The Nolans
Encyclopedia
The Nolans are an Anglo-Irish
all-female band consisting of a group of sisters. The group, best known for their song "I'm In the Mood for Dancing
", gained prominence as guest performers on numerous television shows in the United Kingdom. The majority of their charted singles and albums occurred in the early 1980s but they continued to be active until 2005 and were particularly successful in Japan. The sisters have pursued varying solo careers in acting, music and television presenting.
In 2009 The Nolans reformed for a one-off concert tour in Ireland and in the UK, spawning an album and DVD.
in 1962, and launched a family singing group, The Singing Nolans, in 1963. The original lineup comprised the parents, sons Tommy and Brian, and daughters Anne (born 12 November 1950), Denise (born 9 April 1952), Maureen (born 14 June 1954), Linda (born 23 February 1959) and Bernadette
('Bernie', born 17 October 1960).
The family performed even as the five girls all went to school at Blackpool's St Catherine's Catholic Secondary School
. The Nolans also attended The Cardinal Wiseman School
in Greenford
, Middlesex. As well as performing frequently on the northern club circuit, The Singing Nolans recorded an album, The Singing Nolans, a single "Blackpool" – which was a song about their local football club, Blackpool F.C.
, and is still used on match days at Bloomfield Road
– and the EP "Silent Night" for the Nevis label in 1972.
In 1974 the five daughters began performing as The Nolan Sisters. After guesting on Cliff Richard
's TV show, they began regular appearances on variety and comedy shows including Summertime Special, The Morecambe & Wise Show
and The Two Ronnies
. In 1975 they supported Frank Sinatra
on a UK tour and Rolf Harris
in South Africa.
They released one uncharted single on EMI in 1974 and several more on Target Records between 1975 and 1977, several of which were composed by Roger Greenaway
. A 1977 eponymous album on the Hanover Grand label was sold only at the London Club Room in Drury Lane, and is ranked by price guides as the most collectible UK release by the group.
Their chart breakthrough came in 1978 with the covers album 20 Giant Hits on Target, which reached Number 3 in the UK. That year they also supported Engelbert Humperdinck
on a US tour, and Denise left the group to pursue a solo career.
In 1979, the group participated in the UK Eurovision
selection contest A Song For Europe. Their track "Harry My Honolulu Lover" was considered the favourite before the contest, but ultimately placed fourth, with Black Lace
going on to represent the UK. A lightning strike by BBC technicians minutes before the broadcast led to the cancellation of the show. Instead, the regional juries had to make their decisions based on audio tapes of the songs. The group had been pre-booked to promote the song on many BBC shows, leading to speculation that it had been taken for granted they would win the competition. One booking was representing the BBC at the 25th Anniversary celebrations for the Eurovision network, which was staged in Montreaux, Switzerland, in April 1979.
in 1979, the group enjoyed their greatest period of commercial success. Although their debut release - the failed UK Eurovision entry "Harry, My Honolulu Lover" - did not chart, their second Epic single "Spirit, Body and Soul" reached number 34.
At the end of 1979, the group released the disco
-flavoured single "I'm In the Mood for Dancing
", which became their best-known tune and biggest hit. It reached number 3 in the UK, number 2 in their native Ireland and number 1 in Japan, a rare event for a Western act; the single eventually sold more than 600,000 copies in Japan. The song, like the majority of The Nolans' hit singles, was written by Ben Findon, Mike Myers and Robert Puzey.
The self-titled album Nolan Sisters, which featured the first two charting Epic singles, eventually reached Nº15 in the UK. Although not an official member of the group, the youngest member of the family, Coleen
(born 12 March 1965) (Coleen had released one solo single on Target in 1978, a song about Prince Andrew
's status as a teen idol) appeared on the covers of the album and "I'm In The Mood For Dancing," the latter of which she appeared in the music video accompanying it. In early 1980, the group changed its name from The Nolan Sisters to The Nolans. Following her marriage, Anne temporarily left the group and Coleen was made a new official member.
