UB40 are an English reggae band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times and were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group in 1984. UB40 have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. The ethnic make-up of the band's original line-up was diverse, with musicians of English, Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish and Yemeni parentage.
Their hit singles include their debut track "Food for Thought" and two Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits, "Red Red Wine" and "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You". Both songs also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of "I Got You Babe", recorded with Chrissie Hynde. The band's two most successful albums, Labour of Love (1983) and Promises and Lies (1993), both reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. UB40 and the English ska band Madness share the record for the most weeks spent by a group in the UK singles chart during the 1980s, with 214 weeks each.
The band's line-up remained stable for nearly 29 years, from March 1979 until January 2008, when frontman Ali Campbell left the band, followed shortly thereafter by keyboardist Mickey Virtue. Another member, Astro, continued with the band until November 2013, when he departed to team up with Campbell and Virtue to form their own band, called "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell". In 2014, legal advice was sought by the original band (now consisting of the remaining co-founding members drummer Jimmy Brown, guitarist Robin Campbell, bassist Earl Falconer, percussionist Norman Hassan, and saxophonist Brian Travers, along with their new vocalist Duncan Campbell), who took action against the group formed by Campbell, Virtue, and Astro over their potentially confusing use of the band name. On 5 July 2021, it was announced that Matt Doyle, formerly of the reggae band Kioko, would become the band's new vocalist following Duncan Campbell's retirement due to ill health.
Contents
History
1978–1983: Formation and rise to stardom
The band members initially formed friendships while attending various schools across Birmingham, England. The name "UB40" was chosen in reference to an attendance card issued to individuals claiming unemployment benefits from the UK government's Department of Employment. The designation UB40 stood for Unemployment Benefit, Form 40.
The origins of what would become UB40 can be traced back to mid-1978, when guitarist Ali Campbell, along with drummer Jimmy Brown and bassist Earl Falconer, began rehearsing a mix of popular reggae covers and their own original compositions. They were soon joined by several friends, first percussionists Yomi Babayemi and Norman Hassan, followed by saxophonist Brian Travers and keyboardist Jimmy Lynn. Although Robin Campbell was initially hesitant to commit to forming a band, he eventually joined after being persuaded by his brother Ali. He bought a guitar in December of that year to participate in their jam sessions.
With Robin's inclusion, the eight musicians officially formed a band, choosing the name "UB40" after a friend suggested it as a fitting reference to their shared unemployed status at the time. Before fully committing to the band, Travers had been working as an electrical apprentice for NG Bailey, while Robin Campbell had been an apprentice toolmaker.
This line-up of the band lasted long enough to perform their first show at the Hare & Hounds pub in Kings Heath in February 1979 and one more gig before undergoing their first line-up change. Babayemi and Lynn left the group, with Mickey Virtue joining as keyboardist in place of Lynn. The classic UB40 line-up was completed a month later with the addition of percussionist and vocalist Astro, who had previously worked with Duke Alloy's sound system and attended reggae dances across Birmingham.
Before some of the members had learned to play their instruments properly, Ali Campbell and Brian Travers travelled around Birmingham promoting the band by putting up UB40 posters. The band's distinctive sound was developed and refined through numerous lengthy jam sessions held at various locations around the city.
Their first gig took place on 9 February 1979 at The Hare & Hounds Pub in Kings Heath, Birmingham, for a friend's birthday party. This was commemorated in October 2011 by the unveiling of a plaque at the venue, recognising the band receiving the Performing Rights Society's Music Heritage Award. UB40 had their first significant opportunity when Chrissie Hynde saw them perform at a pub and invited them to support her band, The Pretenders. The band's debut single, "King"/"Food for Thought", was released on Graduate Records, a local independent label run by David Virr. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.
1988–2008: Continued success
On 11 June 1988, UB40 performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in London, alongside Dire Straits, George Michael, Whitney Houston, the Bee Gees, and other artists.
Their most successful worldwide single release is their reggae/pop version of "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You," which was the main title for the 1993 Sharon Stone movie Sliver; it was a number one hit across Europe and in the US. In 1995, they covered the Stevie Wonder song "Superstition" for the Eddie Murphy movie Vampire in Brooklyn, and it appears on their album The Best of UB40 – Volume Two, released that year. The group also made a guest appearance in the 1997 feature film Speed 2: Cruise Control. UB40 also featured in the 1988 film The Yob. In July 2007, UB40 toured South Africa and headlined the Live Earth concert at the Cradle of Humankind, near Johannesburg.
In 2003, UB40 and the United Colours of Sound recorded "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" as the official anthem for the England national rugby union team. Following England's victory in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, it reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.
