I dont think the girls were necessarily jealous of Claire and her voice, they were just annoyed that they are supposed to be A GROUP where everyoooooone sings and Claire is getting all of the parts instead of sharing it equally. They know it wasnt Claire's fault and that management did it but maybe it hurt that Claire didnt take more of stand and say hey give my group mates more parts (even if it didnt work it would show that she cared more and at least made an effort ) but they were all young and going with the flow at the time. I agree with Faye with being unsatisfied with H and Claires responses. Just fuckin say hey i was goin through some shit, i didnt feel comfortable in the group because i felt a disconnect and tension, i left in a shitty way IM SORRY. i continued on with H because i still wanted to sing and i didnt feel animousity with H and it would be easier to sing without either of us getting least parts on a song. and H could say i wasnt comfortable in the group i wanted to my own thing IM SORRY. Its painful but simple really. they dragging it out.
That's usually how groups work though - especially back then with so many manufactured pop bands. Her voice was pretty much the signature sound of the group and they branded Steps around that once they saw that it worked.
I prefer Clair singing either the 3rd verse or the bridge, the power in her voice brings a song alive, sadly none of the others could do that to the same extent, so there was no reason for the others to not sing the other verses, even lee.
@@soggyfroggy9318 yep! Same thing happened with Girls Aloud. Nadine Coyle had the voice and a good lot of the songs were crafted around her having the lead. Pissed the other 4 off and created a lot of tension.
Except everybody did sing. It was fairly between everybody except for Lee. Claire's voice was noticed more because of the ad libs and her voice over-shadowing everybody else.
@@AK94913 lee could've been have a verse, he gets the least part and when you list to their song you wouldn't hear lee voice. I think the song that lee gets the long part was 5678.
Rewatching this and it shows how far they have come since this reunion. New single, new album. Fresh start all round and I for one am going to be rite there with them
I'm just baffled by people in the comments who are defending Claire. Why? Because she's female and H isn't? They both did the same thing. They both gave the three other band members hasty goodbye letters and then just left without a word afterwards. Claire also came back together with H shortly after the split to perform a duo act. Many of you must be new fans. I remember Steps from years ago and the bitterness in their split.
For me personally Claire really seemed conflicted back then and genuinely was upset that she hurt her other friends/bandmates but she had to do what was best for her and leave hence her crying..where H thought he was THE star of Steps and to me his ego was out of control and he wasn't as remorseful as Claire
Note how when the girls told Claire about how when they went to recording studios that the people told them that H and Claire had had songs written for them H said nothing? H knew and I bet Tim did too!
The more I watch these the less and less I like H. He knew what he was doing, he got what he wanted, and all he has to say now is "yeah, it was shit" or "yeah, I agree"... cos he doesn't care, he got what he wanted.
H is a real manipulator. I feel sorry for Claire - I think she never felt included or welcomed in the group and that was her reason for leaving. I think the others were probably catty and jealous. No one is faultless, but Claire just sitting quiet and taking this abuse speaks to why she left back then.
Claire has always been that "cut the chord" type person. Nothing wrong with staying in etc as I love to do that but she really alienated herself by the sounds of it because she just didn't want to do what the others were doing. She felt left out because she made herself that spot and stuck too it.
Also, Claire gets no sympathy from me because she waited for YEARS to tell the others how she felt insecure about being viewed by the majority of fans/studios as the best singer. What, did she just expect them to be telepathic back then and know exactly how upset she was feeling? She should have tried to talk to them about it. No, she just passed them a formal note and left, on the same night they had a big concert. It's nasty, simple as that. She's no better than H was.
mikeykm1993 C'mon! when 2 people decide to leave the band and take it away from the other 3, do you expect them to just move on? when you make decisions that impact others life you discuss, seek help, let them know. what Claire and H did was selfish and immature and very wrong. Usually people tend to realize their mistakes after a while but 10yrs hasn't been enough for these 2. No wonder they are upset.
