News Tue, 20 Mar 2007 10:41:37 CST Vu

Sex’n’drugs and a new typewriter
March 17, 2007

THE HALF LIFE OF STARS (Book) (Oct 2006)

1996 WAS LOUISE WENER’S year. As the lead singer of the indie band Sleeper, she had two Top Ten hits, one of which — the spiky Sale of the Century— became a Britpop anthem. Sleeper’s second album, The It Girl, went platinum. When they supported R.E.M at the Milton Keynes Bowl on the evening she turned 29, Michael Stipe and 70,000 fans sang happy birthday. And if that wasn’t enough, she was voted 37th sexiest woman in the world by FHM — above Claudia Schiffer and Sharon Stone.

(excerpt)

She is now working on her fourth novel, featuring a female explorer in the 1930s. Wener (who “doesn’t get” marriage) still lives with Andy, and together they have formed Huge Advance with the music journalist John Harris (guitar) and a Faber editor, Hannah Griffiths (bass). They play purely “for the hell of it” at fringe literary festivals such as Port Eliot. Although she has no desire to relive her glory days, she sometimes wonders what would have happened if Sleeper hadn’t made it — like Claire in The Half Life of Stars, she is acutely aware that “a simple twist of fate” can shape a life.