The group's 1980 album Making Waves
peaked at number 11 but had the longest UK album chart run of their career (33 weeks) Singles from the album included "Don't Make Waves" (UK number 12, Eire number 5); "Who's Gonna Rock You" (co-written by Billy Ocean
, UK number 12 in 1980, Eire number 14), and "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (UK number 9, Eire Nº8). The latter became the group's first Australian hit, reaching number 3 in 1981; its parent album reached AU Nº10 The last UK single release from Making Waves was "Attention To Me" in 1981 (UK number 9, Eire number 5, Auystralia number 94).
"Sexy Music
", also featured on Making Waves, won the grand prize at the 1981 Tokyo Music Festival
, and was subsequently released as a single in Japan. This became the group's third number 1 on the Japanese Import chart - following "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" and "Gotta Pull Myself Together". During 1981, Coleen and Linda contributed vocals to the Young and Moody Band, which scored a UK number 63 hit with "Don't Do That".
Another 1981 single "Chemistry" (UK number 15, IE Nº11, AU Nº51) was drawn from the album Portrait
. This would become the group's second Top 10 UK album, reaching number 7 in 1982 (Australia number 54), and was also the source of their final UK Top 20 single "Don't Love Me Too Hard" (UK numner 14, Eire number Nº17). Anne rejoined the group in late 1982, making it a five-piece line up.
The 1982 compilation album Altogether
reached UK number 52, but the accompanying single, "Dragonfly", failed to chart. In 1983, the group was rocked by a minor scandal when their new single, "Dressed to Kill" was removed from the chart due to allegations of chart rigging. The group had released the single with a limited edition poster, exclusive to shops which registered chart sales. The story was reported on in newspapers at the time, which also added that their fan club had instructed members on which shops these were. The single had entered highly in the Chart but was subsequently banned from inclusion. Later in the year, Linda left the group to pursue a solo career. At the time, she was nicknamed the "Naughty Nolan" due to risque publicity photos. The resulting four-woman line up of Bernie, Anne, Maureen and Coleen was stable until 1994.
The covers album Girls Just Wanna Have Fun was released on Towerbell Records in 1984
and reached number 39. The Nolans also achieved success in Europe
and New Zealand
.
. They appeared in the second episode of the 1987 comedy series Filthy Rich & Catflap
, playing themselves in a blackmail plot and performing "I'm In The Mood For Dancing". A 1989 re-recording of the same song reached #99, and another version reached #51 in 1995.
The Nolans remained popular in Japan, signing a six-album deal there in 1987. They recorded several new albums purely for the Japanese market, usually featuring English language covers of Japanese pop hits. Releases on Teichiku Records during this period included Playback Part 2, entirely comprising covers of songs originally performed by Japanese singer Momoe Yamaguchi
; Tidal Wave; Rock And Rolling Idol; Hottest Place On Earth; and Lost Lonely Beaches.
In 1991 they became the first Irish group to be awarded the 33rd Japan Record Awards
Kikaku Sho (Prize for Planning) for best foreign recording artist. Compilations of their Japanese material, often featuring remixes and some featuring other artists as well, were regularly released throughout the 1990s and 2000s in Japan, while several budget-priced compilations of their Epic-era material (sometimes re-recorded) appeared in the UK.
Coleen, who had married performer Shane Richie
in 1990, quit the group in 1994 to have a baby In 1995, longstanding lead singer Bernie left to pursue an acting career; Anne and Maureen continued as a two-piece version of The Nolans. A re-recorded version of "I'm In The Mood For Dancing", released on the Living Beat label, reached #51 in the UK in 1995.
From 2000, the line-up consisted of Maureen and Anne, together with Anne's daughter Amy and unrelated singer Julia Duckworth, and concentrated on live appearances, often at venues such as Butlins
holiday camps and bingo halls. The group disbanded in 2005. Before then, Maureen Nolan had been in the group for 31 years without leaving.
Coleen said she had instigated the reformation after speaking to her manager. She explained: "We've been approached before over the last four or five years but it has never felt like the right time and the right people being involved, and this time it was like 'let's just do it once more". The sisters performed their hits and several classic diva
-type songs.
The reunion however sparked a split in the family as Anne has appeared in the press stating that she has been excluded from the tour despite being a long-serving member of the group. She has also issued a statement on her official website, which includes the comment: "they are not my sisters anymore".
