When GenSTEPS says we have the contacts, we don’t lie. We’ve been on the phone to the people that we know asking a few questions, and of course we got some answers!

Many people have emailed me, or asked in their tour reviews why STEPS tour wasn’t sang completely live or why there was no live band banging out the tunes. GenSTEPS went to the top (well almost!) and got in touch with Jive Records! They replied saying that if Steps sing live or not is the decision of their management and tour promoters, and is not down to the record label.

But from this chat more interesting news came about. Jive Records is saying that all their acts including Britney Spears and probably Steps will have to sing live on tour from the next time they tour… we’ll keep you posted!

We have now also received the official UK midweek chart, which places Steps at number five. The current top positions are:

1. Westlife
2. Cliff Richard
3. John Lennon
4. Cuban Boys
5. Steps

Other significant entries are:

7. S Club 7
9. Mr. Hankey

On the album front, Steps were only at number six midweek. Hopefully the radio day today will boost sales enough to get Steps above that hamster song, but at the end of the day any top 10 hit on the UK Christmas chart is pretty good! And there is always next week.

We have been told that in Australia, Say You’ll Be Mine / Better The Devil You Know is to be released on 12 January 2000. In Belgium it is out on 24 December 1999. There will be a show dedicated to Steps called Ultratop at 19:00 Belgian time (CET). On the US front, Steps have been mentioned on the Billboard website. Remember that Billboard magazine is the premier music magazine in the US!