Today’s post is a little different. It’s about my favourite band, Dr Hook.

The first time I heard them was around November 1998, when I stumbled across a Channel 4 show called The Young Person’s Guide to Becoming a Rock Star.

The lead singer of the fictional band, Jez, was obsessed with Dr Hook, so their songs filled the soundtrack. When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman grabbed me instantly.

I loved the strange mix of humour and honesty, with the simple truth that a relationship needs trust if it’s going to last.

Then in early 1999, boy band 911 released their cover of A Little Bit More. Not my favourite version, but maybe I was just jealous I didn’t have frosted tips.

I heard more of their stuff, but the Slim Shady LP soon took over my teenage brain. I kept Dr Hook close, just didn’t talk about them.

Fast forward to three Christmases ago. My wife got me a record player, which sent me digging through charity shops and rediscovering old music. That’s when I found Dr Hook’s, A Little Bit More album in Bailey’s Antiques.

Baileys Antiques (Paisley, Scotland) is a treasure trove. Please follow them on IG if you like terrible jokes and supporting small businesses.

The first track I played was More Like the Movies, a song about regret and treating the person you love properly while you still can. You never know when a last kiss is a last kiss. Then came the title track, which I lay on the floor singing terribly to. Don’t ask for a demo.

Most of the album is gentle ballads, but there’s more to the band than love songs if that’s not your thing.

Then I found their greatest hits, featuring the brilliant Cover of the Rolling Stone, which pokes fun at rock tropes and their wish to be on the magazine. They did make it… as drawings.

And that’s where the journey started. My love for them has only grown as has my collection, even if two albums still elude me – but that’s the fun of collecting, the search.

According to Spotify, I’m in the top 2 percent of fans. Impressive or embarrassing? You decide.

Life is all about finding things that bring us joy, and music is one of the ways we can find it.