UB40 play Mallorca: “We grew up with the first British Windrush generation and inner city reggae”

UB40 land in Mallorca on their 45th anniversary tour, which will be topped off with the release of what Jimmy reckons is there 27th studio album, UB45. This will feature a number of new tracks which will be performed tomorrow night, along with a mixture of their greatest hits, of which there are many, plus some classic cover versions and songs some people may not know.

“What’s amazed us the most is that we’re getting people in their 20s coming to our concerts wherever we play. We’re still engaging with a new generation and for us that’s really pleasing and satisfying. Yes, you’re right, there’s not much reggae about today, especially in the ‘mainstream’, but we’ve been together now since we were kids growing up at school and I think the main secret to our success is that we’ve always got along. All of our children know each other and are good friends and we’re one big happy family.

“Yes, as a band we’ve had our high and lows, more on a personal level, but I think we’ve had many more highs than lows.

“We are basically a gang of mates, because most of us have grown up together since school. Whoever joins us becomes part of the gang. We still have the same mentality - it’s us against the world, and now we’ve got a great new frontman, Matt Doyle. He joined us two years ago, although he had performed with us before, and he’s doing a great job and has quickly become part of the family,” Jimmy said.

Awards and nominations

UB40 have had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart and have also achieved considerable international success. 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. UB40 have sold more than 70 million records worldwide and they have continued to stay true to their roots.

The band was born in Birmingham in 1978 and it is still home to most of the band, especially Jimmy.
“We all met at school when we were about 12. In fact, I met my wife before that and we’re still together like the band. I remember we were surrounded by such a diverse mixture of kids. We were at school with the first British Windrush generation and there were Indians, Irish, people from all over the world and it was really exciting. We all got along and we were an inclusive band, still are. It’s not about your colour, it’s about the music and I guess being in inner-city Birmingham that the sounds of the Windrush generation rubbed off on us.

"There was so much music at the time, especially coming out of Birmingham, but we wanted music we could dance to on Friday and Saturday nights, so we got together and started playing reggae.

“Genres such as dance hall and bhangra were flourishing because of the Jamaican and South Asian immigrants and that inspired us.

“Yes, we were socially outspoken, that’s part of music, it was our way of having a voice while also trying to make a living and enjoying what we wanted to do. And to be honest, many of our songs, or social comments, are still very apt today. I wouldn’t say Britain has got any better, the class war is still raging on and I think that’s the biggest problem, so nothing’s changed over the decades. But musicians evolve, it’s natural, but at heart we’re a live band, always have been and we love touring, although I can’t wait to get back into my own bed. Being on stage, having that connection with the audience, that’s what we’re all about and that’s what we’re bringing to Mallorca.”

The new album is now available for pre-order; ub40.global

Tickets: esjardimallorca.com/en/