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stopped to meet her. The more prosaic truth is that of the three violinists at the session she was the only one with any rock and roll experience, and therefore the only one to be able to play a solo by feel. This she did well enough to be immediately drafted into Dexys. To fit in with Dexys' Celtic image, she took the stage last name of "O'Hara".
128:, which was released in late 1985. Earlier in 1985, Rowland appointed O'Hara as Dexys' musical director. O'Hara later commented that the American musicians that they worked with "couldn't quite make out my position in the band, and the whole thing." Some of the lyrics and songs from that album, especially "
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She was offered a place with
Rowland's new line-up of Dexys—the result of a session she and two other violinists from the university had carried out as part of Rowland's decision to revamp the band's sound and image. Rowland has said that he saw O'Hara standing at a bus stop with her violin case and
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The lengthy, contentious sessions for that album strained both her relationship with
Rowland and the core of that version of Dexys. Although Dexys returned to the charts with "Because Of You" (co-written by Rowland, O'Hara, and Adams) in 1986, and O'Hara's "fan club" letter in November 1986
71:
for over £80). Uncle Po consisted of Rob
Williams on guitar, Gavin King on vocals, Lyndon Parry on bass and vocals, Andy Wills on sax. flute, and vocals, O'Hara (as Helen "Spike" Bevington) on violin and keyboards, and Steve "Basher" Bennett and Jimmer Hill on drums.
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cover) and "Let's Get This
Straight (From The Start)" maintaining their popularity, the group continued to tour through 1983 with a nucleus of Rowland, O'Hara and Billy Adams, augmented by other musicians.
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in 2016, and she temporarily rejoined the band for its two live performances and one television performance that year in place of Dexys' current violinist, Lucy Morgan, who was unavailable.
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372:"Thank you everyone for your birthday wishes ❤️I've been busy all day rehearsing with Tim Burgess so have only just opened twitter. So lovely to see them all 😊 xx"
63:. She then joined a band called Wisper, which combined their solo career with backing various artists. Wisper evolved into Uncle Po (1976–78), which won the BBC's
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discussed imminent recording sessions for a new Dexys album, she later said that at that point "Dexys were finished really" and the band broke up in 1987.
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band competition in 1977 and subsequently released a single on the BEEB label entitled "Use My
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After Dexys was reformed by
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Helen O'Hara letter to Dexys
Midnight Runners Circle, November 1986, reprinted at
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39:; 5 November 1956) is a British musician. She was a member and violinist of
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This article is about the musician. For the film journalist, see
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After leaving Dexys, O'Hara worked with rock performers such as
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joining Gunner Kade, a band led by Ken
Pustelnik, drummer from
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Within months she was touring the UK, followed by the US, as "
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Let's Make This
Precious: The Best of Dexys Midnight Runners
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Helen
Bevington began her music career in her home town of
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from 1982 to 1987, including performing on songs such as "
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Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul
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Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul
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O'Hara left Uncle Po in late 1977 to study music at
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502:. Irish World. 25 May 2016. Archived from
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1035:Alumni of the Birmingham School of Music
406:"Uncle Po: What Ever Happened to Brian?"
23:. For the Irish watercolour artist, see
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47:", and in 2021 rejoined the band.
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339:. Canongate U.S. pp. 302–.
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333:Strong, Martin Charles (2006).
315:(1998) – New World Music CD 450
309:(1990) – New World Music CD 212
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289:, which was later reissued as
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848:BBC Radio One Live in Concert
168:biography of a living person
862:The Projected Passion Revue
188:must be removed immediately
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408:. Bristol Archives Records
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802:One Day I'm Going to Soar
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1020:21st-century violinists
922:This Is What She's Like
130:This Is What She's Like
990:Musicians from Bristol
634:Andy "Stoker" Growcott
558:Dexys Midnight Runners
486:5 October 2011 at the
464:5 October 2018 at the
442:5 October 2011 at the
182:Please help by adding
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795:Don't Stand Me Down
370:(5 November 2022).
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313:A Night in Ireland
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