UB40 are a British reggae band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.

Their No.1 hit singles include their first number 1 "Food for Thought" and two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number ones with "Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love", while "I Got You Babe" also topped the UK singles chart.

History

1978–1999

Brian Travers saved up and bought his first saxophone whilst working as an electrical apprentice for NG Bailey, leaving after a few years to become a founding member of UB40 alongside Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Ali Campbell.

Before some of them could play their instruments, Ali Campbell and Brian Travers travelled around Birmingham promoting the band, putting up UB40 posters.

Their sound was created and honed through many long jam sessions at various locations in Birmingham. Their first gig took place on 9 February 1979 at The Hare & Hounds Pub in Kings Heath, Birmingham for a friend's birthday party.

UB40 caught their first break when Chrissie Hynde noticed them at a pub and gave them an opportunity as a support act to her band, The Pretenders. UB40's first 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.

Their first album was titled ''Signing Off'', as the band were signing off from or closing their claim on the unemployment benefit. It was recorded in a bedsit in Birmingham and was produced by Bob Lamb. Norman Hassan said of the recording: "if you stripped my track down, you could hear the birds in the background." This is because his tracks were recorded outside in the garden. ''Signing Off'' was released on 29 August 1980, and entered the UK Albums Chart on 2 October 1980. It reached as high as No. 2 in the UK and spent 71 weeks in total on the chart. ''Signing Off'' is now a Platinum album.

After great success in the UK, UB40's popularity in the United States was established when they released ''Labour of Love'', an album of cover songs, in 1983. The album reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 in the US. The album featured the song "Red Red Wine", a cover version of a Neil Diamond song (in an arrangement similar to that of Tony Tribe's version); it stayed on the charts for over a hundred weeks. Three years later UB40 performed at the Birmingham Heart Beat Charity Concert 1986.

Their most successful worldwide single release is the cover of the Elvis Presley ballad "(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You" which was the main title to the 1993 Sharon Stone movie ''Sliver'' and was a number one hit across Europe and in the US.

2000s

In 2002, the Virgin Records compilation album ''Young Gifted & Black'' featured sleeve notes by Robin Campbell from UB40.

On 21 August 2007, they performed with Cas Haley on the ''America's Got Talent'' season finale.

On 24 January 2008 it was announced that Ali Campbell would be leaving the group after 30 years. It was originally stated that this was in order for Campbell to concentrate on solo projects, but Campbell later said he was leaving due to management and business disputes. The remaining seven members released a statement saying: "''Ali made a very simple decision, he chose to pursue and put his solo career over and above continuing to work with UB40 after February 2008, it’s as simple as that''".

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 there is no decision 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 the original lineup, by way of 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 21 June 2008, and most of the big retailers refused to stock it. It failed to reach the Top 75 in the UK, in fact it entered the chart at number 84 which was a first, as all their official albums had previously gone Top 50 on the UK Albums Chart. Their next release, on EMI, was a collection called ''Love Songs'', which was a compilation of hits mainly from the Labour of Love series and all featuring Ali Campbell on vocals - it reached number 3 in the UK.

The band played numerous outdoor shows in the UK in 2008. They also toured the US, which included their first show at the Hollywood Bowl. During the 2009 U.S. Tour UB40 offered fans live concert recordings on USB wristbands. The wristbands also included the Dub Sessions remix album and photos.

In 2009 the band released the first new album with their new lead singer Duncan Campbell – it was another in the Labour of Love cover series entitled Labour of Love 4. As the previous Labour of Love albums had been the most commercially successful albums for UB40.

On 12 June 2010, UB40 played a one-off concert to motor racing fans at the Le Mans 24 hour race. The playlist included Red Red Wine, Can't Help Falling in Love and Kingston Town. UB40 announced that after completing a coast to coast 2010 American tour they would be playing a nationwide UK tour of theatres in October/November 2010 performing their seminal album 'Signing Off', in full, along with a second set of popular UB40 songs. To coincide, on 1 Nov 2010 a remastered 2CD+DVD of 'Signing Off' is released as a '30th Anniversary Special Edition' The 30th Anniversary Special Edition Signing Off Album charted at number 194 in the UK charts.

