HOME  NEWS  MUSIC  BIOGRAPHY  PHOTOS  VIDEOS

MARK McLachlan was born on March 23rd 1965 in Clydebank, Glasgow. In the Eighties -Nineties he joins the highly successful Scottish band Wet Wet Wet. After that he starts a solo career. His artist-name is how he was called at school: Marti, and his mothers name: Pellow. He has a really amazing voice; the sound of it is strong, warm, and ever fascinating! His live performances are very impressive, he thrills and entertains his fans as no other can. Marti's debut album 'Smile' is absolutely fantastic!!! From June 10th 2002 he plays Billy Flynn in the top musical 'Chicago'for hundreds of times around the world, including at BROADWAY! Busy times but he even records a second cd, the stunning 'Between The Covers'. In 2004 WET'S re-joins and tour the UK.  Marti releases his next solo album 'Moonlight Over Mamphis' the next year, followed by a massive UK tour. In 2007 Wet's celebrate their 20th anniversary with a concert and a brand new cd in August and a tour in December. In between things Marti does several gigs, also in jazz clubs, and he brings out an amazing solo jazz album, called 'Sentimental Me' too! He is involved in the musical 'Chess', performed at the Royal Abert Hall in London, and out on CD/DVD as well. After that he is the star of the musical 'The Witches Of Eastwick', getting great reviews for the superb way he plays the devlish Daryl Van Horne. This year he performed his jazz music again, in Dublin he did an outstanding concert. He stars in 'Chicago' again, Januari/Februari 2010 and on top of that he'll be touring from 28th May till 4th June with George Benson: these were also amazing events! He brings out two beautiful albums, 'Devil & The Monkey' and 'Love To Love'.  From January until the end of July 2011 he plays a double leadrole in the stunning musical 'Jekyll & Hyde' Watch the news secion here 16-05-11

In the Smile Documentary, Marti and friends of him tell his story; how it all began, and how things in his life unfolded. It’s a really good movie where Marti is very open and honest. You also hear snippets of new songs, they are sounding absolutely GREAT!! The documentary was shown on the biggest Dutch television station (RTL4) and parts of it during his Smile Tour. Later it was added to his fabulous 'Between The Covers' album. Here you can read all about it!

Marti When I look back and reflect about my time in Memphis that's where I started my journey. This is where I remember being my happiest. I had to come back on my journey, I had to come back to Memphis.

On American television they tell who was performing at the famous BB Kings Blues Club,that evening. The multiplied, highly successful artist, with 20 top ten hits, 5 number one albums: Marti Pellow.....WHO?? 'If you haven't heard of Marti Pellow you're not alone'

Marti I was born in Clydebank, Glasgow in 1965. I become from a very simple environment, a very working-class environment. I remember till the age of seven we all slept in the same room. It was probably my mother’s record collection who introduced me to people like Hal David and Burt Bacharach. But there was a whole soul influence my mother loved. She loved Marvin Gay and Sam Cook especially. He had such an amazing voice. When I heard the music I thougt what is this all about? The base was pumping and there was a rhythm to it…..it invaded my soul.

Marti Then I went to see bands, see live-acts, and thinking: this sounds amazing, they deliver it live and seem to enjoy themselves....this is for me, I want some of that in my life! And I remember I told my father I wanted to be a musician, and he said why aren’t you becoming a shipbuilder just like me, just like your grandfather and great-grandfather? But I would go: no you don’t understand, I want to sing music, music is my vocation in life.

Marti From the first sip of alcohol I felt even larger then life. That snowballed in a puff. When you are 14/15 chocolate tastes good but if you had a wee puff man, it tastes amazing, ice cream tastes great, and music sounds ten times better!

Marti Tommy was my partner in crime from the early days at school. He could press buttons in me, could make me so mad! But maybe that was just drummers. I remember meeting Neil and Graeme. Neil was a cool kind a guy. Graeme intrigued me.

Billy Sloan How Wet Wet Wet  was starting is such a fantastic story. It's about the other guys hearing Marti singing on the playground at school, and thinking: he sounds a bit special, let’s find out who he is. And even if that’s a lot of nonsense, it’s a great story.

Marti One of the most pointed moments in my life was at the age of 12 or 13. This was probably my first taste of rejection: me and Graeme were in the football team, and every other boy got a contract, apart from the two of us. It devastated me at the time. But it bonded us and there grew a friendship that leaded to the wonderful thing called Wet Wet Wet.

