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Scissor Sisters don't fret slow US album sales
For Scissor Sisters bassist Babydaddy, success in the United States isn't that important. With more than 2.15 million albums shipped outside the United States and 189,612 shipped within the States, he's sitting pretty either way.
"I couldn't give two s--ts," Babydaddy, a.k.a. Scott Hoffman, said with a laugh via telephone from London. "I just don't think we make music that's popular in America. I don't think what we do has anything to do with what's on the radio in America. We don't make that kind of music. There's an attitude difference in terms of what we do. We love writing songs. We love putting on crazy live shows.
"You look at a band like the Flaming Lips who have been doing what I consider [to be] in the same sort of headspace of what we do. The same love for what they do. They've been doing it for as long as they do, and they can only hit a certain ceiling in the US. I don't think it's what the US is looking for right now."
That doesn't mean that Babydaddy and the rest of the New York-bred Scissor Sisters aren't looking forward to their US jaunt, which kicks off Friday (3/2) at Philadelphia's Electric Factory.
"I am very much looking forward to it, especially since it's not a four-week, grueling tour," Babydaddy said. "It's, like, a two-week tour of cities we know have been really great. You get on that treadmill of going to places where things are really working, and wanting to get back there and make it grow. The US has not had that explosion. It's harder and harder for us to spend time there. Other countries are begging for us to come back. We have it pretty good."
The band, which also includes vocalist Jake Shears (born Jason Sellards), vocalist/percussionist Ana Matronic (born Ana Lynch), guitarist Del Marquis (born Derek Gruen) and drummer Paddy Boom (born Patrick Seacor), is touring in support of its second major-label release, "Tah-Dah." The album includes the song "Don't Feel Like Dancing," a song they co-wrote with Elton John .
"We met him during the time we were promoting the first album," Babydaddy said. "We were kind of wondering if he was a fan of the music. He eventually came forward and said, 'I bought 50 copies of the album and have given it to all my friends'--as he does, I guess, when he loves something. He's been a major supporter since then."
"You know what's amazing? He told us he had never written music with somebody in the same room--ever. With him and Bernie [Taupin, Elton John's lyricist], it was always things passed back and forth, lyrics sent to him. And he said it was the first time he'd ever done it. It was incredible. What I love about Elton is he's a man who's still willing to take chances and try something new. Who can say that even in a young point in their career? To be over 30 years into your career and taking chances like that, I think, is incredible."
