Jake Shears is a very modern type of gay icon – unapologetic, flamboyant and not giving any of the fucks. Just in case you’re unsure, Jake was the lead singer and ringmaster of Scissor Sisters, who sold millions of albums of frisky, joyous sauce-pop, with their self-titled debut being one of the biggest-selling albums of the 21st century. An ex-gogo dancer, occasional journalist and face on the early 00s New York gay scene – he’s part ‘the man you’d take home to meet your mum’ and part rubber catsuit-wearing pop perving exhibitionist – he went on to score a series of smash hit singles with Scissor Sisters (‘Take Your Mama’, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’’, and a reputation as a formidable live act and general all-round party. ‘Ver Scissors went on hiatus in 2012 – incidentally, the vibe is very much a case of ‘will return’ rather than ‘don’t hold your breath’ – and each member went off to do their own thing.
For Jake, that initially involved some collaborations with chums Queens of the Stone Age/ Desert Sessions, Cher, Kylie (again) and Nile Rodgers, written a book (Boys Keep Swinging) before cracking on with making his solo debut as well as making his Broadway debut in a production of Kinky Boots. Oh, and there was that whole slightly bizarre affair of him dressed up as a unicorn on ITV’s The Masked Singer a few months ago. So yeah, he’s been keeping busy.
So on a grim, wet day in pre-lockdown London, just after the release of his latest banger ‘Meltdown’ – which in happier times, would be literally scorching dancefloors this Pride month – it was nice to hear a chipper Jake Shears on the line from his current home in New Orleans speak of how it’s 75 degrees and how he’s currently in his shorts, to discuss his 13 favourite albums.
Meltdown is out now, and Jake will be hopefully appearing at some functions and touring soon. Click the image below to begin reading his Baker’s Dozen selection