2008–present: Line-up changes and the current era
On 24 January 2008, it was announced that Ali Campbell would be leaving the group after 30 years. Initially, it was stated that Campbell was departing to focus on solo projects, but Campbell later revealed that he was leaving "due to management and business disputes." The remaining seven members issued a statement, saying: "Ali made a very simple decision; he chose to pursue and prioritise his solo career over continuing to work with UB40 after February 2008. It's as simple as that". Mickey Virtue departed shortly thereafter, citing the same issues as Campbell had as the reasons for his departure.
It was reported by some Birmingham newspapers on 13 March 2008 that Maxi Priest would be the new lead singer of UB40 and had recorded a cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" with the band, based on information from an unnamed "source close to the band." Priest had joined UB40 on their arena tour in 2007, culminating in sell-out shows at the NEC Birmingham in December. Another local newspaper reporting that Maxi Priest would be the new UB40 frontman also included a statement from band spokesman Gerard Franklyn, which contradicted this claim: "Maxi is collaborating with the band to record material, but no decision has been made to replace Ali Campbell with one definitive singer. The reports are half correct; he will be appearing with them for this new recording." In April 2008, the BBC reported that Campbell was to be replaced in the band by his brother Duncan, with reggae singer Maxi Priest also bolstering the line-up on tour.
The band released their next album, TwentyFourSeven, UB40's last with their classic line-up, as a free insert in The Mail on Sunday's 4 May 2008 issue. The newspaper sold nearly three million copies. This led to a backlash when the full 17-track version was released on 21 June 2008, and most of the major retailers refused to stock it. It failed to reach the Top 75 in the UK, marking a first, as all their official albums had previously made the Top 50 on the UK Albums Chart. Their next release, on EMI, was a compilation titled Love Songs, featuring hits mainly from the Labour of Love series, all of which featured Ali Campbell on vocals – it reached number 3 in the UK. The band toured the US, including their first show at the Hollywood Bowl.
In 2009, the band released their first new album with their new lead singer Duncan Campbell, another entry in the Labour of Love cover series entitled Labour of Love IV. The album charted for only two weeks, reaching number 24. During the 2009 US tour, UB40 offered fans live concert recordings on USB wristbands. The wristbands also included the Dub Sessions remix album and photos.
Influences
UB40 were influenced by the many blues parties they attended as teenagers in the multicultural Balsall Heath area of Birmingham. They were inspired by artists like Bob Marley and Elvis Presley. Their love of ska, reggae and early lovers rock inspired such original tracks as "King", "Madam Medusa", "Food for Thought", "Signing Off" and "One in Ten". Their early musical style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesisers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques.
The Campbell brothers are the sons of the late folk musician, Ian Campbell. Their father regularly took them to folk festivals and gigs and introduced them to music and to touring. It was at his father's folk club "Jug O' Punch" that Ali Campbell made his singing debut with Dave Swarbrick's daughter, Suss, singing "Why Does It Have To Be Me?".
Achievements
UB40 are one of the most commercially successful reggae acts in history in terms of record sales (over 100 million), chart positions, and touring schedule. Over the course of their career, they have performed sell-out shows worldwide, headlined the Reggae Sunsplash music festival in Jamaica, and introduced reggae to places such as Russia and South America. They have performed twice at the Night of the Proms, in 2000 and 2006. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984, they were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group.
In October 2011, UB40 were honoured with a Heritage Award, a ceremonial plaque from the UK's PRS for Music. The plaque was placed at the Hare & Hounds Pub in Birmingham, England, the venue where they played their first gig.
All three of their UK number one hits and four of their five US top ten hits were cover versions. UB40's collaborators include: Pato Banton, Madness, Bitty McLean, Chrissie Hynde, Maxi Priest, Robert Palmer, Hunterz, Japanese artist Mikidozan, French artist Nuttea, Lady Saw, Afrika Bambaataa, and 808 State. With 214 weeks spent on the UK singles charts during the 1980s, UB40 and Madness hold the record for the most weeks spent by a group on the UK singles charts during that decade.
Reflecting on the group's longevity, Ali Campbell has said that they were fortunate in choosing a relatively young genre, as reggae "... hasn't outlived its own cool like jazz has".
Band members
Biographies
Astro
Terence Oswald Wilson (24 June 1957 – 6 November 2021), better known by his stage name Astro, was a British musician, rapper, and toaster, who was part of UB40 from 1979 until he left the group in November 2013. His nickname originated from his childhood, as he wore a pair of Dr. Martens boots with the model name "Astronaut".
Born to Jamaican immigrant parents, he went to school with the future keyboard player of UB40, Virtue. While DJ-ing, he met the Campbell brothers, and bonded so well with them over a shared love of Jamaican music that they invited him to join them as their MC. He believed that reggae music was for everyone, not just for Jamaican Rastafarians.
