Here’s more on the split stories, this time from Dotmusic: Are pop’s stars about to quit? First Martine McCutcheon is reported to be leaving pop for West End musicals. Then there’s word that Steps are to split by the end of the year. So does this signal pop’s demise? Music industry insiders have been recently casting doubt on the fate of pop. The slide of the Spice Girls – the original girl band – might suggest pop’s time is up. That’s certainly the view McCutcheon seems to have taken. Her choice to abandon a solo career for the musical ‘My Fair Lady’ has more to do with her sliding album sales than a love for the stage. Her career has never revisited the heights of her ’98 number 1 ‘Perfect Moment.’ ‘Martine doesn’t think the pop thing is for her. She gave it a stab but, to be frank, it didn’t work out’ an insider told a UK tabloid. Pop, she feels, is based on fashion, but musicals are timeless. She makes her debut at the National Theatre tomorrow. Steps, however, are reportedly quitting while ahead. According to another British tabloid’s report, the band will perform a ‘farewell tour’ before Christmas. Two singles will emerge this year, before a final greatest hits release in October. A source close to the group admits they ‘can’t believe how long they’ve been together. It’s a real surprise because we thought they’d split last year.’ Worldpop are also reporting on this, with an answer from Jive: Steps’ record company have denied that the band are to split at the end of this year. A spokesman for their record company, Jive, told worldpop that there no plans for a farewell tour. ‘I’m looking at their schedule which takes them up to December 2001 and at no point on this schedule does it say …’Steps farewell tour,’ quipped their charming spokesman. ‘The band are planning to release a double A-sided single, Hear and Now and You’ll Be Sorry in May and then they’re working on songs for the next album. After that they’ve got promotional work pencilled in in Europe and Asia,’ continued their spokesman. A News Of The World newspaper report on Sunday claimed the band wouldn’t be recording another album and that they’d be embarking on a farewell tour at Christmas. The paper also claimed that a Greatest Hits album was scheduled for October release. Thanks to Mike for this cover of Stomp from the Australian release: The tracklisting is: 1. STOMP 2. STOMP (W.I.P Mix) 3. STOMP (Stomp’n Remix) 4. TRAGEDY (W.I.P Reception Mix)