He replies: “I spent all my adult life with Brian and Astro and it does make your mind focus on what’s important. You do question your own mortality.
“I’ve never been scared of dying and I’m not scared now. With my best friends dying around me it kind of makes me less fearful. I’m not too worried because I know my mates have done it. But I do constantly wake up and think that every day above ground is a good day.
“That’s why it’s important to carry on touring. We’ve just played before 70,000 people in the Hague and the reaction to our songs was amazing.
“I grew up in a socialist family. I was never a communist like my father but with what’s going on today I think I’m getting a bit more militant.”
Despite the recent heartache of losing some of his oldest friends, Ali knows he’s a lucky man. He says: “UB40 are popular in every part of the world. People will know our stuff because we had so many hits in the 80s.
“We’ve played Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Rarotonga and go to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia annually. I earned millions and blew millions because I’ve always had the attitude that I live the life I love and I love the life I live. Even more so now I’m seeing my mates dying.”
