The Gallery / Litter / Live Shows

Announcement: The opening of the embryoroom gallery.
Visit it here.

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Litter to Society, multi-media release, is now available world wide via iTunes.
Digital record / Long Form Motion Picture.



Buy it on iTunes here.


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Del Marquis and Embryoroom are performing the superfraiche show, at June, 10, 2009 at Canal Room, 285 W. Broadway and Canal, NYC. Buy tickets here.


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Spinner says, "Scissor Sisters Guitarist Steps Out for 'Society'"




Del Marquis is best known as the oft-suspender-wearing guitarist in the Scissor Sisters, but with his main band not quite ready to release a third album, he's been busying himself putting together four multi-form EPs.

"Everybody, right now, if they're smart, kind of has to re-imagine the way their music is perceived, the way it's bought and the way you disseminate it," he told Spinner about the series, which has his original music, remixes from friends Embryoroom and an episodic video element called "intersodes."

The darkly-tinged series, inspired by urban life, started in December 2008 with the 'Hothouse EP,' had a follow-up in March with the 'Character Assassination EP' and the third installment -- 'Litter to Society' -- the largest in the series, is due this month. And it turns out, 'Litter,' which features guest including Vula and Sharlene from Basement Jaxx, just might be the heaviest of Marquis' material.

"The title song, 'Litter to Society,' is kind of about an internal struggle... deciding between; Do I want to end it all? Do I want to press the red button? Or can I find something redeeming in life that will make me want to continue to live and be a part of society? It's kind of a question mark at the end of the song what my decision is and so we built upon that theme," Marquis said. "The release is really about urban decay and anxiety. It finishes with the idea of redemption and there is a sense of hope."

While he expects there could be a live date or two at Long Island City's P.S.1. over the summer, Marquis confirmed his main project -- the Scissor Sisters -- are hard at work on album number three.

"We've written a lot of songs. That's all I can say," he says. "I don't want to speak out of turn, but I would hope that we have an album out by the end of the year."
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Unreality Shouts' Gerard McGarry writes,

New Del Marquis music video - Litter To Society

Del Marquis, lead guitarist for the Scissor Sisters has been a busy fella, releasing a stream of new music lately away from the band that made him famous. His latest is a tune called Litter To Society, which has a fantastically large sound including funk influences, brass and a pounding rhythm as well.

Condemned To Rock And Roll describe the tune thusly:

This song is raw with funk and scratchy grooves, and its refrain of ‘child inside’ acts like a dream-like wake-up call to the id, inciting debauched freedom rather than reflecting the innocence of childhood.

From my admittedly limited knowledge of Scissor Sisters, this tune seems to be a complete departure from their sound, so fans of Marquis' work with the band might be a little fazed by Litter To Society. This is darker, funkier, full of social commentary and intriguing imagery. And I love the guitar work on this: clean, crisp and funky.

On the video:

Litter To Society is the title track and first single off Marquis’ newly released album. Directed by Embryoroom, the video flashes a constant barrage of black-and-white images across the screen as Marquis walks through different cityscapes. The internal struggle of an artist attempting to define himself in a world of distractions is evident through the scenes portrayed.

Hope that's enough information for y'all - the video's below for your audio-visual pleasure, and more of Del's work can be heard on his MySpace page."

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Aundergraund's Italian interview with Del Marquis. (pages 24-27)

Click for PDF (7.7 MB)

Not Only the Chords of the Scissor Sisters

DEL MARQUIS

Interview by Andrea Dasso

Sometimes, because of the images they project, or because of critics who judge on appearances only, some bands are quickly branded “plastic”, of scarce artistic substance, without anyone going to find out what kind of musicians comprise them.

Let’s take the Scissor Sisters, labeled a gay band somewhere in between glam rock, Elton John, and ABBA. In reality, the band is comprised of single elements of artistic valor – from mixers to songwriters and instrumentalists.

