Report: 80s pop star sings for team

By Saj Chowdhury

Parr enjoyed success in the US

Def Leppard, Human League and Joe Cocker are three - but add John Parr to that assortment.

John who? Well, he's the throaty singer who sang the theme tune to the 1985 'Brat Pack' smash-hit film, St Elmo's Fire. If you're too young to remember then ask someone who looks like they're old enough.

Parr went on to lend his voice to many more songs for Hollywood films, but has now produced the anthem, Out of the Darkness, for his beloved home-town team Doncaster Rovers, ahead of their Johnstone's Paint Trophy final against Bristol Rovers.

"The original idea was going to be a tribute to the club after it climbed up from what seemed like oblivion," said the 52-year-old, who has also worked with Meat Loaf and The Who singer Roger Daltrey.

"Then we were going to coincide it with the move to the new stadium and releasing it when a big game came along - so this seemed like a good time."

Parr grew up in Balby, on the outskirts of Doncaster, and recalled the days he used balance his love for football with his growing interest in music.

"There was a lot of charm about former ground Belle Vue and I also used to go to Barnsley's Oakwell a lot. I did love those old trodden footpaths," he said.

Rob Lowe was a bit of a wild child then - he was a hearthrob and made the most of it John Parr on his Hollywood friend

"I always tried to get to a game on a Saturday, but music commitments cut into that sometimes."

Parr admitted that once he received a recording offer in America he was forced to leave Doncaster and its football team behind.

"I played northern England clubs for about 20 years but couldn't get a record deal," he added.

"But then the former manager of The Who, John Wolfe, took me to the US and between the mid-1980s to 1990 you could say that it was a golden age for John Parr.

"The States opened its arms out to me and I ended up working with some greats."

He added: "I have a lot of musical heroes, although I have to admit that Prince is one of my favourites - which sounds crazy coming from a rock singer like me.

"Of the modern stuff, I like what Snow Patrol are doing and Razorlight."

Of course, Parr made his name singing the number one hit St Elmo's Fire, a song people seem to remember with more affection than the film itself.

Lowe (centre) had some good times with Parr

"I made the St Elmo's video with a lot of the Brat Pack," he said, referring to the group of actors such as Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and Emilio Estevez who starred in various teen-themed 1980s films.

"I probably knew Rob the best. We did a lot of charity work together and even did a duet on stage.

"Rob was a bit of a wild child then, he was a hearthrob and made the most of it."

However for the moment, at least until late Sunday, his musical and Hollywood celebrity thoughts are at the back of his mind.

"The final seems to have come at the worst time for Doncaster because we're trying to get into the play-offs. The wheels have come off a little bit in recent weeks," he said.