SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Hello Blabbers!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: We're lucky to have one member of the latest Brit-Pop sensation—Steps—here to chat with us and answer all your questions! Say hello to Lee Latchford-Evans, Blabbers!!!!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Ok, here he comes...

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Lee, welcome and say hello to our guests here in nick.com's Blab-a-torium!!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Hi Lee!! Welcome to the Blab-a-torium!

applespice: Hello Lee

jahaira2: Hi

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hi everybody! How are you doing? I hope you're all ok. I hope you're all going to ask some good questions and I'm ready to answer so ask away!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Our first question of the night comes from Divagirli :)

Divagirli: Will any of the other Steps albums be released in the U.S. in the near future?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Well, as you know our new album "Buzz" is out in the U.S., so we're concentrating on that one album beause we love the songs on there. So at the moment we're just concentrating on that one album and seeing how that goes.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Our next question is from stepsUS, who is a big fan, as you can tell by the name :)

stepsUS: Why did you decide to take off the songs "Paradise Lost" and "You'll Be Sorry" on the U.S. album, some of my personal favorite songs on the UK import?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hi, stepsUS! We had to look at the U.S. market, and we do love those songs, they're some of my favorites, but for numerous reasons we decided to make the tracks different from the UK release...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: This was a decision between all of us because we wanted to make it sound more appropriate for the American market and we're really happy about the way it turned out and you'll also notice that there's a new song on there that isn't on the UK release.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Kothari didn't have a hard time memorizing this question! :)

Kothari: Is it hard to memorize all those dance steps?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: No it's not. That's the easiest answer, but no because we've been in the business for a few years now and we have a choreographer called Paul Bomaine and he goes through the dance routines with us and we all five of us learn the routines fairly quickly now...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Most of us have been trained as dancers anyway, so sometimes there are a few difficult moves but basically it's not hard to learn them.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Mibabe01 loves to hear about alternative plans :)

Mibabe01: If you weren't in the group Steps, what would you be doing?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hi, Mibabe01...if I wasn't in the band, perhaps I would have followed my football (American soccer) career since I was kind of a professional football player. But I made a decision to join the band after I saw the advert in the paper...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Probably now I might be following on my acting career which is something I'd like to follow up on in the future.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: We received a lot of mail at nick.com for you this week. This is the first mailbag question for you :::opening envelope ever so gently:::

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: If you could collaborate with any singer or singers, who would it be?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Probably Jennifer Lopez or Britney Spears...I have a lot of admiration for them.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: We went on tour with Britney and I really admire what she does. She's a great performer and great artist, as is Jennifer Lopez.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: vlpbigfan loves to hear background info! :)

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: Please ask Steps how they got the name "Steps"?????

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: It was the manager's decision for that name and originally it was totally different and didn't have the name Steps in it at all, but then we decided to cut it down to Steps because it was all about the dancing so it turned out quite different.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: I love this question from robyn29!! I never thought about this before!

robyn29: Sometimes in America, we imitate the British accent, just for fun because it sounds so cool. Do the British imitate the way Americans talk?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hi Robyn, umm...yes we do actually. There are quite a few phrases that we pick up from the U.S. programs...especially "Friends" and "Ally McBeal" and a lot of phrases are picked up by the English from these programs. I won't say we imitate them, but we do pick up a lot of language and phrases.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: In the band we do actually talk to each other using phrases like "Whatever"!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: If one of the girls does something good we'll say "You go girl!"

SPEAKER_NICKBird: makizoo is a huge Nick fan and wonders...

makizoo: What's your favorite Nick show?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: It's "Rugrats" definitely!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: We love the Rugrats...fans used to give us a lot of "Rugrats" toys and we had a big pile of those stocked up backstage at one point.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: jahaira2 has the same question all of us have who saw your concert!

jahaira2: How was your TEENick concert?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: That was fantastic! We really love performing for our fans. UK fans will note that we go on tour as often as possible. We're always performing at concerts.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Whether they're on our own or at other live concerts. In the UK there are a lot of concerts with a lot of bands that get together and perform together and it's great. The Nick concert was great because we had an opportunity to play for the U.S. fans and people enjoyed it as much as we did.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: I'm sure they did!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: If you're joining us late, welcome to the Blab-a-torium! We're chatting up Lee Latchford-Evans-one member of the Brit-Pop quintet, Steps, and getting the scoop on the band!! Send us your questions NOW by typing them into the text box below and hitting "Ask My Question"!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: It's a tradition to ask every celebrity a FOOD question. Your answer to GamerJT would probably be different from my worms :)

