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UB40 ft Ali Campbell - THE HITS TOUR

Plus special guest bitty mclean.

• Date 11 Apr 2024
• Venue The O2 arena
• Availability On sale now

• Thursday 11 Apr 2024 Doors: 6:30 PM Buy tickets + Add to calendar

Event Details

UB40 has today announced a headline show at The O2, taking place in April 2024 on Thursday 11 featuring Ali Campbell.

Ali Campbell celebrates the band being inducted into the Music Walk of Fame with an intimate show at London’s Koko. The ceremony will see the unveiling of a stone on the Walk of Fame on Camden High Street.

Next week also marks 40 years since the release of UB40’s seminal album ‘Labour of Love’ on 12th September 1983, which produced the groundbreaking hits that will be performed on this tour such as ‘Cherry Oh Baby’, ‘Many Rivers to Cross’, ‘Please Don’t Make Me Cry’, and of course the ubiquitous ‘Red Red Wine’ which topped the charts both sides of the Atlantic.

Further hits from across the band’s career such as ‘Kingston Town’, a cover of ‘I Got You Babe’ with Chrissie Hynde, and ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You’ helped the band and Ali Campbell become the authentic voice of UK Reggae, with a total of 70 million records sold, as they took their smooth yet rootsy musical blend to all corners of the globe.

Joining UB40 featuring Ali Campbell for the tour will be very special guest, Bitty McLean. Bitty emerged in the 1990’s, and appeared on UB40’s 1993 album ‘Promise and Lies’. Bitty’s own recordings including ‘It Keeps Raining (Tears From My Eyes), ‘Dedicated To The One I Love’ and ‘Here I Stand’ notched up 3 UK top ten singles by

1994 selling over 1 million records. He continues to be one of Britain’s premier Reggae vocalists.

Important Information - How to download your tickets on The O2 app

For this show, if you’ve purchased your tickets from theo2.co.uk or AXS.com you’ll need to display your ticket on your phone via The O2 app. Ticket purchasers will receive an email with news and information on  AXS Mobile ID tickets  and how you can download your tickets to your phone. 

If you’ve bought your tickets for this show via AXS then you can re-sell your tickets with AXS Official Resale   which gives you a safe, simple, and fair way to buy and sell tickets.

For more information on re-selling tickets from AXS and other ticket agents  click here .  

Please note:  If you purchase  resale   tickets for this show through any website other than via theo2.co.uk or axs.com, your tickets may not be valid and access to the venue could be refused.

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UB40 ft Ali Campbell

6 April 2024

£47.39 / £56.43 / £71.18

(incl. administration and facility fee) plus £2.95 Order Processing Fee per order.

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell...

The hits tour + bitty mclean, show timings: doors open - 6:30pm bitty mclean  - 7:30pm interval  - 8:30pm ub40 ft ali campbell  - 9:00pm approx finish - 10:45pm.

British reggae and pop band legends UB40 ft Ali Campbell will perform at the M&S Bank Arena on April 6th 2024 celebrating the biggest songs as part of their "The Hits Tour"

The announcement comes today as Ali Campbell celebrates the band being inducted into the Music Walk of Fame with an intimate show at London’s Koko. The ceremony will see the unveiling of a stone on the Walk of Fame on Camden High Street.

Next week also marks 40 years since the release of UB40’s seminal album ‘ Labour of Love ’ on 12 th September 1983, which produced the groundbreaking hits that will be performed on this tour such as ‘ Cherry Oh Baby ’, ‘ Many Rivers to Cross ’, ‘ Please Don’t Make Me Cry ’, and of course the ubiquitous ‘ Red Red Wine ’ which topped the charts both sides of the Atlantic.

Further hits from across the band’s career such as ‘ Kingston Town ’, a cover of ‘ I Got You Babe ’ with Chrissie Hynde, and ‘ (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You ’ helped the band and Ali Campbell become the authentic voice of UK Reggae, with a total of 70 million records sold, as they took their smooth yet rootsy musical blend to all corners of the globe.

Joining UB40 featuring Ali Campbell for the tour will be very special guest, Bitty McLean .

Bitty emerged in the 1990’s, and appeared on UB40’s 1993 album ‘ Promise and Lies ’. Bitty’s own recordings including ‘ It Keeps Raining (Tears From My Eyes) , ‘ Dedicated To The One I Love ’ and ‘ Here I Stand ’ notched up 3 UK top ten singles by 1994 selling over 1 million records. He continues to be one of Britain’s premier Reggae vocalists.

Under 14's must be accompanied by an adult

Ticket resale restrictions:

1. Your ticket purchase constitutes a personal, revocable license and, at all times, remains the property of the promoters. This ticket must be surrendered to the promoters upon request. 2. Your ticket/s are sold by the promoters directly to you the consumer. Any tickets purchased by business or traders in breach of the terms and conditions of ticket sale will be cancelled. By accepting these terms and conditions you confirm that you are a consumer. 3. Your ticket/s will IMMEDIATELY BECOME INVALID if resold OR OFFERED FOR SALE unless the sale is through the Artist’s official re-sale channels as advertised, or ticket agent fan to fan exchange (where applicable). Tickets sold via third parties and other unauthorised outlets, including online auction sites, are not valid for admission. The resale of a ticket renders it invalid and may lead to refusal of entry. 4. Ticket sales are limited to a maximum of 8 per person. 5. Only tickets purchased through approved ticket agents are valid for admission. The venue reserves the right to refuse admission.

Set Reminder

Hospitality

One night only, getting here.

Most Liverpool city centre bound buses will call at either Queen Square bus station (a 15-minute walk) or Liverpool ONE Bus Station, which is only a five minute walk to M&S Bank Arena.

For further information on bus routes within Merseyside, you can visit https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/customer-information/routes-and-maps/

For up-to-date information on all bus, train and ferry services, call Traveline Merseyside on 0871 200 22 33, open 8am – 8pm, 364 days a year or visit  www.merseytravel.gov.uk

For all car journeys it's best to follow the white on brown tourist route signs for the Waterfront. These signs are visible on the major routes into the city. M&S Bank Arena is situated on the Kings Dock directly adjacent to the south side of the Albert Dock. Upon arrival, the Kings Dock entrance is clearly sign posted. 

