19 - Helen O'Hara - Dexys Midnight Runners (Birmingham)

Music Maps - The Rock n Roll Book Club Podcast

Helen O'Hara joins us as we talk through her early career from getting a knock on the door to play with Kevin Archer's The Blue Ox Babes to later joining Dexys Midnight Runners.

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We talk about being renamed Helen O'Hara by Kevin Rowland & joining Dexys as one of the Emerald Express shortly after & Helen's difficult decision to join the band & turn down an offer to join the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. recording for the first time with the band at AIR Studios in London with producers Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley.

Helen's first gig with Dexys comes at Exhibition Park in Newcastle for a Radio 1 show, where the band also unveiled their new look. Soon after the band recorded & released the Too-Rye-Ay album which spawned the number 1 single Come On Eileen - Helen explains the importance of the Top Of The Pops appearances in breaking the song.

The Bridge Tour follows in 1982 & the Jackie Wilson Said single follows & again becomes a hit. Join us for all this and more.

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Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

Edited by Andy Maxwell

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