Biography
UB40 is a British reggae band formed in 1978 in Birmingham, UK. The band has
placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved
considerable international success. The band has sold over 70 million records.
Their #1 hit singles include "Red Red Wine", "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "I
Got You Babe".The band members began as
friends who knew each other from various colleges and schools across Birmingham.
The name "UB40" was selected in reference to the 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.
Before any of them could play their instruments, Ali Campbell and Brian Travers
travelled around Birmingham promoting the band, putting up UB40 posters. The
band purchased its first instruments from Woodroffe's Musical Instruments with
£4,000 in compensation money that Campbell, who would become the lead singer,
received after a bar fight during his seventeenth birthday celebration.
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UB40 on allmusic.com |
