It's been in my musical DNA since I was a little kid. I think musical theatre has really influenced everything I've done.
Jake Shears
There are only so many chords and notes in the world.
GusGus records are flawless.
All I really care about is making great music and putting on great shows. I think, to do that, you have to be fearless. It certainly doesn't help to be insecure.
I saw David Bowie in 'Labyrinth' when I was seven or eight. I told my mom I wanted a Bowie record, so we traveled to the mainland, which was, like, a three-hour trip, and I bought 'Let's Dance' and 'Tonight.' 'Let's Dance' blew my little mind. I became obsessed with it.
I've always loved to write, and I wrote fiction all my life. That's what I thought I was going to do in my life - until I started writing songs.
I've been a much happier person in my early thirties than I was in my twenties.
I just like to work with other people, and I like things that are kind of a little bit bigger than that. I don't know. I just feel like a solo record just kind of gives me the willies a little bit.
I think, as people, we're isolating ourselves. We're talking to each other through our phones, arguing... those divisions freak me out.
I don't let things stress me out, and I'm doing my best with all the battles life presents.
My mom's a Christian and she loves me; that whole side of my family is Christian and I have no problem with it.
I'm such a fitness freak that I eat so plain, it's gross. I have oatmeal in the morning and then I have chicken breasts and vegetables and spinach shakes.
I travel so much and am always living out of a suitcase, so my favorite saying is 'Wherever you go, there you are'. I love it because it's reassuring to me that you have to live in the moment wherever you happen to be.
I love Rebel Rebel in Manhattan's West Village for vinyl, but record stores are hard to come by these days. I almost don't even use iTunes. I mostly use music subscription services. But I'll go into Rebel Rebel once a month or so and buy everything I love on vinyl.
My mom gets so upset at me when I say stuff in the press about anything political, and it drives me crazy because I say to my mom: 'I can't be on the side of any sort of war and I'm not going to be.'
We've never been outrageous on stage.
I'm so crazy about making albums and singing and dancing.
I stopped writing fiction the moment I started writing songs, and I miss it.
I love creating things. I love making things.
I've never been great at being really analytical about myself.
I came out when I was 15 at school, and I realized I had put myself into a precarious situation. It was a very hostile environment for me, and a lot of kids had it in for me. It was a scary situation. I was very impatient. I wanted to grow up now.
I hope that I do make music that can speak to anyone. I don't just want to play for a queer crowd.
I do think it's possible to change people's minds - it's one of my goals with my music.
One of my favorite venues is the Bowery Ballroom in New York. I love the room; there's a tiny stage, but I really like the feel of it.
I'm not the easiest person in the world to be partners with. I'm never home. I'm constantly running around the world. I can be impatient. I have a temper. I'm, like, self-obsessed. I'm irritable, self-absorbed.
Ween is in my top five and have always been a huge inspiration.
It is a lot of fun being in the Scissor Sisters.
Lord knows, I love a brainless pop song.
I get a little teary on stage sometimes. It can be really emotional when it dawns on you that people are singing along and having fun.
I've grown to love L.A. It was a really touchy transition. It was not the easiest. It took me some years to love it.
L.A. will never, ever, ever, ever be my town. It'll never be my town. It's not New York.
Being able to afford getting groceries - it frees people up to be creative. I think when you're spending 16 hours of every day to pay your rent and get food, I just don't see where there's time outside of that to be creative and make things.
