01.02.01

LISA HELPS PEOPLE KICK THE HABIT

Top Welsh stars last night offered their best tips to smokers looking to kick the habit.
They joined a new National Assembly campaign aimed at getting people to start the New Year smoke-free.
Wales and British Lions rugby coach Graham Henry is an ex-smoker.
He said: "For me it was about respect. How could I respect myself and others - particularly Raewyn, my wife - if I smoked?
"There was no choice. I had to stop smoking."
STEPS singer LISA SCOTT-LEE added: "More spare cash, clearer skin, whiter teeth and better health. It's not a difficult choice, is it? Don't give up giving up."
Red Dragon DJ Emma Hignett said: "Anyone who has the willpower to give up smoking has my complete admiration."
The Assembly's Quit and Win project includes a massive poster campaign and special ashtray bins placed in High Street stores.



02.02.01

STEPS LEE DITCHES GIRLFRIEND

STEPS singer LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS has dumped his wannabe pop star girlfriend for a new love - but his ex has yet to find out.
Handsome LEE started dating Vicky Dawdall of Girls@play last November when her group supported STEPS on their British tour. Now sources say they are no longer an item, although it appears LEE has forgotten to tell Vicky.
The BETTER BEST FORGOTTEN star has been enjoying a string of dates with a sexy brunette known only as Meredith.
The couple turned up at a showbiz bash on Monday night. Although Lee insisted she was "just a friend," sources claim he has been dating her for about a month.
Meredith is said to be a regular visitor to his home in Ruislip, west London.
But according to a Girls@play spokesman, Vicky knows nothing of the secret dates.
He says: "They are definitely still together. It's a very big thing - she thinks the world of Lee."



03.02.01

SILLEE BOY

STEPS mannequin LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS has a very high opinion of himself for one so talentless.
"I suppose you're here to get your claws into Dane," he spat when he bumped into Polly at a private Dane Bowers gig. "All you tabloid journalists are the same."
Hasn't anyone told you how showbusiness works, LEE? The Financial Times are hardly queuing up to interview you...
Dane, however, was charming after an amazing performance from his new album Facing The Crowd.
"Thanks for coming," he told Polly. "I wanted to do an acoustic set to show that I can sing."
Which is more than some can say.
(Mirror)



04.02.01

BROTHERS STEP UP

Sexy STEPS babe LISA SCOTT-LEE will soon have more competition in the charts - from her own family.
The star's brothers Stephen, 21, Andy, 19, and Anthony, 17, have formed a new boy band Brothers. With a demo in the can they are now hoping for a record deal.



05.02.01

LEE GETS HAMMERED

STEPS star LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS was dragged into a club brawl after being called a homosexual.
The unlucky pop star was recently attacked in the lavatory of London's Eve nightspot by two thugs who accused him of being 'queer' - but escaped relatively unscathed when security guards broke up the fight.
A spokesman for the group said: "LEE was a little shaken by the whole thing."


06.02.01

STEPS IN PAPERBACK

STEPS In Private is set to be re-released in paper back very soon.
It was first released last October in hard back with a book signing in London to mark the occassion. This time around it will be released on March the 8th costing a wallet friendly £4.99, keep an eye out for it!

08.02.01

CLAIRE HITS BACK AT SPICE GIRL

STEPS stunner CLAIRE RICHARDS says she was upset when Mel C described the group as 'marketed rubbish'.
Mel, who should remember she is a member of the Spice Girls - the most marketed band in recent years, also labelled STEPS 'crap' and said they had no personality.
Despite this being a clear instance of the pot calling the kettle black, CLAIRE refused to sink to Mel's level and told OK! magazine: "I don't think it is right that a member of our own profession is having a go at us. We've as much right as the Spice Girls have to try and get a number one single."
And more of a chance these days, it has to be said.
(ic Showbiz)