From the North...

Leave the M6 at junction 26 and follow signs for M58 Liverpool. Follow to end of M58 and then take signs for A59 Liverpool. Continue to follow Liverpool City Centre until picking up signs for the Waterfront.

From the South...

Leave the M6 at junction 21A and take the M62 to Liverpool. At the end of the M62 follow signs for Liverpool City Centre along Edge Lane, picking up and following signs for Waterfront. 

From the south...

Avanti West Coast operates hourly, direct services from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street (with a journey time of just over two hours). Other long-distance rail services also operate into Liverpool Lime Street station.

M&S Bank Arena is a 20-minute walk from Lime Street or a short taxi ride. You can also transfer at Lime Street onto the underground Wirral Line trains to James Street station (10 minute walk) or catch the CityLink Route C4 (7am – 8pm) directly to the venue. If travelling from outside Merseyside, you can catch an underground train to James Street station from Lime Street station, inclusive of the cost of your ticket.

Flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport...

A taxi from the airport to the city centre will take approximately 20 minutes or the express bus service Route 500 will take approximately 25 minutes, dropping you off within a five minute walk of M&S Bank Arena, while Manchester’s international airport is just 45 minutes away by car.

Seating Plan - 2/3 Seated

This is a '2/3 Seated' event - this means that two thirds of the arena is in use. This is a layout for guidance only, as each event layout is unique, so please refer to the individual plan provided when booking your tickets online as the actual layout may differ from this image.  

You can find more venue layout plans here.

Useful Links

• Merseytravel  (rail, ferry and bus timetables)
• Liverpool John Lennon Airport
• Manchester Airport
• Visit Liverpool  (Tourism website)
• Virgin Trains  (mainline services from Liverpool Lime Street)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Transport/Parking
• Food and Drink
• Smoking Policy
• Use of electronic devices
• Accessibility
• Babies and young children

Our   new on-site temporary multi-deck car park is now open. There is plenty of parking nearby too, more information on driving to the venue and parking can be found   here .

Book with confidence

We want our customers to have confidence in booking tickets to attend events at the M&S Bank Arena. This includes refunds on tickets for cancelled or rescheduled events. More Information.

Accessibility Bookings

Accessible Bookings

To book accessible tickets please call our box office on 0344 8000 400 on the day that the event goes on sale - this applies to both presale and general sale. 

Our contact centre is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The M&S Bank Arena has recently partnered with Nimbus Disability and The Access Card to ensure customers' needs are met at events. Nimbus is one of the country’s leading providers of disability-related advice and support to professional organisations and is recognised as a leading authority on accessible ticketing in the UK.

To ensure the right tickets are sold to the right people, we will require all access bookers for events at ACC Liverpool to provide us with a Nimbus registration number to qualify for any accessible tickets or discounts available at the time of booking. Registering is free to Ticket Quarter customers with an option to upgrade for £15 to have access to all participating venues. For more information please visit here .

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell

Live concert stream, ub40 featuring ali campbell 'in memory of astro', about ub40 featuring ali campbell.

Ali Campbell rocketed to fame as co-founder and lead vocalist of the original British pop-reggae band UB40. After nearly 30 years, the singer left the group following a dispute with management, alongside Mickey Virtue, to release solo albums ‘ Big Love’, ‘Running Free’, and ‘Flying High’. In 2014, Ali’s former bandmate Astro reunited with the duo, marking the official debut of the pop-reggae group UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey. 

The trio released their first album ‘Silhouette’ in 2014, followed by ‘The Hits of UB40 Live ’ in 2015 and ‘Unplugged’ in 2016. ‘A Real Labour of Love’ (featuring tracks ‘A Place In The Sun’ and ‘Ebony Eye’) debuted in March 2018, reaching No.2 on the UK Albums Chart and No.1 on the Billboard Reggae Albums. Virtue left the band to pursue other creative projects later that year, remaining good friends with the pair.

Touring their material under the name UB40 featuring Ali & Astro, the duo also delved into a series of creative projects, including the launch of their own Bordeaux Red Red Wine . Sadly, tragedy struck when Astro passed away in 2021, leaving behind a 30-year legacy of number-one albums, multiple top ten gold and platinum-selling albums and Grammy nominations, plus a total of seventy million plus sales. 

In 2022, Campbell released the final album the duo recorded ‘ Unprecedented ’ fuelled by the roots rocking spirit that powered UB40’s original creation, including the title track ‘Sufferer’. The singer renamed the band UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and continues to fulfil his UB40 tour dates across the UK, Europe, and America, with the tour billed as ‘in memory of Astro’.

Why did Ali Campbell leave the original UB40?

Campbell left UB40 after almost 30 years, performing their last shows across Australia, New Zealand and Uganda in February 2008. Campbell then issued a statement on his website and through his solicitors stating that he’d been unhappy with the business practices and business managers of UB40, later launching an investigation into the financial handling of the business.

Does Ali Campbell perform original UB40 songs?

Yes! The group have performed long-running hits from UB40’s album ‘Labour of Love’ such as ‘Cherry Oh Baby’, ‘Many Rivers to Cross’, ‘Please Don’t Make Me Cry’, and ‘Red Red Wine’ which topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Other singles include ‘Kingston Town’, ‘I Got You Babe’ and ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You.’

What inspired Ali Campbell and Astro’s ‘Unprecedented’?

‘Unprecedented’ is the follow-up to 2018's ‘A Real Labour of Love’. Recorded in studios in London and Jamaica between lockdowns, the album features a collection of cover songs from artists including Stevie Wonder and Kris Kristofferson, alongside self-penned tracks inspired by the pandemic and UK culture. 

How many countries has Ali Campbell toured in since 2018?

UB40 feat Ali Campbell has toured over 70 countries in arenas and stadiums worldwide. 

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell tour dates & tickets

To get information on upcoming UB40 featuring Ali Campbell tour dates and concert tickets, you can visit the official website.

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Sheldon Ang Media

Concert Review: UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell Live in Fremantle

1st of February 2024 at the Fremantle Prison – Perth, Western Australia

Review by Erica Lorimer

Photography by Lorimer Images

A pulsating heartbeat propagates as the evening “doctor” cools a heatwave in Fremantle and heralds the arrival of a world’s premier reggae band.  Within the derelict prison walls a capacity crowd awaits, as the venue is transformed into a throbbing hub of reggae rhythms and swags.  The mighty UB40 are here in town.

