MARGAO: Speaking off the coast of Carmona from Hotel Verde, Saxophonist Brian Travers of the hit band of the 1970s to 1990s, UB40 tells us how the boys in the band have gone a long way and traveled across their fate and struggle to be what they’re today.
A band of the Campbell brothers and friends that started out in Birmingham in 1979, UB40 has travelled the world singing Red Red Wine and other hit singles and won many accolades and been nominated for the Grammys on multiple occasions.
“UB40 is the Unemployment Badge No 40 that we all in the band shared and that’s how we coined that name but the music is what took us places and got us recognized and employed. So, that’s our story and we’re here to perform on Monday night at Cavelossim,” explains Brian Travers who’s a little tired from the Bangalore gig.
On the challenges of keeping bands together, Travers, a founding member of the band, says, “It’s hard to control egos and hence bands lose members and add new ones.”
Travers tells us that UB40 comes from that neighborhood of Birmingham where there is a high concentration of Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis and hence India is not new for them. He reminds us how Indian kids performed in 2008 at the G8 Summit with UB40, Sting, UN’s Kofi Annan and other big leaders.
“Music unites and music fills the heart with great thoughts and hence we have so many fans globally and the best part is, music can be switched off if you don’t want it and hence music doesn’t cause any wars,” muses Travers.
Travers tells us that India is special for him — especially the Ganges and the Rishikesh — but Goa is amazing and he’s been here personally on holidays.
Talking about the audience and fans, Travers agrees that UB40s fans are ageing like the band members and it’s difficult to add too many youth fans who have pledged their allegiance to electronic and dance music. But he insists that the elderly love UB40 and they form a huge part of any population.
Russell Miranda of HYPE Entertainment who’s hosting UB40 in Goa in association with Derick Talker of KCT Entertainment tells us that he’s very proud to host UB40 and the previously MLTR and Bellamy Brothers in Goa. While Derrick hopes that he can continue to give fans performances of their idols and legends in the world of music that too in India.
