"You never know what's going to happen tomorrow," says Mel C. But then with the Queens of Pop, that's hardly surprising...
OK, hands up, who had heard of the Spice Girls this time last year? None of you, eh? Ask the same question just eight months after their first single Wannabe and it's a very different story. Just checking out the numbers is awesome enough: four number ones in the UK; number in singles in 31 other countries, including the notoriously difficult USA; an album that has gone seven times platinum in the UK (that means over two million copies have been sold) and has shifted another six million copies elsewhere - so far... ouch!
But has success changed Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown and Victoria Addams? The five girls swear they're still friends, that their fans are still the most important thing in the world, and that what they love most in their life is performing, yet it must be getting harder.
They've been together four years now, after being recruited through a newspaper advertisement. They sacked their manager, lived together, grew up together and hired a new manager. Within months of signing to Virgin Records they had hit the big time. Now they're moving onto the next stage with an epic world tour planned for next February, time out this summer to work on a new album and, hopefully, a break from appearing in the tabloids every day of the week...
Don't you want to tell the press to get lost?
Mel B: That kind of thing - not that you get used to it - it's just one of those things. We don't get pushed about. We tell them to go away if they're going too far or they're trying to take too many pictures or annoying everybody.
Mel C: We did have quite a few nightmares in America because the British press were following us around everywhere and trying to sell these pictures to everybody - all these hideous pictures of us at seven o'clock in the morning getting on the plane. But really, at the end of the day, with the press, we don't care. It's nice when people write things but you can't take it too seriously because if you believed all the good stuff you'd end up believing the bad stuff, and then where would you be? So, as long as we're happy, we're enjoying our work and the fans are enjoying it then who cares about the press?
Victoria: I try to stay out of it. I never get in the papers anyway. (Thinks) Well, I've been in a bit, but they can't find a lot on me at the moment. The best kind of press is in the magazines where you have all the funny little comments. That's the fun press.
Mel C: I've noticed in other magazines they like all that tabloid crap, but respect to Smash Hits because you don't really do that.
When you first came into the office singing and dancing you were mad...
Mel C: I know!
Geri: But, I think what it shows is that it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, anything is possible. Before it was always boy bands who sold records in England but to get the girls support as well is fantastic. Female solidarity! We say you don't have to be like us, you just have to be yourself. I remember being at the Smash Hits show and we went out to see the crowds and the reaction was fantastic. What's really nice is, no matter what the papers say, fans can see through the bullshit and support us no matter what.
Has it been hard to stay in touch with your fans?
Mel B: We have to really because if it wasn't for them we wouldn't be doing it. We've always got time to say 'thank you' to those people.
Mel B, your nickname is 'scary', do you worry that you genuinely scare people?
Mel B:(Frowns) I had this conversation with a few of the girls the other day, in fact it was Vicky I had this conversation with, about people being scared of me or just a bit 'oh my god' because I'm quite up front. If I like you I'm quite a giving person. I'm very direct and in your face, and a lot of people don't really like that. I wouldn't like that back to me. (Laughs) I don't know... hopefully I don't because I'm very good hearted and I do like conversations. I hope I don't scare people too badly. Mind you, if they're a prat they deserve it!
Mel C:(Interrupting) You've got to print this in Smash Hits. Mel B's hair is getting bigger by the minute. (Mel B's hair is indeed turning into a massive bush!) One day they'll not be any Spice Girls because they'll all get lost in her hair, it will be that big!
Mel B:(Laughs) In photo shoots they always say, Melanie move your hair, move your hair...
Emma, we get a lot of letters in the office, especially from young readers, saying they want to be like you. How does that make you feel?
Emma: Ahh, do they? That's so sweet. I don't really think about it (pauses), but there was this thing in the paper the other day saying I was the pop star most people wanted to be like. That was so weird. The thing is I'm doing something that I've always wanted to and I'm having fun as well. Sometimes I think about it, it's like 'bloody hell', I'm so lucky! I'm having the best time of my life, seeing so many countries and being able to do so many things, it's brilliant. I'm a really lucky girl.
Are there any other countries you really want to visit?
Emma: Ages ago we were asked what countries we'd like to go to and some of the girls said America, some said Japan and I've always said Australia. I'd love to see what it is like.
Mel B: Me too.
Victoria: You know, somewhere I'd really like to go back to is the South of France. We were just there for literally one evening. But I really love London, you can't beat London. For me the highlight of going away somewhere is coming home again. I like to be at home round my friends.
Emma: I love the feeling of home. I'm quite a home bird. I would never move to America, never!
Victoria: I do like a good English meal - you can't beat a nice restaurant in the country or something like that. (The girls go off on a food tip) Mel B: Fish 'n' chips - and West Indian food as well.
Emma: I'm a fish person. I remember when I was little we used to go to Clacton in a caravan, and after the disco you used to go and have your cockles and your crab sticks - my fave!
Is it still possible for you to go shopping and go out to the same places?
Geri:I do like my second hand markets, but it's harder to find the time to go.
Emma: I'm a real Top Shop and Miss Selfridge fan. I like to know where I'm going and where everything is. I still buy clothes there.
Victoria: Things can be a bit strange, though. I went to the Emporium (a nightclub) a little while ago with a couple of friends. I was thinking, it's going to be really embarassing if they don't recognize me and I don't get in, but when I pulled up there were loads of press taking pictures. It was really frightening and one of my friends, who is blond, just put her head down and I think they thought it was Emma!
Geri: I tell you where the best place is I've been clubbing - Ireland. Emma and I went there after the IRMAs (Irish Music Awards) and it was brilliant. We went to Lilys and then the Pod, and that was brilliant. Boyzone were there. It was funny because normally they're in our country, so it's nice for us to be there for a change. And we picked up a couple of awards which is nice.
You've all got loadsa money now haven't you?
Mel B: Well, we saw our accountant the other day and we were really disappointed because he said, 'I'm sorry to tell you that the newspapers have been exaggerating slightly.' So we haven't got as much as we thought, just more than we'd got before. We've all done quite nice things for our families: a few new houses bought, a few new cars and stuff. We're just sorting our families out really. Most of it's in the bank because you never know what's going to happen tomorrow. I think we have old heads on our little shoulders, and when you do something like this you know it's so fickle. It could all end tomorrow, we're prepared for that.
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