Thanks for sending in your questions for Astro. We received hundreds of questions, we have included a selection of them here.
Imani from Bradford, England asked Astro:-
Q: Greetings Astro. Which artists do you currently admire in reggae and the music world generally?
A: At the moment I’m listening to a German/Jamaican Reggae outfit from Berlin called Seed, I think they’re brill! If you can find their album it’s called ‘New Dubby Conquerors’. Also Nuttea, a French Rap Artist…well worth checking out
Cindy Van Es from The Netherlands asked Astro:-
Q: Hi ya Astro! After all those years of making music, travelling around the world, meeting people, making hit records etc. you had so many experiences, is there still anything you wish for in the future? Like someplace you want to go or someone you want to meet or anything like that?
A: Well the world is a big place but just when you think you’ve seen it all, you can always be pleasantly surprised, so there are plenty of places I’d like to go, like visit the Easter Island heads, Mainland China and walk The Great Wall.
Q: What is the strangest, funniest, most dangerous or most crazy experience you ever had while on the road?
A: A strange memory I have was back in the early 80’s from when we were playing in Cork, Ireland and during ‘Burden of Shame’ when the music stopped and the lights went out, 2 seconds later we heard a ‘thud!’ When the lights came on there was soot falling on the stage and we noticed a guy slumped over Ali’s sound wedge, he had been crawling in the loft trying to get into our dressing rooms or something. He was the luckiest guy alive, he had just missed impaling himself on Ali’s mic stand.
Joolz from Leeds asked Astro:-
Q: In the early days, before the brass section was as strong as it is now….you used to play the trumpet and Norman the trombone. Naturally you contribute your own special talents within UB40, but I just wondered if you ever fancy playing ‘guest brass’ on any tracks or at live shows?? Or are those days well and truly over?
A: Well, if the truth be told I’m a lazy student and as we’ve now (as you quite rightly say) got a strong brass section, it might be the latter.
Chris and Andi from Newcastle, England asked Astro:-
Q: With you doing a novel can you tell me what your fave novel is and why? Also any release date for it yet?
A: Well my favourite novel is the ‘Commissar’s Report’ by Martyn Buckle. I like it because it was set during the Cold War where a young Russian diplomat comes to the Russian embassy in New York and secretly goes against everything communism had taught him and plays the stock market and through loads of flukes he finds himself as major shareholder in IBM and has to conceal his actions. I read it while on tour some years ago and remember it made me laugh with the ridiculous sub plots.
I must admit that I haven’t picked up a good book in a couple of years, trying to keep my ideas for my book fresh with less chance of sub conscious copying. Howard Marks, I also enjoy reading, he’s very passionate, informative and extremely funny but altogether he’s Mr Nice!
As for the last part of the question, there is no official release date for my book, I mentioned on the board last week that it was being proof read then after any minor alterations, I would be looking to get it out a.s.a.p. I will keep you posted on that. Thanks.
Bruno ‘Oldboi’ from London, England asked Astro:-
Q: ……will you be doing anything on the ‘side’ in the near future……a solo project of some sort maybe? You know like Mr Boost (Maximum Boost), Oracabessa, Star Company etc.
A: Stands every chance as I’m re-building my little home midi studio over the coming months, but I’m in the middle of sketching out a plot for my second novel, rest assured I’ll keep you posted.
Cindy Schneider from The Netherlands asked Astro:-
Q: Hey! Just would like to know if you like any other music styles or do you just listen to reggae?
A: Well I’m open minded and I’ll listen to most things but listen to 90% reggae, 5% Tamala Motown and 5% radio pop
Terry Regan from England asked Astro:-
Q: Hi Astro, in the song Red, Red, Wine what do the lyrics ‘Monkey pack him rizla on the sweet dep line’ and ‘Burn bad rizla pon him little rowing boat’ mean? It took me quite a while to work out what you were singing as it was very fast and I couldn’t understand it but a good song done well.
A: It’s nothing deep, just a play on the words of the nursery rhyme ‘The handclapping song’. I’ve merely changed ‘Caroline’ to ‘Sweet Dep line’ as reference to our label and it’s actually ‘burn bad ganja in his little rowing boat’ (just a bit of fun)
C. Weaver from England asked Astro:-
Q: Are you a blue nose or a Villan?
A: I’m a blue nose through and through Villa? Who are ya? Who are ya? Who are ya?
