FROM heartthrob to recovering addict, from chart-topper to star of Broadway, in an illustrious career Mari Pellow has done it all.

Having been introduced to music at an early age, Pellow would sit in his bedroom in Clydebank, Scotland, dreaming of one day appearing on shows like Top of The Pops like many of his idols.

With huge success as part of the group Wet Wet Wet in the 1980s and 1990s, Pellow’s dream had been achieved and he quickly became the poster boy of a generation.

But with success comes its own challenges and the now 53-year-old spiralled into battling alcohol and drug addiction.

“When you are in your bedroom dreaming of these things (stardom) and then they start to unfold with the combination of youth and arrogance you think to yourself ‘Bring it on’,” the Scotsman tells The Gazette.

“It is only during your down time you start to think to yourself ‘Oh my life is changing’ and that can be difficult.”

Now 20 years clean, Pellow admits it is still an ongoing battle, but one he now accepts.

Despite his struggles, Pellow has constantly been active, whether that be in Wet Wet Wet, writing solo music or his later foray into musical theatre.

He is set return to the stage with his Private Collection Tour, which comes to Basingstoke on Thursday, 7 June, and the song-writer wants his audience to go away knowing more about him.

He added: “I did a couple of shows last year to test the waters and it was inspired by me going about my daily business and I’d bump into people and they would tell me stories that my songs remind them of certain events.

“That got me thinking I have those songs throughout my career which signpost certain milestones and it makes me think about certain parts of my life and I just wanted to explore that more.

“It is not just my records but a chance shoot the breeze with the audience and you will hopefully walk away knowing me a bit better.”

With a successful musical theatre career as well in the world of pop music, Pellow has been fortunate to travel across the world performing in shows such as Chicago, Chess and Evita.

Additional exposure on stage and a passion to continue to write music Pellow has just released his 11th solo record, Mysterious.

“When I was in my youth I used to wait in line and buy this thing called a 7” single,” added Pellow.

“You would get talking to someone and find out the information about the artist through them.

“Now with the world wide web you have all that information and access at the push of a button, which makes it a hugely exciting time for music.

“I can find a video of someone covering one of my songs or they have rearranged it and it just completely blows my mind.”

It is this access to material, which has also opened up his own music to a wider and younger audience.

He added: “I was shooting the breeze with a few teenagers recently and they were quoting songs which were clearly double their age, but they were talking about them with such enthusiasm

“It just shows these things come full circle, the only difference is that they are watching a version of Marty who is 30 years older.”

Marti Pellow: The Private Collection will come to The Anvil on Thursday, 7 June. For more information and tickets visit anvilarts.org.uk.