heat chats to Steps about their upcoming tour
They might be older but, as Gemma Calvert finds out, Steps haven’t lost an ounce of their poptastic energy…
It’s hard to believe it’s been 23 years since Steps burst onto the music scene with that fiddle intro to 5, 6, 7, 8 – but here they are again, back with their sixth studio album What The Future Holds. And we can confirm it’s a conveyor belt of signature Steps pop bangers, plus two gorgeously slow ballads (the gang are all in their forties – they deserve the occasional breather).
There’s no denying that the famous five have had their ups and downs over the years. Between 1998 and 2001, they scored 14 top five singles in a row, then split acrimoniously before reforming after a decade apart. Then came another hiatus, before they bounced back in 2017, with a belter of a 20th anniversary album. And now they’re buzzing about their latest offering of unapologetic pop, not least because their new single is penned by superstar hitmaker Sia.
“This is the first time we’ve seen each other for ages,” says Lisa Scott-lee, 44, as heat logs into Zoom to chat to her and the rest of the gang – Ian “H” Watkins, 44, Lee Latchford-evans, 45, Faye Tozer, 44, and Claire Richards, 43 – which really makes us feel like we’re actually band member number six. Well, one can dream…
Guys, congrats on your new album! Faye: It’s exciting to finally be able to release it. Good times ahead!
Claire: We’ve been planning this for about two-and-a-half years.
Lisa: I’m so proud of What The Future Holds, and the fact Sia’s written the single takes us to the next level.
H: It’s a perfect Steps song.
Lisa: A nd the dance routine is awesome! You’re on tour next year. Anyone struggling to remember the dance routines?
F: Every time.
Lisa: No! I went to stage school, so it’s inbuilt in me to learn and remember routines. We’ll take all of them to the grave with us.
H: I’m good at remembering dances from our back catalogue, but I can’t remember the new ones. I’m an exhausted parent of twins [H is dad to four-year-old Macsen and Cybi]. I can only retain so much information. You’re all 40-plus now. Were the slow ballads on the album intentional?
Lee: When you’re over 40, everything’s intentional.
C: Age helps our attitude. It’s more scary being a twentysomething in a pop group. I’d much rather be in Steps now than when I was 21. With age comes wisdom.
Lisa: In my head, I’m still 20. I’ve still got the same amount of energy. We’ve all been working out, especially H. He’s always got his guns out on Instagram.
H: That’s smoke and mirrors. I’ve got moobs!
What’s the secret to staying young?
Lee: I’m very much into health and fitness. I don’t do drugs, don’t really drink a lot or eat crappy foods. Also, I don’t have children, so I’m not up in the night.
C: Being positive. If you let bad times take hold, it takes its toll on the way you feel and look. Also, lots of water, a bit of exercise and as much sleep as you can get.
F: These days, it’s about good make-up and good lighting. I didn’t wake up like this. H: Gin! Parenting requires lots of gin. Although I have been on a two-week detox, because in lockdown, it was so easy to pour a drink, then another and before you know it, you’re sloshed.
Lisa: I did a detox, too. As much as I love to party, I’ve been more careful. But when we get on tour… …It’s party time! How much has your rider changed?
Lisa: It’s still the same. We all still love a gin. Well, everyone but Lee.
Lee: There’s probably more herbal teas on it now than alcohol.
C: There’s more Prosecco than back in the day, I always used to ask for a bottle of Asti Spumanti. Disgusting!
H: I used to do a fizzy rosé. I’ve got a bar in my house – a corner stocked full with gin, tequila and mixers. I love a margarita now, so Claire’s going to be impressed.
Lisa: You’re going to be crazy on tequila! Who’s most likely to turn up to rehearsals hungover? Lisa: Me, Claire or H.
C: If I know I’ve got rehearsals the next day, I won’t go mad. F: Hangovers take longer to get over now.
Lee: [Jokily] Me, definitely. I’m always drunk. I can’t go a day without a drink. I’m terrible. So much has changed since you formed, especially the arrival of social media. Do you all get your share of trolls?
