SINGER songwriter Dean Friedman has returned to Britain with ideas and songs gleaned from his son's treehouse.

Dean, best known for hits from 20 years ago such as Lucky Stars, Lydia and Ariel, visits Worcester's Huntingdon Hall as part of a 42-date tour to promote his new album, The Treehouse Journals, due out on Monday, June 17.

So far the tour has gone well and speaking from Sheffield City Hall, he said: "It has been great. It is amazing to travel thousands of miles to get up on stage and play in front of very appreciative and enthusiastic audiences."

The new album has a more "outdoors" approach than last year's Songs For Grownups, which Dean explained by saying: "After the last tour I did, all I really wanted to do was hang out in the back yard and so I needed an excuse to do that.

"I grabbed a hammer and nails and with my 11-year-old son we built a treehouse.

"It is really a back to basics approach - to really appreciate the simple things and those priorities.

"I have to say that was really crystallised by the events of September 11. That really did force everybody here to reconnect with each other and their communities."

After building the treehouse he found time to "hang out and get a fresh perspective on things."

Another factor in the composition of the new album was the way Dean chose to fund it. Following in the footsteps of groups like Marillion, he appealed directly to his fans through his website, saying he would like to record another album if they helped him pay for it.

The direct subscription method raised the full $100,000 recording costs.

"I'm able to communicate directly with my listening audience," said Dean. "That cuts out the industry - the A and R men, the agents and the record companies and all those middle men who get between an artist and his audience."

That audience really began to grow when Ariel burst into the charts in the summer of 1977.

A year later came the timeless Lucky Stars - a duet with singer Denise Marsa.

Things turned sour when one of his follow-up singles, McDonalds Girl, was banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the fast-food chain. The record company, Epic, then dropped his album.

His recent return to the recording studio came after a 16-year break, partly enforced by that move, although Dean added: "It did coincide with meeting my wife, Alison, and having kids when I did remove myself from that touring part of the music machine."

Instead he spent much of the 1980s composing and producing soundtracks for television and film, including all the music for the hit series, Boon.

The end credits feature Friedman himself singing country and western songs.

Now though he finds himself feted by such with-it groups as Canadian band Barenaked Ladies. "That's the kind of thing that encourages me. When record companies are telling you are not contemporary, it is nice to see one of the most contemporary bands in north America involved."

His gig at the Huntingdon Hall is on Sunday, June 16. Tickets cost £16 and ticket information is available from the Box Office on 01905 611427.