Twelve years. That’s how long the world waited for Scissor Sisters to return to the stage. Last summer, in Brighton, they did just that – a trio revisiting their explosive debut album in its entirety. Twenty years after its unexpected arrival, the songs still pulsed with a defiant energy.
“We didn’t really have time to think – it was a little overwhelming,” Babydaddy confessed, a slight tremor in his voice. The band had spent the previous decade deliberately distancing themselves from their past work, a conscious effort to avoid nostalgia. “Oh yeah, we have to remember all these songs,” he recalled thinking with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Jake Shears chimed in with a wry smile. “Got a headline: ‘We don’t listen to our old records.’ It’s a good headline.” Despite their self-professed avoidance, the impact of their music was undeniable. Songs like “Take Your Mama” and “Filthy Gorgeous” had become anthems, relentlessly played in clubs and ingrained in the cultural consciousness.
Even deeper cuts experienced a resurgence. Shears revealed a surprising statistic: “’I Can’t Decide’ is our most-streamed song on Spotify now.” The irony wasn’t lost on him. “It’s really weird because that’s a song about murdering your loved ones – but it really connected with video gamers, apparently.”
Scissor Sisters arrived at a pivotal moment, a cultural shift for queer representation. As conversations around LGBTQ+ rights gained momentum, their unapologetic queerness felt revolutionary. They didn’t offer coded messages or subtle hints; they simply *were*, a bold statement that resonated deeply with a generation.
“Everything before us was innuendo – ‘Is he or isn’t he?’ You had to dig for clues,” Shears explained. “We just arrived fully formed as gay men, as queer people. It was just like, ‘This is a matter of fact.’” Their presence on the UK album charts, holding the top spot for four weeks, was a powerful symbol of acceptance and change.
The band’s willingness to push boundaries extended to their visual presentation. The cover of their third album, *Night Work*, featuring a provocative Robert Mapplethorpe photograph, sparked controversy. Shears remembers a flurry of concerned phone calls. “People saying, ‘You’re making a horrible mistake.’”
Babydaddy laughed, recalling the internal debate. “That album is so beloved, and I’m so proud of it. Why would we want it to be anything different?” The album stood as a testament to their artistic vision, refusing to compromise on their identity.
Their recent arena tour, following the Brighton show, was hailed as a triumphant return. A live album, *It’s 10pm… Do You Know Where Your Sisters Are? Live from The O2, London*, captures the electrifying energy of those performances. It’s a reminder of the band’s enduring power to ignite a crowd.
The shows were punctuated by unforgettable collaborations. Self Esteem delivered a stunning rendition of “Take Your Mama,” a tradition that saw a rotating cast of artists joining them on stage. But it was Sir Ian McKellen’s appearance that truly stunned the audience. He recited his spoken-word monologue from “Invisible Light,” a moment of theatrical brilliance.
“The response to Ian was insane,” Shears said, still visibly moved. “I’ve never heard a crowd that loud before.” McKellen, seemingly overwhelmed by the experience, later joined them at Glastonbury for his first-ever performance at the iconic festival. “He kind of just did what he wanted,” Del Marquis added with a grin.
Babydaddy reflected on the unique nature of the moment. “I don’t want to speak for him, but I imagined that going up and having a theatrical moment in front of that many people would be a normal day out for him. But he said he had never really done anything like that before.”
The world they’ve re-entered is vastly different from the one they left. While queer culture has achieved unprecedented mainstream visibility, LGBTQ+ rights face new challenges. Supreme Court rulings and rising hate crimes have created a climate of uncertainty and fear.
Yet, the rise of artists like Chappell Roan, openly gay and achieving mainstream success, offers a glimmer of hope. “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,” Marquis observed. “To me, that’s a brand new idea.”
Shears acknowledged a lingering disparity. “There’s still space and room for queer artists making music — but it’s also just a harder moment for anyone to break through, queer or not.” He pointed to a historical pattern of obstacles for openly gay male singers.
In May, Scissor Sisters will headline Mighty Hoopla, the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ festival. It’s a fitting stage for a band that has always championed inclusivity and self-expression. And, quietly, they’re back in the studio, hinting at new music.
“He’s not being overly secretive – it’s just early days,” Babydaddy assured. The band feels revitalized, a trio embracing a fresh chapter. “We feel like a new band. There’s a freshness to this for us,” Babydaddy concluded. “The break has been good.”