Yes, Smokey Robinson decided to leave The Miracles in 1967 but he chose to stay because of the Drama that happened with Florence Ballard of The Supremes getting fired that same year. When he announced he was leaving in 1970, he had to do a Tour with the Fellows (Ronnie White, Warren "Pete" Moore, and Bobby Rogers) all are dead now to help them get "Financially Straight" because the knew they wouldn't make the same Bank without him. His replacement Billy Griffin was okay but he couldn't hold a candle to Smokey. They were very lucky. In the UK Co-Ed Groups are very successful, it's never happened in The US.
So Lisa and Faye basically just dissed Claire after the whole "One For Sorrow" fiasko. Didn't invite her to come with them to parties and she felt left out. So is it any wonder that she left like she did? In all honesty, if she had gived the other notice three months before, imagine what their last tour would have been like. I mean it was already bad, so imagine how tense it would have got if she had given them notice. They demand an apology from her, but did they EVER apologize for how they treated Claire back when Steps was still going?
Yes I feel like Faye and Lisa kinda bullied her and we're still showing how bitchy they were when they went away together, and they wonder why she left
H is so out of line! he is throwing claire under the bus left and right!! I think Claire was being extremely mature by listening to their feelings and staying her own H is the one just agreeing with everybody. Although I do think the way that H and Claire left was wrong but they needed to remember that they were all still extremely young so of course she had no tact for the way that she left. If I thought everyone hated me in the band I would have thrown a smooth F y'all too. Here is my letter of resignation. H is not a favorite of mine anymore, he is extremely messy.
Claire and H reactions totally different. H outright explains himself deeply, Claire is on the fence and defensive and doesn't accept the whole picture
I got the impression that Claire was in a deep depression, she left before she probably ended her own life... That's what seems to be the subtext... Quite sad and I hope the second time round it doesn't get to that...
Janeway931 Claire still looks very depressed and appears emotionally distraught. It explains the abrupt departure in 2002 and why she ceased contact and gained weight. She just gave up
@Porque Depois I didn't know that Bewitched did drugs, if they did. I only wish they could be like me, a very strong minded person. How do you stop yourself from losing control in such a thing. I believe the best thing for that would be to have some time away to think about what they were, get the help, and then come back to the group. It's easy for me to say, I cannot speak for Claire or Steps, just saying what I would have done. Everybody seemed to be too focused on their careers at the time, to the detriment of other things in the group. Like the dynamics and peoples relations with one another. Not just Bewitched of course, do you remember how Robbie left Take That. Basically because people didn't get around the round table and sort their problems out with one another.
I think the reason Claire's taking most of the heat for it is because she's not really taking responsibility for anything, she just keeps crying and making the same excuse and that's getting annoying. H is accepting responsibility to a point but he does keep diverting.
H is just nasty..he is so passive and he truly does not care. Heck I am from Canada and even I clued in way back when that H & Claire thought they were the stars/talent..and the other 3 were less than and not really needed. Then H & Claire come out with their cd so soon after the split, they both knew what the plan was all along. I do like their cd , will admit. Still shitty how H & Claire did what they did, and how they went about doing it. Not nice.
Claire is a lot nicer than H though, if I can say that, didn't like how he said Claire buried her head in the sand, everybody must take some responsibility for the break down of the group. However, I hope all is well with them.
i love steps when I was young. they were so huge in the philippines before. I knew something wrong when H and Claire went to a different path and release songs that were similar to steps. H and claire are so selfish. Well, Karma is a bitch. they didnt suceed. H take advantage from dating the manager and lead most of the songs, leaving his band by joining britney on the plane during the tour while his bandmates are in the bus and resigned with Claire in Steps for a million dollar contract. while Claire knew she has the greatest vocals among the group. you cant blame the other 3 members why they will have the same reaction after so many years. i just hope they put their differences aside and continue!
If H realized what he did and owned up to it, and got closure, that was very admirable. When Cindy Birdsong left the Bluebelles to join the Supremes in 1967, she didn't tell her partners Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx, and Patti Labelle who found out from a Legal Letter from Motown. They were very angry and although she reunited and performed with them, she also fell on hard times but Cindy was a Survivor. She worked at Motown's Offices, then worked at The UCLA Medical Center where nobody knew her past as a Pop Star and at last report became an Evangelist helping The Homeless. She lived to tell the tale, Florence Ballard (Her predecessor) didn't.
