“Don't look back
A new day is breaking. “

-Boston

Don’t Look Back was the follow-up to Boston’s 1976 debut album. It was disappointing compared to their first masterpiece.
Boston, like many bands, proved that second acts are hard to accomplish.

I’ve written several columns about how I knew “Babydaddy” of the Scissor Sisters when he was known as Scott Hoffman.

It has been incredible watching “Babydaddy” perform on Saturday Night Live,  write songs with Elton John,  be featured in the New York Times as a sex symbol, and help build one of the hottest bands in the world.

It’s been as much fun for me as it has been for Scott. I get to write about him and don’t have to travel around in a tour bus.

Like Boston’s debut, Scissor Sisters’ first effort was a rare masterpiece.  It was the best-selling album (showing my age, I guess they still call them albums) in Great Britain and won numerous awards.  It puts the pressure on for a great second act.  

In any business, coming up with a second idea is often harder than the original.  A great debut develops high expectations. A second act has an eager customer base, and people wanting  more and more.

It can be hard to live up to.

Scissor Sisters are going to release their new album, Tah Dah, in September.   Reviews are coming in from some of the group’s secret performances, and it sounds like they have another hit on their hands.

Some second albums outperform the first. Madonna’s Like a Virgin was far superior to her first effort.  She was able to build on her initial success and craft her music and image.

Madonna planned her career carefully and always took control of her business destiny.  The Scissor Sisters have a similar approach.  They have spent a lot of time perfecting their second effort and will have a worldwide tour supporting it.

I know Scott, aka “Babydaddy”, is well-grounded and has a good head on his shoulders. You need to have both business and musical talent to make it the rock-and-roll business.

A sad example of a failed second act was Peter Frampton. Frampton Comes Alive sold 16 million records and was ranked as the best-selling album of all time when it was released in 1976.  We all waited breathlessly for Pete to come up with a second album of its quality.  

It did not happen. He was pressured by his label to slap something together quickly, and I’m In You was a dismal failure.  I feel sorry for  people, like me, who own it.
 
The person I feel the sorriest for is Frampton. I’m in You and his appearance in the Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band movie killed a promising career for a talented guy.  He moved to Cincinnati a few years ago and still wows the local crowds, yet he never made it back to the main spotlight.

I feel confident that the Scissor Sisters will be more like their friend Elton John.  Elton’s first album was a slow seller, and the second one actually launched his career when “Your Song” became a hit.   His follow up album, Tumbleweed Connection, was the masterpiece that made him a lasting superstar.

Since Elton is the Sisters’ mentor, I am sure he can give them a few tips.

I’ll be looking forward to watching the Scissors Sisters launch their second act.  I hope they spend more time in the United States  but  It is tough for them to interrupt their world tour when they are headlining  huge stadium shows.
After hearing their first album, I predicted the Scissor Sisters would sweep the United States like The Beatles. Although it is difficult for anyone to do that in these days of fragmented media,  Tah Dah might make prediction my finally come true.

As long as the group understands that a new day is dawning, and they don’t look back, they will continue to be successful.

Don McNay is Chairman of the Board for McNay Settlement Group and will  again be in the audience when the Scissor Sisters play near Kentucky. You can write to him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or read other things he has written at www.donmcnay.com  His award-winning column is syndicated on the CNHI News Service.