Lee Murray, the star of Let Loose, had a dark and sinister side that kept her afloat in the glam and glamour of the Britpop era.
The 52-year-old drummer for the boyband from the 1990s, Rob Jeffrey and Richie Wermerling, were once featured on Top of the Pops and appeared frequently on the cover of Smash Hits. In their heyday, they were whisked around in helicopters, interviewed on Cilla Black’s chat show, and brushed shoulders with the likes of Take That and Oasis.
However, Lee’s mental health suffered, and when it all came to an end in 1997, he also suffered. He has sold millions of records worldwide and lives the life he once dreamed. He tells The Mirror: “When our singles were high in the charts, we were hot property. We were everywhere, constantly on TV. But when you’re not viral, you’re dumped, and it’s really difficult to deal with”.
Nearly three decades after the band separated, Let Loose has reformed, but this time without singer Richie. Matthew James Pateman, from Bad Boys Inc, has instead joined them as lead vocalist. The father-of-two will have a completely different experience when they play gigs and festivals across the nation this year, and Lee is slated to release a solo single.
When Let Loose burst into the limelight, Lee was in his early 20s. Sharing the reality, he told us: “You go from playing to thousands of people at a gig, then you’re suddenly on your own in a hotel room. You experience colossal highs and terrible lows. When the crowd is singing your lyrics back to you, it’s incredible – but there’s a dark side”.
“Nobody prepares you for the onslaught of media attention, the busy schedules. It’s brutal, and it can have a really detrimental impact on your mental health”, he continued. “The list is endless of the people we’ve lost – Avicii, Lil ‘ Chris, obviously we don’t know all the details of Liam Payne’s tragic death, we know Robbie Williams was in a terrible place, and we could’ve lost him”.
Lee wouldn’t want his children, who are now 22 and 25, to go into the music industry, and he is determined to stop youngsters from having the same brutal experiences he did. “I worry that young people continue to experience our actions, particularly those that are featured on TV talent shows. Take One Direction – they became famous overnight, and it can be dangerous”.
In 1997, after a series of rows, Let Loose split and Lee found himself in a dark hole. He was £40, 000 in debt, did litter-picking to make ends meet and had therapy to try and process his rollercoaster music career. “When I left Let Loose, I felt like a total failure. During the band, I struggled with my mental health, so I left. The music industry was brutal”, he recalled.
“I had a big mortgage and bills to pay, a wedding to fund. It was such a dark time. I spiralled, and I had to have crisis therapy. He claimed that I spent the entire experience going to and getting out of the hospital and taking medication to help me through the consequences. He stopped worrying about being able to walk down the aisle at Versace parties with Sir Elton John and George Michael.
He is now returning to the field as an older and wiser man who is determined to direct future generations. He said: “Something needs to be done. Are you coping? should be the question to be posed to a group of psychologists. and give them a glimpse into the reality of life before it’s too late.
Lee is partnering with the British Psychological Society, alongside other 90s artists, to create a support network for up-and-coming artists. He thanks those who participated in the Boybands Forever documentary, even though he hasn’t been able to watch it, and wants to raise awareness of the sinister side of celebrity status. “I lived through it, and it was tough”, he said.
Despite his flaws in fame, Lee has fond memories to look back on. “The start of Britpop was really exciting, and there are some amazing moments I’ll never forget, like playing to 20, 000 people and being part of the Radio 1 Roadshows. Everyone would joke that I was separated from Robbie]Williams] at birth. We got on with Take That well”, he reminisced.
We used to sit in the Gallagher brothers’ and Take That’s corridors on plastic chairs at the Top of the Pops studio, which was actually quite rundown. It was strange. It is very fond in my mind. A few years ago, I sent Gary]Barlow] some new songs, and he emailed back to say he really liked one. We still see Eternal, 911, Wet Wet Wet and Five at festivals and gigs”.
While they shared a stage name, Let Loose and Take That were in a close relationship. When we first met the Gallagher brothers, they were very friendly and blokes. Noel was number one when we were in the top five when we passed him in the street. He congratulated us. But then they went on Radio 1 and said we were rubbish and didn’t deserve any success”, Lee chuckled.
Lee would accept Oasis tickets if they were offered to him, though. Although the two bands have reunited this year, they will be playing significant festivals on a much larger scale. Though, I’d probably still go and see them”, he admitted.
- Lee Murray’s new single, Never Gave Up On Us, is out on January 31.
Source: Mirror
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