Au Pairs: The Pioneering Dance-Punk Provocateurs

The Au Pairs were a British post-punk band formed in Birmingham in 1978, known for their sharp, politically charged lyrics and taut, funk-inflected sound. Their main achievement lies in their influential debut album "Playing with a Different Sex," a landmark record that critically examined gender politics and sexuality with unflinching intelligence.

Early Career

Formed in the late 1970s, the Au Pairs emerged from the vibrant Birmingham post-punk scene. The original lineup featured Lesley Woods on vocals and guitar, Paul Foad on guitar, Jane Munro on bass, and Pete Hammond on drums, establishing a minimalist yet rhythmically potent foundation for their confrontational songs.

Breakthrough

The band's breakthrough arrived in 1981 with the release of their debut album "Playing with a Different Sex" on the Human Records label. The album received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative fusion of punk energy with danceable, disco-derived rhythms and its fiercely feminist lyrical content, securing the Au Pairs a defining place in the post-punk canon.

Key Tracks

It's Obvious - This single from their debut album is a quintessential example of their tense, funk-driven sound and lyrical focus on domestic gender dynamics.

Come Again - A boldly explicit anthem about female sexuality and equality, this track became one of their most notorious and celebrated statements.

We're So Cool - The opening track to "Playing with a Different Sex," it perfectly encapsulates the band's sardonic tone and rhythmic precision.

Armagh - Demonstrating their wider political scope, this song addressed the imprisonment of Irish republican women in Armagh prison with characteristic directness.

The band released a second album, "Sense and Sensuality," in 1982 before disbanding in 1983. Their music has endured, finding new audiences through compilation appearances and recognition as a vital influence on the dance-punk and riot grrrl movements that followed. The Au Pairs' brief but potent catalog remains a benchmark for politically engaged rock music.

Fans of the Au Pairs' distinctive blend of angular post-punk and social critique may also appreciate the work of Gang Of Four, who similarly dissected politics over a taut, funk-inspired backdrop. The minimalist intensity of The Slits shares a parallel DIY spirit and feminist perspective. For later artists channeling a similar confrontational and rhythmic energy, Sleater-Kinney stands as a notable successor in the indie rock realm.