Denise also issued a statement in support of Anne, claiming that the real reason for the reunion was due to some of the sisters being in financial difficulty. The other four sisters have said that the decision was made by Universal
, who are sponsoring the tour, due to this being the line-up that enjoyed the most success back in the early 1980s. The Nolans released a new album, I'm in the Mood Again, on 28 September 2009, which reached No.22 in the UK album charts. A live DVD was released on 9 November 2009.
and The Bill
, and has toured in several stage shows, including the adaptation of the movie Flashdance
in 2008. Coleen has mostly worked as a television presenter, hosting This Morning
briefly in 2001 and appearing regularly as a panellist on Loose Women
since 2004.
Four of the sisters — Bernie, Denise, Linda, and Maureen — have played the role of Mrs Johnstone in the musical Blood Brothers. Both Maureen and Bernie have performed in productions of the comedy Mum's The Word, and they toured together in the show in 2008.
Linda performed in the role of Maggie May at Blackpool's Central Pier
for 10 years, clocking up more than 1,000 performances and toured with Prisoner Cell Block H - The Musical
. Denise released one solo single on Pye in 1979 and two on Mercury in 1982. She has frequently performed a Judy Garland
tribute show. Anne stopped performing and took up an office job.
The Nolans reunited as a five-piece (Anne, Bernie, Coleen, Linda and Maureen) on 9 August 2007 to perform "I'm In The Mood For Dancing" on Loose Women, but dismissed any immediate prospect of a full-scale reunion, a stance Anne echoed in 2008.
The girls' father Tommy died of liver cancer
in 1998. Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer
in 2000, as was Linda in 2006. As part of her treatment, Linda had a breast removed. Bernie
was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2010.
The Nolans' mother Maureen Nolan died in Blackpool aged 81 on 30 December 2007 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease
. Anne Nolan released her autobiography Anne's Song on 27 March 2008. In the book, co-written with Richard Barber, Anne said she had been repeatedly sexually abused by her father, from the age of 11 until she was 15 or 16. In April 2009, Coleen said that her father was violent to her, Anne and their mother.
NR = not released in that country. Dash indicates did not chart in that country.
NR = not released in that country. Dash indicates did not chart in that country.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
all-female band consisting of a group of sisters. The group, best known for their song "I'm In the Mood for Dancing
I'm In the Mood for Dancing
"I'm In the Mood for Dancing" is a single by pop group, The Nolan Sisters. Originally released in November 1979, the song became a top three hit in the UK in February 1980. The song, a cross between pure pop and disco, has since become synonymous with the group and remains their biggest hit...
", gained prominence as guest performers on numerous television shows in the United Kingdom. The majority of their charted singles and albums occurred in the early 1980s but they continued to be active until 2005 and were particularly successful in Japan. The sisters have pursued varying solo careers in acting, music and television presenting.
In 2009 The Nolans reformed for a one-off concert tour in Ireland and in the UK, spawning an album and DVD.
Early career: 1974–79
Tommy (1925–1998) and Maureen Nolan (1926–2007), who had both worked as singers in Ireland, moved their family from Dublin to BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
in 1962, and launched a family singing group, The Singing Nolans, in 1963. The original lineup comprised the parents, sons Tommy and Brian, and daughters Anne (born 12 November 1950), Denise (born 9 April 1952), Maureen (born 14 June 1954), Linda (born 23 February 1959) and Bernadette
Bernadette Nolan
Bernadette Therese "Bernie" Nolan is an Irish actress, singer and television personality, formerly lead vocalist of The Nolans. Her siblings are Anne, Brian, Denise, Maureen, Tommy, Linda and Coleen Nolan. She is the second youngest...
('Bernie', born 17 October 1960).
The family performed even as the five girls all went to school at Blackpool's St Catherine's Catholic Secondary School
St. Mary's Catholic College (Blackpool)
St. Mary's Catholic College is a school in Layton, Blackpool, Lancashire. The school is a specialist Mathematics and Computing College.With over 1800 pupils, it is the largest Roman Catholic secondary school in Lancashire. The school is on the site of the former Convent of the Holy Child Jesus , on...