GamerJT: What is your favorite pizza topping?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: At the moment, it's pineapple and ham—quite simple but I enjoy it!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Here's another question from the mailbag :::grabbing the envelope that was stapled on Yapper's back:::

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: How is the relationship between the five of you? I mean, do you ever fight or do get along all the time?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I think we are unusual because we all get along and are great friends...it's unique.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: You hear about bands arguing all the time but we really don't. We have squabbles but it's always about nothing. Like, if someone wants to sit somewhere, we'll start a little fake argument. But really we don't argue.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: We're all people—we argue but we get over it and make up.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: I think that's wonderful :) ::glaring at Birdie::

SPEAKER_NICKBird: coolgal34 has a follow-up question...

coolgal34: How long have you known each other?

SPEAKER_NICKBird: :::glueing feathers on Yapper's nose just cuz I can::::

BamaChicka: OMG I'm I really talking to the STEPS!!!!!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hello, coolgal34...it's been just over four years now. We met through the audition and our manager Tim Byrne or Vicki Glove they chose us and that's how we met.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: We all were introduced to one another and got along straight away—we were lucky.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: If you're joining us late, welcome to the Blab-a-torium! We're chavans-one member of the Brit-Pop quintet, Steps, and getting the scoop on the band!! Send us your questions NOW by typing thetting up Lee Latchford-Em into the text box below and hitting "Ask My Question"!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: steps2cool has a great question about your dance routines!

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: Im from the UK, and I just wanted to tell you that a lot of fans are finding the newer dance routines a little tricky, and dance routines are what made "Tragedy," "One For Sorrow," etc. popular, so is "Chain Reaction" easy to dance to????

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: The dance routines have gotten more tricky because we've developed the routines with our music and the music is growing up with us. They needed more of an edge. Keep in mind that our fans like to copy our dance routines and we keep that in mind so they're never too difficult.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: When we perform we always see people in the front row who perform the routines—we hope they aren't too difficult.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: angelnat01 is the one who inspects NICKMyst's brownies all the time to make sure they're healthful :)

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: *laughs* I eat as healthily as possible but sometimes you have to give into the sweets and the McDonalds. I wouldn't say I eat healthier than any other person.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: techie01 is a regular on the nick.com message boards and I know they would ALL love if you could stop by sometime!

techie01: Do you guys ever go on nick.com and play around with things and go on message boards?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Techie01, hi! I can't say I've been on nick.com until now, but I'll make sure I go on again. On our official website I have been to take questions and talk to fans and obviously I'm doing this chat now with you...!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: spoonbill would love to be able to see you in concert!

spoonbill: How many concerts do you do in 1 year?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Um.. a lot! *laughs*

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: In one year we did over 64 in the UK alone, which I think was a record, but we also do others which I mentioned before. We perform purely because it's something that we love to do and it gives something back to our fans.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Foxturtle9 wasn't too embarrassed to ask you this question!

Foxturtle9: What's the most embarassing thing that ever happened to you in a concert?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: *laughs* I think I don't get embarrassed easily, but nothing has ever happened that I can think of. But things have happened to the other guys in the band which we've laughed at.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: People throw teddy bears on stage and they always manage to hit one of us!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: candyLB2 must know what it's like to be away from home. ::::looking at my framed picture of a nightcrawler::::

candyLB2: What's one thing you bring everywhere you go with you to remind you of home?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hello, candyLB2! I always have my phone with me which, although it doesn't remind me of home, I can always call home and speak to my family and friends.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Sea Sponge is soaking up this chat! :) And for those asking about my age, I am 100 in bird years!! Our cook says that means 2 lol

Sea Sponge: Did you write any of the songs you sing?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Yeah, we do actually. Especially on the new album...it's something I've always wanted to do. We all went off to work with some talented writers to help introduce us to writing songs.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: PinkDiva56 is dreaming of exotic lands and famous people...

PinkDiva56: If you could spend a whole day with 3 people dead or alive, who would it be?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hello, PinkDiva! Hmm...I'm not sure I've got an answer for you!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: How about....I can't think! *laughs* Sorry!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Madonna definitely.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Because she's an artist and does pop music and I'd like to spend the day with her.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I'd like to spend a day with the people who have made a difference in the world like Martin Luther King, Jr. just to see what he thought...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Perhaps Julius Caesar to just go way back in time to see how someone with that much of an ego and can influence so many people to his way.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Oh!! Goodie!! Another question from the mailbag ::::drum roll please::::

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: Where is your favorite place to shop for clothes, shoes, etc? Which country?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Right...a lot countries have great shops! We've been to a lot of different countries with fantastic shops. London is great cuz it's our home country. The U.S. also has a lot of great shops...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: We filmed one song "When I said Goodbye" in Rome and the three girls had gone missing on set and it turned out that they were shopping.SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Typical girls...