Influences

Their early musical style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesisers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques which were later perfected by Pablo Falconer.

The Campbell brothers are the sons of the folk musician, Ian Campbell.

Achievements

All three of their UK number one hits and four of their five U.S. top ten hits were cover versions.

UB40 collaborators include: Pato Banton, Madness, Bitty McLean, Chrissie Hynde, Maxi Priest, Robert Palmer, Hunterz, Japanese artist Mikidozan, French artist Nuttea, Lady Saw, Afrika Bambaataa, 808 State.

Band members

Current members

Former members

Live band members

Former live band members

Discography

Gallery

See also

References

External links

Category:Musical groups established in 1978 Category:English dance music groups Category:Musical groups from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:Music from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:Virgin Records artists Category:A&M; Records artists Category:British reggae musical groups Category:Reggae fusion artists

Early life and career

Hynde experimented with hippie counterculture, eastern mysticism, and vegetarianism. While attending Kent State University's Art School for three years, she joined a band called Sat. Sun. Mat. (which included Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo). Hynde was on the campus during the infamous Kent State shootings. She knew Jeffrey Miller, one of those killed.

Hynde also developed an interest in the UK music magazine ''NME''. She eventually saved enough money to move from Ohio to London in 1973. With her art background, Hynde landed a job in an architectural firm but left after eight months. It was then that she met rock journalist Nick Kent (with whom she became involved) and landed a writing position at ''NME''. However, this proved not to last and Hynde later found herself working at Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood's then-little-known clothing store, SEX. Eventually, she tried to convince a very young Sid Vicious (who used to hang around at SEX) to do a Mariage blanc, in order for her to get a work permit. Hynde then attempted to start a band in France before her return to Cleveland in 1975.

Hynde went back to France in 1976 to try to form a band, but it did not work out. For one show at the famous Olympia theater, she took the lead singer duties of the band The Frenchies, which their singer had left (at the time, Hynde had been romantically involved with famous rock critic Nick Kent, but left him for The Frenchies' drummer). She found her way back to London in the midst of the early punk movement. In late 1976, Hynde responded to an advertisement in ''Melody Maker'' for band members and attended an audition for the band that would become 999. Jon Moss (who would later be in Culture Club) and Tony James of Generation X also auditioned. Later, Hynde tried to start a group with Mick Jones from The Clash.

After the band failed to take flight, Malcolm McLaren placed her as a guitarist in Masters of the Backside, but she was asked to leave the group just as the band became The Damned. After a brief spell in the Johnny Moped band, Mick Jones had invited Hynde to join his band on their initial tour of Britain. Hynde's recollection of that period: "It was great, but my heart was breaking. I wanted to be in a band so bad. And to go to all the gigs, to see it so close up, to be living in it and not to have a band was devastating to me. When I left, I said, 'Thanks a lot for lettin' me come along,' and I went back and went weeping on the underground throughout London. All the people I knew in town, they were all in bands. And there I was, like the real loser, you know? Really the loser."

Hynde also spent a short time with The Moors Murderers in 1978. Named after two child-killers, the band consisted of future Visage front man Steve Strange on vocals, Vince Ely on drums, and Mark Ryan (aka The Kid) and Hynde on guitar. The band's name alone was enough to start controversy and she soon distanced herself from the group, as noted in the ''NME''. Hynde said "I'm not in the group, I only rehearsed with them". She stated that "Steve Strange and Soo Catwoman had the idea for the group, and asked me to help them out on guitar, which I did, even though I was getting my own group together and still am."

The Pretenders

Late 1970s

1980s-1990s

Throughout the mid-1980s and early 1990s, Hynde employed a string of session and professional musicians within the band, always keeping the name Pretenders. With many of the albums through this period, the only constant presence is her own, and the album art often reflects this (using her picture alone in some cases).

