UB40

Vinyl Discography:

Biography:

They began their career in Birmingham. They knew each other, but didn't go to the same school because of the differences between the band members. The cultural differences between the nationalities also proved to be a problem. However, they all had the same thing in common: they were unemployed, hence the name UB40 (UB = Unemployment Benefit). They formed in 1978 because they were unemployed. They were all fans of reggae music. At that time, reggae was very popular, thanks in part to big stars in that genre, such as Peter Tosh and the aforementioned Bob Marley. One time, the band's frontman went to a pub with some friends. The pub was full of different people, and therefore, there was a lot of reggae music. He heard his favorite song there, and another man criticized him. A fight broke out, and he nearly lost his left eye. Ali (the frontman), however, did receive compensation and was able to buy musical instruments. It was only £4,000, so they couldn't buy the best of the best. On February 8, 1979, the band played their first gig at a birthday party in a local pub (the Hare & Hounds). Astro wasn't part of the band yet; he simply introduced them and occasionally joined in with a toast. He always did a great job, according to those who were there; one even said, "It's a shame he didn't become a boxing commentator." The audience was so impressed that Astro was given a permanent spot as a trumpeter/vocalist. Similar scenarios played out with The Madness and The Specials. In the following years, UB40 often opened for regional bands/artists, but they rarely headlined.

1980s

Their first single, "King/Food For Thought," was released in 1980. It reached number 14 on the Dutch Tip chart. To promote the single, they toured with The Pretenders. That band's singer, Chrissie Hynde, was the first to meet them. Like U2, their songs primarily address global issues and often have a purpose. On their debut album, Signing Off, the songs focused primarily on poverty, unemployment, and racism. But there are also some lighter songs, including instrumentals and a cover of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going To Rain Today." They also opposed the then-current Prime Minister of England, Margaret Thatcher, and wrote a song about it, which wasn't meant to be kind or friendly towards Thatcher. It was called "Madame Medusa." Strange Fruit and Reefer Madness were also included. These songs, along with songs like "King/Food For Thought" and "The Earth Dies Screaming," were collected in 1981 on The UB 40 File. That was UB40's first compilation album. In 1982, the album UB44 was released. The band toured throughout Africa, including the Netherlands. They also appeared on the live television program Countdown. On that program, single promotions are heard. The artist from the single performs. They don't perform entirely live, as the performance is always lip-synced. The concert in the Netherlands is broadcast live on MTV. According to Billboard, 1982 was the year of Tina Turner and UB40. Tina Turner because of her hit single "Let's Stay Together" and UB40 because they were new. UB40 made their big breakthrough with the cover album "Labour Of Love." The first single, "Red Red Wine" (written by Neil Diamond), became a worldwide number one hit in September 1983, surpassing Madness (which was also very popular) in their home country. The other singles from this album are "Please Don't Make Me Cry," "Many Rivers To Cross," and "Cherry Oh Baby." In April 1984, the band performed in the Netherlands and received gold status for their album "Labour Of Love." This album dispelled the negative public opinion about UB40. The new album, Geffery Morgan Loves White Girls, was released in 1984. It contained no covers; it was all their own work. The album also included a second anti-Thatcher song. In 1985, UB40 performed at Live Aid with an old friend: Chrissie Hynde. They sang the Sonny & Cher cover "I Got You Babe," which reached number one. The album "Baggariddim" spawned the worldwide hit "Don't Break My Heart." The anti-apartheid single "Sing Our Own Song" became a number one hit in many countries around the world in the summer of 1986; it was also the band's only single about apartheid to reach number one. Later that year, the album "Rat in my Kitchen" was released (the title track, sung by Astro, also made its way into the charts), and UB40 traveled to the Soviet Union to film a concert (UB40 CCCP). Many people in the Soviet Union were concerned about the concert, arguing it could lead to revolt among the Soviet people.

90s

In 1989, the second edition of the successful album "Labor of Love" was released. The press and music critics criticized the album. The lead singer of UB40 was angry and took the matter to the music magazine Rolling Stone. The reggae expert also had no faith in the single, believing it was time for new music and that the reggae era was practically over. He also felt the songs were a bit too similar and that it was time for something new. Yet, the fans remained UB40 and ignored these criticisms. Here I Am (Come and Take Me) and the number one hit "Kingston Town" were big fan favorites. In 1990, the band went into the Beatles' old studio with Robert Palmer to record tracks for his album "Don't Explain." "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" became a modest hit in Europe.
It wasn't until 1993 that new singles were released: "Promises & Lies," about the promises and lies of the Thatcher years. This was the band's umpteenth single about her. The biggest hit on this album was a cover, "Can't Help Falling In Love." Despite these hits, UB40 was declining somewhat during this era. The band still sold plenty of tickets live, but the album and single successes seemed to have come to an end.

In 2008, singer Ali Campbell left the band, followed by keyboardist Mickey Virtue. This seemed to spell the end for the band, but Campbell's brother Duncan was replaced, and the band continued. In 2013, MC Astro also left and joined Ali's own band, which he also called UB40. The original band members filed a lawsuit, but Campbell refused to change the band's name.

Band:

• Ali Campbell – Guitar, Vocals
• James Brown – Drums
• Robin Campbell – Guitar, Vocals
• Earl Falconer – Bass, vocals
• Norman Hassan – Percussion, Trombone, Vocals
• Brian Travers – Saxophone
• Martin Meredith – Saxophone
• Laurence Parry – Trumpet
• Tony Mullings – Keyboards
• Michael Virtue – Keyboards
• Terence “Astro” Wilson – Percussion, Trumpet, Vocals