Steps: To each his own

Successful pop groups rarely say good-bye. They split, often with such belligerence that you wonder how they started together in the first place. Somebody leaves, usually the most popular member, leaving the rest in a rut. If the members manage to stay together for fear of the unknown future or simply for convenience, they do so until the magic fizzles out and all that is left of the music is the old glory.

Steps though, is different. Last year, the popular UK group decided it was time for each member to go off in search of his or her own destiny. They came out with this joint statement: "After five incredible years, we have decided it is time to move on to new challenges. We have always said we would leave as good friends and go out while we’re on top, and although we are very sad, that’s what we have done. We are all looking forward to announcing our next plans, but for now we just want to send our heartfelt thanks and love to all people who have supported us – you truly are the best fans in the world."

And because they do value their followers so much, Steps left behind one very special album. Aptly titled The Last Dance, it is a summation of all that is good about the music created by Faye Tozer, Claire Richards, Lee Evans, Ian Watkins and Lisa Scott-Lee. No, it is not the usual greatest hits collection. They have already done that with Gold Greatest Hits. This one is made up of old tracks they like but which had to take a backseat to their biggies like 5,6,7,8 and Last Thing on My Mind.

Setting the stage for the farewell package is an orchestral overture made up of Steps hits. Commercially, some of the songs that follow are no match for those hits but there are some wonderful surprises like the ballad from the musical Chess, I Know Him So Well and the sweet Too Busy Thinking About My Baby. Other tunes included are To be Your Hero, Baby Don’t Dance, Human Touch, Lay All Your Love on Me, You’ll Be Sorry, Why? Mars and Venus (We Fall in Love Again), Just Like the First Time, One for Sorrow, Deeper Shade of Blue and Merry Christmas Everybody, a cut that started me thinking that May is at its end and it is now only 207 days till Christmas.

Check this one out. Those unfamiliar with the music of Steps will regret losing the group so early in their careers while their fans will surely learn to appreciate them more.

Steps said goodbye after only five years but Air Supply is still around and together after more than two decades. Graham Russell and Russell Hitchock sing a beautiful song titled Goodbye but theirs is one duo that seems to have no intention of ever saying Goodbye either to one another or to their fans all over the world. They met as young singers more than 20 years ago in an Australian production of Jesus Christ, Superstar, became friends, decided to perform together as Air Supply and have been together ever since.

Of course, they also managed to come up with a lot of hit songs that have remained the favorites of many, particularly the always romantically-inclined Pinoy music lover. These have been compiled together in an album titled Forever Love, which with 36 cuts, must be the most extensive Air Supply collection ever released. The two-CD set celebrates 21 years of hits from 1980 to 2001. I admit that some of the goodies from the ’80s may sound cheesy to some listeners nowadays, but there is still no denying the fact that these are beautiful songs that have stood against the onslaught of trends and time and won.

So once again, here are the hits of Air Supply: Lost in Love, Every Woman in the World, All Out of Love, The One That You Love, Here I Am, Just When I Thought I was Over You, Come What May, Even the Nights are Better, Two Less Lonely People in the World, Making Love Out of Nothing at All, I Can Wait Forever, Just As I Am, Lonely is the Night, Someone Who Believes in You, Without You, Unchained Melody, Now and Forever, etc.,etc.