I mean lets face it, by 2001 reality TV like Popstars, X factor etc were kicking off and that was the new way people wanted to consume pop music. Pete Waterman and co. saw all of this coming so it was about time to split anyway along with bands like Steps, S Club, Blue and the like. Funny thing is H & Claire were a complete flop as a duo and maybe the others can get some solace from that. They all made some more money in the end with the Reunion anyway and have more money now than most average lasses from up north or Wales do.
Lack of communication is the main factor here. I felt bad for claire and the other members too. Imagine yourself trap in something you're not happy anymore. Back then for Claire it was like time bomb, it exploded so badly it shock the others. If only she has been vocal with the others back then., leavin wont be such a 'surprise' Thats why liza called it 'crazy' she wouldnt know how she felt. Same goes for H You cannot stay to something you're not happy.
Joie-C Lawas hi, we have a Facebook group called 'STEPS Southeast Asia'. Come join us as well. Just type in the search box 'STEPS Southeast Asia'. See you there. :)
- What hapoened to the 3 month warning we had in our group agreement? -Yeah but that's different. lol what an asshole Claire is. And H..not letting people know what was in the letter. Proves what an asshole he was/is. Claire's denying everything..meeting with the manager etc. playing the victim. Wonder is she's taking any resbonsibility leading up to this second reunion
The big problem that they had was that they believed their own hype and they had too many people "Yessing" them. Nobody told them that in Pop Music nothing lasts forever. New Kids On The Block spent three years struggling, three years at the top and Jordan Knight & Joe McIntyre found out the hard way to go from being in a Boy Band to being a Solo Star wasn't as easy as it looked. The biggest irony is that everyone thought Jordan was Gay and it was Jon. Take That's Members didn't go far with the exception of Gary Barlow & Robbie Williams and after seeing The Big Reunion and seeing how Sean Conlon didn't get a Judge to turn for him on The Voice, and that must have been very humiliating.
They were both very popular in terms of having Young People for Fans, and what you may not know is that over the years "Managers" were influenced by each other. Larry Jordan aka (Maurice Starr) created The New Edition who wanted them to be like The Jackson Five, after New Edition he created "The White New Edition" aka New Kids On The Block. Nigel Martin Smith created Take That whom he wanted to be The UK Version of them.
So lee gets there and it looks like it’s 4 in the afternoon. Shown to the room and it’s still light outside and he’s gone to bed. Wakes up the next morning, as bright as the day before still.
Not a super fan but liked Steps....just watched this because of the latest reunion. I think Claire was being given the cold shoulder in the band, by experienced "I get my own way" personalities. Claire seems to be a talent without the pushy personality and therefore didn't 'fit with the other 2 girl's. So they didn't like Claire got the lead in songs, so they bullied her. She did do the best thing she could have done and took herself out of the situation and their control. Does she really want back in with that? H just did what he thought was good for him...business head, didn't give a poop about anyone else. Suprised me what a wus he was about the past...at least have the courage of your convictions and admit what you did. Hopefully age will now make them appreciate every opportunity but also accept they are different people and have different ways....don't behave like spoilt kids!
too much ego. everybody wanting the spotlight and thats a recipe for disaster. for take that robbie williams as big as a singer he is now agreed to be a back up when they did a reunion concert
They were a group, right? What are they going to do? Release 5 songs a time, so everybody gets to sing lead? Let's say they have a 15 song career, which means each member would have sung lead 3 times, max.
Wow hats off to Faye and Lisa for speaking up. H comes across like I always thought he was, a selfish git! No wonder Faye is the most favoured member, so true and genuine!
Yeah H always came off as so over the top and now he's a pretentious, pompous prat. He was probably getting preferential treatment back when the band first formed because he was hooking up with the manager. I reckon he was nasty to Lee because he was jealous of how fit and handsome Lee is and because Lee was always the more popular out of the two blokes in the group.
