Reggae band UB40 headlined Glastonbury again in 1983 through the peak of their profession as a part of a line-up which additionally featured Curtis Mayfield, The Beat and King Sunny Ade, amongst others. Regardless of grossing tens of millions from their hits, together with Crimson Crimson Wine, UB40 has skilled important monetary difficulties, with 4 members being declared bankrupt. As well as, authorized battles and monetary disputes additionally impacted the band’s funds.
Drummer Jimmy Brown, saxophone participant Brian Travers, trumpeter Terence Oswald, and percussionist Norman Hassan have been all declared bankrupt by a choose in 2011 at Birmingham County Court docket. It got here after the failure of UB40’s now defunct document label, DEP Worldwide, and a row over funds which cut up the band up. Robin Campbell, a fifth unique group member, was additionally concerned within the courtroom case, however he was not listed as bankrupt.
Jimmy opened up about his chapter in recent times to thisismoney.co.uk, addressing the “acrimonious” cut up with lead singer Ali Campbell.
The drummer mentioned he misplaced every part from his £50,000 Toyota Land Cruiser to the furnishings in his dwelling, in addition to musical devices he wanted to carry out.
He informed the publication, “Out of the blue, every part was up within the air. We had booked all these excursions and we had providers to pay for and advances for buses, inns, flights and trucking.
“Touring is a extremely costly enterprise and when folks have a contract, they anticipate to be paid. We owed all this cash for excursions we couldn’t carry out. Because of that, we went bankrupt. That was fairly a stunning expertise and one I might not want on anyone.”
He added: “They even took our musical devices – so our potential to earn, which appeared mercenary and pointless. We even needed to promote our again catalogue. We not get any royalties from our personal music.”
Regardless of taking “fairly a battering,” the band members now make a residing touring venues as a unit.
Final 12 months, lead singer Ali even mirrored on a possible return to Glastonbury after 4 many years. Talking in RETROPOP’s April 2024 version, he mentioned: “It will be pretty to do this once more – once we did it within the ‘80s it was a a lot smaller occasion, but it surely was nice enjoyable. We’d like to do the Legends slot – that’s the one we need to do!”
