Talk:UB40

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    Why exactly is the accuracy of this article disputed it seems fine to me Gem 23:22 24 Jun 2003 (UTC)


    We have a vandal that mixes good edits with bad, apparently deliberately: it takes too much time to check all his edits, so we just delete the lot. He has been invited to discuss his behavior, but has so far not taken the opportunity. The Anome

    Full, long reading of it is at User_talk:Michael/ban. - Hephaestos 23:25 24 Jun 2003 (UTC)

    I've found some info on the band here http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll Gem 23:32 24 Jun 2003 (UTC)

    From my recollection of the band, the current contents of the article look accurate. -- Arwel 23:47 24 Jun 2003 (UTC)

    Various factual errors, misremembered years, imagined titles ... the typical Michaelisms. see here. Koyaanis Qatsi 23:48 24 Jun 2003 (UTC)


    Checked and corrected some info. Added guest members and corrected/added albums and singles JorisJ

    Their most successful single release is the cover of the Elvis Presley ballad "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" which was intended to be the main title to the 1992 Sharon Stone movie "Sliver" and was a no.1 hit across Europe and in the U.S.A.

    I can't find a reference right now, but I recall an interview with Ali Campbell about 10 years ago (on VH1, perhaps?) where he said they recorded it for Honeymoon in Vegas, but the director didn't like the way it came out. It wound up in Sliver instead. There's a similar story at ub40fft.com, although I don't know where it comes from. RossPatterson 14:31, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

    Contents

    [edit] Ska

    I had always heard UB40 referred to as a second wave ska band. Is there any truth to this?
    Not really but some of the records have an up tempo alsmost ska sound to them, Reefer Madness and Burden of Shame come to mind.Ajuk 22:41, 2 June 2007 (UTC)
    note:please remember to be mature,kind and not insulting in your answer--Anthraxrulz 06:27, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
    Huh, What are you getting at?Ajuk 23:11, 8 June 2007 (UTC)
    UB40 have cited Ska as one of their early musical influences, but have for the most part stuck to reggae when it comes to making their own records. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.242.35.124 (talk) 22:21, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Blues Parties

    Were the "blues parties" that UB40 went to really parties where they played the blues (as the links seem to suggest)? In 1990s Manchester a "blues" was a party which involved a lot of marijuana but no blues music, so maybe it had some specific meaning in 1970s Birmingham.

    Blues parties in Balsall Heath during the 80's played reggae. They probably weren't much different 10 years earlier. Aynuk N. Ayli 15:12, 21 August 2006 (UTC)
    it is also suggested by Robin and Ali Campbell in their book "Blood and Fire", that the name "Blues Party" could have derived from the sound system that was used at those parties...which was the brand called Blaupunkt (German word for Blue Party) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wxmatt82 (talk • contribs) 22:24, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Norman Lamont Hassan

    Is Norman Hassan's middle name really Lamont? Norman Lamont was a Tory MP. It could just be coincidence but in case it isn't I've removed it. Aynuk N. Ayli 08:25, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

    Yes, his middle name really is Lamont, sometimes (mis)spelled Lamount. —Preceding unsigned comment added by JorisJ (talk • contribs) 02:15, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Ali Campbell vs UB40

    'Ali Campbell' redirects to the UB40 page, and I don't think this should be the case. Ali Campbell has released two solo albums (1995's 'Big Love' and 2007's 'Running Free'), as well as guested with brother Robin on Pato Banton's 1994 UK #1 'Baby Come Back'. As such he absolutely deserves an entry of his own. In fact, I find it rather hard to believe there isn't one already. Can we see if it can be resurrected? Tobycek 16:38, 29 October 2007 (UTC)

    I, too, was very surprised that there were not individual pages for at least some of the members of UB40. Its on my to-do-list.....unless someone beats me to it.--Egghead06 16:43, 29 October 2007 (UTC)

