Scissor Sisters Return with Fresh Perspective After 12-Year Hiatus
After a 12-year break from the stage, the iconic pop group Scissor Sisters made a triumphant return last summer, performing their self-titled debut album in full for the first time as a trio in Brighton. This performance marked 20 years since that debut LP unexpectedly topped the UK charts, staying at number one for four consecutive weeks.
Revisiting a Groundbreaking Debut
"We didn't really have time to think – it was a little overwhelming," Babydaddy confessed during a Zoom interview with Metro. "I was like, 'Oh yeah, we have to remember all these songs.'" This proved particularly challenging since the band members had spent the previous decade deliberately avoiding listening to their own records.
Frontman Jake Shears interjected with a laugh, "Got a headline: 'We don't listen to our old records.' It's a good headline." Despite this distance from their own catalog, the significance of their return wasn't lost on them.
Cultural Impact of Unapologetic Queerness
Shears, Babydaddy, and Del Marquis – alongside former frontwoman Ana Matronic – originally brought the vibrant energy of New York's underground queer scene to mainstream success with their 2004 debut. Songs like Take Your Mama and Filthy Gorgeous have remained dance floor staples despite the band's hiatus.
"Everything before us was innuendo – 'Is he or isn't he?' You had to dig for clues," Shears reflected on their cultural significance. "We just arrived fully formed as gay men, as queer people. It was just like, 'This is a matter of fact.'"
Their third album, Night Work, featuring a Robert Mapplethorpe photograph of a man's backside on the cover, sparked controversy even within the band. "I was getting a lot of phone calls," Shears recalled. "People saying, 'You're making a horrible mistake.'" Babydaddy admitted, "I was one of them," though he now considers the album beloved and something he's deeply proud of.
Triumphant Return to the Stage
Following their Brighton performance, Scissor Sisters embarked on a completely sold-out arena tour, celebrated for reintroducing camp glam-rock energy to a music scene that had sorely missed their distinctive style. A particularly memorable London O2 show was recorded for a live album titled It's 10pm... Do You Know Where Your Sisters Are? Live from The O2, London, scheduled for release later this month.
The tour featured special guest appearances that highlighted the band's enduring influence. Self Esteem performed during the Take Your Mama slot, while Sir Ian McKellen delivered his spoken-word monologue from their 2010 track Invisible Light.
"The response to Ian was insane," Shears said, still visibly moved. "I've never heard a crowd that loud before." Del Marquis added, "I wouldn't say he missed his cue... but he kind of just did what he wanted."
Navigating a Changed Cultural Landscape
The band returns to a world significantly different from the one they left in 2012. While LGBTQ+ rights face new challenges with Supreme Court rulings reversing trans rights and increasing hate crimes, queer culture has simultaneously become more mainstream than ever.
Drag Race has transformed gay nightlife and entertainment, while pop music now features numerous openly queer artists. In May, Scissor Sisters will headline Mighty Hoopla, the UK's largest LGBTQ+ festival, celebrating queer fans, allies, and the continued rise of LGBTQ+ artists.
Glass Ceilings and New Opportunities
The band discussed the evolving landscape for queer artists, noting that while artists like Chappell Roan have achieved festival headliner status with openly lesbian music, challenges remain for gay male artists.
"Somebody did a story recently looking at openly gay male singers over the years, all the way back to the '80s, and how there still seems to be a kind of glass ceiling," Shears observed. "There are definitely things that haven't broken through yet."
Del Marquis added, "I think we haven't really absorbed the idea that she's an openly gay woman who has broken through in such a major way. To me, that's a brand new idea."
New Music on the Horizon
When asked about new material, the band confirmed they're currently working in the studio, though Shears remained tight-lipped about details. "He's not being overly secretive – it's just early days," Babydaddy clarified.
Despite their legacy feeling timeless, the band approaches this new chapter with fresh energy. "We feel like a new band. There's a freshness to this for us," Babydaddy explained. Shears added, "As you'll hear on the live album, what was fun about touring last year and bringing out songs that are 20 years old – it felt like we were presenting something new again."
With their discography continuing to find new audiences – including the unexpected streaming success of I Can't Decide from their 2010 album Ta-Dah among video gamers – Scissor Sisters' influence endures as they embark on this next phase of their career.
