http://www.ub40.co.uk/ UB40 are a British reggae band formed in 1978 in Birmingham The band was named after the paper form issued by the UK government's Department of Employment at the time of the band's formation for claiming unemployment benefit (UB40 = Unemployment Benefit, Form 40). The band members began as friends who knew each other from various colleges and schools across Birmingham. Before any of them could play their instruments, Ali Campbell and Brian Travers travelled around Birmingham promoting the band, putting up UB40 posters. The band purchased its first instruments with £4,000 in compensation money that Campbell, who would become the lead singer, received after a bar fight during his 17th birthday celebration.UB40 is one of the most successful reggae acts of all time in terms of record sales (over 55 million), chart positions and touring schedule. During their three-decade long career, they have been performing sell-out shows worldwide and headlining the Reggae Sunsplash music festival in Jamaica, as well as spreading reggae to Russia and South America, among others. They even have performed at the BBC Proms, an event more associated with classical music.UB40 were influenced by the many Blues Parties they attended as teenagers in the multiracial Balsall Heath area of Birmingham. Their love of ska and reggae inspired such original tracks as "King", "Madam Medusa", "Food for Thought", "Signing Off" and "One in Ten". Their early musical style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesisers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques which were later perfected by the late Pablo Falconer. Ali and Robin Campbell have a musical heritage, being sons of Ian Campbell, a folk musician. Many of UB40's recordings were inspired by 1960s ska and early lovers rock.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UB40