UB40

The story of UB40, and how this group of young friends from Birmingham transcended their working-class origins to become the world’s most successful reggae band, selling over 100 million records and spending over a combined 11 years in the UK album charts, is not the stuff of fairytales as might be imagined. The group’s led a charmed life in many respects it’s true, but it’s been a long haul since the days they’d meet up in the bars and clubs around Moseley, and some of them had to scrape by on less than £8 a week unemployment benefit. The choice was simple if you’d left school early. You could either work in one of the local factories, like Robin Campbell did, or scuffle along aimlessly whilst waiting for something else to happen.

By the summer of 1978, something else did happen, and the nucleus of UB40 began rehearsing in a local basement. Robin’s younger brother Ali, Earl Falconer, Brian Travers and James Brown all knew each other from Moseley School of Art, whilst Norman Hassan had been a friend of the Campbell’s since junior school. Initially, they thought of themselves as an instrumental “jazz-dub-reggae” band, but by the time Robin was persuaded to rejoin and much later they’d recruited Michael Virtue and lastly Astro – who’d learnt his craft with Birmingham sound-system Duke Alloy – the group had already aligned themselves to left-wing political ideals and forged their own identity, separate from the many punk and Two Tone outfits around at that time. The group had nailed their colours to the mast by naming themselves after an unemployment benefit form. Their political convictions hadn’t been gleaned second hand either, but cemented in place whilst attending marches protesting against the National Front, or rallies organised by Rock Against Racism.

By the time Chrissie Hynde invited them to tour with the Pretenders during the Spring of 1980 and their debut single “King b/w Food For Thought” had sailed into the UK Top 5, all the essential elements of UB40 were already in place. Their line-up will remain unchanged for thirty years, and they will continue playing a mix of original material and an inspired choice of reggae covers in a style that’s instantly accessible with its bright melodies and sweeping horn arrangements – one that’s allied to a formidable rhythm section in James Brown (drums) and Earl Falconer (bass) capable of holding its own with anything from Jamaica.

UB40’s first album was released the following September, on Graduate Records. Their deal allowed them much more creative freedom than if they had signed with a major label. The cover artwork memorably duplicated an unemployment benefit card, with the title “Signing Off” rubber-stamped in red, but it was the music that quickly worked its way into the affections of a young, mainly student crowd with it’s knowing lyrics, solid reggae rhythms and dubby, instrumental passages, offset by warm sax solos and Jamaican style scatting. There was nothing else like it at the time. As a multi-cultural band from Birmingham, UB40 weren’t drawn into trying to sound “authentic,” and there was considerably more depth to their music than that of many punk and 2Tone bands. “I’m a British subject, not proud of it, while I carry the burden of shame,” they sang on one of the tracks. Accepting the truth of their own situation amidst a sea of other reggae songs proclaiming black heritage gave us a valuable insight into where UB40 were coming from. They were unafraid to stand up and be counted, and British audiences instinctively loved them for it. “Signing Off” duly went to No. 2 in the UK and stayed on the nation’s album charts for 72 weeks.

At the end of 1980, UB40 terminated their contract with Graduate and formed their own record company, DEP International, with all eight members owning an equal share. They also signed a licensing deal with CBS, which ensured them far better distribution. “Signing Off” was still in the charts when they released their second album “Present Arms” in the summer of 1981. The sound was immediately brighter, harder and more professional, yet the spirit and commitment underpinning the band’s songs remained resolutely unchanged, as heard on “One In Ten,” written about, among other things, the UK’s record number of unemployed. With lyrics like “Nobody knows me, but I’m always there. A statistical reminder of a world that doesn’t care,” “One In Ten” became an anthem of the British protest movement, and a genuine counterpart to the equally motivated songs being written by the likes of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in the Caribbean. “One In Ten” will earn the rare distinction of being “versioned” by Jamaican reggae acts in future. Back in 1981, it formed part of the soundtrack accompanying the race riots erupting in places like Brixton, Handsworth and St. Paul’s in Bristol – hard pressed, inner city areas with large immigrant communities that had found themselves on the frontline in resisting the right wing policies of Margaret Thatcher’s government.

Four months later, and “Present Arms In Dub” became the first-ever dub album to enter the UK Top 40 – this during a period when dub music was the exclusive preserve of grassroots reggae fans, accustomed to buying Jamaican imports. UB40’s stature among British audiences was now assured. They possessed credibility, even whilst racking up hit records, and practiced true democracy by insisting that each member had an equal say in the band’s affairs.

