SINCE 1978, UB40 have had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. LAUREN PAGE spoke to founding member and co-vocalist Robin Campbell in the run up to their latest UK tour and what has changed in over 30 years on the scene.

Robin, Earl, Norman, Jimmy and Brian represent five of the six founding members of UB40. Duncan Campbell who is Robin Campbell’s brother, joined the band in 2008.

Duncan was first asked to be the lead singer in the band when UB40 originally formed in 1978, but he declined the offer because he didn’t think UB40 would be successful.

Martin and Laurence have been in the band for over 20 years, and Tony Mullings joined in 2008.

They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. But despite performing thousands of shows, the idea of touring never gets old.

Robin explained: "It's brilliant touring, we love going to all places around the country.

"We haven't toured like this in a very long time, we've done over 100 dates not including festivals.

"We've done academy style gigs, which is a great intimate feel from the audience when you're up close with them.

"We were never keen to do academy style gigs but our agent talked us into doing 18 dates two years ago, and here we are doing over 100".

UB40 have been a huge hit on the festival scene this year covering all genre events and bracing the outdoors to perform to flocks of fans.

"Festivals are completely different because you're playing to an audience who aren't there just to see you.

"We recently did a Re-Wind Festival which was brilliant, that's the crowd who love the nostalgic's and classics.

"We loved it because we were playing to around 25,000 - 30,000 people who knew our music word for word.

But as a band, playing your classics isn't always the most exciting thing to deliver at a gig

UB40 have a wide discography which spans back over 30 years with classic track after classic track

"You always have that one song you get fed up of playing, but that's because it's a classic - you can't play a gig and not play it!

"We never rehearse Red Red Wine, it's just one of those tracks we know so well there's no need to rehearse - but you can't finish a gig without playing it because it's what the audience want"

With the band in full tour mode and also recording a brand new album, having time to relax has been rare

"We're working on a new album and new material whilst also doing lots of shows, we've been working in hotels, tour buses and working late just to work on this.

"The album is still a reggae genre, it's always going to be similar but there will obviously be new material and maybe one or two covers of old flavour reggae hits."

For fans hoping to catch UB40 whilst they visit the county they can expect anything but a sit down concert.

"Fans should expect the same as they get wherever they go.

"We have a party and expect the audience to have a party, we hate sit down audiences

"We like people up and dancing - like a party!".

UB40 will be at The Sands Centre Carlisle on Wednesday October 5

Tickets are available from the box office

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