Shaun Robertson from England asked Astro:-
Q: What UB40 record do you like best of all?
ps Here’s to another 21 years
A: I’d have to say ‘Silent Witness’
ps Hope I’m still around in another 21 years
Joris Van Drunen Litel from The Netherlands asked Astro:-
Q: Astro, fans have seen you haven’t done much toasting on any of the new UB40 releases. We’ve last heard you on ‘King Of The Hill’ and ‘Now You See It’ (both b-sides) but not on any album track doing solo toasting (only a bit on ‘Legalise It’ and ‘Blood & Fire’). When will we hear from you again doing toasting on a track of your own?
A: Hopefully the next project that we do, but as you know we are democratic and everything goes down to the vote so I’ll just have to come up with the goods and see what happens.
Henny aka Dubmobile from The Netherlands asked Astro:-
Q: Dear Astro, first of all thanks for making time for your fans and answer some questions, really appreciated by all loyal fans believe me. Second, tell me like it is-music so nice-mi spliff-and of course my favourite Dubmobile etc all are really great tracks! We are all missing these kind of tracks lately on the last albums you know, so wonder if you are gonna be back with outstanding lyrics?
A: In a nutshell ‘yes’ is the answer. I haven’t stopped writing, it’s just that in the final selection of the tracks we all felt there were more fitting selections to go with the flow of the album.
Steve aka Jumbo from England asked Astro:-
Q: If you wasn’t a musician what do you think you would have been in life?
A: More than likely a chef. It’s what I used to do before the Band and you always do best what’s easiest.
Jessica (Labour of Love 4) from Holland asked Astro:-
Q: Are you already thinking ‘bout a new album or a new tour (in Holland too please…..lol)
A: We’re not thinking about writing a new album just yet. There are plenty of places where we haven’t promoted ‘Cover Up’ but we’re always interested in playing in Holland , so don’t sweat it.
Ray and Joyce aka The Anoraks from Cambs, England asked Astro:-
Q: Hi Astro, my question for you is if you could appear on stage with one of your idols who would it be? (Do you still get nervous before a gig).
A: I don’t know where to begin, but I suppose it would have to be Bob Marley, as we are now in the process of completing The Fathers Album which is almost all of our idols anyway, so the only one I can’t appear with is ‘The King’.
Yes I do still get nervous before gigs, the only thing that has changed is that backstage, it now only lasts about a minute.
Rita Taylor from England asked Astro:-
Q: Are the Band going to do another British Tour sometime in the future, unfortunately we could not get tickets for 2001 concerts in our area. Bad luck for us we were in South Africa three years ago and visited all the places where the band are touring this time. What is it they say about being in the wrong place!!!!
A: Hi Rita, sorry to hear you missed us last year but I’m almost certain that we’ll be playing in the UK sometime in 2002, this time keep your ear to the ground.
Ray aka Rockin Robot from Scotland asked Astro:-
Q: Hi the main man at microphone stand. What I was wondering was what process you go through when adding sections onto a song i.e. Bring Me Your Cup, Tell Me Is It True etc. How do you pick the songs or whatever? Hope that makes sense?
A: Well first I’ll pick a song that leads itself to a toast/rap I’ll take the lyrics of the song and then set about a little comprehension, then make that into rhyme, then think of a glorious counter melody to Ali’s vocals and hopefully the end product is acceptable to everyone’s ears.
Well that’s the plan anyway. Thanks
Derek aka DJ from Newcastle, England asked Astro:-
Q: Dear Astro, is there anyone in the public eye that you haven’t already met, that you would like to meet?
A: Jackie Chan and Nelson Mandela
Daniela Valentini from Italy asked Astro:-
Q: UB40 have recently blown out 21 candles (Happy Birthday guys!) and although much time has passed by, you’re still able to stir up big emotions in our hearts……
Originality and warmth in your songs exhalt the huge passion you have in playing music and the enthusiasm you show in doing what you do!
Thinking about these elements, I have drawn my conclusions: in my opinion that’s the result of an explosive mixture of 8 special guys joined together by a very close bond.
Is there maybe the ace up your sleeve?
A: The fact that we were friends before the Band is that special bond so yes that is our ace up our sleeve and helped in our longevity.
Willem Van Megchelen from The Netherlands asked Astro:-
Q: Will the old video’s appear again on DVD in the near future?
A: I dearly hope so as over the years I’ve given away most of our videos to mates or donated them for raffles and personally I’d like a complete collection just for posterity.
Lilian and Isabelle from The Netherlands asked Astro:-
Q: What’s your favourite song to play live at a concert?
A: So many, I can only narrow it down to 3, which are ‘Love It When You Smile’, ‘Sparkle of My Eye’ and ‘Bring Me Your Cup’.
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