artists

This colourful five-piece burst into the charts in 2004 by reworkingPink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon classic 'Comfortably Numb' into abona fide electro-disco monster. It seemed to have "one-hit wonder"scrawled all over it, but in 2008 Scissor Sisters are still one of thebest-selling acts of the decade.

Formed in 2000 when Jake Shears(Jason Sellards) met Babydaddy (Scott Hoffman) while visiting a friendin Kentucky, the line-up was augmented when Jake - dressed, in his ownwords, as a "late term, back alley abortion" - met Ana Matronic (AnaLynch) at a Hallowe'en party and found guitarist Del Marquis (DerekGruen) while working as a go-go dancer at a club called IC-Guyz.

Theirself-titled 2004 debut album nodded firmly in the direction of the AORsounds of Sir Elton John, Billy Joel and the Bee Gees, and spent 10weeks at UK No.1. The band even opened for Elton, and went on to pickup three Brit awards in 2005 when they opened the show on a setdesigned by Muppet Showcreators The Jim Henson Company. Jake and Babydaddy also found time topen 'I Believe In You' for pint-sized pop princess Kylie Minogue.

Majorsuccess in their native America so far eludes Scissor Sisters, and as aresult the UK is something of an adopted home. Their cause wasn'texactly helped when US retail giant Walmart refused to stock theirdebut album due to its "coarse language", a decision exacerbated when adefiant Jake bellowed at Spanish gig-goers: "You know what? F***Walmart!"

Second album Ta-Dahwas released in late 2006, spawning their biggest hit single to date,'I Don't Feel Like Dancin'' (co-written with Elton John). Single andalbum both hit the UK No.1 spot in the same week. However, the album'sthree subsequent singles saw diminishing returns set in for the band,and they retired at the end of 2007 to work on their third album.

Newmaterial is unlikely to see the light of day until mid-2009, by whichpoint they will hopefully have found a replacement for Paddy Boom, thedrummer who amicably quit the band in late 2008.