Few bands can endure a four-decade journey and consistently performing in sold out shows, which delight an eclectic fan base across the generations between 8 and 80. Ali Campbell , a founding member and frontman of the original lineup for three decades, now tours globally under the banner of UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell . 

Hailing from Birmingham, UK, UB40’s music has been shaped by a rich cultural mix which blends Jamaican reggae, jazz, blues, and calypso styles.  Making music they genuinely love, UB40 have propelled reggae onto the world stage by establishing a distinctive identity and popularising the genre with massive hits such as “Red Red Wine”.

After local talent Toby Beard’s energetic opening, UB40’s ten-piece band, led by MC Frank Benbini (aka Franky B), takes the stage.  Franky B is a charismatic ringmaster sporting his signature red Kangol Bermuda bucket hat and hypes up the energy all night calling to the crowd exclaims, “My name is Frank B, and I bring the par-teeee!”

Ali Campbell, the main man himself, takes the stage.  His enduring impact on the band is undeniable, praised by many for the distinctive quality and signature accent of his voice.  The show opens fittingly with “Here I am (Come and Take Me),” one of their most successful hits of 1991, reaching number 3 on the charts in Australia.

The next song, a cover of the Temptations’ 1964 timeless gem, “The Way You Do the Things You Do”, adds a laid-back Caribbean style rhythm and signature steel drums.  The song presents UB40 at its best by adapting covers with a breezy and distinctive reggae tune.  More chill favourites follow including “Homely Girl” and the classic “Cherry Oh Baby”, originally written by Smokey Robinson.

From an elevated vantage point on the prison wall’s high guard’s walk, this photographer and writer enjoys the scene below of a huge crowd bouncing in harmony to the rhythm.  A friend beside me remarks that “the singing is worthy of a Manchester United soccer game”.

UB40’s hugely successful single “One In Ten” is next.  Released in 1981, this song became a British protest anthem, echoing the socially charged tunes of Caribbean legends like Bob Marley.  “Versioned” by Jamaican reggae acts, the lyrics are a commentary on societal inequality and harsh realities that many people overlook: “Nobody knows me, but I’m always there. A statistical reminder of a world that doesn’t care.”

A memorable moment for many was their reggae tribute to Prince’s “Purple Rain”.  Introduced with British self-deprecating humour, a style lapped up by the Aussie crowd, Franky B amusingly shared, “Well, we sent the recording to him (Prince), and we reckon he liked it because, you know, he didn’t say anything.”

Following the cover of “Many Rivers to Cross,” the stage is bathed in red light. The crowd, catching the cue, enthusiastically joins in the chorus of the acclaimed anthem “Red Red Wine.”  This reggae-infused rendition of Neil Diamond’s song peaked at number 2 in Australia in 1983 and is possibly one of the 80’s most iconic songs.

After the band’s well known and loved cover of Elvis Presley’s “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love”, Franky B introduces the touring talent with playful allusions to herbal escapades and witty nicknames like “Mr De Lips on the trumpet”.  Londoner Adriano on the sax is introduced as “a-nava Italian brava from a different ma-va.”. 

“This must be the most fun ever had in these walls!”.  Franky B’s amusing quips and infectious enthusiasm continues to amuse the crowd, drawing them in with spirited call-and-response interactions.  His playful directive, “So when I say ‘UB,’ you say ’40’!” whips up an already lively audience.

Fans chanting “U B forty” and piercing screams of “Al-lee,” are rewarded with an encore of “Kingston Town”.  Much like “Red, Red Wine,” the lyrics of the Lord Creator’s song are so well known that everyone effortlessly sings along. 

As the night ends, the smiles on those reluctantly heading home reveal just how much UB40 is a source of joy for so many.  Ali and the band must be well chuffed with how things turned out, and we can be sure they’ll come back to Perth soon and welcomed as always as old friends.

The writer would like to thank Face to Face Touring and Sheldon Ang Media for the Press Accreditation.

About the Writer and Photographer :  Erica Lorimer  holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree from the University of Western Australia (UWA), majoring in English Literature and Economics, and a Certificate IV in Design. She is also a  freelance photographer   who loves capturing images of live music and travel photography, sometimes with film from vintage cameras and making prints in a home darkroom. 

Sheldon Ang Media  (est. May 2022) have been accredited to photograph and review the likes of Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, KISS, Robbie Williams plus more than seventy major live shows, with reviews shared by various artists including UB40, Toni Childs, The Wiggles and Delta Goodrem. The founder has also interviewed rockers Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses) and many more.

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UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell

UB40 are Britain's greatest reggae artists and have survived more than 30 years in the music business and have clocked up more than 40 million record more...

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The Selecter

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UB40 ft Ali Campbell

The hits tour.

• Date 9 Apr , 2024
• Event Starts 7:30 PM
• On Sale On Sale Now

The Mixer is our brand-new premium space. With its own private bar, bar tender and table service you won’t need to leave your seat or miss a moment of the action. Find out more about The Mixer  here.

Our awesome Suite Experiences gives up to 16 people an unforgettable time. Welcome drink. Suite host to look after your every whim. Pre-show drinks and dining. Private seats and dancing area.  More on Suites here .

Elevate your evening with our Luxury Experience. Access the arena via our VIP entrance . Sip a flute of the finest  Champagne . Savour three courses of fine dining. Luxury all the way.  More on Luxury Experiences here.

Tickets for The Gallery won’t break the bank but you will get VIP treatment. You’ll jump the queues via the VIP early fast-track entrance and be handed a free welcome drink. Enjoy access to our VIP bathrooms by simply flashing your souvenir Gallery lanyard. Get food and drink delivered direct to your seat.

Already got your ticket?   Beat the queues  and enter via our Black & White Lounge.  Enjoy a  welcome drink  before tucking in to a delicious  3 course meal  in our  private bar  .   More on Upgrades here.

Event Details

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell have announced The Hits Tour for 2024 in arenas across the UK, celebrating the biggest songs from the UK’s most successful Reggae band of all-time.