    [edit] UB40 and The Mail On Sunday

    Just thought I should mention that on Sunday 6 May 2007, the British newspaper the Mail On Sunday gave away a free CD of UB40 in concert. There are 15 tracks on the CD featuring some of their greatest hits. These are:

    1. Food For Thought
    2. Present Arms
    3. One in Ten
    4. If It Happens Again
    5. Tyler
    6. King
    7. Kingston Town
    8. Homely Girl
    9. Cherry Oh Baby
    10. Bring Me Your Cup
    11. Higher Ground
    12. Red Red Wine
    13. Rat in The Kitchen
    14. Sing Our Own Song
    15. Can't Help Falling in Love

    Cheers 81.157.64.122 11:04, 6 May 2007 (UTC)

    U2 has been together with the same lineup longer than UB40 —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.236.98.15 (talk) 06:40, August 22, 2007 (UTC)

    According to their bio on here, U2 have been together since 1976, which is slightly less long (32 years) - however, The Four Tops had the longest-lived constant lineup to date (40+ years). 91.84.95.204 (talk) 23:17, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Campbell's leaving

    This BBC article paints a rather less straightforward picture than the simple announcement of leaving that we have in the article as it stands. In particular, the band's spokesman rejects his comments about "intolerable" management. 86.143.48.55 (talk) 17:44, 25 January 2008 (UTC)

    [edit] Maxi Priest

    Whoever stated that Maxi Priest is the new lead singer is completely mistaken. Go to the band's official website: www.ub40.co.uk and check out the bulletin board. A couple of band members commonly post on the board and have stated that DUNCAN CAMPBELL, Ali and Robin's brother will be the new lead singer! People please get your facts straight before reporting erroneous material!

    Would it not be a better idea to, instead of ripping out referenced info on Maxi Priest, to add your own referenced info showing what you believe to be true regarding the line-up of UB40? Or better still put it on here for discussion?--Egghead06 (talk) 16:12, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

    Sure, let's discuss it..i'll start a new discussion of it. I'll put some posts from the official UB40 message board, in which band members themselves have denounced Maxi as their lead singer...and i'll also give you some pictures from band rehearsals...which, surprise...do not include Maxi Priest :) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.242.35.124 (talk) 20:53, 21 April 2008 (UTC)


    FOR THE FINAL TIME...MAXI PRIEST IS NOT (underline it, put an exclamation point after it) the lead singer of UB40! I have already edited this page THREE TIMES!!!. Whoever is saying that he is the new lead singer is somehow misinformed. But I personally have read messages posted by the band members themselves....here you can read this http://www.ub40.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=88845&highlight=duncan+singer

    read that page and look for Brian Travers (a UB40 member) comments on the matter.

    I don't care how many references say that Maxi is the lead singer...when the BAND MEMBERS THEMSELVES HAVE DENOUNCED HIM as the lead singer! Please get your facts straight before re-editing this post!

    The two new members are actually Duncan Campbell (vocals) and Tony Mullings (keyboards)

    i will edit this page once again and if anyone reposts Maxi Priest as the lead singer again, i will be forced to report them as a page hijacker. - Matthew P

    Thanks for finally providing a citation for your information instead of just ranting about it. I've added back in the cite about Maxi Priest joining the band, making it clear it was a false report, and added the more exact citation for the info about Duncan (the above link), since the main site still hasn't added him to their band member list -- Foetusized (talk) 21:02, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

    Sorry didn't mean to rant..it's just that some people will read anything and take it as true....just wanted it settled. Now worries. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.242.35.124 (talk) 22:18, 21 April 2008 (UTC)


    Egghead06, why exactly are you trying so bloody hard to obfuscate the truth about Maxi Priest not being a member of UB40? -- Foetusized (talk) 13:09, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

