When the Scissor Sisters called
a hiatus last Fall, guitarist DEL MARQUIS wasted
no time scratching that solo itch... but little did he know
that "itch" would turn into a "tickle."
Surfacing fresh in January 2013, Del emerged with a wealth of
new songs that he had recorded for his debut solo album Slow
Nights (set for release Spring 2013) - so many,
in fact, that he isolated a few into a new six-song mixtape
called TICKLE.
With close friend and Boys Choir of Harlem alumnus
XAVIER sharing vocal duties, Del
decided to release it as a FREE
download on his website here: www.delmarquis.com/tickle.
“I had more songs than were
needed or that worked for a record and quite a few that Xavier
and I had done together,” explains Del about the impetus
behind releasing the mixtape. “These songs were perverted
and uptempo, in contrast to the more serious style I was working
on [for the album].” One of the songs they recorded was
an oft-forgotten Jermaine Jackson disco gem, “Let
Me Tickle Your Fancy”, and instead of the frustrating
process of licensing of the song, they opted to use this as
an excuse to give the mixtape away for free. “I could
see the headache on the horizon,” he continues. “Around
this same time, the Weeknd was putting out some great mixtapes,
as well as Daley, so I could see mixtape culture could be something
embraced and not just by the hiphop community.”