The Hits Tour will begin on 6 th April at Liverpool M&S Bank Arena, before going on to Glasgow, Leeds, London’s The O2, Birmingham, Cardiff, before its finale in Nottingham.

The announcement comes today as Ali Campbell celebrates the band being inducted into the Music Walk of Fame with an intimate show at London’s Koko. The ceremony will see the unveiling of a stone on the Walk of Fame on Camden High Street.

Next week also marks 40 years since the release of UB40’s seminal album ‘Labour of Love’ on 12 th September 1983, which produced the groundbreaking hits that will be performed on this tour such as ‘Cherry Oh Baby’, ‘Many Rivers to Cross’, ‘Please Don’t Make Me Cry’, and of course the ubiquitous ‘Red Red Wine’ which topped the charts both sides of the Atlantic.

Further hits from across the band’s career such as ‘Kingston Town’, a cover of ‘I Got You Babe’ with Chrissie Hynde, and ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You’ helped the band and Ali Campbell become the authentic voice of UK Reggae, with a total of 70 million records sold, as they took their smooth yet rootsy musical blend to all corners of the globe.

Joining UB40 featuring Ali Campbell for the tour will be very special guest, Bitty McLean.

Bitty emerged in the 1990’s, and appeared on UB40’s 1993 album ‘Promise and Lies’. Bitty’s own recordings including ‘It Keeps Raining (Tears From My Eyes), ‘Dedicated To The One I Love’ and ‘Here I Stand’ notched up 3 UK top ten singles by 1994 selling over 1 million records. He continues to be one of Britain’s premier Reggae vocalists.

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UB40 featuring Ali Campbell

• April 1, 2024 Setlist

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell Setlist at Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium

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• Small Axe Play Video
• If It Happens Again ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• Food for Thought ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• King ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• Present Arms ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• Homely Girl ( The Chi‐Lites  cover) Play Video
• Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day?) ( Lloyd Price  cover) ( UB40 title: Wedding Day ) Play Video
• The Way You Do the Things You Do ( The Temptations  cover) Play Video
• Cherry Oh Baby ( Eric Donaldson  cover) Play Video
• Impossible Love ( Honey Boy  cover) Play Video
• Johnny Too Bad ( The Slickers  cover) Play Video
• Stick by Me ( Shep & the Limelites  cover) Play Video
• Come Back Darling Play Video
• Bring Me Your Cup ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• Don't Break My Heart ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• Groovin' (Out on Life) ( The Newbeats  cover) Play Video
• Please Don't Make Me Cry ( Winston Groovy  cover) Play Video
• Many Rivers to Cross ( Jimmy Cliff  cover) Play Video
• Jazz Odyssey ( By Frank B ) Play Video
• One in Ten ( UB40  cover) Play Video
• Kingston Town ( Lord Creator  cover) Play Video
• Red Red Wine ( Neil Diamond  cover) Play Video
• Can't Help Falling in Love ( Elvis Presley  cover) Play Video

Edits and Comments

6 activities (last edit by oddi , 3 Apr 2024, 15:38 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Bring Me Your Cup by UB40
• Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
• Cherry Oh Baby by Eric Donaldson
• Don't Break My Heart by UB40
• Food for Thought by UB40
• Groovin' (Out on Life) by The Newbeats
• Homely Girl by The Chi‐Lites
• If It Happens Again by UB40
• Impossible Love by Honey Boy
• Johnny Too Bad by The Slickers
• King by UB40
• Kingston Town by Lord Creator
• Many Rivers to Cross by Jimmy Cliff
• One in Ten by UB40
• Please Don't Make Me Cry by Winston Groovy
• Present Arms by UB40
• Red Red Wine by Neil Diamond
• Stick by Me by Shep & the Limelites
• The Way You Do the Things You Do by The Temptations
• Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day?) by Lloyd Price
• Come Back Darling
• Jazz Odyssey

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Tour Update

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About UB40 – the history of Ali, Astro & Mickey.

The history of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell

Ali Campbell can still remember the first time he met Astro, a musician who would have a profound impact on him as a lifelong friend and bandmate. It was in Birmingham in the late 1970s, when the pair were in their teens and Astro was part of a crew of black skinheads who roamed the local neighbourhood in sheepskin coats, leaving Ali slightly in awe.

Astro, born Terence Wilson, got his nickname on account of his fondness for Dr. Martens boots emblazoned with the brand name Astronaut. When he joined up with singer and guitarist Campbell a few years later in the fledgling UB40, supplying additional vocals and playing trumpet and percussion, he added the final piece to a musical jigsaw that went on to conquer the charts and put British reggae on the world map.

And now, as Ali gears up for a new UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro album, the superb Unprecedented , he is having to come to terms with the sudden loss of a musician who had been by his side, with just a six-year hiatus, for his entire career. Astro passed away in November 2021 after a short illness, and Unprecedented , fueled by the roots rocking spirit that powered UB40’s original incarnation, is an album to inject a little reggae sunshine into even the darkest days. It’s also a fitting memorial to Astro.

“Astro’s death came as such a shock, and I’m still reeling from it,” says Ali. “This album is now more poignant and special than either of us could have imagined when we were recording it. Astro heartbreakingly passed just two weeks after we’d finished the final mixes, so this is a way of keeping his memory alive.”

Ali and Astro augment one another magnificently on Unprecedented – just as they did four decades ago on UB40’s version of ‘Red Red Wine’, a chart-topping single illuminated by Ali’s honeyed, melodic tones and Astro’s memorable “red red wine in a modern beat style” toast. On the new album, Astro comes to the fore on the single Sufferer. A reggae standard originally by The Kingstonians, it would have graced any of UB40’s acclaimed Labour Of Love albums. His ‘sing-jay’ style of MC-ing is also prominent on the title track, on which he takes the government to task over their handling of the coronavirus pandemic, labelling them ‘headless chickens’.

Booking Agent – Gary Howard at UTA, London

Management – Trinifold Management, London

“Whenever Astro wrote a song, he wanted to say something,” continues Ali. “He had a real love of melody, which set him apart from other reggae MCs. He was under-used in the early days of UB40, but the public loved him, and he came into his own on tracks like Rat In Mi Kitchen. He was incredibly versatile too. He wasn’t a ‘yardie’ toaster. He had a hybrid approach. If you expected him to be street-tough, you’d be barking up the wrong tree. He did things his way.”

