I was a huge 90s star with Chumbawamba but I quit the UK and live in the mountains in America
CHUMBAWAMBA rocketed to fame in the 90s with their huge hit Tubthumping.
But for singer and keyboard player Danbert Nobacon, the dizzy heights of showbiz were not for him.
Instead, the 61-year-old seems to prefer the heights of actual mountains.
Danbert now lives in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, which are located in America’s North Central Washington.
Born Nigel Hunter, the British punk star has turned his back on life in the fast lane – although he still is very much a performing musician.
Danbert regularly shares videos and snap shots of his gigs in the US.
However, he was recently forced to take a break after undergoing a serious heart operation in the States.
Danbert updated his Instagram followers a fortnight ago, saying: “Am back home and doing well … after open heart to surgery to replace the wonky aortic valve I was born with and which was not that far from wearing out.
“I amazed again by medical science and give thanks to the many folks who made up the team who did the procedure and aftercare in Wenatchee WA … and thanks to my family who have been so solid in supporting me through this and the beginning of the longish road of rehab and recovery ahead, and for all the folks wishing me well … and am so so very thankful to have more years on the wondrous orb we call Earth … and I will see you back out there in due course.”
Anarchist punk band Chumbawamba were actually formed in 1982, with Danbert among the original lineup.
But in 1997, they hit the big time in mainstream music when they released Tubthumping.
It topped the charts in numerous countries across the world, including Australia and Italy, and landed at No2 in the UK.
The song was nominated for Best British Single at the 1998 Brit Awards and the group were up for Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in the same year.
At the Brits, Danbert infamously dumped water on the head of John Prescott, the then-Deputy Prime Minister.
In 2018, he told Punknews.org: “At that time, Prescott had the perception of being a working class guy because he used to be a merchant seaman.
“But at that very point in time he personally was selling out the Liverpool dockworkers who had been on strike and sending them down the river, so it was a protest about that.
“The record company said, ‘You gotta apologize to Mr. Prescott’s wife!’ We were like, ‘No way, we’re not sorry for what we did’.
“The record company sent flowers to them but we refused to apologise.”
In 1999, Chumbawamba won College Song of the Year and Award-Winning Song at the BMI Pop Awards for Tubthumping.
The band announced they were splitting after 30 years in 2012.
