If you were anywhere near a radio in 1994, you couldn't escape it. That bassline. Those finger snaps. Marti Pellow’s voice, silky and persistent, telling you that love was all around him and the feeling was growing. It stayed at number one in the UK for fifteen weeks. Fifteen. It only stopped because the band literally begged people to stop buying it and eventually deleted the single. That’s the kind of peak most bands dream of, but for Wet Wet Wet, it was both a blessing and a bit of a curse.
The story of Wet Wet Wet isn't just about one massive cover song from a Hugh Grant movie. It’s actually a pretty gritty tale of four school friends from Clydebank, Scotland, who managed to navigate the brutal music industry of the 80s and 90s, survived massive internal fallouts, and somehow stayed relevant long after the "boy band" labels faded away. They weren't really a boy band, anyway. They were a soul-pop outfit with serious chops.
The Clydebank Connection and the Blue-Eyed Soul Boom
You have to understand the environment they came from. Clydebank in the early 80s wasn't exactly a playground for pop stars. It was a tough, industrial town. Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan), Tommy Cunningham, Graeme Clark, and Neil Mitchell formed the band while they were still at school. Originally, they called themselves "Vortex Motion." Honestly, it’s a good thing they changed it. "Wet Wet Wet" came from a line in a Scritti Politti song, Gettin' Havin' & Holdin'. It sounded fresh. It sounded like the New Romantic movement but with a harder edge.
They signed to Phonogram Records in 1985. This wasn't some overnight manufactured success. They spent years honing a sound that people often call "blue-eyed soul." It’s basically white musicians performing R&B and soul-influenced music. Think Hall & Oates but with a thick Scottish accent and a lot more rain.
Their debut album, Popped In Souled Out, released in 1987, was an absolute monster. It hit number one and stayed on the charts forever. Tracks like "Wishing I Was Lucky" and "Sweet Little Mystery" showed that Marti Pellow had a vocal range that most of his contemporaries couldn't touch. He had this incredible ability to sound vulnerable and powerful at the same time. People forget that "Wishing I Was Lucky" was actually a pretty political song about unemployment and the frustrations of the working class. It wasn't just fluff.
Why the 1994 "Love Is All Around" Phenomenon Changed Everything
Most people remember the band solely for the Four Weddings and a Funeral soundtrack. The Troggs originally wrote "Love Is All Around," but the Wets made it their own. It’s a bit of a weird moment in music history. The song was so dominant that it started to annoy people. Even the band got sick of it.
Tommy Cunningham, the drummer, later admitted that they were worried about becoming a "one-hit wonder" despite already having a decade of hits behind them. They were terrified of the song overshadowing their original work. When they finally withdrew the single from the shops while it was still at number one, it was a move of pure creative survival. They didn't want to be the "wedding band" for the rest of their lives.
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Internal Friction and the 1997 Split
Success at that level does things to a group of friends. In 1997, the wheels started to come off. Tommy Cunningham left first over a royalty dispute. It’s the classic story: the guy who writes the songs gets the biggest check, and the guy hitting the drums feels left out. It was messy.
Then there were Marti Pellow’s personal struggles. He’s been very open about his addiction to heroin during the late 90s. It’s a dark chapter. When you're the face of a "clean-cut" pop group and you're spiraling in private, the pressure is immense. The band essentially ceased to function. Pellow eventually went into rehab, got clean, and launched a very successful solo career and a stint in musical theater (he was a fantastic Billy Flynn in Chicago).
The Comeback and the New Era
Kinda surprisingly, they patched things up in 2004. Most bands who split that bitterly never speak again, but the Clydebank bond was stronger than the legal papers. They toured, released a "Greatest Hits" album, and even put out new material like Timeless.
But the biggest shock to fans came in 2017. Marti Pellow officially left for good. He wanted to focus on his solo work and his theater career. Most people thought that was the end of Wet Wet Wet. How do you replace one of the most recognizable voices in British pop history?
You find a guy who’s already been through the pop machine.
