Founding lead singer Ali Campbell, left, is touring with longtime UB40 bandmates, Astro, center, and Mickey Virtue under the name UB40. Meanwhile the original UB40, now fronted by Campbell's brother, is suing to prevent Campbell from using the band's name. 

The UK reggae band UB40 is set to play a show at Fox Tucson Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 15, but just who is UB40?

Apparently that’s a question the courts in London are set to answer after two years of legal wrangling over who has the rights to tour under the name UB40.

In 2013, founding lead singer Ali Campbell, who had left the band to pursue a solo career back in 2008, reunited with longtime UB40 bandmates trumpeter and singer Astro and keyboardist Mickey Virtue. They hit the road in early 2014 under the name UB40 Reunited, which presumably protected them from the perception or reality of legally infringing on the UB40 name.

But the band has since dropped any mention of "reunited" in any promotional materials, instead calling itself "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue"— which is how they are being advertised for Thursday’s Tucson show.

Meanwhile the remaining members of UB40, including Campbell’s brothers, Robin, who was one of the band’s founder, and Duncan, who took Ali’s place as lead singer in 2008, have continued performing and recording in the years since Campbell left. According to a suit the band filed against Campbell, they contend they have the legal rights to the band’s name and they want Campbell to stop touring under the banner of UB40.

It is not uncommon for founding members of iconic bands to split and then tour under the name of their former band. Examples include Creedence Clearwater Revisited, The Beach Boys with Mike Love, and a host of 1960s and ‘70s R&B acts.

But Campbell’s days of using his band’s name might be numbered if the court sides with the original UB40 band. The case is expected to reach Britain’s high court late this year or early next.

Campbell’s version of UB40 plays the Fox, 17 W. Congress St., at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. In case you’re wondering what they will sound like, consider this: Campbell is the original voice behind UB40’s biggest hits including the ubiquitous “Red, Red Wine,” “Falling In Love With You,” “The Way You Do the Things You Do” and “Tears From My Eyes.”

The band’s U.S. tour includes stops in Las Vegas, Florida, New York and South Carolina before wrapping up on the East Coast in early November.

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