Other musical projects

Hynde recorded a duet with Frank Sinatra on Sinatra's 1994 album ''Duets II''. They performed the song "Luck Be a Lady". In 1995, Hynde made an acting appearance (and performed "Angel of the Morning" on acoustic guitar) on the US television comedy ''Friends''. Also, in 1995, Hynde sang a cover of "Love Can Build a Bridge" with Cher and Neneh Cherry. Eric Clapton appeared on the track, supplying the lead guitar solo that is featured in the song's instrumental bridge. In 1997, Hynde battled Rush Limbaugh over using her song "My City Was Gone" without permission. After Limbaugh agreed to donate royalties to PETA, she let him use the song.

Later that year, Hynde played guitar and sang vocals with Sheryl Crow on the song "If It Makes You Happy" during a concert in Central Park. Hynde is mentioned prominently in the lyrics of the Terence Trent D'Arby song "Penelope Please." In 1998, Hynde sang a duet with her friend Emmylou Harris, "She", accompanied by The Pretenders on the Gram Parsons tribute album, "Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons." Hynde had previously reviewed Gram and Emmylou's debut country rock classic, "GP." The version merges Emmylou's country rock and Chrissie's reggae tinged new wave effectively. Hynde also recorded a song called "Cry (If You Don't Mind)" with the Spanish band Jarabe de Palo for their album ''Un metro cuadrado - 1m²''. She supplied the voice for the clouded leopard in the movie ''Rugrats Go Wild'' (2003) in which she sang a duet with Bruce Willis.

In 2004, Hynde moved to São Paulo, Brazil for a couple of months in order to play with Brazilian musician Moreno Veloso in an informal tour that lasted until December 2004. She bought a flat in the Copan Building in São Paulo city. She was also the vocalist on Tube & Berger's 2004 #1 Hot Dance Airplay track "Straight Ahead". The track gave Hynde her first US #1 track on the Billboard charts. Likewise in 2005, Hynde duetted with Ringo Starr on a song entitled "Don't Hang Up" which can be heard on Starr's album ''Choose Love''. Also in 2005, Hynde collaborated with Incubus on a song called "Neither Of Us Can See." The song is on the soundtrack album for ''Stealth''.

On October 17, 2008, she was an opening act for fellow Akron-area musicians Devo at a special benefit concert at the Akron Civic Theater for the then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. The Black Keys, another Akron-based band, and the then up-and-coming solo artist, Rachel Roberts, performed prior to her.

Hynde features as guest vocalist on Ray Davies' 2009 Christmas single ''Postcard From London''.

Chrissie Hynde and Welsh singer J.P. Jones have formed a band called "J.P., Chrissie and the Fairground Boys". They released their debut album, ''Fidelity'', on August 24, 2010, and they are currently on tour. Several stops on the tour were recorded and sold on usb flash drives.

On February 5, 2011, Hynde and the Pretenders performed live on CMT's "Crossroads (VH1 TV series)" with Faith Hill and her band, including songs from both catalogs.

Personal life

Hynde lives in London, England, and also has an apartment in the Northside Lofts in her hometown of Akron.

Hynde is a vegetarian and animal rights activist. She is a supporter of PETA and the animal rights group ''Viva!''.

Restaurant venture

Hynde opened a vegan restaurant in Akron, Ohio, called ''The VegiTerranean''. The restaurant, which officially opened in November 2007, serves fusion Italian-Mediterranean food. The restaurant's head chef is James Scot Jones. Prior to the restaurant's soft opening, on 15 September 2007, she performed three songs at the restaurant with an acoustic guitarist, Adam Seymour, a former lead guitarist of The Pretenders.

References

External links

Category:1951 births Category:The Pretenders members Category:American dance musicians Category:American expatriates in Brazil Category:American expatriates in France Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:American female guitarists Category:American female singers Category:American rock guitarists Category:Songwriters from Ohio Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American vegetarians Category:Female New Wave singers Category:Female rock singers Category:Kent State University alumni Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Ohio Category:People from Akron, Ohio