‘NewB40’ Features Other Campbell

Former UB40 singer Ali Campbell is being replaced by his brother Duncan, and reggae singer Maxi Priest will bolster the band’s lineup on its upcoming tour.

Bitterness has surfaced in the Campbell and UB40 camps since Ali, whose brother Robin is also in the group, quit in January, saying he wasn’t happy with the management of the band’s financial and business affairs.

The other members said he’d left them in the lurch and that the real reason for the split was that he wants to pursue a solo career.

"He’s my kid brother and I felt dumped, as did every other member of the band," guitarist Robin told BBC News. "We felt deeply hurt and those things take time to heal."

Brother Duncan, apparently the only person registered in the Musicians’ Union as a "professional spoon player," said he asked for Ali’s blessing before joining the band, but stressed they were not otherwise on speaking terms.

"I told him if he objected strongly, I wouldn’t do it," he explained. "But I haven’t spoken to him since. The wounds are fresh."

Apart from playing the spoons, Duncan’s CV includes opening and managing the first casino in Barbados, running a fish and chip shop in Perth, Australia, and working "on and off" as an actor.

The band, which has already been dubbed "NewB40," is giving away a version of its new album, the last songs recorded with Ali on vocals, with the U.K.’s Mail On Sunday.

An extended version with seven additional tracks recorded since Ali’s departure will go on sale in June.