I know what Liam went through – there are dark days in a band & drugs are handed to you, says 5ive star Scott Robinson
LIKE Liam, I became famous in the blink of an eye, and know first-hand how lonely you can feel in a boyband.
Within ten days of auditioning for Five, I’d left my family home for a house in Surrey and gave one person, my now-wife Kerry, my phone number.
I couldn’t even tell her where I was moving to.
That same year, in 1997, our first single Slam Dunk (Da Funk) was in the top 10. Life changed for us instantly.
Liam said the only safe place for him was to be locked in his room where there’s a mini-bar.
I’ve been there. I’ve been all over the world, where I’ve got two security guards outside my room with guns.
I really, deeply struggled in the band. I spent many dark days in hotel rooms, crying, drinking the minibar dry, saying to Kerry on the phone: “I want to be at home. I can’t do this.”
If it wasn’t for her I would not be in a good place.
I’ve never taken a drug in my life, but my drug is alcohol. I had to bat away the drugs.
You could get them as easily as a pint of milk and no one asked for money.
Whatever I asked for, I got. If I needed a beer, someone got me a beer.
I couldn’t even go to the shops. I wasn’t allowed.
In Tokyo, I begged my security for the chance to go out and buy a dictaphone and mini disk player and they eventually agreed.
But it required me to be surrounded by five big men.
All the fans were pulling at my clothes. I went in this shop, and all of a sudden, the windows were smashed, because the fans were trying to get in.
The shopkeeper said: “Just take it. Take whatever you want.”
So I was sitting in my hotel room, with my dictaphone and mini disk player, gutted because I hadn’t bought it. I’d stolen it, essentially, and I thought: “This is my life now.”
I was 21 when I left Five, as I just couldn’t do it anymore.
I got married the very next day.
I’ve got a really stable life now but I still have counselling because of stuff with the band, even now, 23 years later.
It doesn’t seem like record labels have learned from their mistakes.
They’re certainly looking after your money but they’re not looking after you.
FIVE, which Scott rejoined in 2013, are on the Kubix Arena Tour in December with 911 and East 17.