It’s been a remarkable journey for  Martin Fry, frontman and leader of ABC, who has scaled the heights of pop stardom.

He created an iconic pop record – The Lexicon of Love – enjoyed chart success on both sides of the Atlantic and at the peak of his success, he survived a brush with cancer.

And now Martin is hitting the road to share his remarkable stories and sing acoustic versions of his greatest hits - and he’ll be visiting the Devon  cliff-top venue of the Babbacombe Theatre with his The Lexicon of Life tour on November 14.  

‘It’s been an incredible journey,’ said  Fry, who completed a sell-out UK earlier this year. 

He grew up in the north of England, being inspired by David Bowie and The Sex Pistols, before starting a fanzine then getting into bands.

‘I vividly remember that magical moment when I first went to see a rock show, he said. 

‘Even before the act came on I was looking at the roadies on an empty stage and admiring the size of the PA system, totally entertained by that mind-boggling spectacle. My first gig was Cockney Rebel and opening up for them were Sailor. There was something totally comforting about watching a band on stage.’

Fry’s  bohemian life during his years at Sheffield University provided the springboard for ABC whose debut album, The Lexicon Of Love, made them global stars.

‘I remember later in Tokyo, the four of us were sitting eating in a restaurant, and a crowd gathered outside. People were  trying to smash the window to get in. That kind of fame and recognition I can live without.’

He  survived the crazy journey of pop stardom, eventually getting sober after his rock’n’roll lifestyle had taken its toll. 

A renaissance came and he joined Robbie Williams for a tour of football stadia, playing to tens of thousands of fans each night. 

‘Playing to something approaching 200,000 people at Milton Keynes Bowl for three nights was something I never thought would happen. But it did. Robbie’s tour felt like being part of a Medieval Kingdom. It must have been like that when they took Henry VIII to Agincourt.’

More touring  followed and he  created a brilliant new record: The Lexicon Of Love II, which took him back into the top five of the UK album chart. He’d come full circle, an artist who’d returned to the creative and commercial peaks that he’d enjoyed in the early part of his career.

‘It’s been a wild ride,’ he added. ‘And the incredible thing is that as I hit the road with The Lexicon of Life, I feel as though I’m just getting started.’

Tickets for this intimate evening with Martin Fry can be booked at www.babbacombe-theatre.com.