Former UB40 frontman Ali Campbell has claimed he acrimoniously quit the reggae band after 30 years due to a row about time off.
Founding member Campbell said his decision to leave the Birmingham group in 2008 was a result of a business dispute, which followed several years of in-fighting over his alleged prioritising of a solo career.
In a new interview, Campbell, who said he had been “betrayed” by former bandmates, including his brother Robin, has now stated the specific reason for his exit was because they “refused to let me have a month off”.
In the wake of Ali’s departure, UB40, who formed in 1978, continued with Danny Brown and Ali’s brothers Robin and Duncan, who was drafted in after Ali left.
The singer, 66, acknowledged that it’s “sad” to be estranged from his brothers, but branded Robin “devious” and said there was “absolutely no” chance of a reunion.
This echoed the sentiments shared by Robin, who previously said “all the money in the world” couldn’t persuade him to reunite with his brother.
Ali now tours a rival group under the moniker UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell. The group last performed at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Sunday (6 July).
He formed the splinter band alongside ex-member Astro, who died after a short illness in 2021.
The rivals both perform the band’s signature hits, including “Red Red Wine” and the Elvis Presley cover “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You” – and UB40 have frequently attempted to sue Ali for damages.
“Every time I put a show on, [management gets] a letter saying we’re not the real UB40, but I’m long in the tooth now on that stuff, and I don’t give a s***,” the singer told the i.
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He accused UB40 of “deliberately confusing everything” by “promoting their shows with videos and stills” of Ali despite him no longer being part of the act.
Robin toldThe Independent in November 2024 there was “no hope in hell” of reconciling with Ali.
“If he apologised and wanted to be my brother again, I’d have to accept that,” he said. “But really, when he decided he wasn’t my brother any more, it was a relief.”
However, in January 2025, Robin insisted that the rift between him and his brother was not a family feud, and was instead a business matter.
“I’ve said this so many times, but it wasn’t a family fall out,” he told The Trawl podcast in January.
“It wasn’t brothers falling out. 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.”
The Independent has contacted UB40 for comment.
