#141: After the music stops, life after the boyband with Lee Murray

"For me opening the door was the same door that had shut in my face previously. But going back there and thinking, well, what am I able to do? …I tried many things, but I realised it's music. So I sat down with a blank piece of paper and thought, I've got to make my way again." Imagine being at the height of music stardom in the 90s, performing on Top of the Pops, being helicoptered between gigs, and having fans waiting outside your house. Then suddenly, there is silence. In this episode Lee Murray shares what happens when the music stops. Lee was the drummer in the band Let Loose, which enjoyed headline and chart success in the 90s. And then, due to various moving doors, and sliding doors moments the record contracted ended. Lee shares the moment he got the letter, sitting on his stairs thinking now what do I do?  It wasn’t an easy few years, navigating what to do next, trying things that didn't work out. But eventually returning to his roots and the love that was there all the time, drumming. Lee set up his own drum school Lee Murray Drum Hub, and now specialises in using lessons to help people with their mental health and to help neurodivergent children in particular.    Here are the highlights: 03:37 As a kid, I was obsessed with music, I dreamt of a music career. 07:48 Non-stop touring and performances for eight years. 21:02 Try new things without fear; be in the right mental space to succeed. 24:16 Drumming, which offered direction and mental wellness benefits. 38:20 Childhood dreams of being a pop star drove adult ambition.   The things that helped Lee navigate change. Music: "Are Friends Electric" by Gary Numan Boos: ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne  The one piece of advice: “You’ll have real highs and you will have the lows. It’s about trying to equip yourself with the tools to ride through that. So you can experience the highs and enjoy them knowing that it may not last forever, and you will get times where it's going to dip. Equip yourself with the resilience to think it will pass…Keep telling yourself that you're worth it.” About Lee: Lee Murray, drummer of 90s boy band Let Loose, found salvation in music amid mental health struggles. The band, known for playing their instruments and writing songs, had a hit with "Crazy For You" in 1994. Lee joined at 17 in 1987, but faced challenges after their 1996 split. Drumming helped him recover, leading to work with artists like Westlife, Ronan Keating and Lisa Stansfield.   Recently, Lee founded the Lee Murray Drum Hub, using music to support mental health and neurodivergent children. Let Loose reformed in late 2023 with Matthew James Pateman as lead singer, performing at shows and festivals. They're set to release a new single, "Glorious," while Lee's solo single "Never Give Up On Us" launches on January 31st.   Find out more here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g45wn6 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lee_murrayinsta More about the host Eleanor   Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”    Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.    Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/ Website: eleanortweddell.com Produced by winteraudio.co.uk