Just like the first time… it's the Steps thread

[Alexis]

Not long home from a very long 12 hr shift. I got home to find that my signed deluxe was here as well as Claire's one. Last night I saw that they had released a limited edition signed, vinyl on the Steps store so I bought that too! So I have bought almost all formats available. I just didn't get the rainbow HMV exclusive. I had to get the vinyl, as I have TOTDF and WTFH Part 1 already and I like to be a completist. I don't even own a record player!

I managed to catch Steps on This Morning when I was at work too, they usually seem to be on when things have chilled a bit. I thought they sounded amazing, they really all are in top form vocally. I think Faye maybe has lowered the key of her solo a tad from the early days, but yes she sounded really good today. The best they have ever sounded on This Morning which is notoriously bad for live acts to perform on. That studio must have really bad acoustics but they made it work today!

The whole chart battle with the Manics is great too. It's a cute little throw back to the '90s. I remember I used to hate the Manic Street Preachers then as they were always bothering the chart when somebody I liked had a song out. Even though I actually really do secretly
like the Manic Street Preachers, and did even then. I like them, but I love Steps.

Great. I'd love to see your new haul!! I'm curious what colour Sharpie they use to sign the individual covers as they're quite dark. I can hardly see Claire's siggy on my Deluxe as it's black ink on black dress.

I will see if I can get a pic on here tonight. I love all the signatures on these ones. They have used a black sharpie on the individual covers, and a silver one on the Deluxe.

Now I'm like, "The A*Teens? Bring 'em on!"

I never really loved their ABBA covers, but liked their original songs like Half Way Round The World, and I loved their cover of Nick Kamen's I Promised Myself.

 

[Alexis]

Well here are some pics of the signed CD's now that they are all here. Looking forward to getting the vinyl too now. The individual albums are all cardboard sleeve digipaks and I absolutely hate that kind of CD cover. They just fall apart with even light handling. But they were a fiver each and I still have the Boxing day fear, and so I will buy everything and count myself lucky! Though I will not really have any use to handle or even listen to them as I have everything digitally. The Deluxe is lovely though. Like a book, it opens up and I love the artwork inside and the photos of them. They look amazing.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Here it is:

That's very nice. I especially enjoyed the shrieky primal wailing from 2:15 onwards, which feels somewhere in between Loleatta Holloway and that illegal Fairuz sample in Madonna's Erotica.

I can't work out if it's a female backing vocalist or one of the guys doing falsetto? Either way, I like it.

Last night I saw that they had released a limited edition signed, vinyl on the Steps store so I bought that too!

You did well to get it as it seems to have sold out pretty quickly.

I just didn't get the rainbow HMV exclusive.

It's hard to tell how it looks from pictures. It could look stunning, or it could look really naff. Either way, those shiny-type covers show every fingerprint and scratch, which would really bother me, and I've and I've already had that saga with the Disney O-rings.

I'm of the mindset that I'd get it if I'm passing an HMV and see a pristine copy marked down, but if not I won't feel I'm missing out.

The whole chart battle with the Manics is great too. It's a cute little throw back to the '90s. I remember I used to hate the Manic Street Preachers then as they were always bothering the chart when somebody I liked had a song out.

I don't know if the original chart battle registered with me at the time. For whatever reason I never paid too much attention to album chart positions at the time. That's something I've been more aware of since being online. Singles were another matter, of course. I followed Steps' chart positions very closely as far back as Last Thing On My Mind.

I can't remember at what point I bought Step One. It was early on, and probably within the first couple of weeks, but I know I didn't buy it on release day because I vividly remember the first time I heard it was listening to a friend's copy on the CD player in my car on a Friday night out.

Well here are some pics of the signed CD's now that they are all here.

They look great. The silver ink looks so much better on the Deluxe booklet cover than the black they used on mine. Now I'm starting to wonder if I should buy another copy in the hope I get some silver autographs.

I love that Faye gave you a little heart/butterfly thingy above her siggy on the individual copy. Very cute. And Lee's signature looks really classy on his cover.

I share your feelings about digipaks. After importing them into iTunes, mine go in plastic CD sleeves on the shelf in the hope it'll minimise the wear.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

At risk of sounding like a spoilt child stropping over what they didn't get for Christmas, I'm getting a bit impatient with these digital exclusives that haven't appeared.

