UB40 Reunited: Group to perform Friday at MACC’s A&B Amphitheater
‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ with reggae
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Returning to one of his "favorite places on the planet," UB40 Reunited vocalist Astro is looking forward to elevating Maui again with the group's distinctive brand of horn-driven reggae.
Founded in 1978, this Birmingham, England-based group has probably done more to popularize reggae than any other artist since Bob Marley. With reported global record sales of more than 70 million, they have topped the charts with infectious reggae covers of songs like Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" and Elvis Presley's ballad "Can't Help Falling in Love."
UB40 Reunited, which features founding band members lead vocalist Ali Campbell, Astro and keyboardist Mickey Virtue, recently released a new acoustic "Unplugged" album of hits, and there's talk of a new project collaborating with American reggae bands like SOJA and Rebelution.
"We recorded a dub album a few years ago, and we thought about collaborating with them on the tracks," Astro explains. "We've also sent the tracks to some of the top reggae artists in Latin America to see what they come up with. We should have a dynamite album."
With the band enjoying a celebrated discography reaching back almost 40 years, Astro was invited to comment on some of the songs that helped define their unique sound and international appeal.
"One in Ten" -- A Top 10 hit in the U.K. in 1981 by UB40, founded by a group of unemployed mates who decried the high percentage of their local workforce out of work in this early political song. "It was all about statistics with one in 10 being unemployed and needing social housing. It was relevant at the time, and it's proven to be as relevant now with everything that is going on with the English government."
"Red Red Wine" -- UB40 first heard this song, composed and recorded by Neil Diamond, as a reggae song by Jamaican singer Tony Tribe. Included on their first "Labour of Love" covers album, their version in 1983 topped the charts. "We only knew it by Tony Tribe as a ska version. You could have knocked us down with a feather when we found out it was by Neil Diamond. The publishing credit said N. Diamond, and we thought it was a reggae artist from Jamaica, like his name was Neville or Negus. He's (Diamond) never said thank you, not once, but he changed his version using our arrangement, and he even tried to do my rap part."
"I Got You Babe" -- Sonny & Cher's hit was covered in 1985 by UB40 with Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. Hynde had "discovered" the band and invited the group on tour. "Chrissie had taken us on tour, and unleashed us on the world. We thought it would be great to do something with our Aunty Chrissie. We were in our 'Labour of Love' mode, so we thought to have her do 'I Got You Babe.' Chrissie will say it was her idea, but we know it wasn't. She was never as big a reggae fan as we are, but we're really glad she embraced the idea."
"Sing Our Own Song" -- A powerful anti-apartheid anthem released in 1986, it was banned in South Africa. After the collapse of apartheid, UB40 finally got to play it live before a South African audience of more than 200,000. "That's a beautiful song. We were part of the cultural boycott until Nelson Mandela was freed. We played in Johannesburg to 80,000 three nights in a row. The chorus is the ANC (African National Congress) chant and 80,000 Africans were singing it back. It's something I will remember til the day I die."
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" -- Originally a Temptations' hit, it was first reggae-fied by Jamaica's Eric Donaldson, followed by UB40 in 1989. "It's a song we grew up listening to. Most of us had the 'Tighten Up' albums on the Trojan Records label in the early '70s. You couldn't go to any disco without hearing it. It was a no brainer for 'Labour of Love.' It's a great track live."
"Can't Help Falling in Love" -- UB40's biggest hit (No. 1 in 11 nations in 1993), this Elvis cover was originally slated for the movie "Honeymoon in Vegas." "We all love Elvis, but we would never have thought of covering an Elvis song. We were commissioned for the film with an entire soundtrack of Elvis' songs. We chose 'Can't Help Falling in Love,' but unbeknownst to us Bono from U2 had also recorded it. He had a higher profile than us and they went with his version, which unfortunately stiffed on the charts. We put it on the shelf and a couple of years later another film company came to us and wanted it for the film 'Slither' with Sharon Stone. The song became a smash hit, bigger than the film."
