This is from ITV News:

Pop group STEPS will bring a touch of glamour to TV soap Crossroads this week when they become the first celebrity guests to check into the famous hotel. They will appear on Wednesday & Thursday when they arrive at the Kings Oak Hotel ahead of a concert nearby.
But the only member to actually appear will be Lee Latchford Evans, who is said to be a big fan of the show.

Another Sunday is upon us and here are the latest Steps chart positions. Buzz continues to drop down the albums chart and now resides at number 84 on the albums chart. In better news the Live @ Wembley video moves up one place to number eight on the music videos chart.

Chart Off-Topic: Not so surprising was Britney Spears’ latest single failing to enter the UK top 10, at number 12. I’ve been hoping that either her or Backstreet did this so as it should hopefully do something to the people at Jive Records and make them realise that their US acts can’t keep releasing singles here and charting into the top 10 with little or no promotion. We would like to see them in the flesh every now and then rather than just the music video! It’s not as low as her “rival” acts as Christina has debuted at #19 in the UK and both Mandy and Jessica have entered at #21 (If I remember correctly) with singles on their first week.

I Think Dotmusic sums this up well:

“Gosh, I can see the headlines now about how Britney’s pop crown is slipping and how worried her people will be at the disastrous way this single has slid into the charts at the lowly position of Number 12. Of course a little perspective is needed here of course as this is after all the fourth single release from her Oops album and probably one of her weakest to date. This is actually all the more surprising when you look at the writing credits of the track. Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know is not from the Cheiron stable this time but is instead written by both Mutt Lange and his wife. You may have heard of her – Shania Twain. Anyway, the raunchy video for the track that so upset Britney’s mother didn’t seem to help things either and for the record this is indeed Britney Spears’ smallest UK hit ever, her first to miss the Top 10.”

Wow it’s April already, and what a few busy months Steps have got coming up. We know that the video for You’ll Be Sorry has already been shot, and the video for Here & Now should be shot later this month. As the single is due for release on 28 May (with the G-A-Y show on 26 May) we should see one of the videos popping up this month.

Also we would like to thank everyone who voted on Steps II The Stars, I’m sure that Lori, Kimberly and Laura are very grateful for your votes at both stages of the competition. They thank GenSTEPS and our visitors for all your help so far and let’s hope they do win.

Also just a quick reminder to vote for Steps at the Play UK Top 100 by going to their website at http://www.playuk.tv

Almighty Associates have completed a remix for Steps. Which song we don’t know but with yet another remix on the horizon perhaps Jive are likely to release the next single as 2 CD set?

Thanks to Pieter who has sent us the tracklisting for the European release of the Buzz album, due out in Belgium this Monday. Its cover is the new international cover that we placed up on the site last month. The tracklisting is:

1. Stomp
2. It’s The Way You Make Me Feel
3. Buzzz
4. Here & Now
5. Happy Go Lucky
6. Summer Of Love
7. Better The Devil You Know
8. You’ll Be Sorry
9. Learn To Love Again
10. Never Get Over You
11. Hand On Your Heart
12. Paradise Lost
13. Turn Around
14. If You Believe

Pieter also informs that that It’s The Way You Make Me Feel should be released in Belgium in the next 3-4 weeks.

So, a slight shuffle of the tracks and the removal of the track Wouldn’t Hurt So Bad. This still doesn’t tell us much about the US release due in August. Perhaps the US will get Better The Devil You Know removed (as it was on the US Step One) and have it replaced with Wouldn’t Hurt So Bad.

I have also received this piece of interesting news yesterday from a very reliable source, and it is sure to become the biggest selling single of the year easily…

Although recently slagged by producer Pete Waterman, Hear’say are taking a strike back by dueting with one of Waterman’s most successful acts. After marking their third week at the top of the singles’ chart, and selling over 250,000 copies of their album, Hear’say admitted to their fascination with STEPS. “Steps are brilliant,” said the groups Noel Sullivan, 20, “we’ve been speaking with several producers now and we’re set to record a song later in the month to be released sometime in the winter! Might even make a Christmas #1!” A spokesperson for STEPS confirmed the rumours to be true and added “Steps think that Hear’say are brilliant, and can’t wait to start recording with them.” (April Fool!)