. The Nolans also attended The Cardinal Wiseman School
The Cardinal Wiseman School
The Cardinal Wiseman Roman Catholic School, commonly known as The Cardinal Wiseman School, is a Roman Catholic school comprising a comprehensive secondary school and The Cardinal Wiseman School Sixth Form located in Greenford, London...
in Greenford
Greenford
Greenford is a large suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, UK. It was historically an ancient parish in the former county of Middlesex. The most prominent landmarks in the suburb are the A40, a major dual-carriageway; Horsenden Hill, above sea level; the small Parish Church of...
, Middlesex. As well as performing frequently on the northern club circuit, The Singing Nolans recorded an album, The Singing Nolans, a single "Blackpool" – which was a song about their local football club, Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, and is still used on match days at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
– and the EP "Silent Night" for the Nevis label in 1972.
In 1974 the five daughters began performing as The Nolan Sisters. After guesting on Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
's TV show, they began regular appearances on variety and comedy shows including Summertime Special, The Morecambe & Wise Show
The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968)
The Morecambe & Wise Show that began airing in 1968 was the second TV series for comedy duo Morecambe and Wise.-Beginnings:The first series of the "new" Morecambe & Wise Show was broadcast in colour on BBC Two in 1968 and was deemed to be a success. Though now established as a popular star, Eric...
and The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
. In 1975 they supported Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
on a UK tour and Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris, CBE, AM is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, painter and television personality.Born in Perth, Western Australia, Harris was a champion swimmer before studying art. He moved to England in 1952, where he started to appear on television programmes on which he drew the...
in South Africa.
They released one uncharted single on EMI in 1974 and several more on Target Records between 1975 and 1977, several of which were composed by Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway , is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.-Career:...
. A 1977 eponymous album on the Hanover Grand label was sold only at the London Club Room in Drury Lane, and is ranked by price guides as the most collectible UK release by the group.
Their chart breakthrough came in 1978 with the covers album 20 Giant Hits on Target, which reached Number 3 in the UK. That year they also supported Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)
Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
on a US tour, and Denise left the group to pursue a solo career.
In 1979, the group participated in the UK Eurovision
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
selection contest A Song For Europe. Their track "Harry My Honolulu Lover" was considered the favourite before the contest, but ultimately placed fourth, with Black Lace
Black Lace (band)
Black Lace is a British Euro pop band, best known for novelty party records, including their biggest hit, "Agadoo". The band first came to the public eye after being selected to represent the UK in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, in which they finished seventh with the song "Mary Ann"...
going on to represent the UK. A lightning strike by BBC technicians minutes before the broadcast led to the cancellation of the show. Instead, the regional juries had to make their decisions based on audio tapes of the songs. The group had been pre-booked to promote the song on many BBC shows, leading to speculation that it had been taken for granted they would win the competition. One booking was representing the BBC at the 25th Anniversary celebrations for the Eurovision network, which was staged in Montreaux, Switzerland, in April 1979.
Chart success: 1979-84
After signing with CBS subsidiary Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
in 1979, the group enjoyed their greatest period of commercial success. Although their debut release - the failed UK Eurovision entry "Harry, My Honolulu Lover" - did not chart, their second Epic single "Spirit, Body and Soul" reached number 34.
At the end of 1979, the group released the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-flavoured single "I'm In the Mood for Dancing
I'm In the Mood for Dancing
"I'm In the Mood for Dancing" is a single by pop group, The Nolan Sisters. Originally released in November 1979, the song became a top three hit in the UK in February 1980. The song, a cross between pure pop and disco, has since become synonymous with the group and remains their biggest hit...
", which became their best-known tune and biggest hit. It reached number 3 in the UK, number 2 in their native Ireland and number 1 in Japan, a rare event for a Western act; the single eventually sold more than 600,000 copies in Japan. The song, like the majority of The Nolans' hit singles, was written by Ben Findon, Mike Myers and Robert Puzey.
The self-titled album Nolan Sisters, which featured the first two charting Epic singles, eventually reached Nº15 in the UK. Although not an official member of the group, the youngest member of the family, Coleen
Coleen Nolan
Coleen Patricia Nolan is an English born television presenter, author and singer of Irish descent. She was the youngest member of the girl group, The Nolans, in which she sang alongside her sisters...
