UAE music lovers could be forgiven for seeing double this week with concert announcements stating that the English reggae legends UB40 are headlining both the Big Grill Festival on February 28 and the Irish Village on April 3.
And now the UB40 singer Duncan Campbell has slammed the decision of the band’s former frontman – and his younger brother – to tour the UAE using the group’s moniker.
"It is just confusing," Campbell told The National in an interview.
“I like to take no notice at all, but we can’t allow this to happen because it is making the business impossible.”
UB40’s bitter split is set to be played out – literally – in Dubai.
The Irish Village show features the former lead singer Ali Campbell – whose smooth and distinctive crooning can be heard on the band's biggest hits, Red Red Wine, Please Don't Make Me Cry and Kingston Town – alongside fellow departed UB40 founding members: the vocalist Astro (Terence Wilson) and keyboardist Mickey Virtue. The remaining members of the original UB40 – including Duncan Campbell – are headlining the Big Grill at Emirates Golf Club.
“It’s like somebody brought out a fizzy drink and called it Coca-Cola – you just wouldn’t be able to. Even if it’s by the guy who invented the recipe, you can’t create a new brand and call it that.”
Duncan Campbell joined the Birmingham group in 2008, only a few months after Ali Campbell acrimoniously departed, citing disputes with the band’s management. The band then went on to record two more albums.
The younger Campbell went on to record a solo album and toured with his own Dep Band, but it was only last month that tensions within both camps reached a boiling point, with Ali setting up a rival band called UB40.
In an statement announcing the new group, Ali said: “The three founding members have reformed and reunited to bring you the true sound of UB40.”
Both groups are presently consulting lawyers over the ownership of the band name.
“I don’t think this situation will go on for long, let’s put it this way,” Duncan said.
“This has to be resolved. You can’t have two bands calling themselves with the same name.”
• Check out Arts and Life soon for the full interview with Duncan Campbell.