H is awful. He's disingenuous to a fault. He thinks he's the biggest star in the group but the group is an ensemble and it doesn't work without all the members. I like the other 4. He said he was too tired to continue with Steps but then went straight in H & Claire. He's a liar.
He said on a tv interview that it was “really amicable”? Hmmm. It’s possible he likes partying & drinking. I mean, they call him “H” for hyperactive after all. He was obviously partying with Britney and her dancers... can’t stand the tour bus but Britney’s plane was better cause you’re an ‘insomniac’.
@@1987klr H is a spineless coward. He said in the documentary in the first episode around the table H was tired and doesn't remember as it was a long time ago, also saying to Lee he doesn't remember the letter. You end a group by producing a letter and yet he does not remember much. What a congenital liar, look at how he hides behind a woman. Its cowardice in the first degree. He's fickle and treacherous. What a dangerous snake. 🐍
what kills me is how H is tryna play it off like his hands clean like it was all Claire's doing and throw her under the bus and then wanna act like NOW you feel guilty
Look at Coree from Damage. He to this day never owned up to what he did nor did Bobby Brown from New Edition. David Ruffin (RIP) of The Temptations thought he was the "Star" because he sang lead on alot of Songs but 50 Years ago he got fired and although he had One Hit Record "Gonna Walk Away From Love", he didn't go as far as Diana Ross did. He and Eddie Kendricks found out the hard way "Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You".
Yes. Also look at Jermaine Jackson of The Jackson Five. At 14 he meets and falls in love with Berry Gordy's Daughter Hazel in 1968, five years later he marries her in 1973 who were to their generation what Bobby Brown/Whitney Houston (RIP) and what Beyonce/Jay Z are to this generation. It was the first successful African American Showbusiness wedding during the post civil rights movement. In 1975 Jermaine "stays" at Motown instead of going to Epic with his Brothers and while doing some shows in New York, he leaves during an intermission and goes back to Los Angeles. He has Three Flop Albums and when he whines about how he was abandoned at Motown, Marlon sternly reminds him he chose to stay. He found out the hard way that being The Boss's Son In Law didn't carry any weight, and that "Michael" was the star of the Family and not him.
I don't believe Claire and H. It's BS for both of them to deny what happened afterwards. It was planned. For both of them to have a white envelope ready is not a coincidence. Their duo came out too soon for them to say they had enough and needed to walk away from the lime light. They knew they were popular out of the group so they thought they could make it out on their own. What they couldn't see was they were famous as a band not as individual. 15000 people came to see Steps, not just them two. I guess when reality hit them and their record company saw they weren't 'making it' it was too late. They broke the band up and destroyed everyone career because their ego got the best of them. Shame really.
Claire and H didn't realize that they where famous because of STEPS that means because of all of them, not just because of the 2 of them, leaving their group didn't make them more popular, the 2 of them just ruined their career.
I won't be surprised if H manipulated Claire to both resign the group and used her to sign in the flop album deal because H is selfish and just thinking about money
I completely agree with you- I think it was all H and the manager. They took advantage of the situation and Claire's genuine feelings. Management could have fixed it- make the distribution of vocals more even for a start- get the group to sit down and say "okay what's going on, let's work it out" but they didn't care, and why would they care about fixing problems that they caused. The manager saw an opportunity to get his boyfriend's star to rise and took it- miscalculating wildly and unfortunately 3 (well, really 4 if you include Claire) people suffered as casualties for one couple's abuse of power
H continuing to play the whole "I don't remember" card is quite bullshit. Poor Claire is being ganged up on, and it's clear she wasn't comfortable bringing issues up then, and is feeling those same emotions yet again. And I know Faye and Lisa were pissed and hurt, so I understand where they were coming from. I also found it interesting that Lee kept quite for a good chunk of this "confrontation." I'm happy they appear to be in a happier, more fair place right now. I'm just glad to have Steps back in 2018.
some kept saying claire carried the steps, that she's behind the success of this group. but how come she never made it as a solo artist? yea, she has the best vocal. but this is a band. so i supposed they have to have a diff kinds of vocal range/type, whatever you call it. faye, lisa and lee's point is, they shoulve talked to them before leaving, give em a chance to change their minds (claire and h) or just give em time to accept their decision. imagine, your groupmate's saying goodbye an hour before your concert...how can you take that if you're faye/lisa/lee? just sayin..
