The smooth tones of Hot Chocolate are still soothing fans 42 years after their first hit. Michael Wood talks to a band having just as much fun as they did back in the 70s.

Seventies disco favourites Hot Chocolate were given some welcome exposure some years ago when the film The Full Monty featured their song You Sexy Thing, but founder member Patrick Olive insists he knew nothing about it until the film came out.

‘‘All our songs belong to EMI. The film company had to go to EMI to ask if they could use the song,’’ he explains. ‘‘They didn’t have to ask us.’’

He adds hastily: ‘We would not have said no. To get a song on a film soundtrack is every musician’s big wish.’’

The huge success of the film comedy, about a group of un-Chippendale-like unemployed men who turn to stripping in a desperate attempt to make a living, launched the band back into the public eye, and gave the song the rare achievement of being a top-ten hit in three decades.

‘‘What that film has done, it’s brought people who thought Hot Chocolate were finished back to watch us,’’ says Patrick.

It also brought them a whole new generation of fans.

‘‘It was a big hit with university kids,’’ he adds. ‘‘We did a lot university shows. You can’t beat the younger people for giving you publicity.’’

Hot Chocolate, fronted by the charismatic Errol Brown, were a big thing in the 70s and early 80s, racking up hit after hit with songs such as Every 1’s A Winner, So You Win Again, It Started With A Kiss and, of course, You Sexy Thing.

Not bad for a bunch of London kids who pitched up at The Beatles’ Apple record label without a name, but with a reggae version of John Lennon’s Give Peace A Chance.

Lennon liked it and sanctioned its release on the Apple label, but the most enduring contribution was made by a girl in the office.

Patrick recalls: ‘‘A girl called Mavis Smith said, ‘Why not call it the Hot Chocolate Band?’

Though ‘Band’ was dropped from the title, the name stuck, perfectly encapsulating their smooth, bubbly sound.

Soon afterwards, the band approached record producer Mickie Most with a collection of melodies that the songwriting team of Brown and bassist Tony Wilson had put together.

Patrick recalls: ‘‘He (Most) said, ‘I’ll give that song to Herman’s Hermits, that song to Mary Hopkins and that song to Julie Felix.’

‘‘We thought, ‘Bloody hell, we’ve come for a deal and he’s giving the songs to other people’.’’

Fortunately, there was one song left for Hot Chocolate, Love Is Life, which went to No. 6 in the charts.

‘‘We went on Top Of The Pops with the song when we were still working,’’ recalls Patrick. ‘‘You can imagine our workmates next day. Some were pleased for us, but others were giving us flak, saying we were going to be one-hit wonders.’’

Patrick recalls the 70s and early 80s, when the band enjoyed an extraordinary run of 15 consecutive years with at least one hit, with great affection.

‘‘It was nice to be idolised and appreciated by people,’’ says Patrick, surely a candidate for the title of nicest man in the pop business. ‘‘And we reciprocated it. We loved people for loving us, but we didn’t get carried away. We treated everyone with respect. We remained grounded.

‘‘We were a very happy band within ourselves. We took the Michael, we laughed and the fans could see how much fun we were having and they appreciated that.’’

Wilson left the band in 1975, and they disbanded for a while when Brown went solo in 1986.

They reformed in 1992 with a new line-up and have been going ever since.

These days, the band are made up of Patrick (bass), Harvey Hinsley (guitar), Tony Connor (drums), keyboardists Steve Ansell and Andy Smith and newboy Kennie Simon (vocals) who joined in 2010.

And they are taking to the road once again as part of a Once In A Lifetime tour also featuring singer Leo Sayer, northern rock band Smokie and 70s US heartthrob David Cassidy.

‘‘We’ve worked with the agent before, touring throughout Europe, and suddenly there was this invitation to tour,’’ says Patrick. ‘‘We didn’t hesitate, especially when we heard they were doing all our favourite cities.’’

And that includes Birmingham, where they launch the tour next Friday (November 9).

‘‘We started picking up momentum in Birmingham,’’ he adds, explaining their affection for the second city. ‘‘They like their music there and they like their soul.’’

Hot Chocolate have no plans to call it a day, he insists.

‘‘We’re still having fun. We’re still having a laugh. There’s no fighting, no backstabbing. It’s just a great bunch of musicians.’’

Asked if he still speaks to Brown and Wilson, he says: ‘‘I spoke with Tony two weeks ago. He now lives in Trinidad and Errol lives in The Bahamas. They are still members of Hot Chocolate – non-playing members.’’

Is there a possibility of an onstage return?

‘‘I don’t think they will want to come back,’’ says Patrick, adding emphatically, ‘‘but if they did, they would be more than welcome.’’

* Fri, Nov 9, LG Arena, NEC, Birmingham, 7.30pm, £38.50. Tel: 0844 338 8000. www.lgarena.co.uk