Between the 4 members of the band, one of those that remain the most obscure is surely guitarist Del Marquis (born Derek Gruen, 8/31/1977). In reality Del distinguishes himself not only with his elegant wardrobe on stage but with his guitar talent. In fact, he has his own website, delmarquis.com, and recently launched 2 solo EPs, Hothouse, in December 2008, Character Assassination last March, and he is about to launch the next two of his first solo project, 'Litter to Society' and 'Runaround’, showing himself to be a versatile and dedicated artist in multimedia (he was the producer of an electronic music DVD and he collaborated with interesting producers on the clips for his singles).

Acclaimed for his interesting solo project also on the influential site Popjustice, for the release of his second EP – Character Assassination – we had a chance to chat with Del.

Well Del, let’s start by talking about your new solo project: Why did you decide to do not an album, but a series of digital EPs? And in terms of sound, what are the main differences between that of your project and that of the Scissor Sisters?

--The concept of the EPs was to group the songs according to similar themes and styles. In collaboration with the team of video artists at Embryoroom, we tried to create “chapters” as opposed to an entire album. This is the most modern and relevant thing about the project. Every EP will have its hidden versions that are without a doubt more modern interpretations of the songs, drawing from them.

What artists inspired your EPs? I read somewhere that the sound of your first solo EP, for example, has a touch of Level42 and Tears for Fears…

--As far as the production, there are a few key influences. Tears for Fears in ‘Songs from the Big Chair’, Chaka and Rufus in their 'Masterjam’, Peter Gabriel with 'Peter Gabriel (Melt)' and Frankie Goes to Hollywood and their 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome’. The songs were born like a homemade project, a disc made on the computer, in many ways on par with the current trend. But it seemed like something without soul, and I wanted something hotter, mixing digital and analog sounds. I felt that the best of this was done in the early 80s when the two technologies were fusing for the first time, and so I focused on that for the sound of my project.

Can you tell us something more about the significance of the EP’s title “Character Assassination” and its songs? What did you want to say to your fans with these songs and what kind of stories did you want to tell?

--The title Character Assassination derives from a review of Kuvaputki. An impactful piece, but not really an intelligent review. I saw the same thing with the Scissor Sisters, and the same thing has happened with my music. Reviewing music is a business but it’s not interesting. I believe that the more an individual expresses himself, the more the public loves to criticize and destroy him. It started this way, but it seemed too easy to give all of this credit to a critic so I created a parallel story in which CA is a real person. It’s terrible to realize that how easy it is to have your own identity destroyed and all of the needles pulled out: we don’t live in a real word, but in a fake world made of projections. This is one of the deepest EPs: the ideas behind the songs run from suicide, to an assassin friend and to his victims. In decided contrast with Hothouse.

On your last album you worked with others like Vula and Sharlene from Basement Jaxx and Joan Wasser, who would you like to have guest star on your next work? Besides that, have you already planned the release of a new EP, and if so will it be available on iTunes worldwide?

--The songs have already been recorded, so there won’t be too many surprises (Tupac? Just kidding…). The next EP will be called ‘Litter to Society’, and in terms of theme it will be dark, but with more of a funky, blue-eyed soul sound. The songs are and will be available worldwide on iTunes.

What song from your solo project is your favorite? Mine is Hothouse for example.

--Mine is ‘Litter to Society”, it’s my epic song. It is a more than definitive declaration.

You also took part in the release of a couple of video clips, Chamber of Aversion and Character Assassination: can you tell us more about the release of these and what you wanted to represent with them?

--I think it would be better to talk about those with the guys from Embryroom who made them.

Embryoroom so far has made a couple of “intersodes” (sort of like an episodes in a TV series, but made for the web), two music videos based on the respective intersodes (The Third Rail & Hothouse; Chamber of Aversion & Character Assassination). When the various intersodes are completed, they will make a sort of film called Hazmazk which will revolve around a theme of “abduction phenomena”. This phenomenon, sometimes attributed to aliens, follows a series of events that happened and those who lived these experiences. It’s a mystery who or what controls them. The film connects with the dark tones of the music and the dark tone of the last 8 years. when people’s entire reality has seemed to have been “abducted”.

