ANGELOU

Lead Vocals, Guitar: Holly Lerski

Vocals: Eddi Reader (Guest)

Vocals: Boo Hewerdine (Guest)

Guitar: Chris Evans

Bass: Anne Richardson

Drums: Phil Di Palma (2)Cath Evans

unplaced musicians:

Jo Baker /

[Wiki] Formed by Lerski and Baker after the split of The Rainbyrds in ?? 1996. They recorded their first demo in the winter of that year, which included a cover of the Leonard Cohen song Hallelujah. Local Norwich label Haven Records heard the demo and signed Angelou in the beginning of 1997, scheduling the release of the Hallelujah EP to coincide with a UK summer tour supporting Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine.

In 1998 Angelou released their first album Automiracles. Now including drummer Phil Di Palma, the album was written by Lerski, and recorded in 10 days by producer Calum MacColl. The album featured guest vocals from Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine.

Their second album While You Were Sleeping, was released in 2000. In 2001 Spanish label El Diablo released an Angelou compilation called Midnight Witcheries. Now joined by new drummer Cath Evans and bassist Anne Richardson, this record allowed the band to be heard for the first time throughout Europe. They completed two extensive tours of Spain, appearing on national TV and radio. They also went on to release a further EP and two videos.

On hearing of their success abroad, UK music independent giant Sanctuary Records offered Lerski a recording and publishing agreement and at the end of 2001 Lerski finally signed a major deal. Angelou were soon off on the road again, this time as a duo touring Scandinavia and Europe with John Hiatt & The Goners.

On their return from Europe the band went into rehearsals for the third album, staying in a wooden hunting lodge in Derbyshire. Recorded both in Denmark and Manchester throughout 2002, Life Is Beautiful was a much poppier record. It was finally released in 2003 under Lerski's own name. With the launch of the album came lives dates with The Cranberries, Jason Mraz and Josh Rouse, and support from BBC Radio 2 and most notably Wake Up To Wogan producer Paul Walters. In 2004, after disagreements with Sanctuary over lack of promotion for the record, Lerski was forced to leave the label and her songs behind.

In the summer of 2004, tired of the music industry and following a break up, Lerski relocated to Manchester where she began to write new material with the intention of releasing on her own imprint Laundry Label. Greetings From N.Y. was Laundry's first release. Featuring on the cover a hand written postcard to Lerski from Jeff Buckley, 'Greetings' was a 'best of' CD showcasing Lerski and the band's music to date. BBC Radio 2's Wake Up To Wogan once again championed the record and "More Than A Storm" featured weekly on his show. Starbucks at the time was also featuring tracks from Life Is Beautiful on their in-store compilation.

By 2006, following the news that Sanctuary had been bought out by Universal Music Group, Lerski returned to Norwich to begin a new chapter.

Going it alone now, Lerski played her first solo date in New York's The Living Room in 2007.

In September 2009, Lerski announced the launch of her own label, Laundry Label. From 2012 until 2014, she recorded a new album in her garden shed. The Wooden House was released on 1 June 2015.

Rainbyrds <>

Releases
Cover	Title	Studio	Label	YoR
	HALLELUJIA		HAVEN RECORDS	1997