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: If you're joining us late, welcome to the Blab-a-torium! We're chatting up Lee Latchford-Evans-one member of the Brit-Pop quintet, Steps, and getting the scoop on the band!! Send us your questions NOW by typing them into the text box below and hitting "Ask My Question"!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: stxntrx37 loves to go to the movies!

stxntrx37: What is your favorite movie? Right now I am watching one of my favorites, "THAT DARN CAT"!!!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I don't have one particular favorite, but I do like romantic movies and, though many would say it, I'd say "Titanic." I know it's a straightforward answer but...

SPEAKER_NICKBird: The Blabbers love the number THREE I think :)

THREE: What three words do you think describe you best?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Easy going...well that's two...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Sensible...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: And fun-loving! *laughs* Ok, I really should narrow that down to three words!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: There's a whole bunch of them!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: This is a spare question from tab2006 :)

tab2006: Where's your most favorite place to go in your spare time?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hello, tab2006! I don't think the place matters as long as you're with people you can hang out with.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I like to just hang out with my mates in my spare time.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: KewlPatty is our Blab scholar :)

KewlPatty: Who was your favorite teacher in school?

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Thinking about school already?!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Going way, way back...there was one geography teacher who I got on with really well (I won't mention her name) and she was really great.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Starfire9 is hoping this question isn't boring or annoying :)

Starfire9: When you're on tour, is it boring or annoying to be stuck in some vehicle for some number of hours?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hi, Starfire9!! It's very annoying!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Being stuck in the vehicle traveling from one place to another is the worst part of the job. The traveling is boring but we keep ourselves well occupied and it's worth it and we're so lucky to be able to go on tour so any bad points are outweighed by the good points.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Here's one from quackers31, another regular on the message boards!

quackers31: Lee, what is your favorite subject in school?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I have two favorites: drama and P.E. Just any sports or drama is great. I really enjoy them in school because they really allow me to be myself.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: iluvsteps obviously loves Steps! :)

iluvsteps: What is most important to you? Your family, career, or friends?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I love our fans!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Your fans love you too!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I think all three are equally important because your family is incredibly important—it's the backbone of everything you do as are friends. If I had to choose it would be family and friends are most important but career is also a very big part of my life.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: TCISME wasn't too afraid to ask this question! :)

TCISME: What is the main thing you are afraid of???

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Oooooh...afraid of???

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I'm a bit scared of creepy crawlies like spiders! *laughs* But who isn't, really?

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Mizzlulu is looking up to you for an answer :)

Mizzlulu: Who do you look up to the most?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hi, Mizzlulu, I think definitely my fellow bandmates because we've accomplished so much together and my family. I love the fact that they've always been there for me and loved me for who I am.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: What do we have here?!? Another question from this heavy mailbag?

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: What kind of music do you like to listen to? Do you ever sit around and listen to your own music for fun?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: No, I tend not to listen to my music because we listen to it all the time when we're performing and on shows.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Probably—I love R&B, a bit of pop music, obviously in this industry...I enjoy what we do. Just anything really.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I like all sorts of music—I don't have one particular preference.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: roxycat101 is going back to your beginnings :)

roxycat101: So when did you first start singing publicly ?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hmmm...I think the first time that I sang to large numbers of people was with Steps.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: It was really with Steps when we were on TV, on the radio for the first time that our voices got heard by a large audience.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: I sing in the shower all the time! falk23 has a FUN question!

falk23: Steps, what is more fun...singing or dancing?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: It's really difficult to say because really they go together.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I choose dancing personally, although I do like singing...but if I had to choose I would choose dancing.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: ronanfan can't wait to see you on tour!

ronanfan: I'm going to see Steps' tour in December. Can you give us any clues about what it'll be like?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Hello, ronanfan! Oooh...*laughs*...after secrets now...

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: We can't predict in advance what we're going to do...I'm not going to give away any of the secrets now, but we're going to try and make it the biggest and most extravagant concert that we've ever done.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: If you're joining us late, welcome to the Blab-a-torium! We're chatting up Lee Latchford-Evans—one member of the Brit-Pop quintet, Steps—and getting the scoop on the band!! Send us your questions NOW by typing them into the text box below and hitting "Ask My Question"!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: HmmMMm...I wonder if Blondefun likes Angelica...