(born 12 March 1965) (Coleen had released one solo single on Target in 1978, a song about Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
's status as a teen idol) appeared on the covers of the album and "I'm In The Mood For Dancing," the latter of which she appeared in the music video accompanying it. In early 1980, the group changed its name from The Nolan Sisters to The Nolans. Following her marriage, Anne temporarily left the group and Coleen was made a new official member.
The group's 1980 album Making Waves
Making Waves (The Nolans album)
Making Waves is a 1980 album released by the pop group The Nolans. In the UK, the album went gold and featured four top 20 singles. Worldwide it became their biggest-selling album, being certified double platinum in Australia and reaching No.1 in Japan....
peaked at number 11 but had the longest UK album chart run of their career (33 weeks) Singles from the album included "Don't Make Waves" (UK number 12, Eire number 5); "Who's Gonna Rock You" (co-written by Billy Ocean
Billy Ocean
Billy Ocean is a Trinidad-born English Grammy Award winning popular music performer who had a string of rhythm and blues international pop hits in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the most popular British-based R&B singer / songwriter of the early to mid-1980s...
, UK number 12 in 1980, Eire number 14), and "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (UK number 9, Eire Nº8). The latter became the group's first Australian hit, reaching number 3 in 1981; its parent album reached AU Nº10 The last UK single release from Making Waves was "Attention To Me" in 1981 (UK number 9, Eire number 5, Auystralia number 94).
"Sexy Music
Sexy Music
"Sexy Music" is a 1981 single taken from Irish female vocal group The Nolans' 1980 album Making Waves, and later hit by Japanese idol duo Wink....
", also featured on Making Waves, won the grand prize at the 1981 Tokyo Music Festival
Tokyo Music Festival
The Tokyo Music Festival was an international music contest that ran from 1972 to 1991. It was organised by the Tokyo Music Festival Association...
, and was subsequently released as a single in Japan. This became the group's third number 1 on the Japanese Import chart - following "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" and "Gotta Pull Myself Together". During 1981, Coleen and Linda contributed vocals to the Young and Moody Band, which scored a UK number 63 hit with "Don't Do That".
Another 1981 single "Chemistry" (UK number 15, IE Nº11, AU Nº51) was drawn from the album Portrait
Portrait (The Nolans album)
Portrait is a 1982 album by pop group, The Nolans. It featured the UK top 20 singles "Chemistry" and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" and reached No.7 in the album charts...
. This would become the group's second Top 10 UK album, reaching number 7 in 1982 (Australia number 54), and was also the source of their final UK Top 20 single "Don't Love Me Too Hard" (UK numner 14, Eire number Nº17). Anne rejoined the group in late 1982, making it a five-piece line up.
The 1982 compilation album Altogether
Altogether (The Nolans album)
Altogether is a greatest hits album released by pop group, The Nolans in 1982.Following a successful run in the UK Charts, lasting between 1979 and 1982, Altogether was the first hits compilation released by The Nolans. It featured their seven consecutive top 20 hits and followed four top 20 albums...
reached UK number 52, but the accompanying single, "Dragonfly", failed to chart. In 1983, the group was rocked by a minor scandal when their new single, "Dressed to Kill" was removed from the chart due to allegations of chart rigging. The group had released the single with a limited edition poster, exclusive to shops which registered chart sales. The story was reported on in newspapers at the time, which also added that their fan club had instructed members on which shops these were. The single had entered highly in the Chart but was subsequently banned from inclusion. Later in the year, Linda left the group to pursue a solo career. At the time, she was nicknamed the "Naughty Nolan" due to risque publicity photos. The resulting four-woman line up of Bernie, Anne, Maureen and Coleen was stable until 1994.
The covers album Girls Just Wanna Have Fun was released on Towerbell Records in 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
and reached number 39. The Nolans also achieved success in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
New labels and lineups: 1984-2005
In 1986, the group performed on a stadium tour of RussiaSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. They appeared in the second episode of the 1987 comedy series Filthy Rich & Catflap
Filthy Rich & Catflap
Filthy Rich & Catflap was a BBC sitcom produced in 1986 and broadcast early the next year.The series featured former The Young Ones stars Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as its three title characters respectively...
