‘Birmingham is sexy, it's just that nobody else knows it...’
In 2021 UB40 lost a founder member and their frontman retired, but with a new singer in place, they’re back with fire in their bellies.
In any band with a career spanning 44 years there will inevitably be ups and downs, and UB40 are certainly no exception. They have sold more than 100m albums, and scored number one hits with Red Red Wine, I Got You Babe and (I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You.
But there has also been illness, deaths, and an acrimonious split with original frontman Ali Campbell – the fallout of which lasts to today.
However, their latest tour definitely marks the beginning of a new chapter for the veteran reggae band.
It is their first with Matt Doyle as lead vocalist – Duncan Campbell, who had held the role since 2008, suffered a stroke in August 2020 and later decided to retire.
And it is also their first without totemic sax player and co-founder Brian Travers who died in August last year after a twoyear battle with cancer.
In June last year, the band released a new album, Bigga Baggariddim – a followup of sorts to their 1985 album Baggariddim. The Guide sat down for a Zoom chat with the band’s engine room – and co-founders – drummer Jimmy Brown and bassist Earl Falconer to find out how things are in the UB40 camp.
‘We're chomping at the bit to get going,’ says Earl. ‘It's been two years and things kept getting postponed and stuff. Obviously we just hope we can keep going – we've got a lot of work to get through.’
Indeed they do – there’s the 24-date UK tour, which calls in at Portsmouth Guildhall on May 13, followed by a few dates in Scandinavia, a month in America, on to Australia, more dates back here and then seeing in the new year in New Zealand.
Jimmy adds: ‘We've never been through something like this before – we've constantly worked for 40 years-plus, it's just a bit of a shock to have to down tools for that long. I just want to get back in the saddle – I think I've forgotten how to play...’
‘Jimmy is the only drummer I've ever really worked with,’ says Earl. ‘I've done a few sessions here and there, so has Jimmy. But we're brothers in rhythm – we can't wait to do what we're trained to do.’
The band’s only show so far this year was a brief appearance at the launch for this summer’s Commonwealth Games, which are to be held in their native Birmingham. They have recorded a track for an album which will be released next month to tie-in with the sporting extravaganza. It marks their first recording with Matt, and last with Brian.
‘We did three numbers at the end of their presentation at the local symphony hall in front of about 5,000 people,’ says Jimmy. ‘That was such a teaser – we wanted to carry on.’
This tour is essentially to promote Bigga Baggariddim. An international celebration of reggae, it features New Zealand's House of Shem, India's Reggae Rajahs, as well as fellow veterans Inner Circle, Tippa Irie, and Winston Francis, plus up-comers Gilly G, Matt's former band Kioko, BLVK H3RO, and Leno Banton. The album also includes tracks with Pablo Rider and Slinger, who both featured on the 1985 Baggariddim album.
Put together during various lockdowns during the pandemic, Earl says: ‘That kind of kept us sane doing that, it was a really brilliant project, as it turned out.
‘All of the artists are from all over the world – we were Zooming with them and sending files, so it kept us occupied.
‘We haven't had the chance to promote it or play any of the numbers live which is what we intend to do on the tour. We want to bring out some guests to do those songs, but we'll be doing loads of the hits as well.’
The band, completed by founders Robin Campbell and Norman Hassan, plus long-time members Martin Meredith, Laurence Parry and Tony Mullings, remain centred around Birmingham.
As Jimmy says: ‘We're all focused still in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.
‘I don't think we could exist without being in Birmingham, it kind of informs everything we do, it always has done and I think moving away would make us a different set of people and a different band.’
They’ve also got to know Steven Knight, the creator of the hit BBC1 show Peaky Blinders – and of course the gang originated in the Birmingham area of Small Heath.
Earl says: ‘He's got this brilliant project he wants us to get involved with in the centre of Birmingham, in Digbeth, he's going to build studios there. It's fascinating talking to him because he's actually from the same place where me and Jimmy
We're brothers in rhythm –
we can't wait to do what
we're trained to do
EARL FALCONER ON PLAYING LIVE AGAIN
were born – Small Heath. We were having a long old reminisce about it all. We're still very much involved in Birmingham.’
Have they enjoyed seeing Peaky Blinders put Small Heath on the map?
‘Absolutely!’ says Jimmy. ‘It's our old stomping ground. I remember the Garrison Pub and my dad used to work at the BSA when they were making motorbikes. To me, that was all using references that I knew – but it took it into a fantasy world.’
Earl says: ‘I'm a big fan of the show, even before meeting its writer. The atmosphere and everything was brilliant. But it's bringing in a lot of tourism to Birmingham and putting us on the map worldwide, so it's all good.’
‘It makes Birmingham seem sexy at last!’ jokes Jimmy. ‘Well, Birmingham is sexy, it's just that nobody else knows it...
‘It's a great place, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.’
Jimmy also likes to celebrate the diversity of his home town – a theme of the Commonwealth Games track.
‘You had that Manchester sound and that Liverpool sound, you've even got a London sound, but you never had a Birmingham sound, even though so many bands came from here, and I think that's because of the diversity. You've got us, you've got Duran Duran, the heavy metal bands – all kinds of different influences, and the diversity is the most important thing about Birmingham.’
While the band are desperate to get back on the road, they admit it’s going to be strange without Brian.
Earl explains: ‘He went to the same school as us – he was my first best mate on the playground, from the first day. I miss Brian big time.’
Jimmy picks up the baton: ‘When it comes to someone who contributes on so many levels musically, lyrically and performance-wise, we won't replace that. There will always be a hole in the band that's Brian-shaped.
‘He was the most charismatic performer on stage – people loved to watch him, they couldn't take their eyes off him. We'll miss that, and that can't be replaced. Singers are ten-a-penny,’ he laughs, ‘we can replace them – don't tell Matt!’
‘Obviously we've got someone in to play his riffs on sax, and we've had to do that before because he was ill for about three years, and we were touring without him, but his influence was still there, and he was still writing.’
However, the band is looking to the next chapter with their new singer.
Earl adds: ‘But the new blood coming in – Matt coming in as a singer, he's young, he's good looking, it's giving us new life to move forward and make new music.
‘We're in the studio now, doing some new stuff, rerecording some old stuff – it's coming along really well, and Matt sounds brilliant on the vocals. We're really happy.’
UB40’s Bigga Baggriddim tour is at Portsmouth Guildhall on May 13, 7.30pm. Tickets £43.88 - £48.96. Go to portsmouthguildhall.org.uk.