Today’s album is Present Arms by UB40
If you weren’t around in the early 80’s, you may not be aware that UB40 were once a cutting edge band – a British reggae band fronted by two white brothers from Birmingham, with an overtly political agenda.
The band was formed by a multi-cultural group of friends from working class Birmingham, using instruments purchased with money from a compensation payout after one of the band was injured in a bar brawl. The band were undoubtedly influenced by the ‘blues party’ scene, i.e. Reggae.
Alas they are no longer quite so cutting edge, I think they lost that after their sixth album. It would have been nice if they had split up around that time 🙂
But, I still like to play their old material, it’s really very good, and often overlooked in my opinion.
I’ve chosen the band’s second album, 1981’s ‘Present Arms’ for you today. In my early teens, me and my pals were into UB40 in a big way. This was reggae music played primarily by white kids, but still managing to stay authentic (I should add that half the band are black, so obviously this played a part in the authenticity). It spoke to us, as working class inner-city kids.
This is a collection of reggae tunes with a social\political message. Thatcherism and mass unemployment were prevelant at the time, giving rise to the hit single ‘One In Ten’. The stark political anti-war message of the album’s title track is as relevant today as it was then. Other issues that are covered include the legalisation of cannabis (well, this is reggae!).
The band released a dub version of this album, ‘Present Arms In Dub’, which was typical of ‘genuine’ Jamaican reggae artists – an instrumental version of a tune, heavy on bass and drums, used at blues parties for freestyling lyricists to ‘toast’ over.
It’s worth exploring early UB40 material (anything up till Labour Of Love), there’s some really good stuff in there .
Standout track: Present Arms
Other ‘U’s who didn’t quite make it: Err.. nope, nothing.
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