H: I got a lot when I did Dancing On Ice, just because of the nature of what Matt Evers and I were doing [becoming the contest’s first same-sex pairing]. There was tremendous support, but a lot of hate, too.
Lee: If someone’s talking down to me online, the best thing is to avoid them, because when people get a response, they’ve won.
F: If you like us, you like us. If you don’t, you don’t and that’s fine. But if you shout at us, I’ll block.
C: I get rattled a little bit more than everybody else. When people have a go at us for being rubbish or say we’re no good at what we do, that bothers me, because we are. What’s your best Steps memory?
Lee: Winning the BRIT Award. Not many people can say they’ve got a BRIT Award on the shelf!
C: Playing our own show at Wembley Arena. As a teenager, I worked there as a steward just to see lots of concerts. I always used to say, “I’ll be up there one day.” What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome as a group?
C: The ten years when some of us
didn’t speak to or see each other. Getting to the point in 2012 where we toured, that was our toughest time. It’s been a long road, but we’re much stronger because of it. Sometimes, you have to go through stuff like that to realise the value of what you’ve got. We were so young, the first time around. It’s easy to get lost in the bubble and the fame. Can you promise you’ll never split again?
Lisa: H, can you promise you won’t do that again? [H handed in his resignation letter before the final show of their Gold Tour.]
H: Do you have to go there? I promise! The thing is, back then, everything was so overwhelming… The reunion was very cathartic, like therapy. Everybody glosses over how hard it is being in a pop band. You can be adored by millions of people, yet feel so isolated.
Lee: We’re going to keep going as long as we can. I’m not sure about carrying zimmer frames onstage, but we’re enjoying the ride. What do your families make of this Steps return?
Lisa: We don’t feel like we’ve gone anywhere. When I walk down the street, people still shout, “Tragedy!” It’s tough leaving Johnny [Shentall, her husband] and the kids when we tour and I definitely have mummy guilt, but my children are singers and dancers, so they think it’s incredible.
C: I’ve got a teenager now – it’s terrifying! Every single time we do it, things have changed – there’s more kids, more pets. H: My boys were so young when we did the last tour, so they have no memory of me in the band. What they remember is Dancing On Ice. They think I’m an ice skater! I do co-parenting with my ex [Craig Ryder] and the tour’s a year away, so there’s lots of time to plan.
Lee: There’s no real juggle for me other than the dog. My hat goes off to the others. Lee, are you and your wife Kerry-lucy planning babies? Lee: If it ever happens, I’ll let you know! And H, are you dating anyone?
H: I’m still single. Applicants, send a CV! Who’s your celebrity crush?
H: I love a bit of Chris Pratt. I’ve got a thing about a ginger.
Lee: For years and years, it was J-LO, then we met her and it wasn’t any more. I don’t even know any celebrities nowadays.
C: I’ve got a bit of a thing for Michael Bublé, but I’m not allowed to talk about it in my house because Reece [Hill, Claire’s husband] gets a bit upset!
F: When I was younger, it was Leonardo Di Caprio, but he’s not as pretty as he used to be.
Lisa: It used to be Robbie Williams, but he’s married and settled down, so it was never to be. What Steps song would you consign to Room 101?
Lee: I could pick a video never to be seen again – Better Best Forgotten. Hate it with a passion!
C: There’s one part of Better Best Forgotten where we sound like chipmunks, so for that reason, it would have to be that.
H: It’s a toss-up between Better Best Forgotten and Say You’ll Be Mine. Every other Steps song, I adore. If I wasn’t in Steps, I would love Steps.
Lisa: You’d be such a Steps fan! Lastly, is Eurovision on the cards?
H: If it was about the music, I think we’d entertain the idea, but it’s so political, there’s no point. We could have the best song in the world and we’d still get nil points!
What The Future Holds is out on 27 November. Steps will tour the UK extensively in 2021. Visit Stepsofficial.co.uk
‘If I wasn’t in Steps, I’d love Steps’ Ian ‘H’ Watkins