UB40

For the World War II German submarine, see SM UB-40.

UB40
UB40 on stage in their home city of Birmingham, England, in 2010
UB40 on stage in their home city of Birmingham, England, in 2010
Background information
OriginBirmingham, England
Genres
Years active1978–present
Labels
Members
  • Jimmy Brown
  • Robin Campbell
  • Earl Falconer
  • Norman Hassan
  • Matt Doyle
  • Jahred Gordon
  • Gilly G
  • Matt Campbell
  • Martin Meredith
  • Ian Thompson
  • Laurence Parry
Past members
  • Ali Campbell
  • Yomi Babayemi
  • Jimmy Lynn
  • Brian Travers
  • Mickey Virtue
  • Astro
  • Duncan Campbell
Websiteub40.global

UB40 are an English reggae and pop 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 in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group.[1] UB40 have sold more than 70 million records worldwide.[2] The ethnic make-up of the band's original line-up was diverse, with musicians of English, Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish, and Yemeni parentage.[3]

Their hit singles include their debut "Food for Thought" and two Billboard Hot 100 number ones with "Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love". Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of "I Got You Babe", recorded with Chrissie Hynde. Their two most successful albums, Labour of Love (1983) and Promises and Lies (1993), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. UB40 and the English ska band Madness hold the record for most weeks spent by a group in the UK singles chart during the 1980s, with 214 weeks each.[4]

The band's line-up was 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, remained with the band until November 2013, when he departed the original band to team up with Campbell and Virtue in a new version of UB40. In 2014, legal advice was sought by the original band (now consisting of remaining co-founding members drummer Jimmy Brown, guitarist Robin Campbell, bassist Earl Falconer, percussionist Norman Hassan, and saxophonist Brian Travers, along with new vocalist Duncan Campbell) who took action against the group containing Campbell, Virtue, and Astro over usage of the band name, due to it being used by both parties.[5] 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.

  1. ^ "UB40 | The BRIT Awards 2012". 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2012.
  2. ^ Sherwin, Adam (30 April 2008). "UB40 reveal new lead singer: Ali Campbell's brother Duncan". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  3. ^ Chaytor, Rod (25 October 2010). "UB40's Signing On 30th anniversary: a brave face on hard times". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Five things you might not know about Madness". The News. 23 May 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Legal advice sought in UB40 dispute". Belfast Telegraph. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2014.