They?re not a boy band. They don?t dance. They write their own songs. Article after article, profile after profile, interview after interview, Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Ste McNally of BBMak have to inform people that they?re not the typical group people have grown accustomed to.

?It?s very obvious we?re not a boyband, but people need convincing,? Burns told andPOP on a recent promotional visit to Toronto. ?We want to be recognized for our music,? and explaining the rest, countless times over, is simply a formality.

The British pop-rock trio burst onto the music scene in 2000 with ?Back Here,? off their debut album, ?Sooner or Later.? Now they?re back, with ?Into Your Head,? where they are trying to avoid the sophomore jinx.

?There?s pressure in releasing a second album, but we?re happy with the content,? he said, adding the only thing they made sure when recording it, was that it ?didn?t sound exactly like the last album.?

They began the recording process at the beginning of 2002, and it was definitely affected by the terrorism attacks of September 11, 2002.

?It was an awful thing that happened,? he said. ?I think more positive stuff appears on the album because of it. That?s what people need to hear.?

BBMak have toured with Britney Spears and ?N Sync, two of the biggest names in pop music. For three guys trying to break free of the ?pop? tag, one would wonder when they will tour with the Aerosmiths and the U2s of the world.

?Time will tell,? he said. ?Things don?t happen over night. We?ve experienced a lot over the past two years; being on the road, touring the world. We?re still establishing our sound and we need to keep growing.?

Touring the world has brought them to many places, and they unquestionably see a difference in the different markets, especially their birthplace, England, and the United States, where the real money is.

?I think in England, people want more immediately. They don?t rely on a live band. In America, you need to be a live band. In England, people get away with [singing over tracks].?

For a group who has worked so hard to get to the level it is at now, it is expected that they would be outraged at a show like ?American Idol,? where hard-working is substituted for fast-money. But Burns remains humble and looks at it more like a different product, rather than direct competition.

?It?s a product that gets huge ratings,? he said. ?People are making a lot of music. Whether I agree or now, they?re going to make a lot of money.?

For now, the group will finish up a promoting the album, before hitting the road on tour in Japan, followed by a concert tour of the U.S. in October or November.






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