Fronted by Marti Pellow (born Mark McLaughlin), Scottish band Wet Wet Wet had three Top 10 hits in 1987, and a #1 debut album (Popped In Souled Out).
The following year they were at #1 again with a charity song – a cover of The Beatles‘ With A Little Help From My Friends.
Perhaps too wholesome for their own good they looked to be on the downslide by the 1990s, but stormed back with the unexpected chart-topper Goodnight Girl and, two years later, a residency at the top of the charts when their version of The Troggs‘ Love Is All Around featured on the soundtrack to Four Weddings and A Funeral(1994).
Composer Reg Presley was delighted at the new version’s extended chart-topping feat: he became a millionaire through it.
Pellow grew his hair and acquired a drug and alcohol habit, but the group seemed to survive – perhaps by acknowledging that their former audience of screaming teenage girls had now matured into women with lots of makeup, white stilettos and sports cars . . .
TRIVIA The band were originally called Vortex Motion and played Clash cover versions.
Marti Pellow (Mark McLaughlin)
Vocals Graeme Clark
Bass, vocals Neil Mitchell
Keyboards, vocals Tommy Cunningham
Drums, vocals
