the fan who wants to give hepatitis to Boy George out of a love/hate desire to watch him suffer, or the woman who can describe in detail every room of the house she imagines she shares with the lead singer of Japan. As with many books on pop culture, this work suffers at least a little from anchoring in place and time; Kajagoogoo fans probably seemed at least a little less inherently odd in England in the mid-80s than they do now. Still, interesting patterns emerge. Assuming the contents are fairly representative of artists’ fan bases in general, Manilow appears to appeal primarily to unsatisfied housewives, while Bowie has little trouble drawing in a solid cadre of borderline psychotics. Overall fans of fandom will love this uncensored – aside from names – portrait of the real hard-core painted in their own words.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

In which fans relate their (usually sexual) fantasies about pop stars. Published in the 1980s, the stars might be dated (Japan, Bowie, Adam Ant, The Police) but the sentiments are fresh and vital. Unjudgemental, touching, and of course, incredibly funny.

The fans have unintentionally provided me and my friends with several peachy catchphrases; "On your knees, punky!" (the imagined exhortation from Adam Ant to an enthusiastic fan, and "Manilove" (the sign off of choice from Barry M enthusiasts). Wonderful.

[Flotsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just astonishing. I think it was the excess of Barry Manilow fans that really did it for me, I expected it more of the Bowie fans.

[Michael Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

It gives a picture of pre-internet fandom, albeit the extreme peak of it - what arseholes and simpletons call 'Stans' but with a large dollop of vulgarity which leaves you feeling a bit unclean

The vulgarity isnt prudish or from the content but that you are peaking in on personal fantasies with many of the people interviewed come across as quite vulnerable. This gives off a creepy voyeuristic nature, especially as several sexual assaults are mentioned in the interviews.
Also that you are reading a book where teenagers are lusting after pop stars has a forward by Pete Townshend is...unfortunate.

It's not without its levity - the Welsh family who communicate with Marc Bolan via oujda board feels absurdist or the obsessive nature of the Barry Manilow fans (and their cuckold husbands), which until the final interview that turns sharper than the Korean film 'Audition', is the most surprising as with Bowie fans and fans of teen boy bands there's an expectation of obsession.

Its interesting that though a lot of the fantasies involving the 'conquest' of their favourite stars they take different approaches...Many of the female fantasies are quite narrative driven, with ups and downs (heh) and often sad personal endings (which links back to the vulnerability earlier). One fantasy ends up with the interviewee being a single mum of 2 with 2 members of the police as baby-daddys - though everyone had a nice time getting there. The male fantasies tend to be more summaritive: 'I meet female pop star x and dick her'.

[cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know Nick Heyward until I read this book so that's quite the first impression, also Barry Manilow fans now officially TERRIFY ME

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just one of those books that leaves you just a little bit speechless, in a good way.

[Rckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barry Manilow fans are in tents