Liner notes from their albums would have it that the band was created in a Balkan town called Szegerely (possibly derived from the Hungarian region of Székely), where it played at the Crazy Loquat Club, before the members were transported inside refrigerators to England.
The Mustaphas had also been assisted on occasions by Lavra Tima Daviz on vocals and Expen$ive on trumpet, while guests Israeli singer Ofra Haza, and kora players Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh from The Gambia and Senegal respectively have played alongside them in the 1980s.
The band toured extensively in Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, the United States and Canada, playing clubs and international festivals (Moers, Glastonbury, Winnipeg).
Sabah Habas pursued a solo career, releasing albums as Colin Bass, or performing with his band Camel as well as the Jugala Allstars from Indonesia, and Hijaz became a producer.
Between 1988 and 1992, Hijaz, Houzam and Sabah Habas worked together on further recording projects with renowned artists from the World Music scene: Tarika Sammy (Madagascar), Rinken Band (Okinawa), Dembo Konte & Kausu Kuyateh (The Gambia).
"[citation needed] In 2008, together with Ian A. Anderson, Mandelson and Edmonds formed the trio Blue Blokes 3 and released the album Stubble (Fledg'ling Records).
[3] On 22 January 2010, Uncle, Hijaz, Sabah Habas, Kemo, Oussack and Expen$ive reformed to play one song, "Si vous passez par là" at The Roundhouse, Camden, London, in a concert to celebrate the 30th anniversary of fRoots magazine.