, playing themselves in a blackmail plot and performing "I'm In The Mood For Dancing". A 1989 re-recording of the same song reached #99, and another version reached #51 in 1995.
The Nolans remained popular in Japan, signing a six-album deal there in 1987. They recorded several new albums purely for the Japanese market, usually featuring English language covers of Japanese pop hits. Releases on Teichiku Records during this period included Playback Part 2, entirely comprising covers of songs originally performed by Japanese singer Momoe Yamaguchi
Momoe Yamaguchi
is a former Japanese singer, actress, and idol whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. In that time, she became one of the most notable singers in Japanese music, and an acclaimed actress. She withdrew from the entertainment business at the peak of her career to marry her frequent costar, fellow...
; Tidal Wave; Rock And Rolling Idol; Hottest Place On Earth; and Lost Lonely Beaches.
In 1991 they became the first Irish group to be awarded the 33rd Japan Record Awards
33rd Japan Record Awards
The 33rd Annual Japan Record Awards took place at the Nippon Budokan in Chiyoda, Tokyo, December 31, 1991, starting at 7:00PM JST. The primary ceremonies were televised in Japan on TBS.-Pops and Rock:*Japan Record Award:**KAN for "Ai wa Katsu"...
Kikaku Sho (Prize for Planning) for best foreign recording artist. Compilations of their Japanese material, often featuring remixes and some featuring other artists as well, were regularly released throughout the 1990s and 2000s in Japan, while several budget-priced compilations of their Epic-era material (sometimes re-recorded) appeared in the UK.
Coleen, who had married performer Shane Richie
Shane Richie
Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
in 1990, quit the group in 1994 to have a baby In 1995, longstanding lead singer Bernie left to pursue an acting career; Anne and Maureen continued as a two-piece version of The Nolans. A re-recorded version of "I'm In The Mood For Dancing", released on the Living Beat label, reached #51 in the UK in 1995.
From 2000, the line-up consisted of Maureen and Anne, together with Anne's daughter Amy and unrelated singer Julia Duckworth, and concentrated on live appearances, often at venues such as Butlins
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
holiday camps and bingo halls. The group disbanded in 2005. Before then, Maureen Nolan had been in the group for 31 years without leaving.
2009 reunion
The Nolans announced in June 2009 that they were reforming for a UK and Ireland tour. Four members - Coleen, Bernie, Linda and Maureen - undertook the tour, in October and November 2009. The two other sisters, Anne and Denise, were not involved.Coleen said she had instigated the reformation after speaking to her manager. She explained: "We've been approached before over the last four or five years but it has never felt like the right time and the right people being involved, and this time it was like 'let's just do it once more". The sisters performed their hits and several classic diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
-type songs.
The reunion however sparked a split in the family as Anne has appeared in the press stating that she has been excluded from the tour despite being a long-serving member of the group. She has also issued a statement on her official website, which includes the comment: "they are not my sisters anymore".
Denise also issued a statement in support of Anne, claiming that the real reason for the reunion was due to some of the sisters being in financial difficulty. The other four sisters have said that the decision was made by Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, who are sponsoring the tour, due to this being the line-up that enjoyed the most success back in the early 1980s. The Nolans released a new album, I'm in the Mood Again, on 28 September 2009, which reached No.22 in the UK album charts. A live DVD was released on 9 November 2009.
Solo careers
Most of the sisters have continued to work in show business, pursuing careers in acting, musical theatre, pantomime and touring. As an actress, Bernie had prominent TV roles in BrooksideBrookside
Brookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
and The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, and has toured in several stage shows, including the adaptation of the movie Flashdance
Flashdance
Another song used in the film, "Maniac", was also nominated for an Academy Award. It was written by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac. The lyrics about a killer on the loose were rewritten so that it could be used in Flashdance...
in 2008. Coleen has mostly worked as a television presenter, hosting This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
briefly in 2001 and appearing regularly as a panellist on Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
since 2004.
Four of the sisters — Bernie, Denise, Linda, and Maureen — have played the role of Mrs Johnstone in the musical Blood Brothers. Both Maureen and Bernie have performed in productions of the comedy Mum's The Word, and they toured together in the show in 2008.
