JAKE SHEARS, singer (Scissor Sisters) born; the male lead vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters. Shears and Scott 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 mal erotic dancer at gay-oriented strip clubs.) His musical influences include ABBA, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Roxy Music, The New York Dolls, Queen, Madonna, and Dolly Parton.