Ali and Astro also had to overcome the hurdle of creating music in lockdown. When the pandemic hit in 2020, they were in the middle of a world tour that had taken them to Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand and even a stop-off on Rarotonga, in the South Pacific. After gigs in early 2020 in Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, however, the world’s stages fell silent, and the duo returned to the UK, where they reassembled their touring band remotely to record a single, the late Bill Withers’ ‘Lean On Me.’ Released in aid of NHS Charities Together, the song features again on Unprecedented .

Coming up with original songs in lockdown was tougher, but Ali and Astro eventually pushed through with a potent mix of new material and classy covers. “People kept telling me that lockdown must be great for songwriting – all that time on your hands, lots of food for thought,” says Ali. “I didn’t see it like that. It wasn’t conducive to writing at all, especially when your speciality is uplifting reggae. But in the end, I came up with new tracks that were fresh and modern.”

Among Unprecedented ‘s other originals are the romantic ‘We’ll Never Find Another Love’, ‘Emperors Wore No Clothes’ and ‘Happy Includes Everyone’, the latter a Latin-tinged carnival number that is an upbeat antidote to the album’s scathing title track. The heartfelt ‘Mellow’, underpinned by a rhythm that rekindles the leisurely stride of 1980’s ‘Food For Thought’, was written long before Astro’s death, but still feels like an elegy: “We all know life’s too short, and sadly time cannot be bought.”

Four tracks, ‘Emperors Wore No Clothes’ plus the covers ‘Do Yourself A Favour’, ‘Stay Another Day’ and ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, were recorded during a productive, five-day stay in Jamaica, where Ali and Astro hooked up with the cream of the island’s reggae players, including drummer Sly Dunbar, bassist Chris Meredith, keyboardist Robbie Lyn and guitarist Mitchum ‘Khan’ Chan.

The covers also reiterate Ali and Astro’s knack of alighting on unlikely songs and reinterpreting them in a reggae style. It’s a custom that dates back to UB40’s 1980 debut album, Signing Off , which contained reggae versions of Randy Newman’s ‘I Think It’s Going To Rain Today’ and Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’. When Ali made his fourth solo album, Great British Songs , in 2010, he covered classic rock songs by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who and Free.  

“In the original UB40, we were good at choosing old reggae favourites like Eric Donaldson’s Cherry Oh Baby and Lord Creator’s Kingston Town, because we grew up on songs like that,” says Ali. “But it’s also interesting to take a totally unexpected song and cover it in a reggae style.”

There are certainly some curve balls on Unprecedented , including Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ and a version of Stevie Wonder’s funky protest song ‘Do Yourself A Favour’. The latter is from 1971’s Where I’m Coming From , an album that heralded Stevie’s move towards the socially conscious lyrics of the ground-breaking albums Music Of My Mind , Talking Book and Innervisions .

Ali has covered Stevie before. There’s a lovely version of ‘A Place In The Sun’ on 2014’s Silhouette . But Unprecedented is the first time he and Astro have tackled a song by 1990s boy band East 17. Their version of ‘Stay Another Day’, about the death of East 17 songwriter Tony Mortimer’s brother, is an emotional tour de force. “I love the melody,” says Ali.

Elsewhere, he and Astro explore more authentic reggae material, including New York rock steady crew The Frightnrs’ ‘What Have I Done’, and two tracks from the under-appreciated UK reggae canon – the Gappy Ranks’ dancehall hit ‘Heaven In Her Eyes’, which uses Bob Marley & The Wailers’ ‘Soul Rebel’ as a backing track, and Louisa Mark’s lovers’ rock classic ‘Caught You In A Lie’, the latter starring Ali’s daughter Indica on lead vocals.

Unprecedented is the latest chapter in a story that dates back to 1978, when UB40 began putting their own slant on Jamaican reggae. Taking their name from the form given to individuals claiming unemployment benefit, the multi-racial band played their first show at the Hare & Hounds pub in Kings Heath in 1979. Astro, an MC for the local Duke Alloy sound system, joined a month later.

After reaching number four in the UK with debut single ‘King / Food For Thought’, they released Signing Off , and went on to sell 70 million records, topping the UK singles chart on three occasions – with ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘I Got You Babe’ (a duet between Ali and Chrissie Hynde) and ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You’. Two of those singles, ‘Red Red Wine’ and ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You’, also reached number one in the States, while Ali and his brother Robin joined toaster Pato Banton to top the UK charts again in 1994 with ‘Baby Come Back’.

For Ali, a new era began when he left the original band 14 years ago. He had already released two solo albums in Big Love and Running Free and made two more, Flying High and Great British Songs , before he and keyboardist Mickey Virtue reunited with Astro on 2014’s Silhouette . That was followed by 2016’s UB40 Unplugged and 2018’s A Real Labour Of Love . Updating the ethos of the original Labour Of Love trilogy, the latter focused on the digital reggae and dancehall styles of the late 1970s and 1980s, with the group putting their own spin on Barrington Levy’s ‘Here I Come’, Wayne Smith’s ‘Under Me Sleng Teng’ and hits by Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Culture and Shinehead. Held off the UK number one spot only by the soundtrack to Hollywood blockbuster The Greatest Showman, it was the highest charting album by any incarnation of UB40 since 1993’s Promises And Lies .

With Ali part of a ten-piece touring band, UB40 are now ready to add tracks from Unprecedented to a formidable live set that contains material spanning over four decades. As well as favourites such as ‘Red Red Wine’, they have reintroduced some older tracks that have taken on a renewed significance. Among these are 1979’s ‘King’, inspired by the legacy of American Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, and 1997’s ‘Guns In the Ghetto’.

“Some of the older songs are still so appropriate,” says Ali. “We wrote King 42 years ago, but it still says something about America today. It’s the same with One In Ten for the UK. With the impact of coronavirus, we could soon be looking at unemployment figures on a par with the early 1980s.”

“We’ll be back on tour, even though we’re still reeling from the loss of Astro,” he continues. “It’s going to be daunting, because there’s no way we can replace Astro onstage, but he would have wanted these shows to go on. The current band are all fantastic musicians, and we’ve climbed back up to the biggest venues.”

