Do we like the Scissor Sisters?

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They were fun live for 20 minutes. I suspect if I saw them again I'd want to set them on fire.

The singer sported the single worst item of clothing I've ever seen a human wear, ever: a 'Division Bell' Floyd T-shirt, tie-dyed and with the arms cut off. Remarkable. I think it's ironic homo fashion or summat.

DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Friday, 7 November 2003 10:00 (twenty years ago) link

I love the Scissor Sisters, they are just so much fun. "Laura (Simone)," "Music Is The Victim," "Electrobix," "Backwoods," "Bicycling With The Devil," and the cover of "Comfortably Numb" all rock my world, and the rest of the songs aren't bad either. Their album is certainly one of the best pop records of the year that I've heard.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Friday, 7 November 2003 16:14 (twenty years ago) link

I think I have a new favorite band. "Music Is the Victim" is "Nutbush City Limits" for circuit queens, it's awesome.

Matthew, post more songs, please!

Arthur (Arthur), Sunday, 9 November 2003 05:58 (twenty years ago) link

biclycling with the devil is great

"i see you defecating
damn you look good
i'd like to take a shit too
but i dont have no anus"

jed (jed_e_3), Sunday, 9 November 2003 15:11 (twenty years ago) link

Filthy and Gorgeous is fantastic. So is the bit on Electrobix where he shouts 'I've nevah felt so alooone' and it goes all Big and stirring.

Ferg (Ferg), Sunday, 9 November 2003 15:51 (twenty years ago) link

They're like bizarro Junior Senior!

Sonny A. (Keiko), Sunday, 9 November 2003 20:45 (twenty years ago) link

Laura is single of the year material, no question. We adore them.

William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 9 November 2003 20:47 (twenty years ago) link

I Love the Scissor Sisters! I am a sister and the music is absolutly refreshing! Love Ya Jake Shears!

Windi, Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:18 (twenty years ago) link

Revive (again) because I've just read that the actual Scissor Sisters album does NOT include Electrobix, Bicycling With The Devil, or Doctor (I'm Only Seeing Dark) and maybe some others. And the finished album is more guitar-y.

They'd better be putting on some pretty damn good songs in place to make excising those songs, particularly Doctor which is just utterly fabulous, worthwhile at all.

edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 23 November 2003 14:16 (twenty years ago) link

two weeks pass...

can we soulseek this album yet ?
i heard the remix (tiga ?) of cmrtbly nmb last nite and it was ace.

piscesboy, Monday, 8 December 2003 15:56 (twenty years ago) link

Yeah, it's been on soulseek for a long time now. That's how I got it. I don't think the modified version has been leaked yet, though.

NYC fans should definitely get tickets for their January 10th show at the Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are on sale now.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:57 (twenty years ago) link

There's a 5-track sampler going around. Which obviously, I've not heard but want to.

Laura
Comfortably Numb (no idea what version, though)
Take Your Mama Out
Mary
Tits On The Radio

edward o (edwardo), Monday, 8 December 2003 23:01 (twenty years ago) link

For a limited time, "Take Your Mama Out" will be available on my blog, and "Tits On The Radio" will be on Enthusiastic But Mediocre. Go get 'em, they both rule.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 15 December 2003 00:45 (twenty years ago) link

They are my lil' bro's new favourite band! What this means I cannot tell you...

@d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 15 December 2003 00:50 (twenty years ago) link

Pisc, I can put this on Ssk for you, send a pm to Ian SPACK. Did you go seeing them at the Roadhouse in Manc a few months back? Sparse crowd but good show.

Ian SPACK (Ian SPACK), Monday, 15 December 2003 00:51 (twenty years ago) link

They're the best band in the world, people.

Sonny A. (Keiko), Monday, 15 December 2003 01:51 (twenty years ago) link

Ian, what is the Scissor Sisters stage show like? What songs did they perform?

