Scissor Sisters

New York's Scissor Sisters fused rock, pop, and dance into a genre- and gender-defying sound shaped by burlesque, drag queens, and glam rock. The group burst onto the scene in late 2003 and early 2004 with a vivid neon take on Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb," which appeared as the B-side of their debut single "Electrobix." Featuring vocalists Jake Shears and Ana Matronic, keyboardist and bassist Babydaddy, guitarists Del Marquis and Derek G, plus drummer Paddy Boom, the track became the calling card that secured a deal with Polydor in the U.K. Dazed and Confused and Jockey Slut both named it Single of the Month, Pete Tong on Britain's Radio 1 selected it as an Essential New Tune, and DJs such as Felix da Housecat and Tiga gave it heavy rotation.

Drawing their moniker from slang for a lesbian sex act, Scissor Sisters emerged from the vanguard of New York's nightlife and gay scene, weaving burlesque, drag performance, and performance art into flamboyant live presentations. Their songs distilled the essence of Elton John, the Bee Gees, the B-52's, David Bowie, and additional acts that balanced camp humor with sharp style. After establishing themselves as one of the city's most electrifying stage acts, the band captivated British and European crowds during an early 2004 tour that aligned with the arrival of their self-titled debut album. In March they crossed back to the United States for a South by Southwest performance alongside Junior Senior and the B-52's, then headed to the U.K. once more to support Duran Duran while promoting the single "Take Your Mama Out."

Spring and summer brought continued activity: the first U.S. headline tour launched in May, timed with the domestic release of Scissor Sisters, followed by a return to Europe in June and July. Those dates featured two shows opening for their musical and spiritual influence Elton John, plus festival sets at Glastonbury, T in the Park, Roskilde, and the Montreux Jazz Festival. Late in the year the band earned a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Record for "Comfortably Numb." Throughout 2005 they stayed active with touring and remix production, then resurfaced in fall 2006 with the single "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," which reached number one in England; the follow-up album Ta-Dah likewise topped the British charts.

Paddy Boom departed in 2008 and was succeeded by Randy Schrager. After writing and abandoning a complete batch of material, Scissor Sisters enlisted producer Stuart Price for their third album, Night Work, issued in 2010 and introduced by the power ballad "Fire with Fire." On 2012's Magic Hour, contributions from Pharrell Williams, Calvin Harris, and Azealia Banks supplied additional edge.