Let Loose
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| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Pop, pop rock |
| Years active | 1993–96 2008–09 2014 2023 |
| Labels | Mercury Right Track |
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| Past members |
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Let Loose is a British pop trio, started by Richard John “Richie” Wermerling (lead vocals and keyboards), Robert George Edward “Rob” Jeffrey (guitars and backing vocals) and Lee J. Murray (drums, percussion and backing vocals), and currently consisting of Jeffrey, Murray and former Bad Boys Inc singer Matthew James Pateman.[1]
The band initially had minor success in the UK Singles Chart with two of its first three singles, "Crazy for You" (#44) and "Seventeen" (#44).[2] They also released "Face to Face", which was withdrawn from sale by their record label. "Crazy for You" was re-released in the UK, entering the UK Singles Chart at number 24, and climbing to reach number 2.[3] The success of "Crazy for You" led to a remix of "Seventeen"; the track did not match the popularity of "Crazy for You" and peaked at number 11.[2]
The band's first album, Let Loose, peaked at number 20 and sold 100,000 copies. The album release was followed by the single "One-Night Stand", which peaked at number 12. The final track to be taken from the album was the ballad "Best in Me", which, according to the album sleeve, was recorded in the lead singer Wermerling's bedroom when he was aged 15. The track became their second UK top 10 hit, peaking at number 8.[2]
The band then embarked on a UK tour, and, after a seven-month break, Let Loose returned with a new single "Everybody Say Everybody Do", which peaked at number 29. Another seven months passed before a new single was released – a cover version of the Bread track "Make It with You". The single reached number 7 and gave the group a third top-10 success.[2] This was followed by "Take It Easy", which peaked at number 25.[2]
The following album, Rollercoaster, peaked at number 42 with sales of fewer than 30,000 copies. Two months later, a final single was released from the album in time for the Christmas market, but "Darling Be Home Soon" became the band's lowest-charting single, reaching number 65,[2] and Let Loose split up shortly afterwards. Wermerling joined the band Bottlefly, Rob Jeffrey continued playing guitar in other projects and Lee Murray became a disc jockey and session drummer, and has worked in management with Holly Valance, Kelly Brook and Page 3 model Keeley Hazell.
In 1998, a Best of Let Loose album was released but did not enter the UK Albums Chart.[4]
In 2006, Wermerling released his first solo album, Lost. He released and funded it, and it was available for download and as a CD through CDBaby.com and Wermerling's own website, but it failed to make the chart.
In early 2008, Wermerling and Murray reunited to write and record together under the Let Loose name. Rob Jeffrey was contacted but declined to be involved in the band's comeback. By December 2008, four new songs had been added to the official Let Loose Myspace page and a photoshoot had taken place. The band reported via Myspace it was in talks with several record labels, regarding possible recording contracts. Shortly afterwards, Wermerling and Murray left, but this time Wermerling recruited four other all-new band members. The album, Paint It in Gold, was released independently in May 2009,[3] available as a limited CD through Wermerling's own website, and the first live appearance of Let Loose with the new line-up was on 4 June 2009.
In April 2014, it was announced the original line-up, including Jeffrey, was reforming for an arena tour called "Another Time, Another Place",[5] scheduled to share the bill with other 1990s and 2000s acts, All Saints, Atomic Kitten, East 17, Big Brovaz and Jenny Berggren from Ace of Base. The tour was to visit eight UK cities in November 2014 but two weeks after the tickets went on sale, it was cancelled. It was unclear whether Let Loose would continue with the planned reunion.[6]
In August 2023, Murray and Jeffrey announced their comeback with new material and live dates planned, with former Bad Boys Inc singer Matthew James Pateman replacing Wermerling. [7]
A new single 'If The World Was Ending' was slated for release on 29th September 2023 on Right Track/Universal Music.
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [4] | |||||
| Let Loose |
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20 |
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| Rollercoaster |
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42 | |||
| Paint It in Gold |
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [4] | |||||
| The Best of Let Loose |
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— | |||
| The Best of Let Loose: 1993–2013 |
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— | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||
| Single | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [4] |
AUS [9] |
AUT [10] |
JAP [11] |
GER |
IRE | ||||||||||||||
| "Crazy for You" | 1993 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | Let Loose | |||||||||||
| "The Way I Wanna Be" | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "Face to Face" | 1994 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| "Seventeen" | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "Crazy for You" (re-release) | 2 | 67 | 28 | — | 91 | 7 |
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| "Seventeen" (re-release) | 11 | — | — | — | — | 28 | |||||||||||||
| "One Night Stand" | 1995 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| "Best in Me" | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "Everybody Say, Everybody Do" | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | Rollercoaster | ||||||||||||
| "Make It with You" | 1996 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 29 | ||||||||||||
| "Take It Easy" | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "Darling Be Home Soon" | 65 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes singles that did not chart or were not released | |||||||||||||||||||
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| National |
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| Artists |
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