Every day since Monday I've found myself on the website at one minute to midday, hoping to see them arrive. And every day I leave with my shoulders sloped and my lower lip jutted out.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'm getting a bit impatient with these digital exclusives that haven't appeared.

Oh my stars...

They have appeared now.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Well, I've bought both and downloaded the full albums (who knows: it could be the difference between #2 and #1). I briefly considered buying Lee's individual CD packaged along with one of the digital deluxes, but couldn't justify it since the bonus track is in the digital package anyway.

The karaoke versions are very welcome, though timing is slightly ironic since I've spent the past few days trying to edit H out of some of the Tears/WTFH/WTFH2 tracks (which sounds petty I know, but it's sometimes the difference between playing a track or skipping it). It might have been far easier with karaoke versions to work with and I will try redoing some of these when I have some time.

I'm enjoying a couple of the acoustic versions while tweaking the artwork and text. Take Me For A Ride works really well, and we've already spoken about an acoustic of The Slightest Touch, so that's nice as well.

 

[Alexis]

I also just bought both the Afterparty and the Morning After versions. So this is crazy! I now have bought this same album 10 times in it's various formats. Remember that if you bought the downloads that you have to download the full album to count as a sale. Even the songs you may already have. Technically you have to download 60% of the album to count as a sale. But it's better to download it all then remove what you already had or don't want.

I went to the download section of Townsend Music to get my downloads and it looks like I am obsessed. There are digital downloads still available from when I bought WTFH Part 1, in its many formats and then all since. It's a very long list. I like that they are still active and can be downloaded again all this time later!

To be honest much of the content on these two digital editions were already available on what I have already bought. But it's nicer to have them on the 2 albums, that I will combine into 1 on iTunes and not have them spread across 6 or 7different albums. It just makes it all easier and more streamlined in the end. I hate having duplicates on iTunes.

There are only about 1500 sales between Steps and The Manics, but Steps' signed vinyl haven't been dispatched yet I don't think so those sales haven't been factored in. I have no idea how many they did of those but I would guess between 500 and 1000. And then the sales from the Afterparty and Morning after will probably be logged by tomorrow.
The Manics are apparently also doing signed copies of their album with signed prints from old album artwork and ads. They also did album and ticket bundles earlier in the week. So this does feel quite competitive.

 

[James from London]

I especially enjoyed the shrieky primal wailing from 2:15 onwards, which feels somewhere in between Loleatta Holloway and that illegal Fairuz sample in Madonna's Erotica.

I can't work out if it's a female backing vocalist or one of the guys doing falsetto? Either way, I like it.

Hmm, I'm not sure. It sure sounds like a girl, and there is a male/female duet elsewhere on the album, but I can't find any info about who's doing what on this particular track. I'm glad you like it, though. I also posted it on the New Seekers' fan page on Facebook thinking they'd be excited -- I mean, hardly anyone even remembers the group anymore much less mentions them in a Manic Street Preachers album review -- but all I got was a snotty reply that it takes more than a summery guitar to sound like NS, plus a few "horrified face" emojis, so I told them they were another example of the narrow-minded mentality of fandoms and then left the group FOREVER! By the look of all these digi-packs and individual albums, it's more fun (in a confusing sort of way) being a Steps fan these days anyway.

This morning I did the longest run I have in years and got a really massive endorphin rush when 'Tears on the Dancefloor' popped up on shuffle.

There are only about 1500 sales between Steps and The Manics

I've downloaded both so I'm not much help either way.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I now have bought this same album 10 times in it's various formats.

Well Lee will be very grateful to you for putting Leo through university in a few years' time.

I went to the download section of Townsend Music to get my downloads and it looks like I am obsessed. There are digital downloads still available from when I bought WTFH Part 1, in its many formats and then all since. It's a very long list. I like that they are still active and can be downloaded again all this time later!

Last week I had a fright when one of the tracks on my Night In Edition couldn't be found. I was greatly relieved to find I could go to that section and re-download it. But still, this is why I'm not a fan of digital formats. If the website closes down and it happens again...

To be honest much of the content on these two digital editions were already available on what I have already bought.

Almost all the bonus material was new to me. In all there were twenty new tracks, which makes it £8 well spent.

