UB40 – featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue

Brighton Centre, King’s Road, Brighton, Tuesday, May 3

FOR 28 years UB40 only rivalled U2 in terms of the stability of their line-up and longevity of their success.

But following a dispute with management original vocalist Ali Campbell broke away – and three years later half the band had been declared bankrupt.

Now there are two versions of the band touring the world – and original toaster Astro is happy to have joined forces with Campbell once more.

“I hadn’t been in touch with Ali at all since the split,” he says from his Birmingham home, fresh from touring Hawaii, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

“Our wives had always stayed in touch – my wife wanted me to see him and see if the chemistry between us was still there.

“I joined him on stage at the O2 Academy in London [in 2013] to do some toasting – the response from the crowd made it a no-brainer and the rest is history.”

Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue released a new album Silhouette in 2014, which broke into the UK top 20 on release that October.

But the trio, who are backed by an eight-piece band live on stage, are looking back to two of their biggest successes for this tour – their UK chart-topping album Labour Of Love from 1983, and its 1989 sequel Labour Of Love II.

“It was something the crowd was asking for,” says Astro. “Those were the albums that were out during the peak of our careers. Labour Of Love catapulted us into international stardom – people want to hear those tunes.”

The albums were designed to recreate the music the band had grown up listening to in Birmingham.

“My parents were from the West Indies,” says Astro. “It was their music from their island. When I was a kid there wasn’t any outlets for reggae – or rock steady and ska as it would have been then. At the weekend you would go to somebody’s house for a party – we used to call them shabeens or blues parties. They would start on a Friday night and end on Monday morning. As kids we would sneak out of our beds and go down the road to listen to the music. I was smitten from an early age.”

As such the Labour Of Love albums featured UB40’s takes on classics like Bob Marley’s Keep On Moving, Eric Donaldson’s Cherry Oh Baby, The Slickers’ Johnny Too Bad, Jimmy Cliff’s Many Rivers To Cross, Byron Lee’s Groovin’ and Lord Creator’s Kingston Town, as well as their chart-topping take on Neil Diamond’s Red Red Wine.

These covers form the majority of the band’s show, although there is a selection from the new album too.

“Reggae is an international language,” says Astro. “Everyone recognises it around the globe. You can’t always be drawn to the lyrics as not everyone speaks English, but the drum and bass lines say a lot more than 1,000 words could.

“Being back with Ali and Mickey is like putting on an old pair of shoes – they still fit. The chemistry and the banter is still there. I’m much happier being with Ali after the time we spent apart.

“Our band are all talented musicians in their own right – there are no egos – everyone just gets on with it. The crowd have been going wild every night, so we must be doing something right.”

He was looking forward to returning to the Brighton Centre too.

“It’s one of my favourite venues from the first time we played it in 1980 when we were on tour with Chrissie Hynde,” he says. “It was the first time a lot of our friends had travelled down to the seaside – they hired a coach to come and see us. I’ve got fond memories.

“It’s hard to find a bad place to play in Britain – we have a blast wherever we go!”

Doors 7pm, tickets £35. Call 08448 471515.