Linda performed in the role of Maggie May at Blackpool's Central Pier
Central Pier, Blackpool
-Location:The pier is central in the sense that it is located between the other two, but it is also close to the site of the now-defunct Blackpool Central railway station about 500 metres south of Blackpool Tower...
for 10 years, clocking up more than 1,000 performances and toured with Prisoner Cell Block H - The Musical
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
. Denise released one solo single on Pye in 1979 and two on Mercury in 1982. She has frequently performed a Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
tribute show. Anne stopped performing and took up an office job.
The Nolans reunited as a five-piece (Anne, Bernie, Coleen, Linda and Maureen) on 9 August 2007 to perform "I'm In The Mood For Dancing" on Loose Women, but dismissed any immediate prospect of a full-scale reunion, a stance Anne echoed in 2008.
The girls' father Tommy died of liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
in 1998. Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in 2000, as was Linda in 2006. As part of her treatment, Linda had a breast removed. Bernie
Bernadette Nolan
Bernadette Therese "Bernie" Nolan is an Irish actress, singer and television personality, formerly lead vocalist of The Nolans. Her siblings are Anne, Brian, Denise, Maureen, Tommy, Linda and Coleen Nolan. She is the second youngest...
was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2010.
The Nolans' mother Maureen Nolan died in Blackpool aged 81 on 30 December 2007 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. Anne Nolan released her autobiography Anne's Song on 27 March 2008. In the book, co-written with Richard Barber, Anne said she had been repeatedly sexually abused by her father, from the age of 11 until she was 15 or 16. In April 2009, Coleen said that her father was violent to her, Anne and their mother.
Members
- Maureen Nolan (1974–2005, 2009)
- Anne Nolan (1974–1980, 1982–2005)
- Bernie Nolan (1974–1994, 2009)
- Coleen Nolan (1974, 1980–1996, 2009)
- Linda Nolan (1974–1983, 2009)
- Denise Nolan (1974–1978)
- Amy Nolan (2000–2005)
- Julia Duckworth (2000–2005)
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak UK chart |
Peak Japan chart |
Peak Ireland chart |
Peak Australia chart |
UK sales |
Japan sales |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | "Blackpool" | - | NR | NR | NR | Nevis | ||
| "Silent Night Silent Night "Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber... " (EP Extended play An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact... ) |
- | NR | NR | NR | ||||
| 1974 | "But I Do" | - | - (1981) |
NR | NR | EMI | ||
| 1975 | "Make a Little Sunshine Shine" | - | - (1981) |
NR | NR | Target | ||
| 1976 | "Rain" | - | NR | NR | NR | |||
| "Thanks for Calling" | - | NR | NR | NR | ||||
| "When You Are a King" | - | NR | NR | NR | ||||
| 1977 | "Love Transformation" | - | NR | NR | NR | |||
| "Love Bandit" | - | NR | NR | NR | | | |||
| 1978 | "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" is a popular country-pop music song by Crystal Gayle , younger sister of Loretta Lynn. The song was written by Richard Leigh and first appeared on Gayle's 1977 album, We Must Believe in Magic.... " |
- | NR | NR | NR | |||
| 1979 | "Harry, My Honolulu Lover" | - | NR | - | - | Epic | ||
| "Spirit, Body and Soul" | 34 | NR | - | - | ||||
| "I'm In the Mood for Dancing I'm In the Mood for Dancing "I'm In the Mood for Dancing" is a single by pop group, The Nolan Sisters. Originally released in November 1979, the song became a top three hit in the UK in February 1980. The song, a cross between pure pop and disco, has since become synonymous with the group and remains their biggest hit... " |
3 | 1 (1980) |
2 | 43 (1981) |
500,000+ | 673,850 | ||
| 1980 | "Don't Make Waves" | 12 | NR | 5 | - | |||
| "Gotta Pull Myself Together" | 9 | 9 | 8 | 3 (1981) |
250,000+ | 302,460 | ||
| "Who's Gonna Rock You" | 12 | 21 (1981) |
14 | - | 87,650 | |||
| 1981 | "Attention to Me" | 9 | NR | 5 | 94 | 250,000+ | ||
| "Sexy Music" | NR | 7 | NR | NR | 270,160 | |||
| "Chemistry" | 15 | 23 | 11 | 51 | 77,160 | |||
| 1982 | "Don't Love Me Too Hard" | 14 | 61 (1981) |
17 | - | 18,480 | ||
| "Crashing Down" | - | 86 | - | - | 2,660 | |||
| "Dragonfly" | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 1983 | "Dressed to Kill" | - | NR | - | - | |||
| 1985 | "Goodbye Nothin' to Say" | - | - | - | - | Towerbell | ||
| 1989 | "I'm In the Mood for Dancin' 89 (re-recording)" | 99 | - | - | - | BCM | ||
| 1991 | "Rock and Rolling Idol" | NR | - | NR | NR | Teichiku | ||
| "Take Me All" | NR | - | NR | NR | ||||
| "Tidal Wave" | NR | - | NR | NR | ||||
| 1992 | "Mother Earth" | NR | - | NR | NR | |||
| 1995 | "I'm In the Mood for Dancing (re-recording)" | 51 | - | - | - | Living Beat |
NR = not released in that country. Dash indicates did not chart in that country.
