UB40

They started playing in pubs and clubs, and one day Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders saw them. She offered to have them join her on tour. That’s how their journey began. They released their first album in 1980 and started their own record label. Then they released a dub album, *Present Arms in Dub*.

It was in 1983 when they became famous. They did their own version of Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine,” which made it to the top of the charts. That song was on a cover album called Labour of Love. Since then, they’ve sold over 70 million records. They had their peak in the 1980s, with over 200 weeks on the British charts.

But everything has its downside. In 2008, Ali Campbell left. Then Mickey Virtue left. In 2013, Astro Campbell joined them and left the original band. Duncan, the lead singer, also left due to health issues. And in 2021, two of the founders passed away: Brian Travers and Astro. They were two people who left their mark.