THE Oasis reunion has whipped music lovers into a frenzy – but UB40 frontman Ali Campbell certainly doesn’t get the hype.
The reggae legend, 65, took aim at the Gallagher brothers in a new interview in which he lamented the music industry’s lack of adulation for his band.
“It’s annoying,” he told The Independent. “They always talk about Oasis and how big they are, but they can’t catch a cold outside of England, really.
“We probably sold twice as many records as they’ve sold – and we don’t get that recognition.
“In documentaries about music of the Eighties, UB40 might get mentioned in passing at the end of Part Two – whereas Madness, The Specials, Adam and the Ants get more cover than we do.”
Total record sales figures for UB40 vary online between 70million and north of 100million – but whatever the true number, there’s no denying it’s a hell of an amount.
While Campbell is partially correct in his assessment of Oasis – the UK market is far and away the band’s biggest – they have shifted a similar amount of records, estimated to be around 75million globally.
There appears to be a deep affection around the world for the Manchester lads, if the reunion tour dates are anything to go by.
Thirty-eight sold out stadium shows in the UK, US, Australia and South America are testament to their enduring popularity.
UB40 are having something of a renaissance themselves though, having just sold out Wembley Arena.
The Red Red Wine hitmakers are still going strong nearly five decades on from their humble beginnings in Birmingham, navigating lineup shake-ups, taste changes and even political pressure (the band were on an MI5 watchlist in the 80s amid fears they were mobilising their fan base).
Campbell believes it’s only what they deserve and that their star should have been shining brighter for a greater period of time.
He said: “It’s what should have been happening for the last 15 years. Somebody else was in charge, and they weren’t doing a brilliant job.”
The old adage definitely rings true, better late than never.
