UB40 anniversary tour signs on

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Pioneering pop-reggae group UB40 kicks off the British leg of its Signing Off tour tomorrow with a show at the Liverpool Philharmonic. The group, which formed in Birmingham in the late 1970s, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its debut album, Signing Off.

The tour is scheduled to end on November 19 at the Southampton Guildhall in the city of Southampton.

Signing Off announced the arrival of UB40's distinct brand of pop reggae.

The album was a big hit in Britain and set the tone for several big-selling records, which included the popular Labour of Love series. Those albums included covers of Jamaican hit songs. The first was released in 1983 and contained versions of Eric Donaldson's Cherry Oh Baby, Sweet Sensation by The Melodians and Johnny Too Bad which was originally done by The Slickers.

The first Labour of Love set also included Red Red Wine, a Neil Diamond original, which topped the United States pop chart.

UB40 covered songs by Lord Creator and Johnny Osbourne on subsequent Labour of Love albums.

UB40 was founded by brothers Robin and Ali Campbell. Ali left for a solo career in 2008 and was replaced by another brother, Duncan.