R.I.P. Brian David Travers (1959-2021): UB40-saxofonist blaast zijn laatste noot

Travers maakte al van bij de start in 1978 deel uit van de line-up van de reggaeband uit Birmingham vernoemd naar een formulier dat je destijds moest invullen om in het Verenigd Koninkrijk van een werkloosheidsvergoeding te kunnen genieten. Brian Travers: "We had just signed on and somebody said: "UB40!", and we all instantly knew that was the name of the band. Thank God for the dole. We got fed, it paid the rent and it enabled us to concentrate on developing our careers. We commandeered a cellar and started rehearsing every day, 9 till 5. Our first experiences of playing an instrument started together, and we'd humiliate each other over mistakes. But we were very serious about our music. We were just teenagers and all a bit political, and had to be unless there was something wrong with us. We were all socialist. We thought we could change the world and put to right what was wrong. It was exciting, it was cool. It just so happened that we were in a pop group, talking to the NME and on the telly. We were probably among the more normal pop stars that had ever been out there."

Toen de band rond 2010 in slecht financieel vaarwater terechtkwam en verschillende bandleden, waaronder Brian, zich uiteindelijk failliet lieten verklaren was Travers niet te beroerd om zelfs even bij te klussen bij UB40-coverband UB42: "I know of about 20 UB40 tribute bands around the world and it's my ambition to play with all of them. I can't think of a better way of thanking them for celebrating the music of UB40!"

In maart 2019 miste Brian de jubileumtour van de band nadat hij thuis een aanval kreeg en twee tumoren in zijn hersenen bleek te hebben: "It is with great regret that I shall be unable to join my band mates in UB40 on our 40th anniversary tour, the guys have worked incredibly hard to perfect the songs in preparation for the live premier of our new album 'For The Many'. They sound great, but I shall be there in spirit, cheering them on from my convalescence and thinking of all the wonderful people out there who have supported us for the last 40 years, who I am now incredibly proud to count as friends. I've had a great life with no regrets and have absolutely nothing to add to a bucket list except getting over this and getting back to the thing I love, playing music to anyone who wants to listen and expressing myself through painting & sculpture. It's been a huge privilege and I thank you all for the opportunity to 'live the dream'."

Zijn laatste optreden met de band was een concert in december 2019 dat werd gehouden in de Arena in hun thuishaven Birmingham.

Na een ingrijpende chirurgische ingreep in 2019, waarbij de twee hersentumoren werden verwijderd, en een nieuwe operatie eerder dit jaar, verloor Travis afgelopen zondag nu toch de strijd tegen kanker. Hij werd 62.