Bob Hill, a 61-year-old former Great Barr resident, has swapped Birmingham for Benidorm and now fronts a five-piece UB40 tribute band called UB42TONE. Hill, who has lived in the Spanish resort for ten years, estimates he visited Benidorm 82 times over a decade with his wife before settling there permanently in 2016.
Speaking to BirminghamLive, Hill said he has picked up 'a little' Spanish during his stay but admitted it's mostly English when speaking with locals. The city was well known to him before the move, having balanced work and leisure trips there over the years.
From DJ to Ska Frontman
After decades as a DJ, Hill has ditched the decks for a microphone and become the lead singer of UB42TONE, a Benidorm-based ska group that pays homage to UB40 with covers of the famous Birmingham band's songs.
Hill's musical roots go back to childhood. "I was the singer of a Great Barr band when I was eleven, but it only lasted a few months," he said. He added: "Since UB40 came out, I've been singing along to their songs and it meant I ended up with a similar voice to Ali Campbell."
The influence of UB40 on Hill is clear. "They've been a massive influence on Birmingham and known around the world, I flew from Goa to Mumbai to see Ali perform in concert," he said.
Life in Benidorm
In 2016, a 'routine month's holiday' resulted in Hill and his wife settling in Spain, and the Hill family have 'no regrets'. Although he misses his beloved Aston Villa, Hill has 'no plans' of leaving Benidorm, a city whose reputation he believes is 'blown out of proportion'.
Hill acknowledged the changes in Birmingham. "I miss Aston Villa and going the games, even some of the ice rinks around Birmingham," he said. "But when you go back home, Birmingham is different now. Like the rest of the world, it's changed from what it was before."
He still holds affection for his hometown. "It still has a fantastic city centre and I could never knock it, I still love Birmingham, but I'm ultimately glad I moved here," he said.
No Plans to Return
Hill is keen to counter negative perceptions of Benidorm. "Friends and family come here regularly and they know the truth about Benidorm, anything negative is just on social media and blown out of proportion," he said. "There's always two sides to a story, and working here, you see the other side."
He attributed trouble to visitors rather than residents. "It's mainly people coming here to get drunk who cause the trouble, not people who live here," he said.
Hill's commitment to his new home is clear. "It's a lot more chilled out here and more relaxed in Benidorm, we have no plans of returning to be honest," he said.
UB42TONE will hold their first night of original music at The White Horse, Benidorm on Tuesday September 15.
