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Biografías 2006

Unfinished business. Two words which speak volumes about why Wet Wet Wet are back together again.

Musically, sparks are flying. The group have emerged from the studio and are now in tour mode. It hasn't come a moment too soon. They've recorded tracks for this new greatest hits album. The UK arena dates in December 2004 are their first concerts since 1997. Within hours of Graeme Clark, Tommy Cunningham, Neil Mitchell and Marti Pellow reconvening... it was like they'd never been away. Problems. Disagreements. Reservations.
They all dissolved when the guys began doing what they do best - making music.

It's no secret the band's amazing 16 year career ended in disarray. You know the story, so there's no need to drag it all up again.
Suddenly, the lives of Graeme, Tommy, Neil and Marti had taken on new priorities. They were busy doing different things. As a result, the four had not seen each other in five years.

In their years apart, Marti embarked on a successful solo and stage career starring in the musical, Chicago in London's West End and on Broadway, New York. Graeme utilised his writing and production talents working with other artists while Neil wrote songs. Tommy kept busy with business interests outside the music world. On March 3, 2004, the guys had a secret meeting - at a London hotel - to test the water. It was the first time they'd been in a room alone together in seven years. The atmosphere was tense.

"It was a weird experience," revealed Tommy, "But in the back of my mind I thought, 'I've still got some unfinished business with Wet Wet Wet'. I wanted to get in front of an audience again. We wrote some songs and sparks were flying. We created a wee bit of magic again. I refuse to be an '80s revival act. We've come up with some brilliant new songs."

Each group member is fully aware this reunion is a creative leap in the dark. Inevitably, their new material will be judged alongside an incredible back catalogue of songs which includes three U.K. No. 1's ... With A Little Help From My Friends (1988), Goodnight Girl (1992) and Love Is All Around (1994). But if the four didn't think they could recapture - and improve on - their immense music achievements they wouldn't waste their own time... let alone ours.

Bass player, Graeme said, "There was trepidation about going back into the studio. It's fair to say everybody felt this was a trip into the unknown. But we'd spent nearly 16 years together. So in some ways it was as if the group had just stopped last week. We quickly got back into the old routine. As musicians, we're much more equipped to deal with this whole process than when we were younger. When a great song idea comes it's like being on a roll... and you've just got to run with it. Looking back, that's what Wet Wet Wet's success almost feels like. It was a case of, 'Let's run as fast as we can ... for as long as we can'. Creatively, you forget about all the things that could trip you up."
Keyboard player Neil added, "There's always doubts in the back of your mind you can pull it off. We're all coming back from different directions now. When I looked around the studio - and saw the other three - it felt familiar again. I'd deliberately not played for the last year. I was surprised how easy it was to slot back in. I discovered I'd missed Wet Wet Wet."

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We'd missed them too. When Tommy talked about creative sparks flying and a magic being created again... he wasn't far wrong. The opening lyric of new single, All I Want where Marti sings: "If you open up and let me in" is an irresistible invitation to sample the band's soulful, melodic sound all over again. The song has all the vital Wet Wet Wet ingredients - from cascading piano to a killer hook and that stunning voice. Hear Me Now is sheer class from the opening strings and guitar to an epic chorus. It's thrilling right to the fade out where Marti's bluesy vocal disappears over the horizon. You've got to listen real close... but it's worth it. And It doesn't stop there, (Feels Like I'm) Walking On Water reflects an impressive new maturity and the other compositions from the reunion sessions ? I Don't Wanna Fight Anymore and Learn From Each Mistake (both released with the All I Want single) have all the best elements of their potent music influences. And that's from a group who were always a cut above the rest first time around. Any fears they'd tread water musically or be reliant on former glories have been dispelled convincingly.

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The Wets' reunion comes exactly 10 years after they spent an incredible 15 weeks at No. 1 in the U.K. with the single, Love Is All Around, setting a record that is still to be broken by another British act and only matched by Bryan Adams. Recorded for the soundtrack of the movie, Four Weddings And A Funeral, it was the biggest selling single of 1994 ... and remains the 11th best selling single of the last decade.
"We did everybody's head in... in the summer of '94," joked Marti. "But I still think it's a brilliant record. Its strength is its sheer simplicity. Any band would give their eye teeth to have a hit record like that. I'm very proud of it."

Said Graeme, "After a while, the song almost seemed like somebody else's record. Fifteen weeks at No. 1 was like a dream. It took on a life of its own. We recorded the song really quickly - without thinking too much about it - which is part of its charm. It's beautifully sung, arranged and produced. It stands up. I'm really proud of it too."

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Love Is All Around is a vital but small part of the Wet Wet Wet story. You don't become one of the most successful acts in British pop history on the strength of one single ... even if it did spend 15 weeks on top of the charts. So for the uninitiated - here is a brief history lesson.

Graeme, Tommy, Neil and Marti had two things in common growing up in their native Clydebank, a once thriving industrial area of Glasgow. They shared the prospect of a life on the dole ... and a love of great records.

"It was either crime, the dole, football or music - and we chose music," said Graeme. They formed Wet Wet Wet in 1982 taking their name from a line in a Scritti Politti song, Getting, Having And Holding. The band's musical influences, where do you start? The Clash, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Webb, Bacharach-David, Elvis Costello, Donna Summer, Chic. You get the drift.

