* " King ," a song by UB40 on their debut album, Signing Off

Before some of them could play their instruments, Ali Campbell and Brian Travers travelled around Birmingham promoting the band, putting up UB40 posters.

" Priest had joined UB40 on their arena tour in 2007, culminating in sell-out shows at the NEC Birmingham in December.

UB40 announced that after completing a coast to coast 2010 American tour they would be playing a nationwide UK tour of theatres in October / November 2010 performing their seminal album ' Signing Off ', in full, along with a second set of popular UB40 songs.

In 2006 UB40 was nominated for a Grammy Award ( Reggae category ) for their album Who You Fighting For.

In developing the club's musical identity the Berrows also gave free rehearsal space to bands like Dexys Midnight Runners and UB40, with The Beat filming a video for their song " Mirror In The Bathroom " taking full advantage of the many mirrors that walled the club.

Maxi Priest and UB40 mimicked the song's melody and chord progression in their 2008 collaboration " Dance Until the Morning Light ", from the UB40 album TwentyFourSeven.

In music, the reggae group UB40 took their name from the form used to ' sign on ' at the Unemployment Benefit office ( the form is now designated ES40JP ).

In 1993, British reggae band UB40 covered the song, as first single from their 1993 album Promises and Lies.

Later Musical Youth, UB40, the first truly mixed-race UK dub band, and Pato Banton found commercial success, as did 2 Tone band The Beat who drew their influences from Jamaican ska music.

UB40 made their rendition for their cover versions album Labour of Love.

" Cherry Oh Baby " has been covered by both The Rolling Stones ( on their 1976 album, Black and Blue ) and UB40 ( on their 1983 album, Labour of Love ).

* UB40, on their Labour of Love IV album ( 2010 ) and as a single released on 25 January 2010

UB40 were finishing their set on the main stage, and Wonder's equipment was set up, plugged in and ready to be rolled on after a 10-minute act on a side stage.

Artists such as Ace of Base, Chaka Demus & Pliers and Pato Banton ( with the help of UB40 ), took their radio-friendly " pop / reggae " hits to the top of the UK charts for weeks.

Better-known bands such as The Police, The Clash and UB40 helped popularize Dub, with UB40s Present Arms In Dub album being the first dub album to hit the UK top 40.

Brian Travers saved up and bought his first saxophone whilst working as an electrical apprentice for NG Bailey, leaving after a few years to become a founding member of UB40 alongside Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Ali Campbell.

UB40 ( a reggae group from Birmingham, whose first album was released in 1980 ) was named after the form issued by the DHSS to those claiming unemployment benefit, the full name of which was Unemployment Benefit form 40.

The Hare and Hounds public house, in Kings Heath High Street, was the location of the first concert by UB40 on 9 February 1979, which is commemorated by a PRS for Music plaque.

It was also the time when dub made its influence known in the work of harder edged, experimental producers such as Mikey Dread with UB40 and The Clash, Adrian Sherwood and the roster of artists on his On-U Sound label.

The song enjoyed more success in 2003's tournament, when recorded by UB40 and the United Colours of Sound.

UB40 collaborators include: Pato Banton, Madness, Bitty McLean, Chrissie Hynde, Maxi Priest, Robert Palmer, Hunterz, Japanese artist Mikidozan, French artist Nuttea, Lady Saw, Afrika Bambaataa, 808 State.

The Nelson Mandela Concert was the largest such event since 1985's Live Aid and the line-up also featured: Dire Straits, George Michael, Eurythmics, Joe Cocker, Ashford & Simpson, Natalie Cole, Tracy Chapman, Wet Wet Wet, Bee Gees, UB40, Chrissie Hynde, Hugh Masekela, Jerry Dammers, Whitney Houston, Meat Loaf, Salt-N-Pepa, Stevie Wonder and many more.

* UB40 and Chrissie Hynde-" I Got You Babe ", 3 August 1985

* UB40 and Chrissie Hynde-" I Got You Babe ", " Breakfast in Bed ", " Sing Our Own Song "

The rise of Thatcherism and the misery of mass unemployment saw WIA examining the phenomenon through the eyes of another emerging band, UB40, in A Statistic, A Reminder ( 1981 ), a line taken from one of the band's songs.

As UB40 grew in popularity, they encouraged and supported local musicians and bands from Birmingham such as, Beshara, by taking them on a tour.

The more reggae based music of UB40 allowed them to continue to chart in to the twentieth century, enjoying four number ones in the UK, the last of these in 1994.

At the end of April 1999 while he was on home leave from prison, Adair was shot at and grazed by a bullet in the head at a UB40 concert in Belfast which he had attended with his wife.

The name " UB40 " was selected in reference to the document issued to people claiming unemployment benefit from the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security ( DHSS ) at the time of the band's formation.

Three years later UB40 performed at the Birmingham Heart Beat Charity Concert 1986.

UB40 toured South Africa in July 2007 and headlined the Live Earth concert at the Cradle of Humankind, near Johannesburg.

On 12 June 2010, UB40 played a one-off concert to motor racing fans at the Le Mans 24 hour race.

* UB40 at Rolling Stone

* UB40 discography at Discogs

" Priest had joined UB40 on tour in 2007, culminating in sell out shows at the National Exhibition Centre ( NEC ) in Solihull in December.

UB40 are a British reggae / pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham.

It was reported by some Birmingham newspapers on 13 March 2008, that Maxi Priest would be the new lead singer of UB40 and had recorded a cover of Bob Marley ’ s " I Shot the Sheriff " with the band, based on information from an unnamed " source close to the band.

Another local newspaper reporting that Maxi Priest would be the new UB40 frontman, also included a statement from band spokesman Gerard Franklyn which contradicted this claim: " Maxi is collaborating with the band to record material but there is no decision been made to replace Ali Campbell with one definitive singer.

* UB40, an English reggae band, Ali Campbell and Robin Campbell

Brother to Earl Falconer from UB40, Falconer later went on to produce many singles and albums for that band.

* DEP International, a defunct British record label founded by the band UB40

It was reported in some newspapers in the Birmingham area, including the Birmingham Mail on 13 March 2008, that Priest would be replacing Ali Campbell as the new lead singer of UB40, and that he had recorded a cover of Bob Marley ’ s " I Shot the Sheriff " with the band, based on information from " an unnamed source close to the band.

Another local newspaper, the Express & Star that had reported that Priest would be the new UB40 frontman, included a statement from band spokesman Gerard Franklyn which contradicted the claim, stating " Maxi is collaborating with the band to record material but he won't be the new lead singer, that will be Duncan Campbell, the brother of Ali and Robin Campbell.

Graham originally sang in a band called ' Ferrari ', and then went on to the band ' Medium Wave ', before becoming a backing vocalist for UB40.

The UK band, UB40, incorporated the " Amandla, Awethu " chant into Sing Our Own Song from the 1986 album Rat In The Kitchen.

The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000 is a greatest hits album from the British dub / reggae band UB40.