One problem with that.. if someone isn't happy in what they are doing and they talk about them, there is no guarantee that they are gonna be made to feel any better. If you have been made to feel that low by any of your band mates and they can not realise that there is a change in you or that you are hurting by the band or do not look to understand how they are feeling then they aren't true band mates. For one, Claire never went to be a solo act, she did a bit of dueting with H but she was always family orientated and wanted her life back and not being stuck in a life that she wasn't happy in. Is that not like saying that her and H are expected to stay so that Faye, Lisa and Lee are okay when in reality, it was making H and Claire ill from being in the group. You can't say that they did it for the best or they didn't, and yes they could have done it differently but the way that they did it would have been the best way to them because really, they felt like if they didn't do it then, they wouldn't do it at all from feeling so weak and scared to defend themselves but then when they stand up and do what makes them happy they're criticised for it and everyone looks at how Lisa, Lee and Faye feel?
Claire has the strongest voice but the songs where they all sing equally work the best. They should have instead used Claire for the harder parts of the songs instead of making her sing the whole thing. It made the songs less interesting when they only used her.
I think Claire is clearly genuinely upset over the whole thing and how it happened but her way of dealing with it makes her look like she doesn't care and I think it's a barrier that's gone up to stop herself from breaking down. I don't buy anything that comes out of H's mouth. I think he agreed with everything they'd said to avoid getting the blame and getting told off. And the fact he turned some of the blame on Claire was really low.
Although nobody else seems to, I like Lisa. She seems to be the one honest, genuine person in the whole group. I also don't agree that H shows no remorse. I think he does but some guys find it very difficult to openly share their feelings, especially publicly. I think that H might be one of those and largely appears to be the most misunderstood member of the band
I am very sure that H is the one that orchestrated the split and persuaded Claire to leave and start off a new career as a duo. I cannot believe hearing what H had said about Lee being there for his looks only and that he can't sing and has no talent. Lee has more talent in his little pinky than H has altogether. As well, Lee is grounded and not an obnoxious little shmuck like H, who is so full of himself.
It was after When I said goodbye that the record label went to both h and Claire about the duo deal . But karma got to them in the end and they didn’t chart well
I feel disappointed In Claire and H. They had the chance to be honest about their decision but clearly here they're being defensive and in denial. Also I don't know why Claire keeps crying when she ruined Lee, Lisa and Faye's career.
It's kind of hard not to feel sorry for Claire, but H seems like he can't handle confrontation and tries to make it out that it was all Claire. Faye and Lisa did tremendously well in this, you could tell that it was still bugging the hell out of the two of them, but greatest respect to them for also being calm, because the two of them along with Lee could easily have yelled at the top their lungs towards Claire and H and really give H a reason to say he wishes he hadn't taken part. Lee must have patience of steel. He doesn't even flinch with irritation or anger.
Damn Faye really didn't hold back did she? I can understand why she's been so angry and upset about the way H and Claire handled STEPS breaking up. I can tell Claire had a lot of remorse and regret over it while H seems very nonchalant about it and didn't take as much responsibility for it than Claire did. However, I take my hat off to all the members for being so mature, open and honest about sorting their issues out and expressing their emotions rather than pretending that everything's fine between them.
Steps was my fav group as a kid and I still love listening to them now, it sounds like to me their manager and whoever else was in charge of their vocals and stuff like that did this to them, aswell as there own petty jealousy, if you're unhappy then you have to look after yourself, the way Claire and H left was horrific however if they did the right thing for them, then good on them.
I used to have Steps dolls. Faye, Claire and Lisa kept losing their heads and H and Lee kept losing their hands. Claire and Lee’s batteries kept running out too lol.
