IN the ephemeral world of pop they're practically the elder statesmen of the charts, with established careers and a string of hits behind them.

But boy band Blue, who headline a concert at Blackburn's Ewood Park on Sunday, aren't about to accept the title of old men of the pop scene just yet.

"We're still young men -- just four guys in a band," said 25-year-old Simon Webbe. "Sure we're growing up -- two of us are fathers now. But we wouldn't want people to stop calling us a boy band -- that's what we are."

In recent years the words boy band have become synonymous with manufactured pop -- a group of strangers welded together by viewers' votes on live TV who manage barely a few months at the top before they split and move on to "other things".

Blue's beginnings were, however, surprisingly traditional -- two best friends and two flatmates hitting it off and deciding to form a vocal group.

"We were all friends -- Lee and I were flatmates and Duncan and Antony were mates. But it didn't dawn on us to start a group until after Duncan and Antony got together," said Simon.

"We were probably the last band to do it like that before the first Pop Stars series came out.

"If the whole Blue thing hadn't happened, I'd probably have gone to audition on a TV show in the same way as everyone else."

The "whole Blue thing" has, however, been going on for three years now and has produced a string of compelling pop hits like Fly By, Too Close and Best In Me.

"We're recording songs for the new album," said Simon. "And we're hoping to release it later this year."

Despite constant rumours of a split, behind the scenes the lads seem quite solid.

"We all get on really well together," said Simon. "Antony's a real cheeky chappy. Duncan's very well-rounded -- he's always got something positive to say about people. Lee's just Mr Hyperactive. And me? I'm the cool one!"

Blue's Simon on . . .

HOW IT ALL BEGAN:

ORIGINALLY from Moss Side, Manchester, Simon was heading for a career in football until he had to quit because of a ligament injury.

"I had nothing to fall back on, apart from my voice," he said.

Simon didn't even realise he had that until he met the rest of the boys.

"I used to rap," he said. "But then I started listening to them sing and asking them about the techniques.

"I found I had a voice -- I just didn't know how to use it."

RETURNING TO THE NORTH WEST:

HAVING lived in London for three years, Simon is looking forward to making a return to the North West -- particularly his first visit to Ewood, Park, Blackburn.

"My mum's coming to Blackburn to see me, along with some of my brothers and sisters," he said. "It's great to play in a stadium."

HIS ACTING CAREER:

"WE'RE all doing other things, which keep us fresh, but there's no way Blue is splitting up.

"I was approached to do a romantic comedy called The Truth About Love with Jennifer Love Hewitt, where I play a footballer.

"I walked into the make-up room and it was unbelievable -- I could see all the film's stars like Jimi Mistry and Dougray Scott all sitting around. You have to step up your game when these guys are around.

"I'm also doing an action film called Run, in which I'm a bad boy."

WORKING WITH THE STARS:

"WE'VE worked with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Lil' Kim," he said.

"Stevie Wonder was amazing. When we were recording Signed, Sealed, Delivered together, he was the last person to leave the studio, at 3am.

"There's loads of people we'd love to work with. We'd like to celebrate British music a little bit more.

"There's loads of great talents over here we'd love to record with -- people like Jamelia, Lemar and Daniel Bedingfield."

Sunday's line-up

3.45pm Warm-up begins

4.00 Dominic Paul (local artist)

4.23 Freefaller

4.36 Flash Jane

4.49 Genie Queen

5.15 Cleo

5.40 Speedway

5.13 V.S.

6.36 Girls Aloud

7.21 Blue

8.24: Blue Encore