The Nolans

The Nolans are an Anglo-Irish girl group who formed in 1974 as The Nolan Sisters, before changing their name in 1980. They are best known for their hit single "I'm in the Mood for Dancing". Released in December 1979, the song reached number three in the UK in February 1980 and topped the Japanese charts in November 1980. Selling over 25 million records, they are one of the world’s biggest selling girl groups. They were particularly successful in Japan, becoming the first European act to win the Tokyo Music Festival with "Sexy Music" in 1981, and won a Japanese Grammy (Tokubetsu Kikaku Shō) in 1992. Five of the sisters, Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, and Bernie, became regular guest performers on numerous television shows in the UK in the 1970s and supported Frank Sinatra on his 1975 European tour. Denise left for a solo career in 1978 and youngest sister Coleen, who previously had made occasional appearances (including appearing in the video for "I'm in the Mood for Dancing"), became a full-time member in 1980, replacing Anne. Between 1979 and 1982, the group had seven UK top 20 hits, including "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (1980), "Who's Gonna Rock You" (1980), "Attention to Me" (1981) and "Chemistry" (1981). Anne returned to the group in 1982, and Linda left in 1984. Coleen, then Bernie, both left the group in the 1990s and from 1995 Anne and Maureen continued as a duo, and then recruited Julia Duckworth and Anne's daughter Amy Wilson in 2000. The group disbanded in 2005, with Maureen Nolan having been a permanent member for over 30 years. Having pursued varying solo careers in acting, music and television presenting, Maureen, Linda, Bernie, and Coleen Nolan reformed in 2009 for the 30th anniversary of "I'm in the Mood for Dancing", with a 25-date concert tour of the UK and Ireland and the release of the I'm in the Mood Again album and live DVD. They also released a best-selling autobiography in 2011, titled Survivors: Our Story.