Love Music Hate Racism supporters will probably know that UB40 were due to headline our carnival in Barnsley on Saturday 1 May. Sadly, they had to pull out after drummer James Brown was taken ill.

The band wished us success with the event and told us that as long-term LMHR supporters, they would continue to work with us in future.

But UB40 saxophonist Brian Travers also took time out himself to leave us a really nice message of support. Here’s what he said:

Greetings all…

First of all can I just apologize on behalf of UB40 and say it was a huge disappointment for us to have to pull out of yesterdays event, we were genuinely deflated at not being able to take part, its been our ‘weekus horribilis’ our drummer got taken ill 2 days before the gig..well 3 days actually but of course we didn’t believe him on the first day and were taking the piss something rotten when he didn’t show for rehearsals but y’know how these things happen every now and then?

Just when you don’t need it, just when some fat nazi rears his ugly head & life comes along and boots you in the taters…I’m not kidding when I say we considered it not only an enormous privilege to be asked but also the most important gig we were to play in 2010.

We started in music in the late 70’s playing Rock against Racism shows which became the highlight of every musicians schedule as there’s nothing like listening to great live music with great like minded people.

The effect that Rock against Rascism had back in the 70′s and early 80’s was to fundamentally make the National Front ‘persona non gratis’ a laughing stock and their support dwindled away, dragging its knuckles back into the gutter where it belongs…

2010 Its time to regroup again and show the BNP that multi cultural 21st century Britain is no place for racist bigots. Thanks to all the guys at LMHR (way too many names to mention BUT Lee our contact deserves a name check, we know how hard he has worked behind the scenes and how much pressure he was under before the show)
‘I can see from the feedback yesterdays gig was a huge success, how could it not be with all those great perfomers doing their thing..I loved reading Dave’s reply when he said:

Brilliant day. The whole town had a celebratory anti-racist feel to it all day. I saw The Specials at the Leeds Carnival Against The Nazis in 1981 and brilliant to have them in Barnsley last night. And it was particularly good to have thousands chanting against the BNP just a few hundred yards away from where they peddle their filth every Saturday.

Can I also take this opportunity on behalf of UB40 to BIG UP Roll Deep, Chipmunk, The Blackout, Reverend and the Makers, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Mumzy Stranger , Neville Staple of The Specials and the Trojan Sound System, and all the local bands 4KIN BRILLIANT JOB guys..LOVE YOU ALL….just wish we could have been there to witness the day, make some new pals, buy you a beer and hear what you are all doing with the music..

LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM…..XXXX