I was a 90s boyband heartthrob – leaving the band sent my mental health spiralling and with huge debts

A NINETIES boyband heartthrob has revealed the mental anguish of leaving the band and being left in £40,000 of debt.

Lee Murray, 54, joined Let Loose as a drummer when he was 22 after responding to an advertisement in Melody Maker, a decision that changed his life forever.

He joined lead singer Richard John “Richie” Wermerlin and guitarist and backing singer Robert George Edward “Rob” Jeffrey.

In the 1990s, the trio appeared on Top of the Pops with Oasis, Blur, Take That, and East 17, enjoying a glamorous lifestyle. However, this changed when he left due to creative differences, resulting in the band’s disbandment in 1996.

Things took a downturn when it was revealed that the band owed £40,000, a huge burden for Lee, who had responsibilities to pay his mortgage and fund a wedding.

To survive, he took on humbling odd jobs and briefly turned away from music. Eventually, he began teaching, rediscovered his passion, and reformed the band 30 years later.

In an exclusive chat he told The Sun Online: “When we entered the music industry, our experience was different since Nigel Martin-Smith or Simon Cowell didn’t form us.

“We wrote our own songs and danced our own way, but with a major record label backing us, they focused on maximising our exposure and profits.

“While I don’t mean to sound negative, the industry’s relentless nature was challenging at a young age. Fame can be overwhelming, and the pressure it brings truly resonates with me.

“When I was in my early 20s, I often went for three months without a day off. The days were incredibly long; sometimes I would wake up at dawn to host an early breakfast show and then have endless gigs, often staying up until the early morning hours to perform.”

He added: “When it finally comes to an end, it truly is the end. The phone stops ringing, your schedule is completely cleared, and you feel abandoned. That’s just how it is, and it can be a harsh wake-up call.

“Coming back to reality was a huge shock and took a toll on my mental health. I wanted to get married but had to put that on hold.

“Adjusting was challenging, and while some may say to ‘just move on,’ it’s complicated to leave a pop band where you’re always performing and suddenly have nothing.”

Lee explained how the life of a pop star isn’t as glamorous as it seems.

While successful groups like Take That or Westlife might become millionaires, many acts in the nineties, like Let Loose, made only a bit of money—not enough to retire on.

He said: “When our careers ended, we had to start over, which was tough.

NOWHERE TO GO

“You just go back to doing nothing, you know, and trying to start something else.

“At that time, there were no reality shows that you could bounce to. Nowadays, you might end up on Strictly or Celebrity Big Brother, I’m a Celeb. But you can still have a career.

“But back in the nineties, none of that was around, so I had to do whatever I could to make some money. I was lucky that I had my house, but I wasn’t prepared to lose it, so I had to work.”

Lee spoke about the impact of having to scrape litter from outside the stadiums he once played to thousands of people in and hiding from Shane Ritchie when he played an extra on EastEnders had on his self-esteem.

I distanced myself from music completely I thought it was the devil, something that caused me problems.”

Lee Murray

Lee shared: “It was a really dark, horrible, horrible period where I was utterly lost. When I came out of the band, I distanced myself from music completely I thought it was the devil, something that caused me problems.”

After years of looking at his career “through a negative lens”, Lee decided to change the narrative and started teaching the drums to young musicians.

This mindset shift also led to the band’s reformation last year with former Bad Boy Inc. singer Matthew James Pateman.

Now, Lee enjoys music and feels genuine happiness when he looks out into the crowd because the pressure is off.

NEW MATERIAL

The band – who have a busy touring schedule in 2025 – are even about to release a new single in January, called Glorious.

He said: “In terms of the band, I’m having a lot of fun. When I look out into the audience, I see some of the same faces I used to recognise at Top of the Pops, where massive crowds used to gather.

“I see those same fans in the audience, sometimes bringing their kids, which is incredible at my age to have a second chance at experiencing this.”