UB40 formed in 1978 in a British unemployment office queue and took their name from an unemployment benefit form. Their multiracial lineup reflected the environment from which their members emerged. The band consolidated its credibility by addressing political themes that attracted dissatisfied, rebellious youth interested in the ska revival movement.
Brothers Robin (lead guitar) and Ali Campbell (guitar and lead vocals) form the hard core of the group, which also included Earl Falconer (bass), Michael Virtue (keyboards), Brian Travers (saxophone), Jim Brown (drums), Norman Hassan (percussion) and Terence "Astro" Wilson, toaster.
The band bought their first instruments with money Ali Campbell received in compensation for a bar fight. By year's end, the group was invited to tour with the Pretenders, making their opening-act debuts. The single "Food For Thought" reached the UK charts in 1980, beginning a long phase of chart presence. Their first two albums, "Signing Off" (1980) and "Present Arms" (1981), sold strongly in their country. UB40's lyrics address political themes and have great impact. In one of their songs, "One In Ten", for example, they tear into Margaret Thatcher's employment policy.
In 1983, they released "Labour Of Love", a reggae covers album that reached number one in the UK and entered the American charts, from which they drew the Neil Diamond success "Red Wine", which would become one of the band's signature songs. Until then, their albums were excellently received in Britain. However, reception in the USA was only moderate, where their only true hit was the Sonny and Cher version of "I Got You Babe", featuring Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders.
In 1988, the group performed "Red Wine" at a Nelson Mandela tribute concert and, thanks to that, the song returned to radio, especially in North America, re-entering the charts and soon reaching number one. They had finally penetrated the lucrative North American market. UB40 then released a new covers album, "Labour Of Love II", which produced several successful tracks that reached the American top ten, such as "The Way You Do The Things You Do" by the Temptations and "Here I Am" by Al Green. By then, UB40 had abandoned its left-wing stance and focused more on refining their reggae classic covers.
With "Promisses And Lies" in 1993, they reached number one in Britain and sixth place in the USA. That year the group scored another major American success with Elvis Presley's "I Can't Help Falling In Love", included on the soundtrack of the film "Silver" (with Sharon Stone), which spent seven weeks at number one.
"Guns In The Ghetto" followed in 1997, including "Tell Me It's True", also from the soundtrack of the film "Speed II". The group reaffirmed its commitment to reggae music with "UB40 Present The Dancehall Album" in 1998, in collaboration with well-known Jamaican artists. A year later came "Labour Of Love III", succeeded in 2001 by "Cover Up", the year the band toured our country to commemorate 21 years of career. Beyond the usual reggae tones of UB40, on "Cover Up" the band also invested in ballads and pop rock.