{"id":7554,"date":"2024-01-01T19:30:40","date_gmt":"2024-01-01T19:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rocksmag.com\/surrey\/?p=7554"},"modified":"2024-01-01T19:30:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-01T19:30:40","slug":"ub40-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rocksmag.com\/surrey\/ub40-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"UB40 INTERVIEW"},"content":{"rendered":"

We caught up with Ali Campbell, lead singer, songwriter and founding member of UB40, the English reggae band who have sold over 70 million records worldwide and toured the globe for 45 years with 50 UK Chart hits. Ali is embarking on his latest \u2018Hits\u2019 tour this April.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So Ali, how does it feel to be back?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I originally left the band 15 years ago in 2008 so it feels great to be back again, fans are voting with their feet and wanting to hear all our music again, which is great. The influence of reggae on today\u2019s music is huge. If you listen to grime, hip-hop, drill, jungle, or drum and bass, so much of it has come from dub and dancehall. Reggae music is a perfect antidote to these dark times. It\u2019s music that unifies. You might not change anything by singing about it, but you can at least travel the world and try to bring people together.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All three of you are from Birmingham, were you friends before you started the band?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes we are the real deal! We were all friends, unemployed earning \u00a37.90 a week for 3 years before UB40 started. I remember on my 17th birthday receiving \u00a34000 for a criminal injury compensation \u2013 it was like I had won the lottery. I put some of that money into recording time in the studio and the rest is history.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What inspires you when writing songs?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Love songs \u2013 my wife then I suppose I like to moan a lot so many of our protest lyrics come from that.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you ever found a \u2018Rat in the Kitchen?\u2019\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Funnily enough yes, it was underneath the washing machine and I shot it with an airgun. Astro popped round after and that\u2019s how the track was penned. Most people automatically think it refers to Thatcherism in the eighties but it is because there was a big f*** off rat in my kitchen. Good question!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What would you say is your biggest crowd pleaser or what do you and the boys enjoy performing the most?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Red Red Wine\u2019 or \u2018I Can\u2019t Help Falling In Love\u2019 are belters.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What would you say is your greatest achievement?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My beautiful children \u2013 I have 8.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Best advice you\u2019ve ever been given?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To live the life you love and to love the life you live.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Worst habit?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being lazy. Not on tour though but when I get back I\u2019m a proper coach potato. I love to relax and chill. I\u2019m lucky I don\u2019t have to do a 9-5 job.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did you want to be growing up?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Always a singer. I used to pretend to be Michael Jackson in the Jackson 5 in the playground as I was the same age as him. I used to hit all the high notes\u2026 until my balls dropped!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What actor would play you in the movie version of your life?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

James Cagney (if he was alive).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most embarrassing item in your wardrobe?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My kilt.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What couldn\u2019t you live without?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reggae music.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you could only take 3 things to a dessert island what would they be and why?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A solar torch\/radio, fire starters and a large machete.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If someone asked to be your apprentice and learn all that you know, what would you teach them?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to sing, play the rhythm guitar and drums.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you do to relax?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Smoke weed.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

BOXOUT\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s very honest of you, thank you Ali!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can catch UB40\u2019s Ali who\u00a0is embarking on his latest \u2018Hits\u2019 tour this April, hitting the O2 on Thursday 11<\/span>th<\/span> April.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We caught up with Ali Campbell, lead singer, songwriter and founding member of UB40, the English reggae band who have sold over 70 million records worldwide and toured the globe for 45 years with 50 UK Chart hits. Ali is embarking on his latest \u2018Hits\u2019 tour this April.\u00a0\u00a0 So Ali, how does it feel to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":7555,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"yoast_head":"\nUB40 INTERVIEW - Surrey Rocks<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rocksmag.com\/surrey\/ub40-interview\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UB40 INTERVIEW - Surrey Rocks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We caught up with Ali Campbell, lead singer, songwriter and founding member of UB40, the English reggae band who have sold over 70 million records worldwide and toured the globe for 45 years with 50 UK Chart hits. 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