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:24 (twenty years ago) link

Album (apparently) tracklist:

1. Laura
2. Take Your Mama Out
3. Comfortably Numb
4. Mary
5. Lovers In The Backseat
6. Tits On The Radio
7. Filthy & Gorgeous
8. Music Is The Victim
9. Better Luck Next Time
10.It Can't Come Quickly Enough
11.Return To Oz

I have Lovers In The Backseat up on enthusiastic right now. It's good.

edward o (edwardo), Friday, 19 December 2003 01:58 (twenty years ago) link

Yes, so 5 songs from the demo album, 1 track from a soundtrack and 5 new ones. 11 tracks is a teensy bit miserly given that they jettisoned some really good stuff, but.. all of this is just "I know what's better for the artist than the ARTIST" being fuelled by the fact that geminal versions of much of the album have been available for ages, so I'll shut up.

I think they've sort of ruined Music Is The Victim... a bit. They took out the talkie bit in the middle (you know, I'm gonna do the pony.. DAH! DAH! etc) clearly just to annoy me for some reason. On the plus side, the vocals are clearer and bolder, and the groove is tauter and tighter.

Filthy & Gorgeous has been trimmed down, including, again the talkie bit. But I don't mind so much, as the mega camp disco chorus is still gloriously intact (and the backing vocals going "filthy!" and "gorgeous" are still there, thankfully) and the original meandered a bit too much anyway.

It Can't Come Quickly Enough is about a minute longer than the version from the Party Monster soundtrack.

Some very good news is that Return To Oz has been improved immeasurably - much fuller, sharper and clearer, particularly at the end, where it gets all grand. I thought it was one of the weakest songs of the demo album, but its potential is fully realised on the proper version - the benefits of a proper mix, clearly.

Overall it is a bit more guitar-y than you'd have expected, but it's still very good stuff, and I'll be buying it when it comes out, definitely.

edward o (edwardo), Friday, 19 December 2003 02:49 (twenty years ago) link

When is the album due out?

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 19 December 2003 02:55 (twenty years ago) link

Next year.. 26 January perhaps? (that's a week after Comfortably Numb is released as a single in the UK)

edward o (edwardo), Friday, 19 December 2003 02:57 (twenty years ago) link

Thanks, Ed.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 19 December 2003 03:00 (twenty years ago) link

three weeks pass...
Bravo, Scissors Sisters! Jed, you summed it up when you said

"i surprise myself by liking it so much. "

Indeed!

@d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 12 January 2004 05:36 (twenty years ago) link

That Bowery Ballroom show was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. They've got the looks, the starpower, and the songs. If they aren't at least halfway big by the end of 2004, then the world just cruel.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 12 January 2004 15:58 (twenty years ago) link

Also: A full review (with setlist) of the show, plus an mp3 of "Better Luck Next Time" will be on my blog for a while.

UK ILM folks: go see this band when they tour your country over the next six weeks.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 12 January 2004 16:00 (twenty years ago) link

They were on T4 last week doing "Comfortably numb" which was released in 2002 originally - they have other good stuff they could have played. I get the feeling this record will just keep getting delayed indefinately.

jed_ (jed), Monday, 12 January 2004 16:18 (twenty years ago) link

Seeing them in B'ham on the 8th Feb, looking forward to it more now. I hope they do Electrobix though.

Ferrrrrrg (Ferg), Monday, 12 January 2004 22:03 (twenty years ago) link

I doubt they'll do "Electrobix" - they've kinda gone in a different direction. I was kinda hoping for "Backwoods," but they probably don't do any of the songs from that demo album which didn't make the proper record. Everything they played that wasn't on the forthcoming were b-sides to upcoming singles or new unrecorded songs.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 12 January 2004 22:59 (twenty years ago) link

Hurrah hurrah, I am Sheffieldin' them at the leadmill, um, mid-feb sometime. DEAR CHRIST they are nice to look at. Should I anticipate pyrotechnics?

Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 12 January 2004 23:02 (twenty years ago) link

I saw them in Manchester the other month. They were good but it wasn't well-attended. They didn't play Electrobix.

