UB40’s Robin Campbell and Jimmy Brown say that ‘all the money in the world’ couldn’t get them to reunite with the band’s founding member Ali Campbell.
As one of the biggest bands of the 1980s – having formed in Birmingham in 1978 – UB40 have sold more records than Oasis with hits including Red, Red, Wine and their cover of I Got You Babe.
But tensions boiled over when Ali, 65, announced in 2008 that he was leaving UB40 after 30 years following a disagreement over management, and he went on to form a breakaway group UB40 Featuring Ali & Astro, much to the distaste of the original group.
What ensued was years of bitter back and forth between the Campbell brothers, who would give the Gallagher brothers a run for their money when it comes to stubborn family feuds.
On a new podcast episode, Robin has now slammed his brother Ali for ‘turning his back’ on the band to pursue a solo career, as he and Jimmy gave their side of the story of his heated departure.
Speaking on The Trawl podcast, UB40’s Robin and Jimmy claimed the fallout started when Ali failed to curtail his spending in the mid-00s.
‘What was happening was there was less and less records being sold with the rise of technology. And we were having to tighten our belts,’ Jimmy said.
Jimmy also said he thought Ali’s departure was a calculated decision.
‘I think he made the calculation, you know, encouraged by his girlfriend and our ex-manager, and made the calculation that maybe if he was to dump the band then he could go out and still live the same pop star life he’d been used to living for 20 years,’ he said.
Jimmy added: ‘Unfortunately, the tour that he booked at that time under his own name just bombed!’
Robin insisted that their split wasn’t a family falling out – or a feud between brothers – but a purely professional one.
‘He left the band. And he was also closer to several members of the band than he was to me, even though he was my kid brother. For instance, Brian Travers, our sax player who’s passed away, they were best pals from the age of 10, 11 years old,’ Robin explained.
However, that doesn’t mean the Campbells are a picture perfect family, Robin explained, reasoning that his relationship with Ali is better than with their oldest brother David Campbell – who hasn’t spoken to any of them since leaving UB40.
‘Not one word,’ Robin said. ‘Neither has he spoken to any other member of the band. He’s just walked out of that life into another one.’
There doesn’t seem to be any love lost between Ali and brother Duncan Campbell either, after the latter replaced him as vocalist on his 2008 departure from the band.
Reflecting on his replacement, Ali told Press Association in 2018: ‘I keep seeing Duncan singing my songs on YouTube and words fail me,’ he told the Press Association.
‘I think he’s destroying the legacy of the band and the worst and most embarrassing thing is that people think it’s me, that truly makes my skin crawl.’
Duncan later ‘reluctantly’ retired from UB40 in 2021 after suffering a seizure in a move that ‘saddened’ the band
Discussing Ali’s decision to part ways with the band in the podcast episode, Robin also suggested that his brother ‘turned his back’ on the advice given to them by their late father – to ‘share everything equally’.
‘For him to turn his back on that whole idea was just ridiculous,’ Ali said, while Jimmy added: ‘I think the problem with Ali was that he didn’t want to be told that he’s not a pop star.
He added: ‘He didn’t like being brought down. He didn’t like having his feet kept on the ground. He wanted to play that pop star role.’
When asked if UB40 would follow in the footsteps of Oasis and reunite with Ali, Jimmy gave the bluntest of blunt response.
‘All the money in the world wouldn’t get us to do that,’ he said.
‘The conclusion I’ve come to in the end is that he’s done some big favour. We’ve got a brilliant singer. He’s fantastic and he’s only 30. It’s got a fantastic voice, and you can rely on him.’
The Trawl is available to listen to now on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Metro has reached out to Ali Campbell’s representatives for comment.
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