I hate having duplicates on iTunes.

Oh, I'm a horror with it. I have most Steps songs in several different bit rates (depending what I use it for).

There are only about 1500 sales between Steps and The Manics, but Steps' signed vinyl haven't been dispatched yet I don't think so those sales haven't been factored in. I have no idea how many they did of those but I would guess between 500 and 1000. And then the sales from the Afterparty and Morning after will probably be logged by tomorrow.

Exciting times.

The Manics are apparently also doing signed copies of their album with signed prints from old album artwork and ads. They also did album and ticket bundles earlier in the week. So this does feel quite competitive.

The old ads and album artwork are a nice touch. I might have considered something like this if Steps did something similar. Shall I float out the idea of some signed outtakes from Lee's Attitude photoshoot?!

It sure sounds like a girl, and there is a male/female duet elsewhere on the album, but I can't find any info about who's doing what on this particular track.

Well, that's a point to the Manics if their album comes with added mystery.

I also posted it on the New Seekers' fan page on Facebook thinking they'd be excited -- I mean, hardly anyone even remembers the group anymore much less mentions them in a Manic Street Preachers album review -- but all I got was a snotty reply that it takes more than a summery guitar to sound like the, plus a few "horrified face" emojis, so I told them they were yet another example of the narrow-minded mentality of fandom and then left the group FOREVER!

Ooh. High drama in Seekerville. Get them told, James.

Anytime I've felt inclined to join certain music groups elsewhere on the internet, that kind of boxed-in thinking puts me right off the idea.

By the look of all these digi-packs and individual albums, it's more fun (in a confusing sort of way) being a Steps fan these days anyway.

This morning I did the longest run I have in years and got a really massive endorphin rush when 'Tears on the Dancefloor' popped up on shuffle.

Congrats on your record run James. And welcome to the dark side.

 

[Alexis]

I haven't heard the Manics new album yet. I'll leave that to next week. lol Though I have heard there is also a track on it that is inspired by ABBA. I wonder is that the one that sounds like The New Seekers? Now I am even more intrigued.

 

[James from London]

there is also a track on it that is inspired by ABBA. I wonder is that the one that sounds like The New Seekers? Now I am even more intrigued.

Well, this one has some very Abba-ish touches:

 

[Alexis]

Well, this one has some very Abba-ish touches:

Ah yes, I had totally forgot that I had actually heard this one!

 

[Alexis]

Oh God... I absolutely love that they have given us the Steps only vocal version of the single mix of Heartbreak In This City! That was something I thought we wouldn't really get. I love it. It just sounds perfect with them all on it. Love Claire tearing in on that last verse like a glitterball tornado.
No offense to Michelle, but I will be using this version as my go to version.

I also love the karaoke versions in a way I didn't think I would. Had a bit of fun and a reality check while singing along to those at full pelt. What The Future Holds is really hard to sing!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I absolutely love that they have given us the Steps only vocal version of the single mix of Heartbreak In This City! That was something I thought we wouldn't really get. I love it. It just sounds perfect with them all on it. Love Claire tearing in on that last verse like a glitterball tornado.

Yes indeed. I hadn't really clocked how different - and how good - the Single Mix arrangement is because Michelle being on it really threw it off for me. The original Steps album version has been my favourite version, but this mix with its added chimes and weight could change that. It sounds amazing.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I never really loved their ABBA covers, but liked their original songs like Half Way Round The World, and I loved their cover of Nick Kamen's I Promised Myself.

Hate to say it but it wasn't ABBA and it wasn't STEPS and it certainly wasn't The Spice Girls who created the Perfect Pop Song.

Not (!!) released as a single, and no one has ever bothered to remix it. But maybe it should only be experienced in its wholesome and divine purity.

Oh my stars...

They have appeared now.

Never underestimate the algorithmic powers of tellytalk. The galaxy is watching us.

 

[Alexis]

Hate to say it but it wasn't ABBA and it wasn't STEPS and it certainly wasn't The Spice Girls who created the Perfect Pop Song.
Not (!!) released as a single, and no one has ever bothered to remix it. But maybe it should only be experienced in its wholesome and divine purity.

It's been suggested before as a song that Steps should maybe cover and I wouldn't hate it.

