Product Description

Born and raised in a council house on Birmingham's notorious Balsall Heath under the watchful eye of their staunchly socialist, folk singer father, Robin and Ali Campbell were to become members of the most successful reggae band in the world, a career that has spanned four decades. But this is not the autobiography of a pop band legend, but rather the story of two working class brothers crashing and burning and fighting back against the odds. It is the story of growing up in the 1960s to the sounds of Motown and ska, folk music and skiffle and radical politics and - most importantly - the new and infectious sound reggae that was to capture the ears of these two teenage kids from the Midlands. Instilled by their father from an early age to always do things their own way the brothers - in between dead end jobs and the dole office - put together a band that would show Balsall Heath what reggae was all about . Mismanagement, drink, drugs, divorce, paranoia and jail terms would dog the band and threaten to destroy it all - including the brother's relationship and yet they come to amass record sales in excess of 50 million, with nearly 50 hit singles to their credit - from "Red Red Wine" and "Don't Break My Heart" to "Homely Girl" and "I Got You Babe".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79448 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From the Publisher
The long-awaited autobiography of the UB40 brothers

From the Back Cover
Sprung from a family background steeped in a rich mixture of radical politics and traditional folk music, brothers Robin and Ali Campbell and their childhood friends went on to create one of the most unlikely yet enduring groups in pop history: UB40.
The Campbells possessed a special love of the sound of the streets, black music, reggae music. And they showed the world that the throb of inner city Balsall Heath had, and still has, global appeal. With a career that has spanned four decades and resulted in sales of more than 50 million records with 50 hit singles to their credit.
A rich cast of characters - from music business wheeler-dealers and backroom players to Nelson Mandela, Chrissie Hynde, the late Robert Palmer, Sting and all the great fathers of reggae - make appearances in Blood & Fire, but this is not just a musical story. Blood & Fire is the startling and, by turns, comic and tragic autobiography of two working class brothers fighting against the odds. At times the rollercoaster has tested even their own relationship to the very limit, but the 'brother blend' has seen them through.
'Ali and I thought we'd be Grandads together, chuckling about the time we dreamt of having a band," says Robin. " Ali made that a reality, and sometimes - even to this day - I pinch myself to think that it all came true.'

About the Author
Ali and Robin Campbell were born and brought up in 1960's Birmingham and went on to lead one of pop / reggae music legends UB40 with record sales in excess of GBP50 million.

Customer Reviews

Book not published until autumn
As one of the co-authors of this book feel it fair to point out that it is just being completed now and nobody outside of the authors and publisher has seen it so the above reviews - while generous and on-the-money in terms of its star rating! - are fakes since these individuals cannot have read it.

Giveing you the chance
UB40 HAVE NEVER BEEN ONES TO GRAB THE CHANCE OF GIVEING INTERVIEWS, OR SHOVEING THEIR STORY DOWN THE PUBLICS THROATS.
SO THEY LET THERIR MUSIC AND POPULARITY WITH A HUGE FAN BASE DO IT FOR THEM, IM IN MY LATE THIRTIES AND APART FROM MAYBE TEN ARTICCLES IN THE BEST PART OF TWENTYFIVE YEARS,THEY LET THEIR SALES DO THE TALKING. SO IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE TO FINALLY GET AN INSIGHT INTO THE FORMING AND RISE FROM THE LOWEST TO THE CREAM,OF A BAND LOVED WORLDWIDE.
WHILST THE BOOK CENTRES ON THE BROTHERS RELASHIONSHIP ITGIVES THE READER A CHANCE TO PEEK AT UB40. TO TRY AND WRITE ABOUT ALL THE BAND ( AN ENCYCLOPIDEA WOULD BE NEEDED ).
BOTH FUNNY AND HONEST, THIS IS THE NEAREST IVE COME TO UB40 WITHOUT WATCHING THEM,A MUST FOR ALL THEIR FANS, YOUNG AND OLD.MANY OF TODAYS SHOULD BE FORCED TO READ THIS,LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM, THEY PLAY MUSIC LOVED BY MILLIONS, THIS BOOK COINCIDES WITH AN ALBUM,DVD,ALL YOUR UB40S FAN CHRITMAS SORTED...........

Buy Today Without Delay
After being a fan of many years, and after many succesfull albums and singles i can say that this book was one of the best reads ever..... It details all aspects of UB40's career and tells the story of Ali and Robin from the early days. It's hard to think that in 1978 when Ali said (and i quote from the book) "i'm going to make a band, who wants to join me?" and "...if your late for practice then you can bugger off..." that the band would be come as succesful as it did.

Recommended reading for all fans and interested people alike.Book of the year easily.