Band & Artist Dossier
UB40
Origin: Birmingham, England · Active Years: 1978-present
A detailed catalogue profile for UB40.
In this archive
1 album / credit record(s) · Reggae/Dub
UB40 are an English reggae band formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, taking their name from the UK unemployment benefit form. The original eight-piece lineup - Ali Campbell, Robin Campbell, Earl Falconer, Mickey Virtue, Brian Travers, Norman Hassan, Jimmy Brown, and Astro - had a diverse ethnic makeup reflecting the band's multicultural Balsall Heath upbringing. Their debut single "Food for Thought" and 1980 debut album Signing Off launched a career that produced multiple UK number-one hits, with the lineup remaining stable from 1979 to 2008.
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lead vocals, guitar
1978-2008
Co-founded the band in mid-1978 with
Jimmy Brown and
Earl Falconer, rehearsing reggae covers and originals; became UB40's frontman and lead voice until departing in January 2008.
guitar
1978-present
Ali's older brother; initially hesitant to join but was persuaded to buy a guitar in December 1978, completing the band's eight-piece lineup that debuted at Kings Heath's Hare & Hounds pub in February 1979.
bass
1978-present
Founding member who began rehearsing with
Ali Campbell and
Jimmy Brown in mid-1978; later a co-owner of the band's DEP International label and studio.
keyboards
1979-2008
Joined in early 1979 replacing original keyboardist Jimmy Lynn, completing the lineup alongside Astro a month before their first gigs.
saxophone
1978-2021 (died 2021)
Former electrical apprentice who joined the founding rehearsals and, with
Ali Campbell, promoted the fledgling band by putting up posters around Birmingham.
percussion, trombone
1978-present
One of the earliest members to join the founding trio; recorded some of his parts for debut album
Signing Off outdoors in a garden, giving the bedsit recording its famous ambient bird sounds.
drums
1978-present
Co-founded the band in mid-1978 with
Ali Campbell and
Earl Falconer and has remained the band's drummer through every lineup era since.
vocals, toasting, percussion
1979-2013
Completed the 'classic' eight-piece lineup in early 1979, bringing a background performing with Duke Alloy's sound system at Birmingham reggae dances; later left in 2013 to form UB40 featuring
Ali Campbell.
Complete 1980s Studio Discography
9 studio albums released from 1980–1989 by UB40. Archived records link directly to full dossiers; remaining releases are queued for harvesting. MusicBrainz source.
Signing Off
1980 · Graduate/DEP International
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♫ 1981
Present Arms
1981 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1982
UB44
1982 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1983
Labour of Love
1983 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1984
Geffery Morgan
1984 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1985
Baggariddim
1985 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1986
Rat in the Kitchen
1986 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1988
UB40
1988 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
♫ 1989
Labour of Love II
1989 ·
⏳ Queued for Harvesting
80s discography & production credits in the archive
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