In remaining true to the authentic reggae spirit that kick-started his music career in the late 1970s, Ali is now celebrating the legacy of his departed bandmate by keeping faith with their original shared ideals. “For me, it’s all about advancing reggae,” he says. “I love all kinds of music, but we’ve always promoted reggae. I’ve never deviated from that. I’m strictly reggae.”

Unprecedented is released June 17, 2022 on UMC

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The British reggae legends have also announced North American dates beginning May 12.

Published on

UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro will release their new album Unprecedented , on June 24 via UMe . The album will be released as a black 2LP, a limited-edition white-color 2LP, 1CD, limited-edition cassette as well as digitally.

All formats include their new single “Sufferer”, which Ali has dedicated to his beloved friend and bandmate of over four decades, Astro, who tragically passed away last November .

‘“Sufferer,” is a song that Astro and I have always loved , from the brilliant Kingstonians,” comments Ali. “Astro was so proud of our version of this song, as am I. It’s the first track off our new studio album Unprecedented which will be out in the summer. This song is more poignant and special than I ever realized after Astro heartbreakingly passed away after recording this album. We want to keep his memory alive through his music and this song and album.”

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In addition to touring across Europe in 2022, the legendary British reggae-pop group has announced three tour dates in North America beginning May 12 in Las Vegas, NV.

Prior to Unprecedented , UB40 Featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey’s most recent album, 2018’s A Real Labour Of Love , debuted at No.2 on the UK album chart, only dropping one place a week later to No.3, and the album spent a month in the Top 10. UB40 topped the UK singles chart on three occasions and sold 70 million records as they took their smooth yet rootsy musical blend to all corners of the globe.

Between 1983 and 1998 the group produced three Labour Of Love albums, bringing hits such as Eric Donaldson’s “Cherry Oh Baby”, Lord Creator’s “Kingston Town” and Johnny Osbourne’s “Come Back Darling” to a new, global audience. They also topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic with their reggae covers of “Red Red Wine” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You” and had a further UK No.1 with their cover of “I Got You Babe” with Chrissie Hynde.

Pre-order Unprecedented .

Unprecedented includes the following tracks:

“Caught You In A Lie” “Do Yourself A Favour” “Emperors Wore No Clothes” “Happy Includes Everyone” “Heaven In Her Eyes” “Lean On Me / In Aid Of NHS Charities Together” “Lean On Me” “Mellow” “Stay Another Day” “Sufferer” “Sunday Morning Coming Down” “Unprecedented” “We’ll Never Find Another Love” “What Have I Done”

2022 UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell US Tour Dates:

05/14/2022: The Beach at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV 05/15/2022: BeachLife Festival, Redondo Beach, CA 05/16/2022: Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, Sn Diego, CA

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UB40’s Ali Campbell: “There will never be a reunion between me and my brother”

In Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?!, we quiz a grizzled artist on their own career to see how much they can remember – and find out if the years in the trenches has affected the ol’ grey matter. This week: Ali Campbell, best known as singer of UB40

1 On a remix of whose chart-topping 2019 hit does Birmingham rapper Jaykae have verses that reference UB40?

“Who’s the ginger fellow? Is it Ed Sheeran ?”

CORRECT. It’s ‘Take Me Back to London (Sir Spyro Remix)’, featuring Stormzy , Jaykae and Aitch .

“Got that one! I was flattered, as I always am to get mention in somebody else’s lyrics.”

There are two competing versions of UB40 : the one that replaced you as lead singer with your brother, Duncan, and your band – UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro. Do you think you’ll all ever bury the hatchet?

“No, that’ll never happen. They’re failing miserably and we’re flying high, so I wouldn’t dream of going back to them. There will never be a reunion.”

2 After the ‘other’ UB40 appeared at a bizarre press conference endorsing Jeremy Corbyn in 2016, which ginger frontman said: ‘Jeremy Corbyn has much in common with UB40. They are currently as divided as his Labour party’?

“( Laughs ) Er, Mick Hucknall?”

CORRECT. Of Simply Red . What did you think when the rival version of UB40 (fronted by your brother Duncan) did that?

“We’re all socialists and obviously we’d support the Labour party, but I wasn’t too keen on Jeremy Corbyn. I thought he was a bit antiquated and he put everyone off by wearing his Lenin hat, calling each other ‘comrade’ and singing ‘The Red Flag’. I think that’s all too old-fashioned now and a modern Labour party doesn’t need that stuff.”

Do you prefer current Labour leader Keir Starmer?

“No, not really. With Brexit and the pandemic, the politicians have shown their true colours. They’re a bunch of headless chickens who don’t know what they’re doing, and we can see they’re useless. You had Cameron running away after Brexit happened, and generally our politicians stink. That goes for all parties as far as I’m concerned.”

3 Which controversial Supreme Court judge allegedly got into a fight after a UB40 gig in 1985 with an Ali Campbell lookalike?

“I can’t remember his name. Are you on about the American who thought he was having a fight with me after a concert? It’s complete nonsense.”

WRONG. It’s Brett Kavanaugh who, as a college student, was reported to be involved in an altercation with a man some thought was you.

“That’s him! It’s just bollocks. I don’t go for drinks across the road after a show ( Laughs ). I’m back at my hotel. And you know, I would have battered him anyway!”

Any other memorable false stories involving you?

“After UB40 played the Montreux Jazz Festival once, the newspapers reported that us and Depeche Mode had gone on a boat that sunk. Robin [Campbell, guitarist] was quoted as saying: ‘And then the rest of the band jumped in to save the beer’, which wasn’t true. I couldn’t see us hanging out with Depeche Mode back in the day.”

4 In Family Guy , which character’s tricycle has the licence plate ‘UB40FAN’?

“Bloody hell, what’s the little bald baby called?”

WRONG. He’s named Stewie Griffin.

“I did see that. We got a mention on Friends once as well where they said they’d come back from a UB40 gig, which we were chuffed about.”

