The Au Pairs were, along with Gang of Four, perhaps the ultimate ‘NME band’ of the early eighties when I started reading. Never far from a benefit gig, strident in intra-band equality, writers (ah..more later) of catchy songs with incendiary lyrics about hot-button topics from Northern Ireland to domestic violence. Playing With A Different Sex (what a cover photo) was brilliant. Second album less so. And so they who burn brightest burn briefest. I was delighted to pick up their career-spanning double CD a decade or so ago. FF to yesterday – am off to see Pains of Being Pure At Heart in Nottingham at the Metronome on a brief reunion tour. Checking the venue website I see that the ‘Au Pairs’ are playing an anniversary tour of PWADS. How come I heard nothing about this? The detail on the Metronome site starts to explain things ‘Lesley and three new members’. Oh that’s a bit different.
A brief google brought this corking article (in comments) to light which explains everything, including Lesley’s strident denial of how she pronounces ‘deer’. It is well worth five minutes of your time and tells a somewhat sad story. You must scroll down to the comments where both Lesley and her former co-members weigh in directly on the story. At least, so far, they have avoided the UB40 fate of having two separate bands.
https://www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/au-pairs-agreed-to-split-everything-equally-now-their-frontwoman-wants-it-all/
There is also a Facebook page run by former drummer Pete Hammon, the fur continues to fly over there too…
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063550391533
And there is a reference to a hometown Birmingham gig (where of course they are from, key early gigs at the Fighting Cocks half a mile from me etc.). Not a dickie bird on any tour site. Possibly they are supporting The Skids.
Crikey! It all sounds a bit like Blondie at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
In other reunion news, on Saturday 9th December 2023,
“After 24 years, Hull’s Fonda 500 are calling it a day with one final performance. It will be fun. It will be magical. It will be the end.”
I have tickets to see them next February. How does that work?
Shame, if undeniably amusing. Reminds me how the Lush reunion tour in the US (where they enjoy some legacy as a former Lollapalooza band) fell apart as Miki and Emma couldn’t work together anymore.
I reckon it’s fatal to make out how rad you are as a public disclosure, as there’s always a real life choice based on what you think is fair, a compromise, or a person radder than you. be rad if you like, but skip the performance and use3 of it as a selling point: it rarely (never?) works.
It’s all gone Au Pair shaped?
Well played, sir!
Blimey I got really excited when I saw that the Au Pairs were going to play Stroud Sub Rooms in April next year but after this reading this it has spoiled it somehow . Shame really as never caught them live first time around.