09.02.01

SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR LEE

Being a member of STEPS has done little for the street-cred of LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS.
On a visit to Stringfellows, none of the lap dancers were interested in him.
"Aren't you gay?" they cooed.
"No," barked Lee.
(The Mirror)



H AND CLAIRE STEP TO THE STARS

The second series of STEPS II The Stars starts on BBC1 today at 4.35pm.
The award winning childrens talent show hosted by H and CLAIRE is back with a bang as they are joined by LISA, FAYE and LEE to perform their recent No.1 hit single STOMP on todays show.
Other performances to look out for include IT'S THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL and HERE AND NOW.
H and CLAIRE will also be joined by some very special guests including A1 and Samatha Mumba.

10.02.01

FAYE STEPS INTO THE FIRING LINE

STEPS beauty FAYE TOZER braved the bread-roll-throwing indie oiks at the NME Awards to take Dutch boyfriend Jasper out for the do.
Not surprisingly, she went home empty handed but simpered: "These are the coolest awards I've ever been to."
(The Mirror)



STEPS IMPERSONATOR WARNING!

We've just got a quick warning for you all about impersonators of STEPS on the internet.
It's come to our attention that there are a number of people pretending to be members of the band on the internet and giving out email addresses. We would like to re-assure all of you that the ONLY email address any of STEPS use is 'steps@STEPSofficial.com'. That's the only way they can be contacted via email (although it is unlikely anyone will recieve a reply because of the shere volume of emails they recieve).
If anyone else is giving out another address saying that they are one of the members of STEPS, no matter how authentic they may sound please do NOT believe them. Encouraging them will only make them decieve other people and could be dangerous.
To chat with the band simple go to our Message Board and post a message in the 'Direct Forums'. LISA(+ mum!), FAYE, CLAIRE, H and LEE check through these regularly and often will reply in here.
(www.stepsofficial.com)



12.01.01

STEPS WANT TO CALL THE TUNE

STEPS say they are sick of being treated like pop puppets and want artistic control of their careers.
CLAIRE RICHRADS, FAYE TOZER, LISA SCOTT-LEE, IAN WATKINS and LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS launched the band three years ago. But they have had little say over the cheesy dance steps and lyrics which have brought a string of hits and helped sell 1.4 million albums.
H says he's now ready to take on song-writing duties for STEPS, currently in the charts with IT'S THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL.
The band also want a say in staging shows. "We want it to come across the way we want to be seen," H explains.
(Daily Record)



14.02.01

STEPS AND WESTLIFE 'OUT' POP DIVA AGUILERA

H from STEPS and Westlife's Kian and Mark have spoken out about the behaviour of 'pop diva' Christina Aguilera labelling her 'the biggest pop bitch'.
Kian and Mark's comments follow an incident in which Aguilera ordered a nightclub bouncer to have Mark moved so that she could take his seat.
"I don't know how she had the nerve," he said. "I could never do that. I'm not more important than the next person."
Kian, who witnessed the incident said, "She told a bouncer to go over to Mark and tell him to move - Christina just stood giggling, loving every minute of it."
H from STEPS had a similar tale to tell. "The first time we met she came up and said hello, but that was before she'd released a single. Afterwards, with all the fame and attention, she went nutty. What a nasty piece of work she is - really diva-like and unfriendly."
He concluded: "Christina Aguilera is, without a doubt, the biggest pop bitch I've ever met."
(Dotmusic)



15.02.01

STEPS GIRLS ALL MAKE TOP 100 MOST SNOGGABLE WOMEN!

Star magzine comissioned a survey to find out who everyone would most like to snog on valentines day and it comes as no surprise that the three most beautiful babes in pop all made it in there!
LISA faired the best out of all the girls proving once again that she's a real smash hit with the fellas, the full results were as follows:

51. Lisa Scott-Lee
57. Claire Richards
84. Faye Tozer

The real shock came in the fact that neither H or LEE managed to get in to the top 100 most snoggable men!



