UB40 Lose Another Band Member

UB40 suffered the departure of another band member this week following management issues.

Keyboard player Michael Virtue follows just months after lead singer Ali Campbell as the latest member of the reggae act to leave.

Both members cited a dispute over the handling of the band’s finances as the reason for the split. Virtue announced that he was “extremely disappointed” to be leaving, and plans to seek advice from Campbell’s legal team.

“I am very upset to be leaving the band, who have been like family for the last thirty years,” Virtue said in a statement, “but I feel under the circumstances that this was the only option left open to me.”

He added: “I have been unhappy with the way things have been run for many years and wanted to get to the bottom of the band’s business affairs, which I have been unable to do.”

Campbell left UB40 two months ago after playing final dates in Australian, New Zealand and South Africa during Februrary.

As part of one of the world’s most successful reggae acts, Campbell and Virtue sold 70 million albums worldwide and had three number one singles including their famous hit, ‘Red Red Wine’.

(by Hazel Sheffield)

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