Marti Pellow spoke to our reporter Billy Sloan. To watch the interview in video click on the icon on the left.
Marti, it's good to see you back on home soil.
It's great to be back here, always a pleasure to be at home and speak as fast as I want.
The new single "Been around the world" could sum up your life over the past 18 months because you literally have been around the world writing and recording, haven't you?
Been everywhere, you know Billy, and it feels so much better today because for a while you can have so much success and you travel round and actually don't get a chance to see anything. Second time around i've taken a little more time to sit back, chill out and enjoy the areas I've been visiting and it's been fantastic.
Because this record that you're promoting, it was recorded with Willie Mitchell over in Memphis.
It's a great environment, I love Memphis. It's amazing I always find myself near rivers, take from that what you will. I was brought up next to the Clyde, the Mississippi, it's that area. Maybe it's the seaside I like because it goes shhhh, shhhh.
I love to sing, it's all I've ever wanted to do was to entertain and knew the pop songs i wrote were good enough to stand their ground. There's a certain discipline to the way they record there it's one, two, three go! and to be working with them and breaking bread with them... most of the time I was asking them to tell me the stories about Areathra Franklin. I'm a fan of music and ultimately that's what turned me on to it was the people I was working with... dreams and there I was in amongst it, fantastic!
Now, for more than a decade you were the lead singer of one of Scotland's most famous successful pop groups and for the last 18 months you've been Marti Pellow solo artist, so what's it been like to go it alone?
I think it's something I've embraced. Initially there was a fear of the unknown, but I think if the songs are that good then they'll never let you fall, and so far the reception has been phenomenal. There is still a hard core fan base that still enjoy me as a performer and a singer, and that will continue and as far as I continue. I've got a balance in my life, I can spend time with my family and my loved ones and if I can have some hit records too- that's the business!
Are you sad in the way that Wet Wet Wet seemed to eventually disintegrate?
We'd had phenomenal success and a great run at our career, we sold billions of records and travelled around the world, change is a difficult thing and I think my wants and needs were changing and what I wanted from my life and what I wanted from my career and it was time to take some time for Marti. That is something that I did. It is difficult at times, because you've only got yourself to blame, you can't say 'that was tommy's fault' or whatever, you just get on with it. I'm very much at peace with what I do, I love to sing, I love to entertain and it aint rocket science.
You made reference to the personal problems that you've had over the last three to four years, how's your health these days ?
I always say 'I'm breathing in, there are no short sharp pains that's always a bonus.' I'm a vegetrian now! Whatever will be will be and I've no time for that. I'd rather chill out, read, watch TV spend some time with my family rather than worry if I'm going to sell x amount of tickets or is this record going into the top 20. Because if it gets into the top 20 it's nice, you'll make a few sheckels, but is it the be-all-and-end-all? I really don't think so. Was the record good was it for me? That's where I'm coming from."
You've been through some personal madness over the last few years, there must have been times when it got you down. Did you ever fear anything would happen to the voice? Because if anything that's if anything got stronger
I never thought about my voice, I never thought it would ever go. To a certain degree I abused my talent, in the situation I was in, but my voice never left me. If anything I'm singing better at the moment.
You are playing the SECC in December. Are you looking forward to stepping onto the stage and that vast expanse of fans again?
Absolutely because I'm there to entertain. That's what I do, I sing. I'm a singer and I love to entertain and where better than in your own city or your own country. I'll have the place rocking.
Is it important in the home town? Because you're literally 10 minutes down the road from the old house
They'll be the first to tell me if I'm not rocking the house. I'm here to take care of business!
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