Let’s talk about your experience with the Scissor Sisters. How did you pick your stage name?

--Del is the diminutive of Derek in the UK. A newspaper called me that and it stuck on me. Marquis? It’s regal and pretentious, a perfect name for the stage.

How are you involved in the work of the band? Different websites say that most of the work in the studio is done by Jake and Baby Daddy. What is your role in the creation of songs or in choosing what type of sound an album or song will have?

--Jake and Baby Daddy are our principal songwriters and they are very good at what they do. I contribute in the studio and on stage and I think that what I can add in live performance is equally important.

On stage you’re always very elegant, well dressed, with sober tastes, very distant from the garish and flamboyant styles of Ana and Jake. Is this a calculated strategy, or is your stage dress your free choice? You seem like a guy who’s very aware of glamour and is in tune with fashion trends, do you have a favorite designer for your wardrobe on stage and in promo photos?

--I always capture images that interest me. Some designers help me with my image in various moments and guide me as to which direction I should move my style. Gaultier,

Ray Petri, Miguel Adrover. It would be unjust if I didn’t mention Prince, he has an enormous influence. Dandyism, Skins, it’s all mixed into his style.

With your band, you traveled a lot on the last tour, what was the funniest thing that happened to you?

--Getting stuck in an elevator before a concert (the opening sequence on our last DVD).

How did you feel after the great success of the Scissor Sisters’ last album? Did you ever imagine such success when you responded to the band’s ad and began your adventure?

--I had no idea. I fulfilled one of my fantasies, not bad…not bad at all.

Recently a compilation album benefiting the charity Warchild was made which contains a Scissor Sisters cover of Roxy Music’s song, Do The Strand. Can you tell us more about this project?

--I believe that the original singers (in this case Roxy Music) chose us for that song. It was fun and it made it possible for our fans to have something while we finish the album.

By the way, can you tell us something about the new Scissor Sisters album?

--Unfortunately no! Sorry.

Some questions from the Italian fans:

Giangiacomo asks:

What does Del Marquis do when he leaves the eccentric world of the Scissor Sisters and is suddenly Derek Gruen again? And, this is a more personal question, what do you think of the first months of Barack Obama’s presidency: are you satisfied with his work? And how did you experience the period before his election? Are you proud to be an American?

--When I’m not on stage, I garden, ride my bike, drink coffee, a lot of coffee. I find things that move me. I believe that the last elections helped me find pride in being American and an identity (although I think the long trips with the band were the first steps to that in a sense). And even if it were another republican, I would still be proud, because of the extraordinary people I know who make a difference every day and are American.

Now Sergio asks you:

The Scissor Sisters have always had success with “collector-type” fans, making singles in various formats, vinyls, DVDs, and now you’ve decided to make only digital EPs. Why did you decide to produce your music this way instead of in the traditional ways? And could this signal a new trend with the Scissor Sisters themselves, with more digital releases and less physical albums?

--Physical CDs are dying, if they’re not already dead. You will see that the digital downloads comprise most of the market, with limited editions in box sets (physical releases) like those of NIN and U2 which are made only for a wealthy clientele. A group without a big and fanatic following will just do limited editions in vinyl in addition to the downloads. The idea of the album could die or be substituted by other formats. The consumers don’t like to wait too long or to focus too long on the same subject. There’s more freedom with the EPs, or with shorter albums. More freedom for the artist.

Let’s close the interview with two questions from fans: Giangiacomo asks if you could give Ana a kiss for him, and Sergio would like to know if Baby Daddy is single and if you could give him his cell phone number sometime.

--I always give a kiss to Ana, and yes, I believe Baby Daddy is single, and if he gives it to me, I’ll gladly give him Sergio’s cell number.

xDel

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Dutch magazine soundslike covers the release,