A night with H, Lisa, Lee, Faye, and Claire - the one and only Steps

It would have been a tragedy to miss out on this glitzy showbiz launch event.

Ok, that was a pretty cheesy pun, but how else do you start a piece about an evening with one of the most cheddar-coated, stilton-steeped, Wensleydale-infused pop bands ever formed.

Steps, that’s right, the very same 90s  sensation responsible for my, I admit slightly camp, toe-tapping efforts to the hits “tragedy”, “deeper shade of blue”, and my favourite “stomp”.

The band launched their new perfume at a star-studded event at Café de Paris, in London.

So not only did I get to hobnob with H, Lee, Lisa, Claire and Faye, I was able to take away my own glitterball bottle of ‘Guilty Pleasures’ to enjoy at home.

The band put on a bit of a turn at the beginning of this exclusive event, treating  the audience to a repertoire of old favourites before unveiling their new offering Summer of Love –  which wasn’t that bad.

As I shared a drink with Claire Richards, I told her that I was there in the audience, London Astoria, 2001, waiting for Steps to come on stage.

“Oh bless,” she said, chuckling, as I demonstrated my best Tragedy hand-face move thing – remember the one?

Those very late 90s and early noughties were, as far as I’m concerned, the last knockings of an era when fun, simple pop music was just that.

Sugary, bubble-gum chooons  set to a simple beat and good backing music.

Love them or hate them, you can’t accuse Steps of not sticking to that very simple formula, most of their stuff is uplifting, cheery pop music.

I find I am so left behind these days. Now that truly is a tragedy.

The young people who pop up on X Factor seem  to gyrate their way through incomprehensible lyrics set to thumping drums and clattering that leaves me needing a paracetamol and a lie down.

That’s why I am so glad Steps are making a comeback, I get the chance to relive my (Christ) late 20s.

Steps are just the latest in a string of revivals.

First there was Take That, Spandau Ballet got together for a bit didn’t they?, Duran Duran are busily pounding around stages trying not to break a collective hip and the Rolling Stones are at it again.

Ok, they don’t really fit into this category as they never actually went anywhere.

It does remain to be seen whether Steps take off again, I hope so, they were good fun, they put the 'easy' into easy-listening.

They were never massive, but just sort of came and went in a candy-floss flurry of excitement before evaporating in a puff of pink smoke.

But as I said they were on top form last night.

I also discovered, chatting to Claire, that we share a common foible when it comes to looking after our health.

Blackcurrant flavoured fizzy vitamin pills – both of us prefer the orange variety as the other ones have a rather embarrassing side effect.

Too much information I know.

Here’s Stomp – just for a bit of nostalgia.