Their next album, 1982’s “UB44,” was recorded in Dublin and featured innovative use of holograms on the ‘limited edition’ sleeve. Trips to Australia and Zimbabwe coincided with further hits in the shape of “I Won’t Close My Eyes,” “Love Is All Alright,” “So Here I Am” and “I Got Mine,” but none breached the Top 20. “UB44” did get to No. 4 in the album charts, but then CBS ended their association with the band, enabling them to negotiate a new deal with Richard Branson’s Virgin Records.

Soon afterwards, they opened a studio in Birmingham called The Abattoir. Now masters of their own destiny (and with legendary JA keyboard player Jackie Mittoo guesting), they decided to pay tribute to the reggae pioneers who’d first inspired them back in the blues parties and clubs of Birmingham, and from hanging out at places like Don Christie’s record store. The band became evangelists of a kind, introducing classic reggae songs and artists to new audiences from around the world as they embarked on four installments of the “Labour Of Love” series of albums.

The first was released in the summer of 1983, and contrary to past record labels’ expectations, the change of direction worked magnificently. Labour Of Love became the band’s first No. 1 album in the UK, and would remain in the British charts for eighteen months. Lead single “Red Red Wine” also went straight to No. 1. In fact it stayed in the British charts for two years, thereby giving UB40 their first truly worldwide hit and, eventually, their first American No.1.

UB40 were now recast as Britain’s foremost reggae ambassadors. They have arguably fostered a love of reggae music in more people than any other artist, including Bob Marley, and it started just as soon as they’d introduced timeless Jamaican classics to contemporary audiences on “Labour Of Love.” “Please Don’t Make Me Cry,” “Many Rivers To Cross” and “Cherry Oh Baby” were the other hits from that seminal first edition, which went on to sell more than ten million copies worldwide.

UB40’s next single “If It Happens Again,” went to No. 9 but the album it was taken from “Geffery Morgan,” wasn’t a success by previous standards, despite a return to hard-hitting reality topics on tracks like “Riddle Me,” “As Always You Were Wrong Again,” “You’re Not An Army,” “The Pillow” and “I’m Not Fooled So Easily.” Recorded at The Abattoir, “Geffery Morgan” whilst not selling in the same numbers as “Labour Of Love” like “Baggariddim” – a collection of tracks recorded with leading British reggae MCs – awaits urgent, critical reappraisal. In the summer of 1985 UB40 joined forces with Chrissie Hynde for a cover
of Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” that promptly flew to No. 1 in the UK. “Don’t Break My Heart” also went Top 3 shortly afterwards, confirming UB40 as Britain’s most successful reggae band.

In August 1986, “Rat In The Kitchen” became UB40’s sixth Top 10 album in the UK. The title track became the first hit off the album, whilst “Sing Our Own Song”, written in support of the black population of South Africa, became the second – this during an era when South Africa was still an apartheid regime, and Nelson Mandela regarded as a terrorist by Britain’s Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

In late ‘86 they were again breaking new ground by becoming one of the first western groups to tour the Soviet Union. Their watershed concert in Moscow was recorded and released the following year as “UB40 CCCP.” It was UB40’s second live album – the first, “UB40 Live,” had been released in February 1983.

The following November, “The Best Of UB40 – Volume One” began its two and a half year tenure on the UK charts, peaking at No. 3. The group were now a national institution, and yet still full of surprises. “Maybe Tomorrow,” a Jackson Five cover, went Top 20, and previewed an unlikely collaboration with hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa and the Family called “Reckless.” UB40’s next venture would prove a little more predictable. By early 1988 – still recovering from the death of engineer Ray Falconer, who was Earl’s brother, and had been highly influential in determining the band’s production sound – UB40 again teamed up with Chrissie Hynde, who joined them on “Breakfast In Bed.” The result was another Top 10 hit, taken from the 1988 album “UB40”.

At the onset of the nineties, Robert Palmer duetted with them on their next UK Top 10 hit, “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” and 808 State charted with a remix of “One In Ten.” Highlights such as these, whilst welcome, were then dwarfed by the release of “Promises and Lies” which became the group’s biggest selling album, selling in excess of ten million copies worldwide. The biggest hit from “Promises And Lies” was “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, which brought the band their third UK and second US No. 1 and would remain a favourite on American radio stations for years – especially after its inclusion on the soundtrack of the 1993 Sharon Stone film “Sliver.”