Marti BUT an interesting happened, there was a period when I wasn’t in the band! They decided to go an other road and Marti was out, I was out on my but!!

Billy Sloan They were four lads with no job prospect. Wet Wet Wet was not a punk band. I first met them in the club circuit, and you could immediately tell they had something, because they had this fantastic singer, with his incredible voice.

Marti After a few years playing we got ourselves a manager and a record deal and they asked us: who would you like to produce you? We looked at the records that we loved and Willie Mitchell’s name came up, not only for the amazing work he did on Al Green, but also because he is such an amazing arranger, wonderful musician and a very very good producer.

Willie Mitchell They were very young lads. In the studio I heard the piano player and I thought ohhhh my god, we will be in trouble….I heard the drummer…ohh my god…I heard the bass player…oh my god. Then I heard Marti……and I thought, we can pull this thing out!

Marti This was probably the change for me as a singer, when Willie (Pops) as a producer, took me to the crossroads and said: There are many roads you can take…….how you fill in that journey it’s up to yourself but that’s the road for you.

Marti Listening to the tape just before we went back to the UK, Pops said, this maybe not it yet. Album in hand, we went back and felt like shit. Coming home they said: how can we get Marti on cover of Smash hits?!! And I said, on cover of Smash hits?? Listen to the god damn music!!

Marti Then we rerecorded some songs, we recorded them with a more poppy interpretation….GOOD

Marti Album came out: we were the Beatles! This was great, lots of screaming girls, this was what I imagined it me to be. My dreams became reality. But the audience got me in a hob. There seemed to be only teenage girls, with no pubic hair on them yet, I don’t know. And these mad faces: screaming Marti Marti!! No listening to the music.

Marti Single hit the charts, boom 20, boom 10, we came on top of the pops, boom number 5. Album came out, straight to number 1!! One of the biggest selling debut albums….ever! Millions of people bought that record, we couldn’t make the suckers quick enough. People might forget, Wet Wet Wet was a MASSIVE band, we sold 20 million albums all over the world, number one’s came out of my ass….we could do no wrong.

Marti Playing at the Nelson Mandela was a highlight for me. Playing before 60 / 70.000 people, I done that before. But this was a highlight because through the gift of music there was a message going out.

Marti I remember we went in the studio to record Love Is All Around. Case of lager with us (never leave home without it), sense of humour, pack of smokes. We recorded it and I thought: well this sounds pretty good.

Billy Sloan I know they has been quite critical about the song, but I think it’s far superior to the Trogg’s original.

Marti Love Is All Around went to number one, first week, first month, second month, third month, three and a half….come on! This record went straight to the moon! Millions, and millions and MILLIONS of people bought that record!!

Billy Sloan Success changes peoples lives and that’s what basically happened with Wet Wet Wet. It became a huge organisation, employed a lot of people. And they got a bit detached, the four together to a gig in the little van, was no more.

Marti There was something about this song, it really made my face known. Before I put my Marti Pellow suit on, performed, and after that, close the door…...back to my mansion. But that became abundantly clear that wasn’t gonna be the case anymore. For instance buy your shopping, that became a sort of SAS manoeuvre. Going in, and as fast as I could running out. And I thought, what the hell is going on?? Wet Wet Wet was the best band for me and the worst band. Life was great, or was it??!!

Marti I started to feel uncomfortable, and did a lot of self medicating. I was drinking more and more and started doubling with drugs. That must have been difficult for the other guys, when I reflect, because we were in some kind of relationship with each other. It was as much as my fault, that it went wrong. It was no one else’s fault. It was how things unfolded. Because I had this ‘poor me-syndrome’, poor me, poor me.

Chris Difford I gave a course, to teach about song writing. And I asked Wet Wet Wet to come, three of them showed up.

Marti This was new for me, I started to get the grasp of song writing, like having a dance with somebody else….

Chris Difford It bothers me that I might have been the catalyst that ended the band.

Marti We started talking in the camp, about who played what role on the song writing. It shows the sickness, first we said everybody gets 25%, no matter what, no matter what. But then we decided, we, me, Graeme and Neil, that Tommy’s role on the song writing was not as paramount as maybe he thought.

Billy Sloan So Tommy heard, on what he thought being a routine band meeting, his money was getting cut.