    It really isn't a case of obfuscation. I think this could be disagreement over the word 'member'. I am not stating that he is a member of UB40. So far we have, in terms of reliable sources, that Priest will front UB40. A UB40 spokesman doubts this will be permanent, the ref from Jamaica states it is expected to form a more permanent alliance and that a joint recording will be forthcoming. This adds alot more than the original references from the Birmingham Mail and includes, for balance, both sides. By the way where are the reliable references (not blogs or fansites) which state Priest will not front UB40? --Egghead06 (talk) 15:46, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
    1) So what, exactly, is the difference between being the front/lead singer for a group and a member of a group? You seem to think that Maxi can be the front man/lead singer UB40 without being a member, and that goes quite against my experience of how those terms are used in the music business. The collaboration/guest appearance that Maxi Priest and UB40 have recorded together does not make him a member, lead singer, nor front man of UB40, no more than David Bowie recording a song with Queen made Bosie a member of or the lead singer of Queen.
    2) There is no, I repeat, no information in the article you have added from the Jamaica Observer (dated weeks after the other cites) that wasn't taken from the earlier reports. In fact it says it is written "according to reports" and mentions no primary sources, such as the "source close to the band" quoted in the other articles. Let's compare the two:
    Birmingham Post: "The collaboration with Maxi Priest, which is expected to form a more permanent alliance, has already yielded a recording of Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff and is expected to form half of a double a-side single soon."
    Jamaica Observer: "The collaboration with Maxi Priest is expected to form a more permanent alliance and has already yielded a recording of Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff and is expected to form half of a double A-side single soon."
    That's almost a direct quote from the earlier article, covering the exact "alot more" information you claimed that this citation was adding. Based on this, I'm reverting the poorly-done rewrite that you made in order to add a citation to this plagiarised adding-nothing newspaper article. It was a nice and clear paragraph, contrasting the "is he or isn't he the new lead singer?" positions, before you started muddying the waters.
    3) There's lots of information about the changes in membership of the band, including the fact that Maxi Priest is neither the new lead singer nor a new member, on the official message board run by the band, which is neither a blog nor a fansite. It is part of the band's official website, and the band members that post there are authenticated. Posts on the board also state that the band is waiting to make a formal announcement about membership changes at the time of the release of their forthcoming album next month and the tour to support it. Right now, I think there are enjoying the extra publicity that the Maxi Priest rumors are creating, so the paragraph as it now stands should be OK until that announcement is made. -- Foetusized (talk) 20:45, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
    Your chosen ref from expressandstar.com does little more than muddy the waters with a, will-he won't-he, stance. Even the title of the ref states Priest is to be the new UB40 front man!. The so-called UB40 spokeman says otherwise. I've included both sides for balance. If you can provide a clear reference which proves one way or the other what Priest's position is PLEASE INCLUDE IT.--Egghead06 (talk) 06:39, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
    The Express and Star story only "muddies the water" through presenting both sides (instead of just one) of an unclear story. This entry should do the same with a clear presentation of both sides of will-he-or-won't-he. The long quote you added from that article isn't necessary to establish what the rest of the article is about; I'll fix that. At least Mr. Franklyn has a name, unlike that oh-so-trustworthy anonymous "source close to the band" that made the unsubstantiated claims that Maxi Priest has joined the band. There is no clear reference (for now) that meets the Wikirules, so we'll have to continue to present both positions in the entry -- Foetusized (talk) 11:49, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
    At least now we are showing that Maxi Priest will be in some collaboration (front-man, singer, member?) with UB40. That will do until the new tour starts and they appear with a lead singer, either on a permanent or temporary basis. Incidently have you Googled Gerard Franklyn or seached for him on the UB40 official site? No thought not. For one so important to the band, references to him are mighty thin on the ground! In Wiki terms he would not be treated as a reliable source but hey, it's Friday....--Egghead06 (talk) 15:03, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
    So why exactly isn't the named source as reliable as the unnamed "source close to the band" that the rest of the paragraph relies upon? Anyway, according to UB40's web site, there will be a published interview with three band members this weekend in The Mail on Sunday that may resolve all these questions - Foetusized (talk) 16:57, 25 April 2008 (UTC)