Stewie isn’t the only criminal mastermind to be a fan of UB40. Apparently you produced a song written by Reggie Kray…

“What happened was I was in a late-night club in Birmingham, drunk at 3.30am, and [Peter Gillett, Kray’s so-called ‘adopted son’ whom he met in prison ] whipped his guitar out and started singing a song: ‘ You act so macho all through the day / But in the hours of darkness you’re the other way’ . We were all laughing at him and asked: ‘Did you write that song?’. He went: ‘No. Reggie Kray did’. Being a complete idiot, I offered to produce it.

“I’ve still got the letters [Kray] sent me from prison. The first went: ‘ Thank you for looking after my boy. He said you’re going to do a record with him and we’re really pleased about that. God bless, your friend Reggie Kray’ . Then I lost interest in the project and got a second letter saying: ‘ Friends are telling me you’ve lost interest. Remember: you kick the pup, you kick his master. God bless, your friend Reggie Kray’ . This is all manically scribbled in different coloured inks – red, green, everything. ( Laughs )”

“Obviously I went back to the studio and finished the song called ‘Closet Queen’, and put whips and gunshots on it. Then I got a third letter saying: ‘ Thank you for looking after my pup. Your picture is on my wall above my bed. God bless, your friend Reggie Kray’ . ( Laughs ) No record company would touch it with a barge pole.”

5 What number did UB40’s debut ‘Signing Off’ reach on NME’s Best Albums of 1980 list?

“I don’t know that one! Number Two?”

WRONG. It was 13 .

“Unlucky for some!”

A lot of that album’s subject matter – such as racial bias in the eyes of the law and high unemployment – seems timely at the moment…

“The saddest thing is that our first single, ‘King’ is over 40 years old and it’s just as relevant today as it was then. We wrote it after we’d seen a documentary about Martin Luther King Jr, and those pictures of policemen kneeling on people’s necks in the 1965 Watts riots are the same as you see happening in England when police are arresting black kids today. We were a young and hopeful band dreaming of a Rainbow Nation, but since then, I think things have actually gone backwards.”

6 According to a MI5 whisteblower, UB40 were one of four “subversive” bands that the agency kept files on. Can you name any of the other three?

“Were Crass in there? Sex Pistols ?”

CORRECT. You only missed John Lennon .

“We’re in very good company! I think we behaved suspiciously back in the day ( Laughs ). It might have been our lyrical content they were worried about but I have no idea why they would spy on us.”

Ever fraternise with any of your fellow subversives?

“No. I never met the Sex Pistols or John Lennon, but I’ve met Paul McCartney a few times. He’s a lovely bloke, and phoned me up once when he was in Jamaica just to tell me he liked my album. When we did Live 8 in 2005, he asked me to sing ‘The Long and Winding Road’ with him and I refused because I didn’t know the words. I didn’t want to stand there going ‘ The long and winding road la, la, la, la’ in front of billions of people, so I bottled it!”

7 Which hotel heiress’ debut single faced legal action over it sounding too similar to ‘Kingston Town’*?

“ Paris Hilton .”

CORRECT. For alleged similarities with her 2006 song ‘Stars Are Blind’.

“It really was a total lift. When I heard it, I said what almost everybody does: ‘Wow! That’s more or less ‘Kingston Town’ all the way through’. It was almost comical. I don’t know who sued her – it wasn’t us.”

It was the copyright holders of the song, Sparta Florida Music Group, who started legal proceedings. In 2006, UB40 also played a House of Blues show where the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and Gwen Stefani turned up and outed themselves as fans…

“We were upset because when Gwen Stefani came into the club, she was upstairs in the balcony and the fuckers who run the club put the spotlight on her all the way through the show – which must have made her uncomfortable. But we love Gwen and No Doubt , particularly stuff like ‘Underneath It All’ that they did with [reggae legends] Sly and Robbie. She knows her reggae. She came to another big show after the House Of Blues one – and we gave her a smokeable present, so she was happy. Her husband at the time [Gavin Rossdale of Bush ] came up to me the day after and went: ‘What the hell did you do to my wife?! She was all over the place when she got home!’ ( Laughs )”

* Kingston Town is a 1970 song by Lord Creator that UB40 made famous when they covered it in 1989.

8 UB40 were nominated for Best Group at the 1984 Brits. Who beat you?

“I’ve no idea.”

WRONG.  It was Culture Club .

“Well… would you believe it! We’ve never been into industry patting each other on the head. We were offered the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, but I was an idiot and said: ‘What do we want a lifetime achievement award for? We ain’t finished yet!’. I’ve got an Ivor Novello Award [for International Achievement] as well, but they mean nothing. I think that because I got nominated for an Ivor Novello for my B-15 Project for ‘ Girls Like Us’ , which was a garage track, in 2001. But I was pipped to the post by Bob the Builder ! Which says it all. It’s a bit like being beaten by Culture Club! ( Laughs ) I shouldn’t say that – I like Boy George.”

9 Which sitcom character once said: ‘I’ve got a broad taste, from the Britpop bands like UB40 and Def Leppard right back to classic rock like Wings’?

“You’ve got me there!”

WRONG. It’s Alan Partridge .

“Brilliant! ( Laughs ) Steve Coogan’s a funny guy and I like him.”

Collided with any Britpoppers?

“I’ve met Noel Gallagher several times. In Australia, he was taking the piss out of us because we were playing The State Theatre in Sydney and he was doing a big festival and he was ribbing me going: ‘Oh, are you only playing the State Theatre then?’ Then his festival got cancelled ( Laughs ).”

10 Name either of the two people who impersonated you on the celebrity specials of  Stars In Their Eyes .

“Brian Harvey from East 17 .”

CORRECT. The other was Jeff Brazier.  

“They always do ‘Kingston Town’ don’t they? Brian Harvey is a really great singer. I loved East 17’s Christmas Number One ‘Stay Another Day’;  it’s a beautiful song.”

The verdict: 5/10

“Do I win a prize?”

UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro’s ‘The Unprecedented Tour’ begins in April 2021. Their album ‘Unprecedented’ will be released next year

• Related Topics
• Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?

• Verslag: Bart Arens was bij UB40 ft. Ali Campbell

Bart Arens was gister bij het concert van reggae-popgroep UB40, die samen met Ali Campbell op het podium stond in de Ziggo Dome. Lees hier zijn verslag!

