by James Ellis, November 21st, 2001 - from metro.co.uk

SULTRY TINA BARRETT, 25, is the eldest member of teeny-bop chart toppers S Club 7. A classically trained ballerina, she moved into modern dance and appeared on Top Of The Pops with artists such as Shola Ama and Pulp before joining S Club 7. On the band's new album, Sunshine, out later this month, she takes lead vocals for the first time on the song I'm Stronger.

You're supposed to be the most truthful. How frank will you be with us?
I don't know - people always say that and maybe I am a little bit more truthful than everyone else but I'm not going to let out anything I shouldn't.
Are you told what you can and can't say?
Not at all. We all take our own judgment on that.

What's your favourite S Club 7 song?
It would have to be Never Had A Dream Come True. That's what broke America for us. It got to No.8 which was an amazing achievement for the band. The other is Don't Stop Moving.

Does being in the band mean you lose track of reality?
I try to be as normal as I can but my life has changed dramatically. I don't have that much time to myself. Our lives are the band but we knew how much it would be like that if we were successful.

If I asked you how much a bottle of milk was, would you know the price?
Erm no. The thing is, I'd pick it up and just pay for it [laughs]. That's crap isn't it? Let me think... I'm guessing 50p for a pint?

All the money I have in the world adds up to £13. I walk into a record shop. Why should I buy your album and not Steps Gold?
You should buy us 'cos it's a great album [laughs]. We took a lot longer to record this one and there's a song there for everyone. You get to hear people that you've never heard sing. And we'll make it £12 so you still have £1 left over.

I'd like to have been in The Beatles but I would probably have been attacked by one of their fans Are you competitive about other bands?
Not at all. It only becomes competitive if you're releasing a single on the same day. We're too busy concentrating on what we do and it's not a good idea to make enemies anyway. I like songs by other bands but I never think: 'Oh, I wish that had been ours.'

As the band gets older, the fans get older. Will the music mature?
Definitely. It's natural. It's impossible not to change as you get older. The music has definitely gotten more grown up. This is by far the strongest album we've done.

What are you listening to at home?
A whole mixture. Rap, hip-hop, Limp Bizkit, Air, Moby, Stereophonics.

If you could choose anyone from history to form a band, who'd be in it?
It would have to be something completely different to what I'm doing. I'd like to have been in The Beatles - it's a real fantasy. I would probably have been attacked by their fans or something. But I could have taken it - I'm tough.

You're the eldest of the seven. Do you mother the others?
Only if they want to be mothered. I don't force motherly instincts on them or anything. Although some of the boys are quite young, they aren't babies. They have strong personalities and everyone is equal in the band. We're kind of ageless in the way we deal with situations. Everyone gets their say.

Did you tell the lads off for having a cheeky spliff?
[Laughs]. They knew they'd made a mistake and it's their lack of judgment so I'd never tell them off for anything like that.

If you'd ever tried drugs would you tell us?
Probably not but I haven't.

What's the most rock'n'roll thing you've ever done?
Partied all night. Oh, and I once smashed a guitar over someone's head... not! We're just a pop band and the two are very different.

I hear you've a temper. What annoys you?
Who said that?

It's on your website...
Is it? A lot of the website is put on by people who don't really know us. In the TV show I'm quite fiery, but not in real life. There are people in the band with worse tempers than me. I mean I do have a temper, everyone does, but I'm not that bad.

So what does get on your nerves?
Rude people. I hate a lack of manners. Everyone deserves respect.

Is there rivalry among the girls?
Everyone seems to think that but it's not true. We are all confident enough in ourselves not to let things like that matter. We're all very different both looks and personality wise.

Hannah and Rachel were recently elected among the world's sexiest women. You and Jo weren't - does that bother you?
Not really. They're good looking girls so why shouldn't they be? It doesn't matter - I went into this band for the music and to perform. Things like that are a nice little sideline that help sell records.

If one of the band left, what would you do?
I'd leave with them. It's one for all and all for one.