UB40 is one of the most successful and influential British groups of all time, with more than 100 million albums sold, and more than 50 charting singles in the UK, including their trademark global #1 hits “Red Red Wine” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You”; and U.S. Top 10s “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” The reggae/pop legends set the stage for their highly anticipated 45th Anniversary celebrations this year, along with the release of their new, forthcoming 45th Anniversary album featuring new songs and reworked classics, both titled UB45.
“For more than 40 years, we’ve been one of the hardest working touring bands in pop music,” says guitarist/vocalist and UB40 co- founder Robin Campbell, who along with Jimmy Brown (drums), Earl Falconer (bass, vocals) and Norman Hassan (percussion, trombone, vocals), have been the core of the band for its entire ever-evolving history. “We aim to have a party every show. As much as we’ve enjoyed our Zoom chats during lockdown, there’s no substitute for the relationship and synergy we have with our live audiences.”
Lead singer Matt Doyle joined the band in 2021 when he was a member of the popular Birmingham reggae band KIOKO – taking over for Duncan Campbell, UB40’s lead singer since 2008 who retired after suffering a stroke. UB40 first got wind of the magic Doyle brings to the stage as a singer and performer when KIOKO opened for them in 2018 at The Royal Albert Hall and supported UB40 on their subsequent UK and European tours. Says Campbell, “Watching Matt standing there in the middle of the stage like a rabbit in headlights, full of shock and awe that he’s playing with a band he loved growing up, was simply fantastic but now his confidence has grown and he’s settled into the job with consummate ease.”
For Doyle, naturally, it’s beyond a dream to be in those proverbial headlights. “Everyone has been so warm and welcoming,” he says, “and I’ve received so many beautiful wishes from fans from around the world, saying I’m the perfect guy for the job and they can’t wait to see me perform. Not only is it amazing being with the band singing these incredible songs I grew up with, but it’s also a blast sitting in a room just listening to these guys with so much worldwide touring experience tell their stories. KIOKO were doing very well, and
I’m grateful for my time with them which allowed me to find my voice and hone my craft. But joining UB40 is like jumping on a ladder and climbing straight to the top floor.”
In addition to Doyle, Campbell, Brown, Falconer and Hassan, UB40’s current lineup includes long time members Martin Meredith (saxophone/WX7/keyboards), and Laurence Parry (trumpet/ flugal trombone), IanThompson (saxophone) and newest member Jahred Gordon (keyboards) plus permanent guest emcee Gilly G.
2023 marked UB40's 45th year as a band, and they celebrated with further shows including an emotional sold out Royal Albert Hall and a summer return to the US. They’ve continued their 45th celebrations by recording a new album which is out on the 19th of April 2024, the album - UB45 - consists of seven brand new songs and seven re-recordings of some classic UB40, a mixture of originals and Labour of Love songs. UB40’s 45 year celebrations will continue well into 2024. Following the release of UB45, the band will embark on a massive headline arena tour of the UK and Europe.
Robin Campbell said: "We're so proud of this album and the new songs, but we also wanted to showcase Matt Doyle's vocals on some of the classics because he does them so well. He's brought a new lease of life to our music, as has fellow Brummie "permanent guest" MC Gilly G. When you play songs over so many years, the arrangements and vocals evolve and change. These updated versions of our hits are still close to the originals, but now reflect how we perform them today and to me they sound better than ever".
“We continue to make albums for the simple reason that we love doing it and we’re forever inspired by the reactions of our multiple generations of fans,” says Campbell. “Playing ‘Red Red Wine’ and having thousands of people sing back to us every night is fantastic, but we never want to become a cabaret act or do a Vegas residency where we only play decades-old hits for nostalgia’s sake. There’s always an incredible buzz when we present new material and get the stamp of approval from the audience.