WESTLIFE BREAK STEPS RECORD!

Irish boyband Westlife have just embarked on a massive arena your of the UK and Ireland.
The 51-date trek includes 10-night and 11-night residencies at London's Wembley Arena and Dublin's the Point, respectively. With estimated ticket sales of 500,000, the RCA group's road trip is the biggest U.K. & Ireland arena tour ever, beating the previous record held by Ebul/Jive pop act STEPS.



16.02.01

CHECK OUT STEPS' COMPETITION

Top music site Dotmusic are running their own unofficial poll to see who their readers want to win the Best Pop Act award at The Brits 2001.
They have given a review of what they think of each band and a mark out of 10 for them.
It's pretty useful to weigh up the competition that STEPS will be facing at the ceremony later this month.

STEPS
STEPS, almost as dependable as Westlife when it comes to chart-topping releases, argued that they were the victims of a Brits conspiracy when fey Scottish indie heroes Belle & Sebastian claimed the 1999 award for Best British Newcomer which the Pete Waterman managed band felt was rightly theirs.

Nonetheless, Faye, H, Lisa, Claire and Lee bounced back to enjoy another triumphant year as the pop act of choice for under twelves. That is, until latest single, 'The Way You Make Me Feel', charted at an abysmal number 72 due to copies of the single reaching the shops a week before the official release.

Ultra catchy tunes, and the Bee Gees 7/10


S CLUB 7
Three boys + four girls = total pop and the top-selling British musical act in the year 2000.

The magnificent seven - Tina, Jon, Paul, Hannah, Bradley, Rachel and Jo - were put together by production wizard Simon Fuller (the Spice Girls' original manager). As stars of numerous TV series, the group quickly became a massive hit around the global and were propelled to pop royalty status.

The band have enjoyed a host of chart-toppers from their albums 'S Club' and 7 which have both sold in the millions. They won the Best British Newcomer at the Brit Awards last year and look set to become film stars in the near future as well as performing live across the country in the spring.

There's strength in numbers 7/10


BRITNEY SPEARS
There's no doubt Britney Spears has inherited Madonna's crown as the Queen Of Pop. Her global domination of the pop market became virtually complete this year with her second album 'Oops I Did It Again' repeating the success of her debut effort, 'Baby One More Time'.

The title track from her second album hit the top of the chats and singles 'Lucky ' and 'Stronger' were Top 10 hits. Her first UK arena dates created Britney-mania with media reporting on her every move. Britney has possibly become the most talked about female on the planet with her name alone being the most searched keyword on the internet.

Body armour allows her to be hit multiple times 10/10


WESTLIFE
Although finally toppled by a two dimensional children's television character, Westlife undeniably ruled the charts in 2000. The Irish boy band enjoyed a seemingly unbreakable string of number ones which began with their debut release, 'Flying Without Wings' in 1999 and ran up until Bob The Builder's 'Can We Fix It' kept the band's 'What Makes A Man' from reaching the top.

Are androids from a pop factory 7/10


RONAN KEATING
With Boyzone's future hanging in the balance, Ronan Keating's solo career continues to blossom. Ronan's debut album - now double platinum and featuring the No.1 'Life Is A Rollercoaster' - strayed little from the tried and tested Boyzone formula. Barry Gibb, Gregg Alexander and Bryan Adams wrote tracks for his solid album that failed to set the world on fire but laid the foundation for a very bright future. A guest spot on Elton John's 'One Night Only' US show signified Ronan's intention to concentrate on the US market next year.

Has the secret New Radical power 6/10

18.02.01

CLAIRE'S VIEWS ON NAPSTER!

What do you think of Napster?

I don't know much about it, but I know if you can get music from it free it could end up causing the music industry to nose dive and put record companies out of business.

What about the bands?

