The Reform Story
Formed
in Limerick in early 1968. The original line up featured Don
O’Connor (drums, vocals), Noel Casey (bass), Joe Mulcahy (rhythm
guitar) and Willie Browne (vocals, lead guitar).
Willie had previously played with Limerick's Berwyn
Showband. The group's first gig was as part of a concert in
what is now the Belltable Arts Centre, it was then known as
Amharaclann na Feile.
By 1973, the group was a three piece
band with Joe Mulcahy taking over bass duties from Noel. That same
year,
the group performed their own composition, “I’m Gonna
Get You” in the Originality Spot on the RTE television programme
‘Spin Off’. The song overcame stiff competition from artists such as
The
Times
and
The
Others
to be voted number one. “I’m Gonna Get You” was released on CBS in
September of the same year, produced by Billy Brown of the Freshmen.
A year later, in 1974 their manager, Oliver Barry,
secured the group a recording contract with UK record company, Young
Blood, a division of CBS. Band leader Don O'Connor was also featured
in Spotlight that year after complaining to the weekly entertainment
magazine that their "rock" coverage was heavily influenced by a non
existent Dublin rock scene. "We are faced each week," wrote Don,
"with this stuff about the break-up of some previously unheard of
rock group or a write up on some Cat's Pyjamas or others who haven't
got the price of a van." Meanwhile, rural working bands like Reform
were totally ignored (full
article below).
In 1978, Reform performed their own composition, “You
Gotta' Get Up”,
in the National Song Contest but were pipped by Colm Wilkinson
performing “Born
To Sing”.
Colm went on to represent Ireland in that years Eurovision Song
Contest. The band's recording of the song made the Irish Charts
later that year, at the time, an unusual feat for an Irish Rock
Band, especially one based outside of Dublin.
To mark the 25th Anniversary of Buddy
Holly’s death in 1984, the group were invited by the Limerick Rock
‘n’ Roll Club to top the bill at their Buddy Holly Convention. To
honour the memory of Buddy Holly the group recorded a medley of
Holly’s tunes. This recording was never issued commercially.
Reform played their final gig on August 31, 1984 at
the CYMS Hall, Killorglin, Co. Kerry.
Our thanks to Eddie Kelly for most of
the information in this article.
Click on thumbnails for full images
Discography (Supplied by Eddie Kelly)
Singles:
I'm Gonna Get You / Story of My Life
Young Blood/CBS Records - YB 1054 - 1973
One For The Boys / Salt Away
Young Blood/CBS Records - YB 1066 - 1974
Gotta' Get You Into My LIfe / Matty Groves
Dolphin Records - DOS 131 - 1975
Keep Music Live / Tell Him So
CBS Records - CBS 5191 - 1977
You Gotta' Get Up / Brainwashed
CBS Records - CBS 6326 - 1978
Tail of the Dog / It's For You
CBS Records - CBS 7877 - 1979
Show of Hands / Man of the World
CBS Records - CBSA 1253 - 1981
Million Dollar Man (I Wish I Was) / On My Way Back Home
Little Black Records - LBS 002 - 1983
Album:
One For All
CBS Records - CBS 83668 - 1979
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