Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the pop group Wet Wet Wet for 28 years: from their formation in 1982 until their split in 1997, and again from their reformation in 2004 to his departure in 2017. He has also recorded albums as a solo artist, and performed as an actor in musical theatre productions in both the West End and on Broadway.
Pellow's first exposure to music occurred around the age of 7. He would listen to his mother's Barras-bought 8-track record collection of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, but it was the soul genre of the selection that drew him in. Early Marvin Gaye and, especially, Sam Cooke captivated him. He then discovered live music. "Hey, wait a minute – check that picture: not only is this music amazing, but these guys deliver it live? That's for me."[1]
When he told his father about the direction he wanted his life to take, he was less than enthusiastic. "'Are you on a hallucinogenic substance or something? What's wrong with getting out there and getting an apprenticeship? I'm a builder, your grandfather was a builder, your great-grandfather was a shipbuilder. What do you want to be a musician for?' And I said, 'No, you don't understand – this is my vocation in life; this is what I want to be'."[1]
In 1982, at the age of seventeen, McLachlan, who was training to be a painter and decorator, formed a band with three friends from Clydebank High School in his hometown. The friends were Tommy Cunningham, Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell, and the band's name was Vortex Motion.[2] This was subsequently changed to Wet Wet Wet, a title taken from the Scritti Politti song "Gettin, Havin' and Holdin'". McLachlan also changed his birth name in favour of the stage name Marti Pellow, created from his mother's maiden name Pellow and the nickname he was given at school (“Smarty”).
Pellow enjoyed success with Wet Wet Wet throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. However, in 1997 drummerTommy Cunningham left the band over a royalties dispute and its success waned immediately. Pellow was by this time addicted to heroin. On finally overcoming his addiction, he stated: "It was textbook. I couldn't function without it. But there's no romantic side to heroin – it's no good."[3]
Pellow left Wet Wet Wet in May 1999, effectively disbanding the group.[4] They reformed, however, in March 2004. On 28 July 2017, Pellow departed from Wet Wet Wet to focus on his solo career.[5]
Solo career
Pellow began his career as a solo artist in association with Chris Difford of Squeeze. The two met while they were patients in The Priory in March 1999.[6] Difford subsequently became Pellow's lyricist and unofficial helper.
In November 1999, Pellow began his first solo tour. On 4 June 2001, he released "Close to You" from his debut solo album, Smile. A further single, "I've Been Around the World", was released that November; towards the end of the year he embarked on a seven-date tour (the Smile Tour) around Britain. In 2002, he hosted and sang in Girls' Night Out, one of a week of shows in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, at the Royal Albert Hall. This led to him, in 2002, being offered the part of Billy Flynn, the lawyer in the musical Chicago in London's West End and, in 2004, on Broadway.[7] Also in 2002, Pellow released Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile, an 18-track compilation that included three songs from the latter album.
At the end of June 2004, the reformed band went to a secret location to record tracks for a new album and to prepare for a UK tour. At the tour's conclusion, Pellow recorded Moonlight Over Memphis, with the record producer Willie Mitchell (Al Green, Otis Clay, Ann Peebles, etc.), demonstrating a deep affinity with southern soul. The album was released in October 2006 on DMG TV, a label which has had some success previously with albums by such artists as Jane McDonald and Daniel O'Donnell. Pellow went on tour during October and November to support the album, with a helping hand from regular Wets contributor Graeme Duffin.
Between February and July 2007, Pellow performed at several jazz clubs and at jazz festivals (Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and The Pigalle Club in London being two examples), the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and "Ronnie Scott's in the Park" in Woburn. These gigs were followed in April 2008 by the release of his jazz album, Sentimental Me, on Rhino Records (UK), containing well-known jazz songs he sang at the above-mentioned gigs and a self-penned song, as well as an accompanying tour throughout the UK.
In May 2008, Pellow appeared in Sir Tim Rice's concert revival of his hit musical Chess, playing the "Arbiter". The concert took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 May and 13 May 2008. In June 2009 it aired on British and American television and was released on DVD.
From late August 2008 until early May 2009 he was playing the leading role in a revival of the musical The Witches of Eastwick.[8][9]
In May 2010, Pellow released his fourth studio album, entitled Devil and the Monkey, to coincide with a seven-date arena tour with George Benson, performing songs from his new album as well as hits from his solo and Wet Wet Wet career.
2011 saw the release of his Love To Love album, a fully orchestrated and romantic tribute to his favourite love songs that saw Pellow back in the UK charts, as well as starring in a touring production of Broadway musical Jekyll & Hyde, beginning in January at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, and ran to the end of July 2011.[10]
On 17 August 2012, Pellow performed his new concert show Boulevard of Life with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at Dublin's National Concert Hall. The conductor for the show was Fiachra Trench, a previous collaborator. It showcased songs from his 30-year career, both with the band and from his work in musical theatre.
Pellow appeared as Che Guevara in Evita on tour around the UK in 2013, and subsequently reprised the role in a limited-run West End production of the musical from 15 September 2014 at the Dominion Theatre.