Albums
| Year | Title | UK chart peak |
Japan chart peak |
UK sales | Japan sales |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | The Singing Nolans | - | NR | Nevis | ||
| 1978 | 20 Giant Hits | 3 | 38 (1981) |
100,000+ | 17,370 | Target |
| 1979 | Nolan Sisters | 15 | 3 | 100,000+ | 156,020 | Epic |
| The Nolan Sisters (10-inch edition w/ 6 tracks) | NR | 12 | 56,190 | |||
| 1980 | Making Waves Making Waves (The Nolans album) Making Waves is a 1980 album released by the pop group The Nolans. In the UK, the album went gold and featured four top 20 singles. Worldwide it became their biggest-selling album, being certified double platinum in Australia and reaching No.1 in Japan.... |
11 | 1 | 100,000+ | 550,800 | |
| 1981 | Sexy Music (compilation LP) | NR | 2 | 541,930 | ||
| All About The Nolans (2-LP box set) | NR | 30 | 58,290 | |||
| Don't Love Me Too Hard (earlier release of Portrait for Japanese market) |
NR | 47 | 41,230 | |||
| 1982 | Portrait Portrait (The Nolans album) Portrait is a 1982 album by pop group, The Nolans. It featured the UK top 20 singles "Chemistry" and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" and reached No.7 in the album charts... |
7 | NR | 100,000+ | ||
| Altogether Altogether (The Nolans album) Altogether is a greatest hits album released by pop group, The Nolans in 1982.Following a successful run in the UK Charts, lasting between 1979 and 1982, Altogether was the first hits compilation released by The Nolans. It featured their seven consecutive top 20 hits and followed four top 20 albums... |
52 | - | 60,000+ | |||
| 1984 | Girls Just Wanna Have Fun | 39 | - | 60,000+ | Towerbell | |
| 1991 | Playback Part 2 | NR | 77 | 12,000 | Teichiku | |
| Tidal Wave | NR | 99 | 3,000 | |||
| Rock and Rolling Idol | NR | 88 | 15,000 | |||
| 1992 | Graduation (The Nolans & Friends) | NR | - | |||
| Hottest Place On Earth | NR | - | ||||
| Lost Lonely Beaches | NR | - | ||||
| New Music Pops In Japan (The Nolans & Friends) | NR | - | ||||
| 1997 | New Best Hits and More (includes 5 new tracks) | NR | - | |||
| 2006 | The Singles Collection (includes bonus DVD) | NR | 88 | |||
| 2009 | In the Mood Again | 22 | - | Universal | ||
NR = not released in that country. Dash indicates did not chart in that country.
External links
- NolanSisters.com Official site
- AnneNolan.com Official site
- BernieNolan.com Official site
- ColeenNolan.com Official site
- LindaNolan.com Official site
- MaureenNolan.co.uk Official site
- Denise Nolan's Official Site Official site
- Making Waves - The Nolans Fan Site Making Waves