The Au Pairs were a post-punk band who formed in Birmingham in 1979. Musically they were very similar to bands such as the Gang of Four and the Delta 5. That is, the rhythm section was tight and funky (obvious influences were James Brown and Funkadelic) but the guitars were light and "scratchy" like Subway Sect. All these bands shared a strongly left wing social outlook, but the Au Pairs stood out due to their frontwoman, Lesley Woods, being an ardent feminist and lesbian: the band were greatly influential in this respect on the riot grrl movement a decade later. Their first album "Playing with a Different Sex" is something of a post-punk classic with strong, sarcastic songs like "It's Obvious" and "We're so cool" taking a dry look at gender relations. Other songs (such as "Armagh") took a pro-republican look at the then ongoing "Troubles" in Northern Ireland, which caused some controversy at the time. Post punk generally refers to the particularly fertile and creative period following the initial punk rock explosion. During the first wave of punk, roughly spanning 1976-1983, bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned began to challenge the current styles and conventions of rock... The city from above Centenary Square. ... Gang of Four was a British punk rock group from Leeds, England. ... James Brown, known variously as: Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. ... Funkadelic was originally the backing band for the doo wop group, The Parliaments. ... One of the original (and best) British punk bands, Subway Sects posthumous reputation has suffered because of their comparatively small output. ... Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. ... Lesbian describes a homosexual woman. ... Riot grrl (also frequently spelled riot grrrl) is a form of hardcore punk rock music, known for its militant feminist stance. ... Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto) (French for God and my right)3 Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685...

The band's second album ("Sense and Sensuality") showed an even greater influence of jazz, funk and disco on the band's sound, but was less well received. The band broke up in 1983. Woods formed an all woman band called "The Darlings" in the late '80s, but then left the music industry. She now works as a lawyer. Jazz master Louis Armstrong remains one of the most loved and best known of all jazz musicians. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Discography (1978–1983)

Singles

• You / Domestic Departure - Kerb Crawler (021 Records, OTO 2, 1979)
• Diet / It's Obvious (021 Records, OTO 4, 1980)
• Inconvenience / Pretty Boys (Human Records, HUM 8, 1981)
• Inconvenience / Pretty Boys - Headache For Michelle (remix) (Human Records, HUM 8/12, 1981)

Albums

• Playing With A Different Sex (Human Records, HUMAN 1, 1981)
• Sense & Sensuality (Kamera Records, KAM 010, 1982)
• Live In Berlin (AKA Records, AKA6, taped 1982, released '83)
• Note: there is also a "Best of" CD "Shock to the System" available on Cherry Red records.

Original members

• Lesley Woods - guitar/vocals
• Paul Foad - guitar/vocals
• Jane Munro - bass
• Pete Hammond - drums

See also

• au pair

An au pair is a single girl (or, rarely, a boy) who helps a host family with childcare and/or housework while staying as a guest with a host family and generally receiving a small allowance (or pocket money). ...

External links

• photos of the band
• VH1 page on the band