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Biography in text - more information, plus relevant links, coming soon.

Founding members James Reich (vox, guitar) and Hannah Levbarg (vox, bass guitar) met in 2002 as fans of Richard Hell's writing and music, fell in love, opened (and closed) a nationally acclaimed independent bookshop in Bath and began collaborating on Venus Bogardus songs in 2005. James is a published author and poet. Hannah, originally from Texas, is Richard Hell's Web forum moderator (since 2003). The couple is fictionalized in the book Julie & Julia (Little Brown, US/Penguin, UK) by Julie Powell (2009 Nora Ephron film, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams).

Luke Carr (drums - US) joined the band at a moment's notice in late 2008, when an emergency prevented Obaro from completing US tour commitments. Luke works in film and moved to the Santa Fe area from Baltimore, where he was active in the music scene with his band WatchManWalk for several years. He is an accomplished guitarist and songwriter who has refined his drumming skills to join Venus Bogardus.

Obaro Evuarherhe (drums - UK) joined the band in early 2007 and made his debut performance with the band at the Glastonbury Festivals John Peel Stage 'Emerging Talent' showcase. Originally from Nigeria, Obaro has lived in Bristol for almost a decade, where he has just completed a PhD in neuropsychology. When he's not in the lab or on stage, Obaro likes to make short films.

Venus Bogardus is named after a femme fatale character in the 1962 lesbian pulp fiction classic, Beebo Brinker, by Ann Bannon. The author sent the band her blessing, and praise for their first recordings. The band has worked with avant-garde artists and writers in the UK, France and the US since forming in late 2005. Stanley Donwood (Radiohead), a regular visitor to James and Hannah's independent bookshop, and with whom they organised an alternative literary performance event in their ancient cellar, contributed art for their DIY single, Jacques Rigaut, in 2006 (Patchogue Records).

Jean-Luc Bitton, biographer of Dadaist Rigaut and commentator on the DVD release of Louis Malle's classic 1963 film, Le Feu Follet, contributed spoken word to the vinyl release. For the 2007 album Motorman, avant-garde author (and one-time custodian of William Burroughs' dreams) David Ohle read from his 1972 cult novel, Motorman, onto a cassette which he posted to the band from his office in Lawrence, Kansas. French artist Laurent Collobert (Cassius etc.) provided the Motorman sleeve art.

Venus Bogardus was one of six finalists for Glastonbury's Emerging Talent Competition's John Peel Stage in 2007, and played the festival that year. They also headlined during Ladyfest Bristol in 2007 and played Frankfurt's New *Glam* Underground Festival by special invitation that year. Venus Bogardus songs receive regular rotation on BBC Radio Bristol's Bristol Uncovered, and the band performed a live set in studio for the show in March 2007. Venus Bogardus was a June 2007 'Radio Star' on Church of Girl Radio in Portland, OR (USA), has been played on Babes in Boyland (Paris) and Resonance FM (London) and was also featured on Steve Lamacq's show on BBC Radio One. The original demo version of The Age of Sinatra (later released on the archival CD iii) was played by Mike Watt (Minutemen, Iggy and the Stooges) on 'The Watt From Pedro Show' in 2006, before the band had found a drummer.