It could have been soooo different for BBMak. After a false start in the UK, BBMak - Christian, Mark and Ste - decided to try their luck in the US. Twelve months down the line they're celebrating shifting a million albums. dotmusic recently met up with the trio back here in London.
'Back Here' is being released for the second time and looks destined for the top 5. Ste describes it as the fastest song they ever wrote and the first song they ever recorded but surely they are sick of it by now!
Christian: "We wrote it and we're proud of it and it's been a big hit in America and over in Asia. And every time we hear it on the radio we get paid!!!" (cue thumbs up from the whole band!)
What do they put their US success down to?
Mark: "Loads of things. Hard work, having the time on our hands to break America...you've got to be good as well!"
C: "The Americans are very much into the live thing as well. Every TV you do...it's always live, they won't stand for anyone miming. So if you can't cut it as a live band you might as well come home, pack your bags.
"There's luck involved, timing. You've got someone like Robbie Williams with great albums but it's the time thing. He'd be there for three months and getting somewhere and he'd have to come to Europe to keep all his fans happy. It's hard to spread yourself across the whole country, so that's why it takes so long."
But it wasn't all hard work in the US, they got to our with Britney Spears playing to 30,000 people every night and then hit the road again this time as headliners.
S: "We did our own tour of 28 dates across America over two months and that sold out in a week. We were playing to 3,500 a night. We had a great time, playing live is what we love doing. We're a great live band but we missed home. Three young guys touring in a America for a year, you're bound to miss your friends and family."
What about the important questions - did they get to hang out with Britney?
C: "Yeah, a couple of times. She was always busy and so were we...but we used to bump into her in the canteen. She's a normal 19-year-old year. It must be hard for her having the success she's had at such a young age. She handles it well."
Did the band have time to sit back and appreciate the success?
S: "That's it, we didn't realise! We'd do a show in Chicago and do interviews and then we'd get on a plane or tour bus and go to the next city. We won't see the TV go out that night. We'd moved on by the time we'd be on the cover of magazines.
"Then our record company compiled a videotape of all our TV shows and every magazine we'd been in, every bit of press we did last year. Then it was like 'oh my god!'"
C: "We did a lot."
S: "Walking around the streets we'd get recognised all the time. We'd get stopped and they'd take pictures, sign autographs. That's all part of being in a band."
All: "It's tough!"
C: "It's very rewarding. We're lucky to be doing something we love doing and we're so passionate about." dotmusic then enquired if they felt like they had a point to prove to people in the country who wrote them off first time round?
M: "It's not about proving a point, it's for people to understand what we're all about. People are slowly getting to know what we are, the fact that we do something different, we do sing live, play our instruments, write our songs."
C: "We've already proved a point really by doing in America what 90 % of English bands can't do - which is go platinum.
"The first time we released, it went to No.37 which no-one was happy with. We've proved ourselves now. We don't come over here and say we're great - we're not that sort of band - it's speaks for itself."
How have the band changed?
S: "We haven't really. When we started we didn't do many live gigs. At that time we didn't know what we were. We all play instruments, we all sing. Touring in America and Asia we really found what we were - we're a good British live band. When we see us on stage we're having a great time."
M: "We're all learnt so much. We've become stronger as a group as well, stronger as friends. We've become a lot more focused."
C: "A lot wiser as well. After two months we thought we knew everything but it's only now that we realise we still don't know everything. Everyday you learn something new."
S: "One thing that we learnt was that the music business is very unpredictable. There are so many great bands that just don't make it...that don't even sell a record. Sometimes there's no justice in music."
We've heard 'Back Here' but what can people expect for the album?
M: "It's a fantastic album ("that goes without saying," Ste adds.) It's a very uplifting album. There are some great ballads. Something for everyone, very live sounding."
C: "It's very real, it's all live kits, real strings."
And what about the next step for the 'Mack?
C: "We'll be starting on the next album in September. Personally when I buy an album I want to see some substance in all the albums. It's gonna change but it's going to be a natural progression."
