SO SWEET: (From left) Mark Harry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally 
entertaining the kidney patients with a song

HEY looked a little out of place - with a just-out-of-bed look to match.

 It was a sunny Wednesday morning when the three young English men walked into a National Kidney Foundation dialysis centre in Clementi.

 Casually attired, they arrived quietly, 
without fanfare - and took a tour of the centre like polite tourists.

 The only thing that was slightly "glam" was their hair 
- stylishly messed up for an out-of-bed look to resemble the real thing.

 Truth is, they really did just get out of bed 
after a late-night flight into Singapore.

 Obviously still on London time, one of them even forgot 
to put on his shoes - his bedroom slippers still on his feet.

 The three young men - Christian Burns, 23, Mark Harry, 20 
and Stephen McNally, 21 - are a unit.

 They have been writing songs, playing guitars 
and singing for three years now.

 Just last year, they finally cut a debut pop album called Back Here.

 But their group's name - BBMak - 
gives no clue to what sort of music they play.

 BB does not stand for "boy band" and no, Mak has nothing to do with anything Chinese.

 BBMak is a combination of these fellows' surname initials and sound.

 B is for Burns, B is also for Barry and Mak (pronounced 
like "Mac" of "Big Mac") somehow stood for McNally.

 Their music, they said, is a combination of "pop, soul, 
harmonies and guitar sounds".

 The title track Back Here - co-written with Phil Thornalley 
who was responsible for Natalie Imbruglia's hit song
Torn - has gone onto the Top 40s chart back home.

 Now, BBMak is ready for greater fame in Asia. 
Until that happens, these new "lads" on the block continue 
to behave like neighbourhood boys.

 They put up an impromptu performance - 
and sang like angels - to the kidney patients at the dialysis centre.

 They don't wear too much make-up or jewellery.
 They aren't overly playful or irreverent.
 They are unthreatening.
 They are... nice.

 Burns, who wore his sunglasses but forgot 
his shoes, joked: "I collect hotel slippers."

 He realised his flip-flops folly only when the van was 
heading towards Clementi.

 They were comfortable green slippers from a Bangkok hotel, he said. And jokingly he added that "hopefully this starts a fashion trend".

 The visit has been an "eye-opening experience" for the three, 
who were amazed by the sheer amount of work and money 
which go into treating kidney patients.

 So they announced they will be back in Singapore for a 
charity run and concert on Oct 30 to support and close 
the Organ Donation Month campaign. 

In England, BBMak members have swam for charity and 
McNally has gone on a 24-hour bike ride for cancer research.

 "It's good because it keeps us fit and raise money at the same time," said Barry.
 

This article first appeared in The New Paper < 8 October 1999 >