In 2018, they announced Kevin Simm as the new lead singer. You might remember him from Liberty X or for winning The Voice UK in 2016. It was a risky move. Fans are notoriously protective of original lineups. But Simm is a powerhouse. He doesn't try to mimic Pellow; he brings a slightly rockier, soul-drenched grit to the old hits.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Band
A lot of critics dismissed them as "mums' music" or soft pop. That’s a massive oversimplification. If you actually listen to the arrangements on The Memphis Sessions (an album they recorded with legendary producer Willie Mitchell), you’ll hear a band that deeply understood the mechanics of Stax and Motown.
They weren't just a product of a marketing department. They were players. Graeme Clark is an underrated bassist who understands pocket and groove. They recorded with the Memphis Horns. You don't get to do that if you're just a pretty face in a boy band.
The Reality of Being an "Legacy" Act
Today, the band is in a weirdly comfortable place. They tour regularly. They play the festivals. They’ve accepted their status as a legacy act, but they aren't just coasting on nostalgia.
- The Live Experience: They still sound tight. Simm has revitalized the live show.
- The Catalogue: They have 12 UK Top 10 hits. That’s a huge library to pull from.
- The Independence: They aren't beholden to major labels anymore. They do things on their own terms.
It's fascinating to watch how the public perception has shifted. In the 90s, they were almost too popular, which made it cool to hate them. Now, there’s a genuine respect for their longevity. People realize that writing a song that stays at number one for 15 weeks—even if it's a cover—requires a specific kind of magic in the production and delivery.
Where to Start if You Only Know the Big Hit
If you want to actually "get" why this band matters, you shouldn't start with the Four Weddings track. It's fine, but it’s not their best work.
- "Wishing I Was Lucky" (1987): Listen to the bassline. It’s pure 80s soul-pop perfection. It captures that feeling of being stuck in a dead-end town dreaming of something better.
- "Temptation" (1988): This is where Marti Pellow’s vocals really shine. It’s sophisticated, slightly jazzy, and very cool.
- "Goodnight Girl" (1991): One of the few self-penned number ones they had. It’s a masterclass in ballad writing. No gimmicks, just a great melody.
- "Julia Says" (1995): This is a great example of their mid-90s sound. It’s upbeat, catchy, and has that signature "Wet" polish.
The Business of Being Wet Wet Wet
From a business perspective, the band is a case study in brand management. They’ve managed to keep the name alive through multiple lineup changes and the departure of their most famous member. That’s hard to do. Usually, when the lead singer leaves, the band dies.
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They’ve leaned into the "Rewind" festival circuit and the 80s nostalgia boom, which is incredibly lucrative. But they also continue to record. Their 2021 album The Journey showed they still have something to say. It didn't top the charts, but it kept the fan base engaged.
Actionable Steps for Music Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of the band or just want to appreciate the era they defined, here are a few things you should actually do:
Seek out the "Memphis Sessions" recordings. Don't just stick to the standard studio albums. The sessions they did in Memphis are arguably their most authentic work. It strips away the 80s gloss and shows the raw soul underneath. It’s widely available on streaming services now.
Watch the "Live at the Royal Albert Hall" performances. This is where you see the musicianship. Seeing Graeme Clark and Tommy Cunningham (in the older clips) lock in together explains why they were so successful. They were a band, not just a singer and some session guys.
Follow the solo paths. To understand the friction that made the band great, listen to Marti Pellow’s solo album Smile. It’s very different from the band's stuff. Then, listen to Kevin Simm’s solo work. You’ll see why he was the right fit to take over.
Check the tour dates for smaller venues. The current lineup (Clark, Mitchell, and Simm) tends to play more intimate venues than the massive stadiums of the 90s. The sound is often better, and the connection with the audience is much more visceral.
Wet Wet Wet isn't just a footnote in 90s pop. They are a testament to what happens when you combine genuine talent with a massive amount of luck and a hell of a lot of resilience. They survived the Clydebank shipyards, the heroin epidemic of the 90s, and the fickle nature of the British music press. That’s a win in anyone's book.