our third album , and we ’ d had great ( UK ) success with our second album , Present

that are doing music . I ’ ve got Kaya , who sings on Unplugged – she did the Chrissie Hynde part in “ I Got You Babe ,” and she ’ s been performing it with us live at the shows . And last year my other daughter Indica came and supported me with her band for a couple of shows in London and Birmingham . And Indica and Kaya are two names for weed , basically . And I never had a daughter named Sativa . But Hey – there ’ s still time . And all of my boys are musical , as well . They like making mixtapes and my son Jack is a DJ . So yeah ,

Arms . So we took that opportunity to put out Present Arms in Dub , just to show people what dub was . And in those days , people didn ’ t know what it was . But lots of people brought the record back to where they bought it , saying , “ This is faulty – it ’ s got echoes all over it and there are no vocals !” But we were still happy that we helped show people what dub was , because now dub is the most influential thing in contemporary dance music , which all owes its production technique to King Tubby , basically .

IE : You have eight kids . Have any of ‘ em said , “ Hey , dad – I ’ m kinda interested in this reggae stuff ”? AC : Yeah , yeah . I ’ ve got two daughters

they ’ re all interested .

IE : In 2014 , you actually wound up being a judge on “ New Zealand ’ s Got Talent .” How did you land that far-off TV gig ? AC : It was completely bonkers . The thing is , I love New Zealand , and we ’ d been going to New Zealand since 1981 . But we never had a chance to chill out there – we were always just going there and playing shows . So when I was offered a couple of months ’ work , filming one day a week on Thursdays , I took my wife and kids there and we went all over the place and did lots of train rides . I couldn ’ t really pass it up . But as it happens , it really opened my eyes to what the program ’ s all about , and it ’ s not about finding talent . It ’ s about the

UB40 featuring Ali , Astro and Mickey

hour-long program , and I think they ’ re more interested in the back story of the artists than in what the artists are doing . I was a bit naïve there .

IE : How does it feel , being back together with your old bandmates again ? AC : When Astro came back to the fold , it was kind of like it had always been . And the biggest thing , of course , was the fans – that was the real reunion , if you like . People would always ask me , after I went solo , “ Are you ever going to get back together again ?” And I was always saying , “ Absolutely not !” But Astro and Mickey and me ? I think we constitute something special . And there are enough original members in the band to call ourselves UB40 . Uhh , Featuring Ali , Astro and

Mickey .

IE : It ’ s difficult to imagine hearing “ Red Red Wine ” without Astro ’ s vocal parts . AC : Yeah – Astro doing his chant at the end ! We were on the Jimmy Fallon show a couple of months ago , and that was the first thing that Jimmy Fallon did – he went , “ Red red wine you make me feel so fine ” and started doing Astro ’ s bit . And of course , if fans go to see UB40 , they really want to hear the original people singing the hits , you know ? And that ’ s exactly what they get with us .

Appearing 9 / 2 at Ravinia , Highland Park

Tom Lanham

12 illinoisentertainer . com july 2017