artist.artist

UB40 (2)

Reggae group from Great Britain, formed in 2008 as "Ali Campbell and The Dep Band" (also unofficially called "Ali Campbell's UB40") - after Ali Campbell left original UB40 in 2008. A few months later, Micky Virtue, the keyboard player, also left UB40, and subsequently joined Campbell's new band, The Dep Band. In 2010 vocalist Matt Hoy also joined the band. UB40's Astro left UB40 in November 2013, and subsequently joined Ali Campbell's band - so in August 2014 it was announced that the new band will perform as "UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey". Micky Virtue left the group in 2018, so the name was shortened to the "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell & Astro". Vocalist Matt Hoy left the group in July 2021. The name remains for their 2022 "Unprecedented" album, though Astro died in November 2021. The current band's name is "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell". Members: Ali Campbell - lead vocals (2008-present) Yomi Babayem - percussion Jimmy Lynn - keyboards Former members: Mickey Virtue - keyboards (2008-2018) Matt Hoy - vocals (2010-2021) Astro - vocals, percussion, trumpet (2014-2021) Band names: Ali Campbell and The Dep Band (2008-2014) UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey (2014-2018) UB40 featuring Ali Campbell & Astro (2018-2022) UB40 featuring Ali Campbell (2022-present) --- On 24 January 2008, it was reported that Campbell was to quit the UB40 group after almost 30 years. Campbell, who was a founding member of UB40, songwriter and lead vocalist, finally quit the band in 2008. Their last gigs together were in February 2008 in Australia, New Zealand and Uganda. Campbell then issued a statement on his website and through his solicitors stating that for many years he had been unhappy with the business practices and business managers of UB40 and launched an investigation into the financial handling of the business. This was the reason for his departure. A few months later, Michael Virtue the keyboard player also left UB40, citing the same reasons as Campbell, and joined Campbell's legal investigation. Virtue subsequently joined Campbell's new band, the Dep band. In August 2014, Campbell announced that he had reunited with former UB40 bandmates Astro and Mickey Virtue to record a new album, Silhouette. He said of his brother Duncan's singing, "I sat back for five years and watched my brother Duncan murdering my songs. We're saving the legacy". They initially toured under the name 'UB40 featuring Ali, Astro and Mickey', leading to legal action brought by the other UB40. Their first release was The Hits of UB40 Live in 2015. In 2016, their Unplugged album reached number 17 on the UK Albums Chart. A Real Labour of Love was released in March 2018, an album much in the vein of UB40's Labour of Love series. It reached number two on the UK Albums Chart, and entered the Billboard Reggae Albums chart at number one. Virtue departed the band in late 2018, following which the band has operated under the name 'UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro'. In July 2021, vocalist Matt Hoy quit the band, while on 6 November 2021, the group's social media announced that Astro had died after a short illness. In 2022, the first single from the band's final album with Astro, "Sufferer" was released, which was joined in the countdown as shown on The Heritage Chart Show by Matt Hoy's solo single "We Are One", a fact which was picked up by presenter Mike Read on the programme broadcast on Talking Pictures TV on 10 April 2022. On 17 June 2022, UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro released the album Unprecedented via UMC, with Campbell fulfilling his UB40 tour dates in the run-up to the album's release, with the tour now billed as being 'in memory of Astro'.