BBMak's Head Trip
Source: cdnow.com

The three lads of BBMak hope their new album will forever separate them from the rest of the boy-band pack.

By Shirley Halperin
CDNOW Contributing Writer

Who: BBMak, three British lads who sound like they could be the Bee Gees' illegitimate sons, but are, thankfully, much better looking.

What: Into Your Head, their second album. Chock full of the pitch-perfect three-part harmonies that have become their calling card, it's the latest salvo in the group's campaign to separate itself from the rest of the boy-band pack.

Why you may have heard of them: Sooner or Later, their platinum-selling debut album, yielded three radio and TRL hits: the inspiring "Still by Your Side," the lovesick "Back Here," and the solemn "Ghost of You and Me," whose exotically sexy video looked like a 21st-century take on Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer."

Their story in a nutshell: Christian Burns, Mark Barry and Ste (short for Stephen) McNally were all playing in other bands when they first got together in Northwest England, but after a single jam session, they knew they had a future together. They named this new collaboration BBMak, borrowing an element of each member's last name. After striking out with local labels, the group took to the streets -- literally. They set up camp on the sidewalk and, with acoustic guitar in hand, sang to any old bloke in a fancy suit. It worked. At their next gig, the room was filled with A&R representatives, pens practically in hand.

The band signed with Hollywood Records in the U.S. and embarked on a massive promotional tour for Sooner or Later. Their American residency would last a full year and included stops in practically every major city mall and radio station. Their efforts did not go unrewarded: BBMak's first single, the hooky and highly hummable "Back Here" went top five in the summer of 2000. They were invited to open up for 'NSync, and a tour with Britney Spears soon followed, all of which contributed to a reputation as teen popsters that the boys of BBMak have been trying to outrun ever since.

On touring America in its entirety: "When we were touring, we took 179 flights, and there were still places we hadn't gotten to," Burns says. "America is just so huge compared to the U.K. We're really happy and grateful for the success we've had here."

"It's every band's dream," says Barry. "The audience in America is just so huge, it was great to connect with so many people."

On writing songs for Into Your Head: "When we finished off the 'NSync tour, we carried that excitement from the stage and the live show into the studio," McNally says. "It's a definite progression from the last album. We've certainly improved as songwriters, and we've been working with some great writers. I think the dynamics of the songs are a lot bigger, but the guitars and the harmonies -- the trademark BBMak harmonies -- are still there."