The fact that they are back for good, enjoying major success is awesome. They all sing as a group also. I've seen the live video of Tragedy off their last major tour and woah... Especially Faye...
I just didn't understand that they left Steps Claire and H and then a months later or so H and Claire are a duo and I remember I was like wtf they split from steps and yet now are together as a duo. I just didn't get it And as this programme went on each week, H was a right prick who just tried to make it look like Claire was the reason, and he annoyed the hell out of me and he "I agree with you" or "yeah your right" all the bloody time. Watching this you were thinking H STFU please
Peter Hogben Yeah, after watching all of the episodes H is gross for putting it all on Claire, and Lisa was horribly bitter. Definitely the most fame hungry of them all.
There seems to be a lot of bitterness in Lisa (after all 10 yrs since the split). Faye and Lee are cool (admirable) . H just seems to sits back like he doesn't seem to give a shit ( and telling Claire to grow up what a cunt). It's surprising how they all managed to get around a table and sit together. I feel there should have been a neutral person in the room to tell them to pull back a bit. I feel sorry for Claire taking it. No wonder she cried.
H comes across so bad in this show!!!! It just feels like he manipulated the situation and got Claire in side because he knew she was the best singer. And during this meeting he’s just throwing Claire under the bus!
they were kept in touch though. they kept doing charity appearances & the girls got together on camera when Claire did My Big Fat Wedding. They went to each other's weddings. It's not like they didn't talk for 10 years...
I don't understand why everyone disagreed with your post. You're right - this documentary tries to give the false impression that none of them have spoken to each other since the night H and Claire left the band. It's very misleading, and it makes the whole documentary feel like a waste of time, because it's obvious they were gonna do the Reunion Tour no matter what, for the money more than anything.
What they fail to mention is that the members stayed in touch. Lisa and Faye made an appearance in “My Big Fat Wedding” when Claire was the bride in question. And all the band members were at Claire’s wedding.
I get the impression that these people were put together but didn't all feel like a family. I undone Faye, Lisa and Lee felt like a family while H and Claire didn't as much. So Claire's like saying 'But we weren't close I'm surprised you all cared this much'. H comes across like our was a business decision but he regrets how it played out. Hats off to them for this honest and raw (albeit highly edited) chat. There's a lot to learn here about expectations, humility and ego.
Looking back at their peak, man why these girls are so conservative compared to their contemporaries Atomic Kitten and Sugababes with little naughty and sexy outfits?
It's blatantly obvious that H and Claire conspired to dump the rest of the band and go off on their own. They were both favoured by management and they got too big for their boots. As mean as it's going to sound, I'm glad their career as a duo flopped because they got a taste of their own medicine x
The interesting thing about this show is what's not spoken about on camera. Despite their relative candour, it does feel that Lee & H particularly are quite guarded in what they say.
I think it's sad, because everyone is blaming Clare, I think that Lisa and Faye seemed like they stuck together and pushed Clare out to the point where she felt bullied by them, and at that point she quit, unfortunately I think she trusted H with the information that she wanted to quit and why, and I think H decided that he would quit and he waited for Clare to quit and then handed his in too, and now he's quite happy to apologise loosely and make a joke about it, whereas you can see the girls still ganging up on Clare, and they wonder why she quit
Anyone know what the background music is? It’s like a dance song. I can’t think of the name! Not the steps song. The song that’s playing when the ladies are in the boat
When lee handed that resignation letter to H I reckon that was possibly a big turning point. Although we only see what the tv show recorded I bet a lot more was said. And the fact the letter was never shown to us H obviously was mortified by it.
Its interesting comparing this to how Steps are currently. It's clear they've put the past behind them and have developed strong friendships. H seems like a douche here but you have to remember, editing does powerful things. Anyone who has seen RuPaul's Drag Race knows that editing can make you look like a piece of shit, even if you're not one. Its also likely he was a douche, but looking at him how, he seems to be a better person. Also... I never noticed til now. Claire looks slimmer here than in the "On the road" documentary
