Now the keyboard player with UB40 is quitting over concerns that the band's management aren't handling their finances very well, which adds some credibility to frontman Ali Campbell's claims that he was quitting the band because of mismanagement by the band's management.
As previously reported, Campbell announced he was quitting UB40 in January. The band's management, who initially announced his departure, said he was leaving the band to pursue solo projects, but he quickly released his own statement saying he was actually quitting because of concerns with the way the band's affairs and finances were being managed. Said management subsequently denied any wrongdoing, and insisted the rest of the band were happy with their work, and had been involved in drafting the original statement on Campbell's departure.
But now keyboardist Michael Virtue says he is leaving the group too, adding that he is "extremely disappointed" to have to do so, but that he is not satisfied with the way the band's finances have been handled. Campbell played a handful more gigs with UB40 after announcing his departure, but has now officially left the band. Virtue says he hadn't spoken to Campbell since the last gig, but that he has now got in touch with him and the lawyers representing him to discuss his own concerns.
Virtue: "I can no longer work with the management team and I am joining Ali Campbell in his investigation into the handling of the band's business affairs. I am very upset to be leaving the band, who have been like family for the last 30 years, but feel under the circumstances that this was the only option left open to me. 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. Ali has had no contact with the band since the last UB40 concert in Uganda so I called him last week and asked to speak with him. I have now had a meeting with the same legal team, Hextalls LLP, who are representing Ali and are now also representing me".