"Bring Me Your Cup" -- UB40's song originally included on "Promises and Lies" was re-recorded with reggae legend Gregory Isaacs on "The Fathers of Reggae" album in 2002. "That's one of my favorite songs when we perform it live. It was very fitting to have Gregory Isaacs sing it, him being the Cool Ruler. Gregory enjoyed doing it. It's one of our wildest dreams coming true. People would ask why did you choose to cover reggae music, well 'Labour of Love' I, II and III was our answer. These are the songs we grew up listening to. We fell in love with them and we thought the public would fall in love with them like we did. So after the 'Labour of Love' trilogy we decided to ask the artists if they would like to cover their favorite UB40 songs. We were blessed they all said yes. We couldn't believe our luck."
"Many Rivers to Cross" -- An acoustic version of Jimmy Cliff's epic song yearning for his homeland. First brilliantly covered on "Labour of Love," now updated on the new "Unplugged" album, it's highlighted by Ali Campbell's impassioned vocals. "What an artist, a superstar. We performed with him a few times. Me and Ali performed with him in 2014 in London, and I was blown away in the rehearsals. He's such an energetic performer in his 70s, kicking his legs above his head. He was incredible."
* UB40 Reunited will perform Friday in the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's A&B Amphitheater in Kahului. The concert will start at 5:30 p.m., with gates opening at 4:30. Anuhea and Ekolu will open. Tickets are $49, $59 and $69, with a limited number of $179 VIP tickets available (which include side stage viewing, a souvenir UB40 laminate, and separate bar and restrooms). Parking costs $25 in the MACC lot; and $10 in the University of Hawaii Maui College lot across the street from MACC or in the grass lot near the recycling center. For tickets, visit the box office, call 242-7469 or go online to www.mauiarts.org.
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The Maui Pops Orchestra with guest conductor Jason Howland and guest vocalists Doug LaBrecque and Christiane Noll present a tribute to Broadway musicals, "Bravo Broadway," on Sunday in Castle Theater at the MACC.
The show will include selections from such favorites as "Kiss Me Kate," "Phantom of the Opera," "Annie Get Your Gun," "West Side Story," "Music Man" and "Mamma Mia!"
LaBrecque has thrilled theater audiences as The Phantom and Raoul in the Harold Prince production of "The Phantom of the Opera," and as Ravenal in the Hal Prince revival of "Show Boat." He was also featured in Oscar Hammerstein's 100th Birthday Celebration on Broadway, and toured nationally with "Les Miserables."
A Tony and Drama Desk award nominee, Noll starred on Broadway in the Kennedy Center revival of "Ragtime." Her credits include the role of Sister Margaretta in NBC's "The Sound of Music Live" with Carrie Underwood, and the singing-voice of Anna in the animated feature "The King and I."
A Grammy Award and Emmy Award winner, Howland has been a musical director, arranger and conductor on Broadway for 20 years.
* "Bravo Broadway" will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday the Castle Theater at the MACC. Tickets are $20, $35, $45 and $55; and half-price for students 18 and younger (plus applicable fees), and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
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San Francisco-based guitarist Eric McFadden heads to Charley's Restaurant & Saloon in Paia on Jan. 28, joined by Bonnie Raitt Band bassist Hutch Hutchinson, Mick Fleetwood Blues Band keyboardist Mark Johnstone, former Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen and singer Queen Delphine.
A guitar virtuoso, McFadden has toured with funk master George Clinton (Parliament/Funkadelic), rock legend Eric Burdon (the Animals) and Stockholm Syndrome with musicians from Widespread Panic, Gov't Mule and Sheryl Crow's band.
The San Francisco Bay Guardian praised: "McFadden is a master of guitar and mandolin, a 25-year veteran who waltzes the dark, eerie corridors between Jimi Hendrix and Django Reinhardt." And Guitar Player Magazine proclaimed: "If San Francisco is home to anyone approaching the abilities of a modern Hendrix, it's Eric McFadden."
* Eric McFadden will play Charley's Restaurant & Saloon at 9:30 p.m. Jan. 28. A limited number of presale tickets are available ranging from $10 to $20 and are available at www.mcfaddenmaui.eventbrite.com. Tickets at the door are $25.