Blondefun: Who's your favorite Rugrat and why?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Angelica definitely, cuz she's so bossy. She knows what she wants and would do everything to get it. She's funny really and has a heart as well and knows when to do the good things!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: chrisds16 is dreaming up a question for ya :)

chrisds16: Who would your dream date be with?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: *laughs* I'd like to get to know Britney...although now she's taken!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Here is one from BamaChicka...

BamaChicka: What is the sweetest and nicest thing a fan or anyone has done for you?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: There are far too many things that fans have said and done for us than I can mention here.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Our fans are the greatest fans ever and they are really nice to us and always come over to us and thank us for various things...it's just so sweet.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: They let us know that they're there for us which is just great.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: rentgirl would love to be able to travel the world!

rentgirl: You have traveled around the world. Other than the UK, where is your favorite place to visit?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Rentgirl, hello! Actually, the one thing I don't like about the UK is the weather. I love anywhere that is hot and where there is sun. We recently went to Spain and that's a wonderful country!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: The U.S. is great too because it's always sunny and you get a good tan. Rome is probably my favorite because it's really picturesque.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: It's just stunning.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: We have around 10 more minutes to chat with Lee Latchford-Evans of Steps! Send your questions in now!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: CannedHeat makes a hobby of coming to chats in the Blab-a-torium...

CannedHeat: What are your hobbies???

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: It all ties in again with what I've mentioned earlier on...football and acting.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I like to just go and kick a football around with my friends to have a laugh with them. Acting I see as a hobby although it's also a job. It's more of a hobby to me.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: ZimSister is singing Doooooom and if you ever do get to the message boards, ZimSister keeps everyone entertained! :)

ZimSister: Do you believe in anything paranormal?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: ZimSister...*laughs* No, I don't really fall for any of the superstitious stuff. I won't say it won't exist because that would be stupid of me but I'm not scared of anything paranormal.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Here is the last question from the mailbag for the night and we have a little less than 10 minutes left :)

MODERATOR_BirdatNick: I was wondering, do you guys take your family on tour with you sometimes or fly them out to see you at concerts?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Yes all the time.

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: That's one of the highlights of performing, when you have friends and family in the audience—it makes it very nervewracking knowing that they're watching you. I like to have my family watch to see them be proud of me and what I've accomplished. I like to share what I've achieved with Steps with my family.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: We have time for 2 more questions :)

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Latonna88 wrote this question with a British accent :)

Latonna88: Can you speak any other languages?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: No. *laughs* I would like to learn a few more languages...it's something I'd like to do when I have more spare time.

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Our last question of the night comes from fissijo about the dancers on tour, and then we would love to hear about your upcoming plans! :)

fissijo: You seem to have the same dancers on tour with you most times, do you realize that they have fans of their own now, and will they be on the tour in December?

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: *laughs* I have been aware that they've got a few fans of their own!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Sometimes the people on tour are in our videos as well because we get along with them. A number of them will be on tour with us in December...it's like a great group of friends hanging out and having a good time.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Lee, we thank you SO much for coming to chat with us!! Can you tell us a little of what is coming up in the future? And we'll give you a chance to say goodbye to your fans!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Right now we're concentrating on the U.S. album—we hope you like it, it's called "Buzz" and it's out in stores now!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Lee, we're so happy that you came here to chat with the Blabbers at nick.com! And we hope you BUZZ by again!!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: You'll have to watch out for the single "Mars and Venus." I think that goes out next week on the radio.

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: I'll be watching for it!

Monika007: YOU ROCK!!!!!

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: Then in the future we have various tours in other countries...thanks a lot to all of the fans who came along tonight. I really appreciate that you stopped by and I hope you enjoy the album!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Thanks so much for coming!

agent20001: I love ur voices, u guys are great singers!

skyblue23: YOUR GROUP ROCKS!!!!****~~~

ZimSister: STEPS RULES! Bye Lee! *zooming away like any alien*

SPEAKER_Steps_Lee: I love you all and I really appreciate your support—it doesn't go unnoticed!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Wow Yapper!! Wasn't he GREAT!?!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Yes, Birdie! He was wonderful and was taking such care in answering each and every question!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Nothing has been scheduled yet for the upcoming weeks, but keep clicking back to Blab to see who'll be chatting with us next!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: Oh! I forgot! ::::putting a cherry on top::::: PLOP!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: Who's going to give Yapper a hand tonight and keep this slime off ME and on BIRDIE?

Mizzlulu: You turned my bad day into a good day!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: ::laughs:: too late!

SPEAKER_NICKBird: heheheheh Good thing nobody turned on the fan earlier!

SPEAKER_NICKyapper: I'm glad somebody is having a good day!