The Big Sleep

Rebellion quite suits Louise Wener, 30, leader of the London rock band Sleeper, whose second album, The It Girl, is out this month. "I hate bands that have a manifesto," says Wener. Instead, she calls them as she sees them. Creating music held more allure than courses at Manchester University for the self-taught guitarist. In 1993, with (now ex-) boyfriend Jon Stewart and two others (drummer Andy Maclure and bassist Diid Osman), she began playing punklaced melodies for pub rats and school chums. In the last two years the band has hit the top of the U.K. charts and has even toured with R.E.M. "Being in a band seemed like something you just talked about," says Wener, ever casual about success. Actually, "it's the easiest thing in the world."

RIZA CRUZ

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