Sisters spice it up

When the Scissor Sisters last visited Sydney in February 2005, the band had been on the road for almost two years.

They were exhausted and tired of playing the same songs night in and night out. They were itching to get home to New York, to have a break and to start working on new material.

By the time we got to Australia, unfortunately for the Australians, we were maybe a little tired, guitarist Del Marquis told Sydney Star Observer this week.

Which is why we’re here early this time.

Marquis and his fellow Sisters Jake Shears, Babydaddy, Ana Matronic and Paddy Boom have made Sydney one of their first stops as they hit the road again to promote the new album, Ta-Da, released here on 16 September.

They performed at Byron Bay music festival Splendour In The Grass on the weekend and sold out Luna Park for Wednesday night this week.

According to Babydaddy, the band’s bass player, keyboardist, co-writer and resident bear, they’re a much more lively and happy bunch this time around.

Oh we had great shows, Babydaddy said.

But it was just right at the end. Before we got here we said, -˜This has to be it. We’ve got to get back in the studio and start our new album.’

Following the first record’s massive success (Scissor Sisters was the UK’s highest selling album in 2004), the band felt immense pressure to get the follow-up album right.

But we felt it coming from ourselves, not necessarily from the outside, Babydaddy said.

We didn’t have the record company coming in and saying, -˜We really need this to be amazing, our financial figures are dependent on it.’ The record label know we work best when we’re left alone.

Ta-Da picks up where the first record left off. There is catchy pop and rock with cheeky, clever lyrics, as well as a few soaring, tragic ballads.

New songs include Paul McCartney, based on a dream Jake had about meeting the former Beatle, and one called She’s The Man about loving a very masculine woman.

Lending a helping hand was fan and friend of the band, Elton John, who co-wrote and played keyboard on the upcoming first single off the record, I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’.

We all think he’s amazing, Babydaddy said of the veteran musician.

He’s almost a piece of living rock’n’roll history. There are very few people we have access to who we can ask what it was like then, how is it different now, what are we doing right, what are we doing wrong, what do you think about music today compared to music back in the 70s?

There’s certainly a strong retro feel to Ta-Da, with many of the songs influenced by the music of the 70s and 80s. It’s us taking all the things we love and throwing it into a big stew, Babydaddy explained, adding there were plenty of 90s references in there too.

We had the luxury of being able to fish through generations and pick up what we like, almost like a spice rack, Paddy said.

Where we are going from here is anyone’s guess. Music is still being reinvented and we’re happy to be part of it.