Well, no-one will earn any money, and people can't afford to do it for too long for free. We worked about a year or so earning hardly any money at all, we got £50 a week and it's hard enough for kids, but when you're an adult and you start getting responsibilities it's impossible.

But aren't CDs too expensive now?

I don't think so. The price hasn't gone up too much over the last few years. Singles probably have, but it costs more to make a single than to make an album. But if you're a fan of something, you go and buy it. If I want something I go and buy it, I wouldn't dream of getting something of the internet for nothing. If you're a true fan you'll buy it.



19.02.01

STEPS IN FELLOW POPSTARS 'MOST HATED' LIST!

STEPS have been voted one of the most hated bands in pop by their fellow pop stars!
Bands like Atomic Kitten, Westlife, Damage and Spice Girls who were surveyed aren't too keen on the fab five!
But we doubt STEPS will be crying, after all they sold twice as many albums and concert tickets last year than any of the acts surveyed!


The biggest chart stars have bared their souls for a report into the world of pop.

Today researchers reveal who pop stars look up to, who they hate and how in touch with reality they are.

And the six-month study reveals your average idol is single, has two tattoos, a couple of piercings and no idea how much a pint of milk costs.

S Club 7, Five, A1, Damage and Atomic Kitten were polled. And the Spice Girls, Boyzone and Westlife are thought to have joined in. All 47 stars quizzed had Top 40 hits last year.

At least five of them thought a pinta was more than 81p. One said: "The price of a pint of milk is at least 80p. It's scandalous." But a Tesco pinta was 26p at the time.

The report in Top Of The Pops Magazine - titled The State of Pop - also reveals our top artists have 100 tattoos and piercings between them, with one individual having 12.

Twenty are single, 13 in a relationship and one is divorced. The other 13 declined to comment. Their average age is 21 and the oldest is 30. Most got a record deal at just 17.

The star they most want to work with is Britney Spears, followed by Michael Jackson, R&B artist Lucy Pearl, Sisqo and Craig David.

Rod Stewart, Phil Collins and, surprisingly, Bonnie Tyler were named as favoured artists.

The most hated act was duo Daphne & Celeste. Northern Line were second, A1 and A Teens third, then Cartoons, Girl Thing and STEPS.

Another fact to emerge is that of the No1s in 2000, 58 per cent were pop, 30 per cent dance or R&B and seven per cent rock.

The Beatles 1 was the biggest-selling album - 1.85million copies - and Bob the Builder's Can We Fix It was the top single with 850,000 sales.

The survey also shows sales of pop albums reached £1.1billion, up 17.5 per cent on the previous year.

A copy of the report is being sent to Downing Street as part of an appeal for a Minister of Pop. A spokeswoman said: "The report presents research from the very people who are getting No1s."
(The Sun)



20.02.01

STEPS IN TOP 100 EARNERS!

In a poll comissioned by the Sunday Mirror STEPS came out as the 62nd highest earning entertainers in UK and Ireland, H, CLAIRE, FAYE, LISA and LEE are all estimated to be worth 2million each from sales of their records, merchanidise and of course their sell out UK tours!



21.02.01

HERE AND NOW/YOU'LL BE SORRY TO BE NEXT STEPS SINGLE!

News in from the PWL Empire reveals that STEPS have been in Manchester recording their next single! The full details are taken from the PWL site:
"For all of those of you who have recently e-mailed me concerned about a rumoured sale of the PWL North studios on Manchester's busy Deansgate, fear not! The studios are very much alive and well and are currently reverberating to the sounds being produced by Work In Progress as they remix 'YOU'LL BE SORRY' for a forthcoming Steps single release."
It then confirms this yet again in their diary under studio sessions it reads:
"February 2001 -W.I.P. remix 'YOU'LL BE SORRY' for STEPS at PWL North."
So there we have it, another brilliant double A side hit for STEPS we hope!
(PWL)



23.02.01

MY POP HELL BY FAYE TOZER!