Affectian (Affectian), Monday, 12 January 2004 23:15 (twenty years ago) link

There probably won't be pyrotechnics, but Jake Shears will likely not wear a shirt.

The dude is BUFF.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 14:22 (twenty years ago) link

I expect there to be about seven people at the Brum one.

Ferrrrrrg (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 14:26 (twenty years ago) link

I'm so disappointed at that tracklisting.

This band are so good.

But I really loved the tunes (Make way for the man, Backwoods, Monkey Baby) which are like rocky diva-house. Its such an unexpected combo...

And it seems like that's being lost, huh.

Jacob (Jacob), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 14:32 (twenty years ago) link

Jacob, I'm disappointed about them dropping Backwoods too, but I think that they've done a good thing with the album. I don't think they are necessarily abandoning that more electro sound, because when I saw them they played one new song that was definitely in that style, and it was a highlight of the show. The first LP is a bit more glam rock, but it works as a cohesive album, and I think they probably were considering how to make the biggest splash, and what they could best pull off live on tour. The electro/housey stuff may be better suited for singles, maybe.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 14:40 (twenty years ago) link

I thought we agreed that Take Your Mama Out had to be the next single?

edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 14:43 (twenty years ago) link

I guess I have to hear it.

Btw, Matthew, I think they have to get massive respect purely for being a band that you, I and Joe all like unequivocally, which is pretty rare.

Also, I'm enormously jealous of you going to that gig, cos the likelihood of them ever coming to Singapore is remote, to say the least...

Jacob (Jacob), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 14:46 (twenty years ago) link

Wait, don't we all like lots of hip-hop acts? Only *white* band we like, maybe...

Flyboy (Flyboy), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:27 (twenty years ago) link

"Take Your Mama Out" is the third single in the UK, after "Comfortably Numb."

The Scissor Sisters in Singapore! Ha!

Flyboy is right, by the way. And wait, don't we all like LCD Soundsystem?

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:31 (twenty years ago) link

Not unequivocally.

Too arch, too tryhard (some of the time, anyhow).

I positively loathe 'losing my edge' now.

Jacob (Jacob), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:34 (twenty years ago) link

Oh, okay. I glossed over the 'unequivocal' part.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:39 (twenty years ago) link

So, at the risk of completely rotting this thread, the first thing that comes to mind that I think we all unequivocally agree on would be Jay-Z, right?

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:39 (twenty years ago) link

the bowery ballroom show was one of the worst i have ever seen. i think i broke my all time record for speed of getting the hell out of a gig. it was excrutiating painful on every level imaginable (although i should have probably hung around long enough to see fred schneider).

oh, and the manager of the bowery ballroom is officially A DICK!

stirmonster, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 15:44 (twenty years ago) link

What did you hate?

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 16:35 (twenty years ago) link

er, the songs, the look, the 'lets use every bad gay cliche in the book' ness, the between song banter ('this one's for the fierce ladies in the house'), the sheen of their sound, the guitar playing, the overall blandness of every song, the overt 'trying too hard to be fun and quirky' nature....

fuck, they made junior fucking senior seem like joy division.

stirmonster, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 16:49 (twenty years ago) link

(although i should have probably hung around long enough to see fred schneider)

hey, we had drinking to do.
seriously, though... i was disappointed. i'm not big on comfortably numb, but i do like the other stuff i've heard. live they were just a big dud for me - very flat. i realize that they're not the deepest act going, but there wasn't the sparkle there to make it fun.

lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 16:59 (twenty years ago) link

i wasn't big on comfortably numb either but laura really grew on me.i know they are meant to be a fun act but there is fun and there is trying too hard. i should have been forwarned when some of my friends had said 'you'll love it'. a sure fire sign i'll hate it!

sorry i didn't see you there matthew. or maybe just as well as i'd probably just have rained on yr parade.

stirmonster, Tuesday, 13 January 2004 17:04 (twenty years ago) link

fuck, they made junior fucking senior seem like joy division.

oh i am gonna LOVE seeing this band onstage.

CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 17:32 (twenty years ago) link

I honestly don't think they are trying too hard - I mean, yeah, they clearly push their aesthetic to stylistic excess, but I think it comes somewhat naturally to them and it appeals to me quite a bit. I like that kind of flamboyant showmanship. I like the polish and the sheen. They are super pop, and it's hard to meet them halfway, probably.

Yeah, it's too bad I didn't see you, Stirmonster. It's true, though, I was having a pretty good time and I wouldn't have really wanted to hear anything negative about the show at the time.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 17:36 (twenty years ago) link

I am upset at the removal of some of the more abject mentalism from the demo album, but damn, the overblown Moonage Daydream-y version of Return to Oz is great

Ferrrrrrg (Ferg), Saturday, 24 January 2004 16:48 (twenty years ago) link

so, what was the deal with this again ? the album's out
next week with what looks like two more tracks than mentioned upthread (according to amazon uk at least) but, was there was an original totally different version that they ditched (the one with electrobix on)? or was it just a totally different album that's already available ? who's the expert on this ?

thanx !

piscesboy, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 12:46 (twenty years ago) link

Junior Senior? Christ.

Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:05 (nineteen years ago) link

I mean, if ever there was an act that deserved gigantic piles of vitriol and scorn, it's Junior Senior.

Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:06 (nineteen years ago) link

knock yourself out, nu-Alex.

manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:07 (nineteen years ago) link

I've only heard two songs by them but they basically seem to have all of the irritating, horrifying traits that Kate was attributing to The Scissor Sisters; I've never understood why anyone would like them and sort of assumed you had to be on coke to understand.

Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:12 (nineteen years ago) link

that's because you've only heard two songs you big silly

the neurotic rassafrassa of harrumph (blueski), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:17 (nineteen years ago) link

Granted. They were the singles that everyone was going gaga over, though, and usually if someone cannot win me over with the singles they can't win me over with the album tracks (although they might win me over with the remixes).

Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:22 (nineteen years ago) link

Dan otm about Junior Senior. They were bloody annoying.

I agree with Tim's analysis of the Scissor Sisters as being very chameleonic, it seems that a lot of people are acsribing sets of values to them which are very much applicable to some of their songs, but not to most of their songs.

The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:26 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost: I thought the b-side version of Backwoods was the same as the one on the demo?

They're completely different in every way, except for a few shared lyrics (the "in the sweat set met gettin' freaky with the hot tub jets..." section). The B-side version is called "Backwoods Part II". The demo version is infinitely better.

mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:29 (nineteen years ago) link

i don't think Dan would like Junior Senior truth be told. i find a lot of their tracks have a great 'harking back to 50s/60s in a good way' vibe ala The Avalanches i guess). It's true also that not all Scissor Sisters tracks have the same values/influences but some are more common, even dominant, than others (Reg bleedin Dwight all over the shop, bit of Chicago/Italo disco).

is 'Mary' really the next single? i like Shears voice on that.

the neurotic rassafrassa of harrumph (blueski), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:53 (nineteen years ago) link

hate Junior Senior.

Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:53 (nineteen years ago) link

I assumed it was the demo 'Backwoods' one I had. It's 3:43 in length, and has that "I like playin' cards but you mothafuckas best not be playin' poker with my asshole!" sample in the middle. The one on the UK B-side is 4:25. But I thought they were both called 'Backwoods Part ii' - is that wrong? Other people on the web seem to refer to the demo one by that name too.

Alba (Alba), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:54 (nineteen years ago) link

(as you all know!)

Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:54 (nineteen years ago) link

"Mary" is the next single? Jesus, their choice of singles is abysmal... apart from "Laura", I haven't really cared for any of them even though I like the album a lot.

The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:56 (nineteen years ago) link

I love "Mary".

Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 16 September 2004 15:57 (nineteen years ago) link

The big Junior Senior song doesn't sound like ANYTHING else on the rest of the album, it even has a different singer!! Of course Ronan probably likes the rest of the album even less because none of the rest of it sounds like disco.

You've Got to Pick Up Every Stitch (tracerhand), Thursday, 16 September 2004 18:54 (nineteen years ago) link

Much as I love "Mary", I agree that there have been some weird singles choices. After "Comfortably Numb", I'd have gone for "Music Is The Victim" and "Filthy/Gorgeous", both of which fairly SCREAM "hit single".

mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 17 September 2004 07:55 (nineteen years ago) link

If they're going to release a slow one, "It Can't Come Quickly Enough" would have seemed obvious, anyway. Anyway, slow ones as singles don't work. "Music Is The Victim" - a new radio edit with Ana's talkie bit reinstated - should have been IT.

It's a bloody shame some of those old demos are gathering dust when something as dull as "Borrowed Time" gets released as a B-side. (Or is it just me who doesn't like that one?)

edward o (edwardo), Friday, 17 September 2004 08:11 (nineteen years ago) link

two months pass...
Apparently they are coming to Australia to headline the good vibrations festival. Does anybody know if they are appearing anywhere else in Australia?

Caitlyn Jones, Thursday, 2 December 2004 05:31 (nineteen years ago) link

anyone got the new remix album .. any good or nasty cash-in ?

mark e (mark e), Thursday, 2 December 2004 10:31 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
Hey, any news on when the new album comes out? I've been whistling "I Don't Feel Like Dancing" almost constantly since Coachella.

James.Cobo (jamescobo), Thursday, 4 May 2006 01:30 (seventeen years ago) link

two years pass...

Don Bluth did a freaking video of theirs!

Probably my favorite song of theirs, too.

i'm shy (Abbott), Saturday, 7 February 2009 00:08 (fifteen years ago) link

>8 SIZZCORE 4 LIFE 8<

i'm shy (Abbott), Saturday, 7 February 2009 00:08 (fifteen years ago) link

one year passes...

scissor sisters really need to cover tim curry's "i do the rock"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiLNCJdXmX0

a dystopian society awaits if we continue on this path. (contenderizer), Friday, 27 August 2010 04:16 (thirteen years ago) link

four months pass...

Night Work is actually kind of an amazing album.

a no-fault dick to suck. (the table is the table), Friday, 7 January 2011 06:16 (thirteen years ago) link

Yep. Some discussion here...
scissor sisters are back! back!! back!!!

Dr. (Johnny Fever), Friday, 7 January 2011 06:39 (thirteen years ago) link

three years pass...

I like most everything on the album except "Comfortably Numb."

A. I don't like Floyd's original all that much.
B. I hate Bee Gees impersonations.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, November 6, 2003 9:37 PM (10 years ago)

I was being an a-hole that day. Floyd's original is a great song and I rather like Bee Gees impersonations. Pretty sure these were my feelings at the time, too, so my early days on ILM were full of fake contrarianism.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 June 2014 20:57 (nine years ago) link

five years pass...

s & d :: desert sessions is a thread I keep reviving and receiving very little interest, so I'm reaching out to its members' home threads.

☮ (peace, man), Thursday, 3 October 2019 19:24 (four years ago) link

three years pass...

Do we like the Scissor Sisters? A little, but certainly loving the new Jake Shears album especially the house stylings of ‘Doses’.

Dan Worsley, Sunday, 4 June 2023 14:31 (ten months ago) link

Yeah, I was really impressed with this. I like the Italo disco influences on the second half. It goes quite dark in places.

kitchen person, Monday, 5 June 2023 14:20 (ten months ago) link

seven months pass...

And suddenly out of nowhere, Jake guesting on TR/ST's just-released cover of "Being Boring."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFA9huryUek

Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 January 2024 05:09 (two months ago) link

<3

nxd, Friday, 26 January 2024 07:44 (two months ago) link


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