They landed a record deal with Phonogram in 1985 and two years later released their debut single, Wishing I Was Lucky. For a young band, it proved a highly accomplished track. The lyrics had a bit of real substance too ... a scathing indictment of '80s unemployment in Thatcher's Britain.
In September, 1987, they released their first album, Popped In Souled Out, which entered the U.K. chart at No. 2 ... held off the top spot by Michael Jackson's, Bad. Further singles from the album - Sweet Little Mystery and Angel Eyes - pushed it to No.1 14 weeks later and it went on to achieve five times platinum status.

It was the start of a phenomenal run of 25 Top 40 hits including Temptation (1988), Sweet Surrender (1989), Lip Service (1992), Julia Says (1995), Don't Want To Forgive Me Now (1995) and If I Never See You Again (1997). In that mix were the three U.K. No. 1 singles. First was The Beatles' cover With A Little Help From My Friends (1988) - whose proceeds of ?600,000 were donated to the charity for abused children, Childline. The Wets recorded the track in one day for just ?200 + VAT. Followed by the self-penned, Goodnight Girl (1992) that was number one simultaneously with the High On The Happy Side album, and Love Is All Around (1994) - a No. 1 simultaneously with End Of Part One - their first greatest hits album.

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The Wets' albums showed a group prepared to follow their music instincts...as opposed to chart trends. In 1988, they released The Memphis Sessions recorded with veteran soul producer, Willie Mitchell. It entered the chart at No. 3 and also went platinum. This was particularly satisfying to the band as they had recorded it before their debut so it's always remained dear to their hearts. It proved an impressive music bridge to their second proper studio album, Holding Back The River in 1989. Second album syndrome never appeared as this collection of songs reflected a greater maturity in their group's writing. Subsequent album releases were equally as ambitious and varied. From High On The Happy Side (1992), Live At The Royal Albert Hall (1993) recorded with a 100 piece orchestra, Picture This (1995) and 10 (1997) which celebrated a decade of making great music.

Somehow, in the midst of all this, Wet Wet Wet also achieved a reputation as one of rock's best live acts. If you require facts 'n' figures to back that up ... here they are.
On their first major tour in 1988, they played to more than 500,000 people in 40 days throughout the U.K., Europe and Japan.
Tommy recalled, "I thought of the magnitude of our first British tour - and began to feel seriously worried whether we were ready to carry this thing off, could our fans fill large venues, were we that successful?" It was just the start. The Wets' tour C.V. includes several landmark entries.

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The summer of 1988 saw them take part in the Nelson Mandela 70th birthday concert at Wembley Stadium peforming Wishing I Was Lucky to a global TV audience of millions.
"That was a big gig for us," said Graeme, "It was the biggest U.K. show since Live Aid. And an important thing to be a part of ... the historical relevance was enormous."
Then Marti duetted with '60s singing legend Joe Cocker - on With A Little Help From My Friends - at The Royal Albert Hall. The gig for the Prince's Trust featured an all star backing band of Elton John, Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler and Brian May. Elton was so impressed he invited the Wets to open for him later that year on a U.S. tour which included gigs at prestigious venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York and the Hollywood Bowl in California.

In 1989, they headlined a free home town concert at Glasgow Green for 75,000 people. The gig was the biggest free event ever to be held in Britain, overshadowing The Rolling Stones legendary Hyde Park show in 1969.
It was the group's way of giving something back to their most loyal and fervent followers. They were honoured to lead competitors at the Special Olympics - for disabled athletes - at the 1990 games in Glasgow. Another free show on the Isle of Arran, was broadcast live on Radio One interrupting their daytime schedule to do so, and a sell out gig at Edinburgh Castle - both in 1992 - cemented their reputation. By 1995, Wet Wet Wet were the most popular live act in the U.K. playing to in excess of 715,000 people across 11 countries.

"In the seven years we weren't together I really missed touring," admitted Graeme. "That was taken away from me. I came back down to earth with a bump and had to reintegrate into the real world again. When you're onstage, nobody can touch you for those two hours. That's why I joined a group in the first place."
Neil said, "I loved touring. I was going round the world with three of my best mates. When I was on stage behind my piano nobody could get to me.That's where I felt most at home. I felt safe up there."

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Their recording and tour success was punctuated by a string of awards - as they were recognised by everyone from the BPI, the Brits and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy to Smash Hits, Record Mirror and the Daily Star.
Marti even won a gong for "Best Smile"... a lifetime achievement award, surely!
While rightly proud of those immense accolades, Wet Wet Wet are simply not prepared to trade on past glories... with this reunion, Graeme, Tommy, Neil and Marti are looking forward - not back.
Said Marti, "I had no fears we wouldn't be able to recreate the magic we had in the studio. Maybe, you can put that down to naivety - but I've not given failure a thought. I've no doubt we've made great music again. We don't have a God given right to have hit records. But we can achieve it if the songs are good enough ... and they are."

Graeme continued, "We haven't really spoken properly for more than five years. There's been a lot of catching up to do. That's the problem, we're trying to work as musicians... but we're also trying to catch up as people.
Musically, there is a future for Wet Wet Wet. I'm loathed to go down this retro, nostalgia route. What we're doing has got to be new. In recent years, I've written songs with other people... but you always have to compromise somewhere along the line. I'd rather work with Wet Wet Wet. There's a wee bit more of me in it."

The results of Wet Wet Wet's labours are now apparent. What is even more important though is the bond between the four members. That's the real personal long term benefit.
Tommy said, "I want to get back on stage for all the right reasons. Of course, it would be brilliant to have another couple of hit records. But at the end of all this I'd just be happy to walk away with three great friendships again. I want our friendship to last even longer than our songs."

Billy Sloan?- Glasgow, October 2004.