Scissor Sisters began as a duo, a collaboration between frontman and writer, Jake Shears, and Babydaddy, who would produce and co-write much of the group’s output. They were two gay men who’d come from conservative parts of the US and, like many gay people, were trying to ‘find themselves’ in New York. Soon Shears met Ana Matronic, another musician on the underground scene, and invited her to join. They recruited guitarist Del Marquis and drummer Paddy Boom and began touring, finding their first success in Europe. (Despite their success here, the band would remain a cult proposition in the US for the duration of their career).
In February 2004, they released their self-titled debut album, which would go on to sell over three million copies worldwide, including over two and a half million in the UK alone (it was the best-selling album of 2004 in the UK).
There were many factors involved in the making of the band’s mainstream success: a slew of hit singles, a spectacular live show, a canny mix of modern dance music combined with a reverence for classic rock, and an ability to appeal to both a young savvy audience and an older, conservative crowd.
Of those hit singles, it was ‘Take Your Mama’ that set out their stall and burned them into the popular consciousness. It was released as the follow up to 2003’s ‘Comfortably Numb’, a synth-pop take on the Pink Floyd classic that both earned them plenty of attention and the ire of music purists who felt the track was the work of a novelty act. In fact, it was a sincere reimagining from a band who wore their love of Elton John, Pink Floyd and the Bee-Gees on their musical sleeve.