music
December 18, 2025
Au Pairs frontwoman Lesley Woods: ‘We were the antithesis to all that boy-meets-girl stuff’
Her post-punk trailblazers were a key influence on riot grrrl. Now, after decades working as a lawyer, she is taking the name – though, contentiously, not the rest of the band – back on the road. ‘I haven’t given the best of me yet’, she says
TL;DR
- Lesley Woods, lead singer of Au Pairs, is reforming the band with new members after a 35-year career as a lawyer.
- Woods faced misogyny in both the music industry and the legal profession.
- The revival of Au Pairs has led to a dispute with former bandmates Jane Munro, Paul Foad, and Pete Hammond.
- The former members allege Woods trademarked the band name and misrepresented the lineup.
- Woods defends her actions, stating she offered the original members a chance to reunite and that misleading advertising was rectified.
- Au Pairs were influential in the post-punk scene, known for their provocative lyrics and feminist themes.
- Woods plans to record new material and potentially an album with the new Au Pairs lineup.
- The original band split due to exhaustion, financial issues, and interpersonal conflicts.
Continue reading the original article