FAYE TOZER from STEPS on life as a real-life pop star...and her impending plans to "go indie".

It might be argued that Polydor signing Hear'Say for one single and one album dooms the Popstars band to a terminally short shelf life, but when STEPS signed to Jive Records in 1997 theirs was a one-single deal. Three albums and over a million concert tickets later, STEPS are at the top of the pop tree.
Unusually, the band have achieved superstar status without once granting a tabloid interview. So quotes are misquoted and facts fictionalised to the point that STEPS' FAYE TOZER turning up to NME Awards with her drummer boyfriend Jasper Irn's band, One, sparked Robbie at Glastonbury type rumours.
FAYE has, however, been indulging her artistic flair by working on music with Jasper, whose own music is synth-lading, sweeping alt-rock.
"The stuff I'm writing, I wouldn't be writing if I wasn't in STEPS," she expalins. "But while it's not like Eminem or anything I've been told there's no way my stuff is appropriate for STEPS to perform."
FAYE's lucky to have the release at all - even if being contracted to STEPS, the material is hardly likely to see the light o day anytime soon.
The disintergration of most polished pop acts is inspired by the insular nature of life as a celebrity offering no room for personal expression. That's the life Hear'Say may have plunged themselves into.
"That happens in the first two years" FAYE nods. "I think it's great to do Popstars on TV but I do think it takes the sparkle out of what a pop star is supposed to be. No disrespect to them 'cos they're laying their lives on the line, but you wouldn't catch me doing anything like that. I'm in one of those bands, but I do think that as soon as the industry finds something that is successful it goes in circles until people can't take anymore of it. That's what creates change."
(NME)

24.02.01

FAYE'S A FASHION ICON TO STARS!

Those of you who saw CD:UK this morning may or may not have noticed that American Pop Singer Christina Aguilera has had her hair braided almost identically to STEPS stunner FAYE and was even wearing a coluorful headscarf a'la FAYE in the SUMMER OF LOVE video.
Christina, who was branded pop's biggest bitch by STEPS star H last week, was performing her new single 'Nobody Wants To Be Lonely' when she unveiled her copy cat look.
We have to say that although Christina has obviously attempted to recreate FAYE'S style, FAYE is a unique beauty and Christina just doesn't come anywhere near!



25.02.01

STEPS BACK IN BRITAIN!

STEPS have flown back to home to Britain today to attend tomorrow's BRIT Awards ceremony, where they have been nominated for Best Pop Act.
FAYE, H, LISA, LEE and CLAIRE face competition from Westlife, Ronan Keating, Britney Spears and S Club 7 in what is undoubtably the hardest catergory to win!
It will be the second year running that STEPS have been nominated for the award last year they lost out to boy band Five.



26.02.01

STEPS LOOSE OUT TO WESTLIFE @ BRIT AWARDS 2001!

STEPS have come away from The BRIT Awards 2001 empty handed.
H, CLAIRE, LISA, LEE and FAYE were nominated for The Best Pop Act award, but it was won by Irish boyband Westlife.
Westlife declined to comment on their opinions of STEPS after a lot of highly publicised fighting between the two groups.
A1, who share STEPS management team, ByrneBlood, won The Best Newcomer award.

28.02.01

STEPPING UP IN THE WORLD!

STEPS are taking on world domination in the charts again! Their UK No.1 hit record STOMP is currently racing up the charts in Belgium and Spain following STEPS whirlwind promotion tour of Europe. They'll be back over in Europe sometime soon to promote it in other areas too and get ready if you live in Austrailia as STOMP is scheduled for release there in March!
Also expected soon is the Japanese release of STOMP, this will be in the usual EP format like the first two Japanese releases 5,6,7,8 and SAY YOU'LL BE MINE.
But UK fans needn't worry as STEPS will be back here to promote their new UK single HERE AND NOW/YOU'LL BE SORRY and a another tour is set to take place across the UK at the end of the year.