Lee Murray (right) shot into the spotlight with Let Loose (
Image: Getty Images)

Behind the glitz and glamour of the Britpop era was a dark and sinister side that left Let Loose star Lee Murray spiralling.

The Nineties boyband drummer, 52, was once on the cover of Smash Hits magazine and a regular performer on Top Of The Pops alongside his bandmates Rob Jeffrey and Richie Wermerling. 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.

But despite selling millions of records worldwide and living the life he once dreamed of, Lee’s mental health suffered and when it all came crashing down in 1997, so did he. 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.”

The trio with Ant and Dec ( 
Image:
Lee Murray)

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. They are set to perform gigs and festivals across the country this year, and Lee is soon to release a solo single, but it will be an entirely different experience for the dad-of-two.

Lee was in his early twenties when Let Loose shot into the spotlight, and he had no idea what to expect. 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 have massive 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.”

There was a sinister side to the fame, Lee says ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

He is releasing a solo single this week ( 
Image:
Lee Murray)
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 there are still young people going through what we did, especially those that appear 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. My mental health was struggling during the band, and I wanted to leave. 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. I was in and out of hospital and on medication to get me through the ramifications of the whole experience,” he said. He went from attending Versace parties with Sir Elton John and George Michael to worrying about being able to walk down the aisle.

The boyband on Cilla Black’s show in the ’90s ( 
Image:
Lee Murray)
Now, he’s going back into the industry older and wiser and is determined to change the path for future generations. He said: “Something needs to be done. There needs to be a group of psychologists available to check in with young artists and ask, ‘Are you coping?’ and give them a reality check of what life will be like – or they won’t know until 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 wants to raise awareness of the sinister side of stardom and praises those who took part in the Boybands Forever documentary – though he hasn’t been able to watch it. “I lived through it, and it was tough,” he said.

Despite the flipside of 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.

Let Loose has reformed with newbie Matthew James Pateman ( 
Image:
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“The Top Of The Pops studio was actually quite rundown, and we used to sit in the corridor on plastic chairs with the Gallagher brothers and Take That. It was strange. I have lovely memories of it. 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 were pals with Take That, Let Loose had a small rivalry with Oasis. “The Gallagher brothers were really nice blokes when we met them, very friendly. We passed Noel in the street when we were in the top five, and he was number one, and he congratulated us. But then they went on Radio 1 and said we were rubbish and didn’t deserve any success,” Lee chuckled.

Still, Lee would jump at the chance to get Oasis tickets if he was offered them. “Both bands have reunited this year, but they’ll be playing enormous festivals on a much bigger scale. Though, I’d probably still go and see them,” he admitted.