UB40

UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. The name of the band is in reference to the signing-on document issued to people claiming unemployment benefit from the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) at the time of the band's formation. The designation UB40 stood for Unemployment Benefit, Form 40. The group has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. The band has been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984, were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records. Their hit singles include their debut "Food for Thought" and two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number ones with "Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love". Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of "I Got You Babe". The ethnic makeup of the band's original lineup was diverse, with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. The band's line-up was stable for nearly 29 years, from March 1979 until January 2008, when frontman Ali Campbell left the band, followed shortly thereafter by keyboardist Mickey Virtue. Another member, Astro, remained with the band until November 2013, when he departed the original band to team up with Campbell and Virtue in a new version of UB40. In 2014, legal advice was sought by the original band (now consisting of remaining co-founding members drummer Jimmy Brown, guitarist Robin Campbell, bassist Earl Falconer, percussionist Norman Hassan, and saxophonist Brian Travers, along with new vocalist Duncan Campbell) who took action against the group containing Campbell, Virtue, and Astro over usage of the band name, due to it being used by both parties.[5] On 5 July 2021, it was announced that Matt Doyle (formerly of the reggae band Kioko) would become the band's new vocalist, following Duncan Campbell's retirement due to ill health. Travers died from cancer on 22 August 2021, and Astro died on 6 November 2021 following a short illness. (more on wikipedia)
==Links To Peel==
UB40's first gig was in February 1979 at the Horse & Hounds in Kings Heath in the West Midlands, where they managed a session for a local radio station. As luck would have it, a certain Mr John Peel heard the broadcast and before the band knew it, they were recording a session in 1979 for national radio on his BBC Radio One show, which was broadcast in January 1980. Peel constantly supported the band with playlists and sessions over a couple of years. However when the band released the Labour Of Love album in 1983, where they started to take a more pop direction, Peel subsequently lost interest and rarely played any of their material.
==Sessions==
Their first session is available on UB40 - Signing Off (CD, 2010, Virgin)
1. Recorded: 1979-12-12. Broadcast: 02 January 1980. Repeated: 29 January 1980, 16 April 1980, 24 June 1980
*Food For Thought / 25 Per Cent / King
2. Recorded: 1982-01-09. Broadcast: 25 January 1982. Repeated: 11 February 1982, 27 April 1982, 15 December 1982, 01 April 1985
*Politician / I Won't Close My Eyes / Love Is All Is Alright / Prince Baldhead Meets Gymslip And The School Girls At The Chemist
==Other Shows Played==
(The following list was compiled only from the database of this site and the John Peel Papers and is certainly incomplete. Please add further details if known.)
;1980
*Tape 061A: 1980-3 (mixtape) King (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*09 February 1980 (BFBS): Food For Thought (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*12 February 1980: King (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*23 February 1980 (BFBS): King (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*01 March 1980 (BFBS): King (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*25 March 1980: King (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*29 March 1980 (BFBS): Food For Thought (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*02 April 1980: Food For Thought (7" - King / Food For Thought) Graduate GRAD 6
*19 May 1980: 'I Think It's Going To Rain Today (7 inch-B side of 'My Way Of Thinking')' (Graduate)
*19 May 1980: 'My Way Of Thinking (7 inch)' (Graduate)
*10 June 1980: My Way Of Thinking (12" - My Way Of Thinking / I Think Its Going To Rain Today) Graduate 12 GRAD 8
*11 June 1980: My Way Of Thinking (7" - I Think Its Going To Rain Today / My Way Of Thinking) Graduate GRAD 8
*14 June 1980 (BFBS): My Way Of Thinking (12" - My Way Of Thinking / I Think Its Going To Rain Today) Graduate 12 GRAD 8
*01 September 1980: Burden Of Shame (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*01 September 1980: Signing Off (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*02 September 1980: Tyler (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*04 September 1980: Adella (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*08 September 1980: Reefer Madness (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*09 September 1980: Tyler (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*13 September 1980 (BFBS): Tyler (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*15 September 1980: Burden Of Shame (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*24 September 1980: Tyler (12") Graduate
*14 October 1980: The Earth Dies Screaming (7" - The Earth Dies Screaming / Dream A Lie) Graduate GRAD 10
*18 October 1980 (BFBS): The Earth Dies Screaming (7" - The Earth Dies Screaming / Dream A Lie) Graduate GRAD 10
*21 October 1980: The Earth Dies Screaming (7" - The Earth Dies Screaming / Dream A Lie) Graduate GRAD 10
;1981
*10 May 1981 (BFBS): Tyler
*11 May 1981: Don't Slow Down (7" -Don't Slow Down) (DEP International) 
*14 May 1981: Don't Slow Down (7" - Don't Slow Down) (DEP International)
*28 May 1981: Sardonicus (album - Present Arms) DEP International LPDEP 1
*01 June 1981: Wild Cat (album - Present Arms) DEP International LPDEP 1
*18 June 1981 (BFBS): One In Ten (album - Present Arms) DEP International LPDEP 1
*23 July 1981 (BBC World Service): One In Ten (album - Present Arms) DEP International LPDEP 1
*15 October 1981 (BFBS): Neon Haze (album - Present Arms In Dub) Dep International LP DEP 2
*01 November 1981 (BFBS): One In Ten (album - Present Arms In Dub) Dep International LP DEP 2
;1982
*10 January 1982 (BFBS): Tyler (album - Signing Off) Graduate GRADLP 2
*08 February 1982: Folitician
*21 February 1982 (BFBS): Folitician (7" - I Won't Close My Eyes) Dep International 7 DEP 3
*Feb 82-UB40: Folitician / Love Is All Is Alright
*04 March 1982 (BBC World Service): Folitician (12" - I Won't Close My Eyes / Folitician) DEP International
*04 May 1982: Love Is All Is Alright (12" version) DEP International
*12 May 1982 (BFBS): Love Is All Is Alright (12" version) DEP International
*03 June 1982 (BBC World Service): Love Is All Is All Right (12") DEP International
*31 August 1982: So Here I Am (7") DEP International 7 DEP 5
*13 October 1982: Don't Do The Crime (LP - UB44) DEP International
;1983
*02 February 1983 (BBC World Service): Dubmobile (7" - I've Got Mine) DEP International DEP 6
*25 January 1983: Dubmobile (7" - I've Got Mine) DEP International DEP 6
*30 January 1983 (BFBS): Dubmobile (7" - I've Got Mine) DEP International DEP 6
*30 January 1983 (BFBS): I`ve Got Mine (7") DEP International DEP 6
;1996
*01 July 1996: I Won't Close My Eyes (session) (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
== Top Of The Pops ==
*30 September 1982 (TOTP): So Here I Am #25
*01 September 1983 (TOTP): Red Red Wine #01
*29 August 1985 (TOTP): I Got You Babe (featuring Chrissie Hynde) #01
*25 December 1985 (TOTP): I Got You Babe (featuring Chrissie Hynde)
;Others
*Karl's Tape April May 1981: One In Ten / Present Arms / Neon Haze / Sardonicus (All part of Richard Skinner's session)
*Karl's Tape 04 - April 1982: Love Is All Is Alright / Prince Baldhead Meets Gymslip And The Schoolgirls At The Chemist
*Karl's Tape 17 - April May 1983: Red Red Wine (KJ session) / Please Don't Make Me Cry (KJ session) / Nkomo A Go Go (KJ session)
== See Also ==
*Reggae Sessions
*Record Collection: U
*Record Collection: Auction
*Gigography 1980
*Gigography 1981 
*The Collection (Peel Acres - Adam Buxton)
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
*Official Site
Category:Artists