 

[Alexis]

I can't believe there are only 350 copies between the Manics and Steps! This is wild. I would just love them to get a number 1 album this time.
If they did then they would I think be the only UK mixed boy/girl group to have a number 1 album in 4 consecutive decades. I am not certain this 100% true but it sure seems that way.

Steptacular #1 - 1999
Gold: Greatest Hits #1 -2001
The Ultimate Collection #1 - 2011

It would be such a good narrative for them to carry into next year for the 25th anniversary celebrations and whatever they have instore for them. You can just hear Lisa and Faye proudly trotting that little nugget out in every interview.

Either way, even if it's #2 that's amazing for them. That they can still do that all these years later is a slap in the face to all their naysayers back in the day. They are still putting up a fight against the Manic Street Preachers in 2021.

Just looking back at their chart history and sales and it's insane the numbers they did with their first two albums.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Hate to say it but it wasn't ABBA and it wasn't STEPS and it certainly wasn't The Spice Girls who created the Perfect Pop Song.

Oh nice. It has that "instantly familiar" thing that all Perfect Pop Songs must have. All the greatest pop songs give me déjà vu on first listen.

Never underestimate the algorithmic powers of tellytalk. The galaxy is watching us.

You're not kidding, Willie. I firmly believe that this thread (and its pre-crash incarnation) is almost entirely responsible for Steps' post-reunion career. Almost every move they've made has already been wished on this thread.

There's even a conspiracy theory that Steps were behind the crash of 2016, to ensure they don't have to pay management royalties to me, Alexis and Jason.

If they did then they would I think be the only UK mixed boy/girl group to have a number 1 album in 4 consecutive decades. I am not certain this 100% true but it sure seems that way.

I wouldn't be surprised. I can't think of too many mixed groups with the success and longevity of Steps. I don't think Bucks Fizz have even had even one #1 album (though I dare say they would have deserved one or two).

You can just hear Lisa and Faye proudly trotting that little nugget out in every interview.

Ha ha. Oh yes. Lisa would ride that one until the wheels come off.

Either way, even if it's #2 that's amazing for them. That they can still do that all these years later is a slap in the face to all their naysayers back in the day. They are still putting up a fight against the Manic Street Preachers in 2021.

It'd be great if they get the #1, but equally the Manics seem to be working hard for it. Whatever happens, I'm sure Steps will get a #1 album next year with whatever retrospective they do for the Silver Anniversary.

I would love to see them make it with a post-reunion studio album. They certainly deserve that much. And if it's going to happen, tomorrow looks like it's going to be the one!

Just looking back at their chart history and sales and it's insane the numbers they did with their first two albums.

Yes. Especially when you consider how different marketing was. There weren't that many formats, and even international editions with bonus tracks didn't usually come along until sometime later.

I know it's a different world today, but I'd still be interested to know how Steps and the Manics' sales would look if they counted each format as a distinct album that had its own place in the charts instead of all being bundled together. Not that we'll ever know.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Happy Official Album Chart Results Day!!

I can't get my head round it being a week since the album was released. It genuinely feels like just a couple of days.



I thought I'd reflect on how my thoughts have evolved towards each track over the past week:

Wasted Tears - I liked this enough but have no strong opinion from first listen. Need to give it another couple of spins.

This has become my most-played track from the album proper (excluding the acoustics, of course). Considering it has that cold, metallic clubby kind of sound I'm very surprised how much I enjoy it, but it's really catchy. As I said earlier in the week, the structure and lyrics feel very Steptacular.

Heartbreak In This City - I still prefer the original album version and simply think of this as a bonus alternative version that weirdly removes some great Claire vocals.

I feel much the same now. Though of course Steps have since given us the gift of the Steps Only Single Mix, which I've improved further by adding the piano intro and removing H (I've done the same to the original Steps album version, and it also sounds great).

A Hundred Years Of Winter - Nice track but I'm put off by the male-heavy vocals. Won't be playing this a lot.

While it's far from heavily-played, I have listened to this more than expected and I'm trying to keep an open mind considering it's due to be the next single. But I do still find it off-putting that H's nasal tones are all over it.

Living In A Lie - OK, so it's Something In Your Eyes redux, but I love it! I'm not sure it needs the final key change, but why not I suppose.