Marti Tommy said: What?? You shut me in, what is this all about?! And at the time I really was thinking that it was making sense….

Billy Sloan A good manager would have told them not to be so ridiculous but the band had no chance to survive after that.

Marti We then tried to move on but I went slowly sicker, drinking real heavily, and using drugs, heroine this time, I used a lot of heroine…I got very insulate. The whole dynamics of the band changed, like a house of cards…pwofff, it collapsed.

Billy Sloan Then there was the headline in the newspaper: 'Marti Pellow hooked on heroine'. And I nearly fainted. People in Scotland were very surprised, because Marti was always that happy grinning chap, who looked as if he had no care in the world. But obviously there was something else inside him, he needed that crap.

Marti And to say that was the worst time in my life is an understatement, that was really a painful time for me…..I remember doing some European shows, and each night became a ground hobble all day. In stead of looking after myself in the gym I run to the mini bar. Threw the toberone out, because I didn’t need that, straight to the bevy. We were back in the UK and I slipped right back to my heroine using again. It was as if I was putting off the inevitable; that Wet Wet Wet had ended…..

Marti I had enough, I was in the bones of my ass. I needed help and I knew where I could get help, so I made to choice to go back in the hospital. I thought I got to get off this shit, I got to embrace life again. That’s when I made the decision: Wet Wet Wet no more.

Marti I started to discover my love of music again. I started to recover. And found my love of life again.

Marti I remember I got an award, at some showbiz bag. I went there and it was the first time I was clean. Not only I hadn’t had a drink or drug, but I also saw merger real…Then someone tapped me on the shoulder and I saw it was Chris Difford. He asked me how I was feeling, said: you’ve been on a journey haven’t you.

Marti I needed a lyricist if I was continuing song writing. So I went to Chris, I came up with my slippers, suitcase: Where’s my room? Uncle Marti is coming to stay for a while. Chris could have easily said we are not very suited together, could said basically piss off, but he didn’t.

Chris Difford There seemed to be some kind of magical chemistry between Marti and I. We went for a walk. And we got back to my house; he stayed for almost two years!

Marti Chris is a real grasp of been able to find the meter of what my melodies are. As quick as I can make a melody as quick as he can bring a lyric, and that’s the way I like to work.

Chris Difford And if he doesn’t get what he wants very quickly the curtain comes down, and it’s the end of the play.

Marti When I get going, I get going….I think do I have to light a fire underneath this guy to get a reaction?!

Marti In that year I not only wrote a 100 songs, and I know this is sounding really happy right: but I actually enjoyed the seasons….I am off the shit, am off the shit. It was so important for me to go back to Memphis, now I was a man. The first time I was very young, and to return as a man…..It was important for me to come back in the state of mind I was in, a reinvention, a rediscovery.

Willie Mitchell He learned a lot, he learned a lot overseas, and he learned a lot in Memphis. He was a good singer as a boy, but as a man he is a great singer.

Marti 'Pops' has such a wealth of knowledge he brings to the table. He is such a wise man.

Chris Difford Willie has an ability to feel a hit song. And he only works with people who can really sing.

Willie Mitchell We don’t copy nobody. We create our own music, and that’s the difference.

Marti It’s like a dying way to do it, all in the studio, recording it live.

Willie Mitchell You say one half thing to him, he triples it out.

Marti There’s this song, Still Standing, it doesn’t get much better then that. It was as if it was created for me, you know, it had me in mind and it is so relevant to me because of what I had been through.

Willie Mitchell Marti came here a few days when my wife died and he heard the demo. Marti said play it again, and then he took a pencil and wrote: this is Marti's song, Marti Pellow's song!

Marti It hit me like a punch from Muhammad Ali. It really did. It just got to me right away. This song's for me I've  GOT to record this song.

Willie Mitchell He is so real. He’s such a fine man, fine singer.

Marti He makes me laugh. He is almost like an adopted father.

Willie Mitchell I love Marti. And I think he loves me, in fact I am sure.

Marti We are very much intertwined and between it. He’s still standing, and I’m still standing.

Marti My smile at the beginning was youth and enthusiasm and for the love of music. Now the smile is for the love of life, for the love of my woman, for the love of my family, and for the love of music. All these things are incorporated in my life. I just live to love, love to live, love to smile…..I'd much rather have a smile on my face than a frown.

19-03-2002 written down, taken from Dutch television RTL4.