Ali Campbell was devastated when he learned of the death of bandmate Astro.
The “brother” who had played with him in UB40 for more than 40 years and who had just finished recording an album with him, died suddenly last November, and Campbell’s world caved in.
The frontman had been friends with the rapper, trumpeter and percussionist since the group formed in 1978.
He says of Astro’s death at 64: “It knocked me for six because it was so unexpected and I’m still reeling from it to be honest. Because he was in a great place. The last time I saw him he said, ‘I’ll see you next Friday, kid’ and I said, ‘Alright Ast.’ And that was it.
Astro, real name Terence Wilson, had been suffering from a virus when he collapsed in his home with a fatal cardiac arrest two weeks after finishing the band’s latest album.
Ali, 63, adds: “I’m just happy that we got the chance to be in Jamaica where we did four tracks together. It was nice to spend 11 days with my brother in a place we both loved. He was really happy with the album and his input.
“I didn’t appreciate how special that time was until afterwards. I give thanks for that. As I do that his death was very quick and sudden. He didn’t know anything about it.
"We did a memorial tour for him earlier this year and you really felt the love and respect for him. He was a great man.”
The Brummie reggae band’s new album, Unprecedented, is filled with poignant songs which have become even more heartrending with Astro’s death. Like the cover of E17’s Stay Another Day, and Mellow, which contains the lyric “we all know that life’s too short and sadly time cannot be bought”.
Astro’s death came three months after another UB40 founding member, saxophonist Brian Travers, lost a long battle with cancer, aged 62. I ask Ali if losing such close friends has made him question his own mortality?
He replies: “I spent all my adult life with Brian and Astro and it does make your mind focus on what’s important. You do question your own mortality.
“I’ve never been scared of dying and I’m not scared now. With my best friends dying around me it kind of makes me less fearful. I’m not too worried because I know my mates have done it. But I do constantly wake up and think that every day above ground is a good day.
“That’s why it’s important to carry on touring. We’ve just played before 70,000 people in the Hague and the reaction to our songs was amazing.
"It’s so good when it’s going well and it reminds you what it’s all about especially after losing my brother Astro.”
UB40 were formed in 1978 by a group of mates, including Ali and his elder brother Robin, who grew up around Birmingham’s multiracial Balsall Heath.
They took their name from the unemployment benefit form of the time.
The band quickly became viewed as the genuine voice of Britain’s disaffected youth.
Or as Ali describes it: “We were eight people who had been unemployed since school, trying to wade through Thatcher’s quagmire of sh** then sing about it. We were politicised, we were disenfranchised, and we had a lot to say.”
UB40 went on to sell 70 million records worldwide, have more than 50 chart singles, three UK number ones, two US number ones and four Brit Award nominations.
In 2008, Ali and keyboard player Mickey Virtue left and the remaining members replaced him on lead vocals with another Campbell brother, Duncan.
In 2013, claiming he could not bear to see “my brother murdering my songs” Ali formed an alternative UB40 with Virtue and Astro, leading to a nasty feud. Legal action between the two groups still rages. I ask if there is any chance of a reconciliation?
The star, who tours under the name UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, says: “No, that’s all dead and gone. We haven’t spoken since I left. It all became very unpleasant with them trying to stop me using the name of my own band. I think what my brother Robin has now is basically a tribute band. But we’re the real deal.
“The proof is how many people you’re playing to. Robin’s band are playing cruise ships while I’m doing the Isle of Wight Festival and selling out arenas.”
It’s good to see Ali retains his political anger on the album.
The title track Unprecedented is about No10’s response to Covid with the line “headless chickens” and references Tory lies. What made him write it?
He says: “The Government ARE headless chickens and they showed their true colours during Covid.
“It beggars belief what went down. Profiteering from PPE, insider trading with their rich mates.
“And these Rwanda flights are shocking. How can you treat people like that who are already vulnerable and under terrible pressure?”
Does Ali think there is any difference between the Thatcher government he was writing protest songs about 40 years ago and Boris Johnson ’s. He adds: “No. One in four kids in England are living in poverty. We’re going backwards.
“I grew up in a socialist family. I was never a communist like my father but with what’s going on today I think I’m getting a bit more militant.”
Despite the recent heartache of losing some of his oldest friends, Ali knows he’s a lucky man. He says: “UB40 are popular in every part of the world. People will know our stuff because we had so many hits in the 80s.
"We’ve played Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Rarotonga and go to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia annually. I earned millions and blew millions because I’ve always had the attitude that I live the life I love and I love the life I live. Even more so now I’m seeing my mates dying.”
Ali lives in a beach house in Dorset with second wife Julie. He has eight children, who are all grown-up.
“Life’s good. I’m immensely proud to have extremely handsome and gorgeous children. I love my kids and they’re all brilliant. It’s been a pleasure bringing them up. I feel blessed. You won’t hear me moaning too much.”
After such a grim year every day above ground is indeed a good day.
Unprecedented the new album from UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell & Astro is available now on UMC.
