When Elton met Jake". the Guardian. November 12, 2006. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014 . Retrieved September 28, 2014. This is definitely a way more self-absorbed record than past albums. I didn’t have to run anything by anybody.” Jake found fame fronting the wildly popular band Scissor Sisters and decided to embark on a solo career after they split in 2012. The band came to prominence following the release of their Grammy-nominated and chart-topping disco version of " Comfortably Numb" and subsequent debut album Scissor Sisters (2004). The album was a success, particularly in the UK where it reached number one, was the best-selling album of 2004, was later certified nine-times platinum by the BPI, and earned them three BRIT Awards in 2005. [3] All five of its singles reached positions within the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart while " Filthy/Gorgeous" scored the band their first number one on Billboard 's Hot Dance Club Songs, despite the album's meager success in their native US. On February 1, 2023, Shears released the single "Too Much Music". [15] [16] [17] On June 2, 2023, Shears released his second studio album, Last Man Dancing, which contains collaborations with Kylie Minogue, Amber Martin and cameos from Jane Fonda and Iggy Pop. [18] [19] NME rated the album 4/5 stars. [20] Personal life [ edit ]

Mashup of Beatles/Aretha/George Michaels/Scissor Sisters– phenomenal– Boing Boing". Boingboing.net. March 3, 2005. Archived from the original on September 10, 2009 . Retrieved February 25, 2011. It’s important after a big life change – you want a change of appearance, and place. I was absolutely heartbroken. It’s something I don’t know if you totally get over. Maybe someday…” The band have also been recognized by the LGBT community. Three of their four studio albums have been recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards, consecutively winning the band the award for Outstanding Music Artist (in 2005, 2007 and 2011) while Out magazine also ranked their first two albums on their list of the 100 Greatest, Gayest Albums in 2008: Scissor Sisters (2004) was number 26 while Ta-Dah (2006) was 81. In 2004, gay members Shears, Babydaddy, and Marquis, were honored in Out magazine's List of the 100 Most Intriguing Gay People of the Year. Recognized for humanitarianism, the band were also invited to perform at Live 8 with a set that included previously unheard song "Everybody Wants the Same Thing". In popular culture

'One of the best live bands in Cambridge.' - Cambridge Music Reviews, March 2016

a b Harrington, Richard (January 7, 2005). "Scissor Sisters: On the Cutting Edge". The Washington Post . Retrieved September 17, 2008. To last summer and do things differently – breaking up in the worst part of Covid was not a good idea. Today regular contributor, Ali Wright of At Home With Ali, shares a simple DIY tutorial for making a super cool mini microscope with kids. So it feels like a new chapter right now, as far as a new album campaign, Toby’s not with me any more…” He sighs. “Nothing ever stays the same, y’know.” Elton John also contributed to the song "Intermission" on Ta-Dah and played piano on a demo of the song Bad Shit (that can be found on the Lights CDsingle).

It was tough to face stuff from my youth and coming out. I would finish writing on a Friday, after working intensely all week, really depleted. And I would try to underplay it with myself – like ‘oh, I’m totally fine’, and I would end up feeling really deeply affected by stuff.” Jake Shears is no wallflower The Other Boys (Remixes) – EP". Apple Music. October 23, 2015. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018 . Retrieved October 23, 2015. Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50: 17 August 2018 – 23 August 2018". Official Charts Company . Retrieved October 12, 2022. Live shows and performances have included John "JJ" Garden—son of Graeme Garden of The Goodies—on keyboards and rhythm and bass guitars. [45] Discography Their first hit was in 2004 with the official release of "Comfortably Numb". Reaching number 10 in the UK, this success was followed by "Take Your Mama" which went to number 17, a re-release of "Laura" (with two different music videos) which went to number 12, the ballad "Mary" which went to number 14, and the hedonist anthem "Filthy/Gorgeous" which peaked at number 5 in the UK. All the singles came from their debut album Scissor Sisters, which reached number one the UK Albums Chart and became the best selling album of 2004, beating Keane's Hopes and Fears by 582 copies. As of 2006, it is the 10th biggest-selling album of the 21st century, and the 51st biggest-selling of all time in the UK. [15]

Diver, Mike (July 10, 2006). "DON'T send in the clowns: Bestival cancels fancy dress event / Music News // Drowned In Sound". Drownedinsound.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2009 . Retrieved May 25, 2010. The album was written at the same time as his memoir Boys Keep Swinging . It’s a compelling read that’s sad, inspiring, and soul-baringly honest, recounting as it does everything from the bullying he suffered at school, to coming out to his parents aged 15, his struggles with his identity, the beginnings of his performing career, his heady partying lifestyle, love/sex life, through to the Scissor Sisters’ success. A self-professed binge reader, Shears took inspiration from memoirs by Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein, and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon. Mashup of Beatles/Aretha/George Michaels/Scissor Sisters – phenomenal – Boing Boing". Boingboing.net. March 3, 2005. Archived from the original on September 10, 2009 . Retrieved 2011-02-25. Meltdown (Single)". Apple Music. February 14, 2020. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020 . Retrieved September 18, 2020.

At one point, his producer Kevin Ratterman called up to tell him a rogue note had made it onto the record. “There’s definitely fingerprints and handprints on it. I like the fact it was all made by hand and I think you can hear it.” Jake Shears unveils latest single I Used To Be In Love from Last Man Dancing". Retropop Magazine. April 21, 2023 . Retrieved May 4, 2023. On October 31, 2011, Shears tweeted that the band's fourth album was in its final stages. A song from the new album titled "Shady Love" debuted on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show on January 2, 2012. "Shady Love" features guest vocals from Azealia Banks while Jake Shears performs under his pseudonym Krystal Pepsy. [32] Despite his uncertainty, the Last Dancing Man hitmaker concluded: ‘I would never trade in being gay, being queer, for anything. It has shaped my life in a most amazing way.’

I threw a massive party 10 years ago and it was raided by police. It was hilarious: people thought they were strippers. Noel G had a woman playing the scissors on Jools Holland. Surely that's just to wind up his brother. On the plus side, it helped him to write a record that would capture his life in that moment. The book covers the years from 1999 to 2006, and initially Shears wrote a “very personal” afterword to bring the book to the present. But, with recent years feeling too raw, he put it into songs instead. “The album is basically the afterword that I cut from my book”, he says. “It’s better to just sing that stuff.” Cutting it … Scissor Sisters in 2004, with Jake Shears second from right. Photograph: Lionel Flusin/Gamma-Rapho/Getty New Scissor Sisters album had to be scrapped, admits singer". Daily Record. UK. May 8, 2010 . Retrieved May 8, 2010.

Radio 1 Programmes– Annie Mac, Jake Shears Special Delivery". BBC. January 2, 2012 . Retrieved April 24, 2012. B-Sides by Jake Shears". Apple. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020 . Retrieved October 18, 2019. Hits From Another Planet: Scissor Sisters– Isn't It Strange". Alienhits.blogspot.com. May 18, 2010 . Retrieved May 25, 2010.He wrote the music for Tales of the City, a 2011 stage musical based on Armistead Maupin’s best-selling book series of the same name before starring in Bent at the Taper Forum in 2015. In 2018 he released his debut book, the memoir Boys Keep Swinging and joined the cast of Kinky Boots on Broadway in the lead role as Charlie Price – a role he reprised in 2022 at LA’s Hollywood Bowl.