Pellow played the narrator in Willy Russell's Blood Brothers at Hastings White Rock Theatre between 23 and 28 March 2015.
In 2021, he confirmed the release of new single "These Are the Days" and album Stargazer.[11][12]
Personal life
In October 2003, Pellow's then-ex-bandmates attended his mother's funeral, a show of support that touched the grieving frontman. "I thought it was a powerful gesture," Pellow said. "Moments like that put things into perspective – it wasn't all about music, it was more about a kinship between us. I remember my mother once saying, 'Maybe Wet Wet Wet will get back together again one day'. She must have had a wee vision. I'd never closed the chapter on the band; I'd always left the door open."[7]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or was not released.
Related Research Articles
Wet Wet Wet is a Scottish soft rock band formed in 1982. They scored a number of hits on the UK charts and around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. They are best known for their 1994 cover of the Troggs' 1960s hit "Love Is All Around", which was used on the soundtrack to the film Four Weddings and a Funeral. The song was an international success, and spent 15 weeks at the top the UK Singles Chart. The band is currently composed of founding member Graeme Clark and lead vocalist Kevin Simm, who replaced founding member Marti Pellow in 2018 after he left during the previous year. Graeme Duffin has also been with the band as a touring musician since 1983. The band were named Best British Newcomer at the 1988 Brit Awards.
Christopher Henry Difford is an English musician. He is a founding member and songwriter of the rock group Squeeze.
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Graeme Clark is a Scottish musician, songwriter and record producer. He came to prominence as bass player, founding member and songwriter from the pop/soul band Wet Wet Wet – the band he formed with friends Neil Mitchell, Tommy Cunningham and Marti Pellow whilst attending Clydebank High School.
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"Sweet Little Mystery" is a song by Scottish soft rock band Wet Wet Wet. It is the fifth single from the band's debut album Popped In Souled Out (1987), released on Phonogram Inc. Records. The success of the song drove it to number five on the weekly UK Singles Chart the same year as its release. The following year, the song became an international hit, entering the top 20 in Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands and New Zealand. Its peak positioning in numerous weekly charts around the globe marked its contributions to the soft-rock genre which dominated the era.
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"Temptation" is the fourth and final single from Wet Wet Wet's debut album, Popped In Souled Out. It was released on 7 March 1988, and reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Sweet Surrender" is the first single from British band Wet Wet Wet's third studio album, Holding Back the River (1989). It was released on 18 September 1989 and reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. In Ireland, "Sweet Surrender" peaked at number one, becoming the group's second of three number-one singles there. In Australia, "Sweet Surrender" reached number seven on the ARIA Singles Chart in May 1990 and was certified gold.
"Julia Says" is a song by Scottish band Wet Wet Wet, released as the second single from their sixth studio album, Picture This (1995). It was released on 13 March 1995 and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. Outside the UK, "Julia Says" reached number three in Ireland and number eight in Iceland but experienced limited success elsewhere. Marti Pellow recorded his own version of the song for inclusion on his 2002 album Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile.
"Don't Want to Forgive Me Now" is a song by Scottish band Wet Wet Wet, released as the third single from their sixth studio album, Picture This (1995), on 5 June 1995. It reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 20 in Iceland and Ireland. Marti Pellow recorded his own version of the song for inclusion on his 2002 album Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile.
"Somewhere Somehow" is a song by Scottish band Wet Wet Wet, released as the fourth single from their fourth studio album, Picture This (1995), on 18 September 1995. The song reached number seven on the UK and Irish Singles Charts. Marti Pellow recorded his own version of the song for inclusion on his 2002 album, Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile.
"If I Never See You Again" was the first single from Wet Wet Wet's fifth studio album, 10 (1997). It was released on 10 March 1997 and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. Marti Pellow recorded his own version of the song for inclusion on his 2002 album, Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile.
"Strange" is a song by Scottish band Wet Wet Wet, released as the second single from their fifth studio album, 10 (1997). It was released on 2 June 1997, charting at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming the group's 19th top-20 hit in the UK. Marti Pellow recorded his own version of the song for inclusion on his 2002 album, Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile.
Smile is the debut solo album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. Released on June 25, 2001, the album spawned two singles: "Close to You" and "I've Been Around the World". "Hard to Cry" was also later released as a radio-only promotional single in 2003, having been included on both of Pellow's follow-up albums: Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile (2002) and Between the Covers (2003). The album debuted at number 7 on the UK Albums Chart in July 2001.
Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile is a compilation/cover album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. The album contains re-recordings of Wet Wet Wet hits. It was released on 18 November 2002.
Between the Covers is the second studio album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. Released on 17 November 2003, it spawned the single "A Lot of Love", a cover of the original by Neil Young.
Moonlight Over Memphis is the third studio album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. Released on October 2, 2006, the album spawned the single "Come Back Home".
Sentimental Me is the fourth studio album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. Released on 14 April 2008, the album was preceded by the single "Take a Letter, Miss Jones".
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