Newmarket races

[loekie]

Originally Posted by rhondda rudie

So are they The Dep Band,Ali Campbell's UB40,UB40 Reunited or UB40.You could fill a festival bill with the number of names he's used.

Well I've lost track on this lol lol lol but had to laugh seeing the advert for his single appearing on my facebook. Ali Campbell and UB40 big and Astro and Mickey small lol lol lol

[rhondda rudie]

Originally Posted by loekie

Well I've lost track on this lol lol lol but had to laugh seeing the advert for his single appearing on my facebook. Ali Campbell and UB40 big and Astro and Mickey small lol lol lol

Exactly Gerdy,and it's deliberate.

[DreamBig]

Originally Posted by tikkabilla

Sorry but i had to come on and say something, I have kept out of the shit for a while now coz quite frankly it bores the hell out of me, but Matt the Dep band are all seasoned professionals who have worked with some of the biggest names in the business, so please don't insult them by saying they don't sound like proper reggae or they are mediocre they are also some of the nicest most genuine guys

Most of the time, people aren't criticising them. What people are saying is that Ali's use of the UB40 name is illegal and reflecting badly on UB40. Because whilst those musicians may be good in their own right, collectively they're not producing the distinc sound of UB40, which is very obvious from what I've seen of them on youtube.

[old loonie]

Originally Posted by tikkabilla

Sorry but i had to come on and say something, I have kept out of the shit for a while now coz quite frankly it bores the hell out of me, but Matt the Dep band are all seasoned professionals who have worked with some of the biggest names in the business, so please don't insult them by saying they don't sound like proper reggae or they are mediocre they are also some of the nicest most genuine guys

hi Tik I think its unfair the way the dep guys are being portraid by the ex singer as ub40 which is undoubtly impossible so people are going to say how poor they sound in relation to a tight band of 35 years, i have not seen anything from Jim saying that the dep guys are poor or substandard in terms of musicianship just the way the shows are put together. I aint heard them so i cant comment but i do think the unique sound of ub40 can never be replicated by anyone so it really is up tp the ex singer to leave ub stuff alone and concentrate on his own music if he is to have any chance of salvaging some credibility as an artist because it seems to me he is leaving the dep band out on a limb saying they are ub40 if you know what i mean. I am sure they would love to be able to have some input into the music to show what they are capable of . Anyway its been a while how you keeping?

[JB40]

Originally Posted by tikkabilla

Sorry but i had to come on and say something, I have kept out of the shit for a while now coz quite frankly it bores the hell out of me, but Matt the Dep band are all seasoned professionals who have worked with some of the biggest names in the business, so please don't insult them by saying they don't sound like proper reggae or they are mediocre they are also some of the nicest most genuine guys

You are absolutely right about that tikkabilla. They are top quality reggae musicians. Matt is wrong to suggest they have no credibility. But what they are NOT is a BAND. They are professional jobbing musicians who do what they are told. Used to reproduce someone else's sound. They have no ownership of the music. In the end everything is filtered to the requirements of whoever pays the bill.

They do their best under the circumstances, but the sound they make sounds nothing like the original records.

As I have said, in the end it's how much you value the collective pleasures of a REAL band. By REAL I mean people who get together with a love of music uppermost and a desire to create something fresh and new. UB40 are an archetypal band using that criteria. I believe it is a major reason that people were fans of the band in the first place. Thousands of bands over the years have got together in the hope that this will happen, but it rarely does. Which is why a lot of music lovers out there value it when it does happen. As the history of great bands [rather than great singers or musicians] proves, when that does happen it can be magic. like alchemy, it adds up to more than the sum of it's individual parts.

And it has enduring appeal, look at the stones or U2 or the beatles or the wailers or the kinks or any number of internationally revered bands. Not saying UB40 are that good, but we are ambitious.

I'm not saying these bands are BETTER than stevie wonder for e.g., just it's a different experience.

I'm sure some people may go to a gig to admire individual musicianship or individual singers. But also a hell of a lot of people go to live gigs to see how well a band can play TOGETHER, and can they cut it live compared to the records.

It's a shame that you say you find this subject boring.

I find it fascinating.

[JB40]

Another thing I find fascinating is this. . .

I know from past experience that both john balfour and tikabilla are both thoughtful reasonable people.

And the points they make are valid even if I might not agree.

But neither of them have addressed the main point of this argument.

And that is the way our ex singer has fraudulently used the name of the band he left seven years ago.

It has nothing to do with the quality of music being produced, or the size of the crowds, or how many records are sold.

The way he markets himself is misleading.

Claiming that UB40 have reformed for a tour of australia and south africa is wrong because it's a lie.

I would be very interested if either one could put together an argument to excuse this behaviour.

[rhondda rudie]

Originally Posted by JB40

Another thing I find fascinating is this. . .

I know from past experience that both john balfour and tikabilla are both thoughtful reasonable people.

And the points they make are valid even if I might not agree.

But neither of them have addressed the main point of this argument.

And that is the way our ex singer has fraudulently used the name of the band he left seven years ago.

It has nothing to do with the quality of music being produced, or the size of the crowds, or how many records are sold.

The way he markets himself is misleading.

Claiming that UB40 have reformed for a tour of australia and south africa is wrong because it's a lie.

I would be very interested if either one could put together an argument to excuse this behaviour.

Originally Posted by rhondda rudie

That's your opinion and,like Jimmy said,that's your personal preference.What shouldn't be in dispute is the fact that they are NOT UB40.

Great minds comrade.

[JB40]

As always tom.

I've noticed that normally opinionated people are struck dumb when the most important aspect of what is going on is ever mentioned. Our ex singers use of the name.

It's not like we all get in a room together and decide how to spin this. Most UB40 fans respond with exactly the same sort of post. We are all concerned about the blatant misuse of the name of his ex band. To suggest that UB40 have reformed is a lie. And to claim that the 'dep' band are UB40 is another lie.

I don't see how it's that complicated.

But I'm open to any attempt to justify.

It's just that nobody seems willing to try.

[old loonie]

there is no argument Jim and i certainly dont class Tik or John as the other side, they are entitled to choose what and when to listen to whoever and whatever music and like and dislike but the fundamental issue is, he is not and never will be ub40 without the original band that never left. His problem is that his solo project never materialised because 1,ub40 are a band and not 1 person and 2 he never believed in his own music to do it justice ,:most of his gigs i believe were heavily in favour of LOL instead of his own material in which he had 4 albums to choose from. The use of the name started because his ticket sales were not good, he also thought you guys would just go away. I am of the opinion that with him leaving you ub40 have become a better band and we now have Duncan, whereas Aldi is exposed without Robin, i have been saying that for years too.

[tikkabilla]

The reason I haven't got into the whole who has the right to use the name is because it is none of my business . its something that Ali, Astro, Mickey, Norman, Earl, Brian,JB & Robin need to deal with through the legal system , all I will say though and this is not to provoke a reaction, is that when most people hear the name UB40 they instantly think of the voice of Ali Campbell