Just a little interview from Del with the Wall Street Journal on their current tour in Asia!
Fresh from the Asian leg (Hong Kong, Bali and Singapore) of their 2012 tour, Scissor Sisters guitarist Del Marquis spoke with Scene Asia about playing on this side of the world, the band’s latest single “Shady Love” and where they’re headed next.
The Wall Street Journal: What are your impressions of Asia so far?
Del Marquis: The places we have gone [have] a strong Western influence, so it’s really a meeting point in terms of where we’ve chosen, or where we’ve been allowed, to play in Asia.
It’s interesting in that it’s an easy place for a Westerner to kind of get a sense of the different cultures. Especially Singapore and Hong Kong, [where] almost every language is spoken. WSJ: How do the fans here compare?
Marquis: In Hong Kong, people were just on the verge of being polite and subdued but having a great time. There’s no mistake people react differently culturally, and it doesn’t mean they’re enjoying it any less or more.
In Bali, I have to say it was half of a tourist crowd, so you get the classic, really drunk Westerner who has no social decorum at all next to the people who are traveling from within Indonesia who are just so thrilled that we’re even in their part of the word.
WSJ: Thoughts on playing in Singapore?
Marquis: This continent has been a little bit surprising to all of us. It’s almost, if not more of a melting pot than New York. I don’t get the sense that it’s oppressive.
WSJ: Any concerns about the way you guys dress and the songs that you sing?
Marquis: That’s what we’re paid to do, so if someone’s going to come out and throw a tarp over me…I guess it can happen. But I don’t know what it’s like to live in a place and feel any kind of oppression, in terms of living openly if you’re gay or lesbian. WSJ: How has the response been to “Shady Love”?
Marquis: It’s doing well, it was in the top 10 world-wide when it came out. People are loving it and hating it. It’s a conversation. It’s not like any other song we’ve put out.
WSJ: How do you decide which artists to work with?
Marquis: It’s usually [lead singer] Jake…being inspired by something. But we never go for the obvious choices. We never like the idea of just paying someone like the Dream $100,000 if it’s not a good fit. I think we find people with like minds, who like what we do.
WSJ: What’s next for you?
Marquis: We play a show in Abu Dhabi, which is another frontier. That I’m a little bit more concerned about [laughs] — but like I said, if they’re paying for us to be there, they know what we’re about. And we haven’t gotten any kind of warning not to display your ankles, as far as I know it should go off without a hitch.