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome… The Voice of UB40… This is Ali Campbell!” Na een traditionele aankondiging betreedt de inmiddels 65-jarige zanger breed grijnzend het podium. Als de blazers van de band vervolgens het bekende intro van If It Happens Again inzetten, is de toon gezet. De rookwolkjes van hier en daar ontstoken pretsigaretten cirkelen door de Ziggo Dome en de lazy reggaevibe trekt door de zaal. Het tempo blijft meestal onder de relatief langzame 80 tot 100 beats per minuut en dat zorgt voor het bekende ontspannen sfeertje. De UB40-hitshow is begonnen!

Of eerder… De Ali Campbell-hitshow is begonnen. Want door een stevige ruzie is er al een tijdje sprake van twee tourende versies van de band: UB40 zonder Ali Cambell, en Ali Campbell… zónder UB40. Maar de band die Ali nu om zich heen heeft verzameld, speelt de oorspronkelijke muziek prima. De andere UB40-variant staat later dit jaar, op 29 november, trouwens óók in de Ziggo Dome.

The Hits Tour

Na het bekende Food For Thought moet ik eerlijk zeggen dat ze iets minder grote radiohits spelen dan ik van The Hits Tour verwacht had. Wel is het concert doorspekt van muziek en weinig anders. Ali zorgt voor sfeer in de zaal door af en toe heel kort wat te zeggen, maar lange introducties en uitgebreide anekdotes blijven achterwege. Liever snel een nieuw liedje inzetten is het credo. En dat werkt goed.

Het voorprogramma van deze tour is Bitty McClean, die we vooral kennen van zijn jaren 90 hit It Keeps Rainin’. Halverwege de show vergezelt hij de band om een reggaecover van Charles & Eddie’s Would I Lie To You te spelen. Het verbaast me hoe geschikt dat popliedje eigenlijk is om in deze vorm te spelen!

foto: Bart Arens

Het zicht van Bart op het podium

If I say “UB…” you say “40…” klinkt het op 2/3 van het concert. Een stukje zeldzame publieksparticipatie. Ali swingt wat met de heupjes, beweegt af en toe z’n voeten een beetje, maar hij concentreert zich vooral op de kwaliteit van z’n zang en het overbrengen van de liedjes.

Quote “Terwijl ik dit schrijf, slaat de regen tegen de ruiten, maar het was gisteravond door de reggae van Ali en z’n band toch echt even plaatselijk hoogzomer in Nederland”

Plaatselijk hoogzomer

Vlak voor de encore zet een bandlid met z’n speciale paneeltje nog even een 'little megamix of hits' in, en zingt de Ziggo Dome korte versies van Rat In Mi Kitchen en Pato Bantons Baby Come Back mee. In dat blokje wordt ook het in 2021 overleden UB40-bandlid Astro geëerd. In de encore klinken nog One In Ten, Kingston Town, en de grootste meezingers van de avond: Red Red Wine en de Elvis-cover Can’t Help Falling In Love.

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UB40's Ali Campbell opens up about feud that ripped the band apart

13 September 2023, 11:50

By Giorgina Hamilton

The original UB40 star says he 'has nothing to say' to his former bandmates.

Listen to this article

Ali Campbell , the original lead singer of the iconic reggae band UB40, has confirmed he won't be reuniting with the original band anytime soon.

As Campbell received an honorary star on the Music Walk of Fame in London , he reflected on the bitter fallout that has marred the band's legacy, and has continued to split the band – and the Campbell brothers – into two factions.

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UB40 , renowned for their international success with over 70 million albums sold worldwide and hits like ' Red Red Wine ,' 'I Got You Babe,' and '(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You,' has found itself embroiled in a feud that has tarnished their message of love and unity.

The rift began in 2008 when Ali Campbell was replaced as the band's frontman by his elder brother, Duncan . Ali insists he was dismissed, while the band, including his brother Robin, claims he left to pursue a solo career.

This dispute led to the existence of two competing UB40s, with Duncan, Robin, and four others using the original band name, and Ali teaming up with remaining original members Astro and Mickey Virtue, performing as "UB40 Featuring Ali, Astro, and Mickey."

Tragedy struck in 2021 when saxophonist Brian Travers and Astro passed away, while Duncan's music career was cut short by a stroke .

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Even though the two bands have faced tragedies the feud rages on, with Ali making it clear that reconciliation is not on the horizon: "I don't think I've got anything to say to them. There's no way there'll be any getting together with them again," Ali tells the Daily Express .

Despite his success and recent recognition with a star on the Music Walk of Fame in Camden, north London, the 64-year-old singer still harbours regrets about the split.

"Oh, of course, it's sad. Stuff happened that should never have happened," he acknowledges. "It was all very messy and very silly. But I'm better off out of it all. I'm happier without all of that nonsense."

Ali remains critical of his former bandmates: "There's only four of the original line-up in what I call 'The dark side version.' And they weren't the most important ones in the band.

"I've no wish to go backward with them. I'm happy going forward with my band. Every time the dark side version plays, it takes away the legacy of my band."

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Now performing under the name "UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell", the second incarnation of the band has announced a substantial arena tour for the upcoming year.

Ali takes pride in performing in regions where few global artists venture: "I've taken my band to 72 different countries," he notes. "We're very lucky to have a truly worldwide fanbase."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by UB40 (@ub40official)

He recalls a peculiar encounter in the Solomon Islands, where naked men with tribal attire greeted them with blowpipes, eventually playing UB40 tunes on panpipes.

"We followed their bare bottoms back to the airport, which is where they whipped out panpipes and started playing UB40 tunes. It was the most ridiculous thing that's ever happened to me. I thought, 'How do they even know about UB40 music?'"

Ali Campbell's musical journey began in the diverse suburb of Birmingham, Balsall Heath, where he grew up surrounded by West Indian and Asian influences.

"I grew up listening to reggae music as it was coming together. I always was a little reggae fanatic, but not many people at school understood what I was talking about."

Reflecting on his early days, Ali remembers, "My school friends were into glam rockers like Marc Bolan and Mud, which went straight over my head."

It was during a gig in Camden that UB40's talent was recognised by Chrissie Hynde, the lead singer of The Pretenders , leading to an invitation to support her on tour.

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