Jake Shears
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jake Shears | |
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 Jake Shears performing in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jason Sellards |
| Born | October 3, 1977 Arizona |
| Genre(s) | Glam rock, alternative, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1999-present |
| Associated acts | Scissor Sisters |
Jake Shears (born Jason Sellards, 3 October 1978, Arizona) is the male lead vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Shears was born in Arizona but grew up in the suburbs of Seattle. He went to high school in Seattle, Washington. Shears attended Occidental College in Los Angeles. When Shears was 19, he traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to visit a classmate, who introduced him to Scott Hoffman (Babydaddy). Shears and Hoffman hit it off immediately and, a year later, both moved to New York.
In New York, Shears attended Eugene Lang College, where he studied fiction writing and was classmates with Travis Jeppesen, and wrote pieces for the gay magazine HX. For a while, Shears, who is openly gay,[1] was a fixture on the New York gay and electroclash scene.
In 2000, Shears also worked as a music reviewer for Paper magazine.
[edit] Scissor Sisters
Shears and Hoffman formed the Scissor Sisters in 2001 as a kind of performance art lark, playing outrageous shows in clubs like Luxx, the heart of the electroclash scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Shears lived. After a couple years struggling in New York (working with record label A Touch of Class, who produced "Comfortably Numb" and "Filthy/Gorgeous"), the Sisters finally found success in the UK and Ireland - ending 2004 with the biggest-selling album of the year in the UK.
In concert, Shears is known for provocative dancing, flamboyant outfits, and near-nudity. (It is noted that during his early years while he was struggling to make it in New York, he would often earn extra money as a Go-Go dancer and male erotic dancer at gay-oriented strip clubs.[2]) His musical influences include ABBA, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Roxy Music, The New York Dolls, Queen, Madonna, and Dolly Parton. He, along with his band, has become especially popular in the LGBT community.[3]
Shears attended Sir Elton John's "stag" party before John's civil partnership ceremony with David Furnish in 2005.
[edit] Other credits
Shears performs with Erasure's Andy Bell on "Thought It Was You", on Bell's 2005 album Electric Blue.
He has also collaborated with Tiga with Hot in Herre and You Gonna Want Me, and wrote the hit single "I Believe In You" for Kylie Minogue with Babydaddy.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Breen, Matthew (2005-04-26), “Travelin' like a rock star”, The Advocate, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2005_April_26/ai_n14735900>. Retrieved on 2007-09-08
- ^ Michael A. Knipp (2006-10-13). Scissor Sister's return. Southern Voice Atlanta. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
- ^ Darren Murph (2008-04-19). Logo to simulcast Scissor Sisters: Live at the O2 Arena on MHD. EndGadgetHD. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. “With several openly gay band members and a loyal and enthusiastic LGBT following...”
[edit] External links
- Official Scissor Sisters website
- ScissorSistersAndFriends
- Jake Shears at the Internet Movie Database
- Shear Madness - Out Magazine interview with Shears
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