Ali Campbell has been on a mission since he was a teenager coming of age in Birmingham, England. It’s always been about promoting reggae. The UB40 vocalist has been immersed in the mellow but provocative genre courtesy of his friends.
“I fell in love with the music at an early age thanks to those I hung around with,” Campbell said. “My friends when I was growing up were West Indian and Jamaican. It was their music and they shared it with me and I’ve always been about sharing reggae with the world.”
It’s been an amazing run for Campbell, 58, who formed UB40, named after the document issued to those applying for unemployment benefits, 40 years ago.
UB40, which will perform Saturday at the Trocadero, has sold more than 70 million albums and had more than 50 singles chart in UK. “Red Red Wine,” “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love” and “Breakfast in Bed” are some of their worldwide hits.
“I never could have imagined having all of this success,” Campbell said. “To have so much success with what is actually protest music is extraordinary. Everything has been great.”
It hasn’t been a totally smooth ride for him. He left the band in 2008, followed by keyboardist Mickey Virtue. Toaster Astro stayed until 2013. Campbell, Virtue and Astro formed a new version of UB40 in 2014.
However, Campbell’s brothers Duncan, and Robin Campbell, who have not spoken with Ali for years, also use the band’s name. It’s not the first time there’s been a legal issue with brothers fighting over a band’s name.
“It’s funny how that is about brothers in this business,” Campbell said. “It’s one of those things. I had to leave the band. It wasn’t about the music. I had some issues that couldn’t be resolved but in the end it worked out. I’m on great terms with who I’m playing with and I get to play the songs that so many people love. It’s unfortunate how I got here but I’m not going to complain. I’m just moving on.”
UB40’s schedule is loade, but that’s no big deal for Campbell. “We’re a live band and we’ve always been a live band,” he said. “That’s a good thing given the state of the industry. It’s all about playing out today. We put everything into it.”
Campbell and his bandmates are also focused on Red Red Wine. They are not the first act to market their own wine. Maynard James Keenan of Tool has his own vineyard. The Who put out a bottle of champagne to coincide with its 50th anniversary tour.
“Why not do all that you can when you’re in a band,” Campbell said. “The possibilities are limitless. I’m enjoying all of it at this point after being in this band for so many years.”
News
Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley’s son Jesse gets married at same Las Vegas chapel where parents eloped
Like father, like son. Jon Bon Jovi’s son Jesse Bongiovi reportedly followed his dad’s footsteps by tying the knot in the same Las Vegas chapel his parents eloped at back in 1989. The 29-year-old’s Sin City nuptials to longtime girlfriend Jesse Light…
Jon Bon Jovi’s son Jake Bongiovi, 19, is the spitting image of his rock star dad, 60, as he shows off his muscular physique for a stylish magazine shoot
Jon Bon Jovi’s model son Jake Bongiovi left fans stunned when he featured on the cover of Man About Town magazine looking just like his rock star father. The model showed off his muscular physique in the shoot, with his blond locks…
Steven Tyler and Joe Perry are more than just bandmates—they’re the heart and soul of Aerosmith. Keep rocking, legends!
In Another Dimension With Aerosmith Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry discuss their latest album, collaborations with Carrie Underwood and Diane Warren and the story behind their unique chemistry For more than four decades, the four-time GRAMMY-winning lineup of…
Bon Jovi Rock Band Awarded the Best International Rock Act by the World Music Organization.
On November 7, at the MTV Europe Music Awards held in Madrid (Spain), the rock band Bon Jovi will officially receive the “Global Idol” award. Bon Jovi consists of 5 members: lead vocalist Jon Bon Jovi, lead guitarist Richie Sambora,…
Kid Rock attacks Taylor Swift’s politics with sexist tweet
Kid Rock has launched a sexist attack on Taylor Swift’s political views, claiming that Swift sided with Democrats to secure concert dates and making a lewd comment about oral sex. The “Bawitdaba” rapper/rocker tweeted Friday morning, “Taylor Swift wants to…
The Beatles Hit Ringo Starr Says Shamelessly ‘Ripped Off Elvis’
The Beatles wore their influences openly, whether through covers or original compositions, making their inspirations clear. Chuck Berry’s guitar style echoed in John Lennon’s chords on “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” while Lennon and Paul McCartney’s harmonies mirrored the…
End of content
No more pages to load