Robin and Duncan Campbell talk about rift that has torn family and band apart

UB40 brothers Robin and Duncan Campbell have opened their hearts about the bitter family rift with their sibling and former lead singer Ali.

His decision to quit the band in 2008 to pursue a solo career led to Robin, 61, inviting Duncan to replace him.

They have now accused Ali of “stealing” the UB40 name and causing confusion among fans about which band is playing where and when.

With the original members determined to have their day in court to stop Ali from using the name, the family has been split in ways they could never have imagined.

Along with older sibling David, the four brothers are the sons of the late folk star Ian Campbell, who died in 2012.

With Ali not attending their father Ian’s funeral Robin, 61, and Duncan, 58, gave their account of what has happened – and whether they can forgive Ali.

Robin said: “There was no battle when Ali left. He spent five years performing under his own name. It’s only in the last couple of years that he’s trying to steal our name, basically.

“Ali resigned from the band. He never owned the name. He didn’t start the band. He wasn’t the founder. We all started the band together.

“Thereby, leaving the remaining members to carry on as UB40 and that is what we did.

“We have never stopped. We never split up. We carried on performing and recording as UB40 and for (Ali), five years later, to decide that he can use our name is ludicrous. He’s spent a lot of money keeping it out of court.

“It’s all very crazy and very silly.

“For (Ali) to steal the name and go out as UB40 makes loads of sense to him, but obviously we can’t allow that to continue.

“And eventually, we will get him in court and, when we do, he just won’t be allowed to use the name any more.”

He added the rift was not discussed with mum Pat.

UB40 back at the Eagle & Tun pub

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“We don’t talk about it with mum, she refuses. We’re all her babies, she doesn’t discuss it and refuses to take sides.

“She’s 83, not the kind of thing she needs in her life.

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“It’s a shame, because Ali hardly sees her at all. He’s basically disowned the family.

“It’s all very sad. He just took on a new life, went elsewhere and has kind of cut us all off.

“And he hasn’t spoken to any of us since he left. And that’s been eight years.

“It’s his decision. He’s a big boy. I’m not losing sleep over it any more.

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“Ali never came to our father’s funeral which broke Duncan’s heart, because he adored his dad. Those kind of rifts never heal really.”

Duncan, 58, has been lead singer since 2008.

He said: “They came to me because they had fallen out horribly between themselves. That’s got nothing to do with me, that’s between them.

“Ali’s reaction was that whoever took his place wouldn’t make any difference, without him nobody would want to listen to UB40 again.

“I thought that might be the case. I was sort of taking on a job I could only fail at.

“I think Ali has fallen out with me because we’ve done rather well out of it, but I don’t see how that makes me guilty of anything. It’s bloody awful for mum and it is sad, actually.

“He didn’t go to his dad’s funeral and doesn’t speak to his brothers.”

Duncan added: “He said in an interview recently that he didn’t have any brothers, but I don’t know what Dave did to stop becoming his brother. I don’t know what I did, to stop becoming his brother. I can’t tell you how close we are and always have been.

“But when this happened, Ali and me stopped. I don’t know why. Ali was always very, very close to me.

“(If he came back tomorrow) I’d be hugging and kissing him and wouldn’t even give it a second thought.

“But I’m afraid that’s not the case with the other members of the band.

“I think even his own brother David might be feeling a bit wounded now, having been spoken about as no longer a member of his family and so on.

“But Ali is like my twin and if he came in here and wasn’t trying to punch me, I would be giving him a big hug.

“Of course I would. He’s my baby brother, he’s our baby brother and we always looked after him that way.

“He’s made some very odd decisions in his life, but that’s up to him.”

In September 2015, UB40’s saxophonist Brian Travers revealed that the legal battle had cost the original members more than £250,000 in legal fees.

Brian told the Birmingham Mail: “We’ve spent more than £250,000 on barristers and silks, and the days when nothing happens fill me dread because you still have to pay them.

“Me and Ali were best friends at Moseley School of Art where we all went.

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“Ali was the best man at my wedding.

“He didn’t just walk out of UB40, he moved out of Birmingham, has remarried and we haven’t seen each other for eight years. But if Ali called me up, I would phone him. He was my best man.

“And if he needed me for any reason, I’d be there for him.”