In the band's 1983 version of "Red Red Wine," he added his own "toasting" lyrics, a Jamaican precursor to rapping. This became an integral part of the group's sound. Astro offered the band a more militant edge, rapping about social injustice and racism. He experienced racism himself when he was refused entry to nightclubs because of his dreadlocks, while white members of the band were allowed in.
He eventually quit the band in 2013 after they decided to record a set of country songs. He was not interested in this genre of music and was solely focused on performing and promoting reggae. He went on to join Ali Campbell and Virtue in a rival band to UB40.
Astro died following a short illness on 6 November 2021, at the age of 64.
Duncan Campbell
Duncan Campbell (born 3 April 1958 in Birmingham) is an English musician and former lead singer of UB40. He joined the band in 2008 after the departure of his brother Ali Campbell, the former UB40 lead singer. Current bandmate Robin Campbell is also his brother, and he is the son of the late folk singer Ian Campbell. Campbell announced his retirement from live concert performances after suffering a stroke in August 2020. His replacement as lead singer was announced on 5 July 2021 as Matt Doyle, formerly of the band Kioko.
Campbell sang in a harmony group with his brothers as children and performed with their father on stage. He also recorded a reggae album in Jamaica for his brother Ali's record label, but it was never released. He was a professional spoon player. "I was the only professional spoon player in the country registered with the Musicians' Union – until they registered me as a vocalist," said Campbell. He also worked as a casino manager in Barbados, ran a fish and chip shop in Perth, Australia, and has worked as an actor.
On 24 January 2008, UB40 lead singer Ali Campbell announced that he was leaving the band after a dispute with the previous management; UB40 announced that they would carry on. On 30 April 2008, UB40 unveiled Duncan as their new lead singer.
Duncan was offered the position of lead singer in 1978, but turned it down at the time, and said that he "wouldn't get the chance in another 30 years". Ali Campbell was "disappointed but didn't object" to him joining UB40. When asked why he did not join UB40 in 1978, he joked that it was because they were "crap" and that he "was too smart for them and he knew that they would get nowhere".
In 2014, Ali formed his own version of UB40 with Astro and Mickey Virtue named "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell" He said of his brother's singing, "I sat back for five years and watched my brother Duncan murdering my songs. We're saving the legacy". Duncan suffered a stroke in August 2020 and announced his retirement from the band in June 2021, citing ill health.
Earl Falconer
Earl Acton Falconer (born 23 January 1957 in Meriden, Warwickshire) is a British bass player and singer in UB40. Falconer also co-founded the UK bass label Circus Records alongside Flux Pavilion, Doctor P and DJ Swan-E.
Falconer attended St. Benedict's junior school and Mosely Road School of Art. At the time of UB40's formation, he was an unemployed plasterer.
Norman Hassan
Norman Lamont Hassan (born 26 January 1958) is a British musician of Yemeni and Welsh descent, best known as a member of UB40 since its formation in 1978. Hassan was born in Birmingham to Yemeni and Welsh parents. He attended Park Hill School and later Queensbridge School in the city. Before joining UB40 in 1978, he worked as a carpet fitter.
Initially starting as a percussionist in 1978, he learned to play the trombone in 1981 when the band decided to add a brass section. He sang his first lead vocal on Labour of Love. He is also known for his on-stage dancing. Like the rest of UB40, he still resides in the city of Birmingham. He is a fan of the local football club Birmingham City. His musical tastes are wide-ranging, from reggae to soul to opera.
Brian Travers
Brian David Travers was one of the founders of the band. He played the saxophone and was also an arranger and lyricist. He had been suffering from cancer since 2019 and died in August 2021. Travers was a founding member of the socialist Workers Party of Britain in 2019.
UB40 featuring Ali Campbell
In January 2014, Astro, along with former UB40 members Ali Campbell and Mickey Virtue, announced plans to reform and record under the UB40 name. The band released their new song, "Reggae Music", as a free download in January 2014. In February, with both the original band and the newly formed splinter group set to perform in Dubai under the name UB40 within a few months of each other, Ali Campbell's group announced a name change to "UB40 Reunited".
The splinter group later changed its name again, settling on "UB40 featuring Ali, Astro, and Mickey", until late 2018, when Virtue departed the band. After this, they continued touring and recording as "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro".
Astro died on 6 November 2021, after recording tracks for the band's new album, Unprecedented. The first single from these sessions, "Sufferer", was released in February 2022, with the album due to be released by UMC on 17 June 2022. Ali Campbell's UB40 splinter group also featured the vocalist Matt Hoy until he quit in July 2021.
Following Astro's death, Ali Campbell rebranded his band to "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell". It continues to tour as of 2026, with Campbell maintaining that there was “absolutely no” chance of a reunion with the original UB40.