In four years, Steps have transcended their trite beginnings (the nasty line-dance cheese of 5,6,7,8) to become the most successful British mixed group of all time. A couple of massive arena tours, a wardrobe of matching outfits, and 15 Top 5 hits later and Faye, H, Lee, Lisa and Clare have become a pop institution.
Steps may have never been cool, but they hit a major nerve with the record buying massive. Sneer all you like, but it wasn't thin air or NME covers that kept 'Tragedy' in the charts for over six months. There's also very few bands that can carry off yellow, let alone blue rubber catsuits.
The best bits are pretty much all of it, although the Abbaness of 'One For Sorrow' and 'Last Thing On My Mind', the Chic tribute of 'Stomp' and the superb 'Deeper Shade Of Blue' stick out, as well as their cover of 'Better The Devil You Know'. The Gibbs-too-far of 'Chain Reaction' was perhaps a bit obvious and overclunky, and 'The Summer Of Love' sounds a bit too much like 'Flashdance' for comfort, but minor gripes. There's also three new tracks, of which the best is the funksome 'Baby Don't Dance' and the mellow 'Words Are Not Enough'.
'Gold' is chocka full of tunes you suddenly realise - when drunk, mainly - you know like the back of your hand, and gets you throwing shapes like a goon at staff knees-ups and wedding receptions. It serves as a reminder of how great pop can be. 'Gold' is one the best Greatest Hits compilations ever. It's their 'Immaculate Collection', their 'Abba Gold', their 'Substance'. Pop rarely gets any better than this.
by Ian Wade