On first listen I thought I'd be playing this one ad infinitum, but I've been fairly moderate. It's still my second most-played track after Wasted Tears, but because I've been fairly balanced in listening to the album I haven't played it as heavily as expected. I haven't even got all the lyrics down for this one yet.

In short, I love this one, but I've toned down the enthusiasm a little. I can fully understand why it hasn't been a single: it's similar in sound to Something In Your Eyes, and it seems Steps are wisely showcasing a lot of different sounds in their single choices.

The biggest disappointment of the various deluxe editions this week is that nothing has been done with this track. No remix. And even worse: no acoustic. I'm keeping hope that they have something planned for this further down the road.

A Million Years - feels a little Paradise Lost/September Sun

This is a weird one: it's my third most-played song of the album, but I still have no real opinion of it. When it plays I find myself singing along and enjoying it but there's no real resonance. I really feel this song could be the album's Trojan Horse, sneaking in to become a favourite without me even realising.

A couple of times this week I've found this one reminding me of Under My Skin, which has to be a good thing.

Trouble & Love - another H-heavy verse and chorus?! That's more Trouble than Love to me. Another I don't plan to listen to again (apart from Lee's middle eight and closing line, which is just ASMR).

Oh gosh. I was harsh on this one. I'm glad I didn't listen to myself as I've grown to really enjoy this in a novel kind of way. It's not as H-heavy as I thought, and the male-led chorus actually works for me here because - unlike A Hundred Years Of Winter - I can't imagine how Claire or Faye would sound singing it, so it sounds right. It's not top-tier Steps, but enjoyable in a B-side kind of way.

Victorious - sounds very familiar indeed. I wonder if I've heard the original. I'll make an edit that omits the second verse and I think I'll really like it.

I've done just this, but it's still one of my least-played songs. It's also probably my least favourite track on the album. It feels more like the kind of song that might be better appreciated in a club at 1am surrounded by friends, and those days are long past for me. But as "worst track on albums" go, this is still a decent one.

Kiss Of Life - Very clubby. I'd take this as a remix, but it's not my cup of tea for a pop album track.

This still mostly holds true, though it is very catchy and I've found myself enjoying the spins I've given it.

High - like Wasted Tears this will need another spin or two. It made no great impact on first listen.

Well, it hasn't grown on me as much as Wasted Tears. But I do like this one.

The Slightest Touch - hearing it in this context, it's definitely one of the best tracks on the album.

Brace yourself for this one, Alexis: I've hardly listened to this one. I'd played it a lot when it first appeared on YouTube, and of course the original has been part of my world for thirty five years, o perhaps I'm spending more time with less-familiar tracks before diving in.




Excluding acoustics, remixes, etc., I'd say Wasted Tears, Living In A Lie and Take Me For A Ride are my favourites on the album.

I genuinely never thought I'd want to play Take Me For A Ride, but with the album intro it's become a song I really enjoy. The more I hear it, the more I like it, and the lyrics are great. It may end up in Say You'll Be Mine territory where I tire of its mid-tempo thing but at the moment I'm loving it. I'm also surprised that I like Wasted Tears as much as I do, but here we are.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

With the new album, I've found myself listening almost exclusively to Steps for most of the week. Most unusually for me I've limited it to their newer material, from Tears On The Dancefloor through to Pt. 2. There have been some nice surprises in there.

Something I've realised is that at the time of release I didn't spend much time with the four new tracks on the Crying At The Disco version of Tears.

The one I knew best was Dancing With A Broken Heart and it didn't really speak to me at the time. On replaying it this week I've been pleasantly surprised by how much I've enjoyed it, and I've been alternating between the album version and the Video Mix. I love the little disco touches and my favourite part of the whole track is Lee's heavily autotuned/pitch quantanised Daft Punk moment, which sounds so good.

The biggest surprise for me on the album has been Fool For You.

At the time, I think I expected it to be Scared Of The Dark Strikes Back because of the songwriters, and was probably disappointed that it wasn't. Plus there's the whole H factor in verse two. I probably listened to it no more than once. I've had a look back over our conversations at the time Crying At The Disco came out and don't think Fool For You got a mention. Anyway, I've created a couple of edits which remove the second verse and with that done it turns out I love this song so much it's become my go-to track for much of the week (outside of Pt. 2 of course)