The Paper Scissors

The Paper Scissors were an Australian rock band that existed between 2005-2012. The last lineup consisted of Jai Pyne, Xavier Naughton and Ivan Lisyak. Their sound was described as "a combination of garage-punk, rock and soul".[1] Australian music site Polaroids of Androids described them as "undoubtedly one of Sydney's finest bands of the past decade" [2]

The Paper Scissors
Left to right- Jai Pyne, Ivan Lisyak and Xavier Naughton.
Background information
Origin	Sydney, Australia
Labels	Our First Label, Sandcastle Music, Dramatico Publishing
Members	Jai Pyne Xavier Naughton Ivan Lisyak
Past members	Bryce Stacker Tom Hespe

The Paper Scissors EP

The band released a self-titled EP in 2006[3] on their independent label Our First Label,[4] which was distributed by MGM distribution. The lead track "We Don't Walk" was picked up by Sydney Community FBi Radio and by national broadcaster Triple J.[5] "We Don't Walk" has since been used on the Underbelly on the Nine Network,[6][7] as well as on an advertisement for Unwired Australia, an internet service provider.

Less Talk More Paper Scissors LP and the years after

The band released their debut album Less Talk More Paper Scissors (LTMPS) in 2007 on Our First Label.[8] The album was well received by the Australian press,[9][10] The Sydney Magazine featured it as album of the month September 2007.[11] Lead single "Yamanote Line" which takes its name from a train line in Tokyo, Japan[12] was described by Sacha Molitorisz as "the best song ever written. Truly"[13] and received high rotation on Triple J.[14] Yamanote Line was also broadcast on BBC 6.[15]
LTMPS also featured the song Tipped Hat which was featured on a Riva Coffee commercial.[5] Richard Kingsmill mentioned the band's use of advertising stating "it’s a huge revenue stream – it’s huge exposure" in an article in Tsunami Magazine, a Brisbane publication.[16] The band were also asked to host and program Rage, the ABC Television's music video show.[17]
In 2008, the band were asked to cover a song of their choice for The Rewind Project which was initiated by Buffet Libre, a group of Spanish Dj's.[18] They covered Hall & Oates' 1981 song 'I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)'.

Touring

After the release of LTMPS, the band promoted the album extensively, touring throughout Australia. They played numerous festivals such as Parklife Festival, The Playground Weekender Festival,[14] Southbound, St Kilda Festival, The Great Escape and Falls Festival.[5] In 2008 they embarked on a national co-headline tour with fellow Sydney act bluejuice.[3][19]

Howl and T-T-Time

In June 2009 The band released the Howl EP which featured two original Paper Scissors songs as well as remixes by Sydney artists The E.L.F (Darren Cross from Gerling), Cleptocleptics and Spod.[14] The title track "Howl" received high rotation airplay on Triple J.[20] T-T-Time was released digitally only, November 2009 and received high rotation airplay on Triple J,[21] and its accompanying video clip was indie clip of the week on ABC TV's Rage program.[22]

In Loving Memory and Lung Sum

In December 2009 The Paper Scissors mentioned in a blog post on their official Myspace[23] that _{"We are approaching the beginnings of the end of our second album, getting down overdubs and the fancy bits"}.
In April 2010 they posted on their Twitter[24] a list of studios used for 'In Loving Memory' and on their official Facebook fan page they mentioned "They are almost finished their second album which is called In Loving Memory".[25] Early in 2010 the band signed a publishing deal with Dramatico Publishing, a New York based publisher.[26]
The band released Lung Sum in October 2010. Lung Sum was the first official single taken from In Loving Memory. The film clip was featured as 'indie clip of the week' on ABC TV's Rage [17] In February 2011, Jai Pyne mentioned recording credits in an interview with an Australian music website The Au review, stating that British Engineer/Producer "Tom McFall is just finishing off the mixes as we speak in London" as well as stating the band were having the album mastered in London "at the Exchange, with Mike Marsh". McFall has previously worked with UK rock band Bloc Party[27] and Canadian indie rock group Stars

In Loving Memory Critical Reception

In Loving Memory was released on 17 June 2011 and has been critically acclaimed by both Australian and overseas media:

"In Loving Memory is a feat of originality and discipline" Brag Magazine (Aus)[28]
"One of the most indisputably forward thinking albums of 2011" Stereoboard (UK)[29]
"In Loving Memory is a revelation. I am not overly familiar with The Paper Scissors, and what I assumed would be a slightly better than average album has been one of my favorites of 2011" Indie Shuffle (U.S)[30]
The album was featured as Album of The Week on Sydney's influential FBi Radio as well as receiving regular airplay on Californian StationKCRW which is considered "one of the most influential independent music radio stations around the globe"KCRW Wiki.

Free EP and disbanding

The band released an EP for a free download through their website in May 2012. It was titled 'Free' and it was accompanied by four music videos by Sydney based artists. The video clip for 'Held Down Threw Up' debuted on ABC TV's music program Rage on Friday 17 August. The band announced through their official Twitter account "here's some news- its gonna be our second last show ever." on Tuesday 28 August. They posted an official statement on 29 August on their website stating reasons for the breaking up including "Sometimes it’s pretty tiring being in a band. I know to people that haven’t ever been in a band that might sound a bit self piteous and indulgent, but it is hard. Playing to no one, having higher expectations for your music than what is met, the fact that it is nearly impossible to make it a career in Australia as a musician (it is a big big country, with not many people and one very fickle national radio station) all these things can grate away at you."

They announced that they would play one last show in Sydney before the end of 2012.

Since disbanding

Since The Paper Scissors disbanded- members Jai Pyne and Ivan Lisyak have remained active in the music scene in Sydney. Ivan Lisyak has played with Philadelphia Grand Jury, Tanned Christ, Jack Colwell, Post Paint and Marcus Whale, as well as making music as HVISKE[31] with Sydney artist/singer Kusum Normoyle. Jai Pyne formed a record label called Turktown with fellow musician and producer Caleb Jacobs[32] and released a solo EP called 'Jaisus'[33] in 2015. He also composes music for film and television [34][35] and started a cafe called Fleetwood Macchiato [36]

Awards

1. 2007 Spirit Of Youth Award Shortlist[37]
2. 2010 International Songwriting Competition Finalist[38]

References

1. The Sydney Morning Herald, Peter Windrum, 27 September 2007 http://www.smh.com.au/news/cd-reviews/less-talk-more-paper-scissors/2007/09/27/1190486448320.html
2. "The Paper Scissors call it a day". Polaroids Of Androids.
3. Hobart Mercury, 22 May 2008, "No talk, just Scissors"
4. Western Suburbs Weekly, 22 April 2008, "Cutting it with own label" by Emilia Vranjes
5. Herald Sun, 7 February 2008, "paper plexus" by Mikey Cahill
6. The Age, 26 February 2009, "Music of the crimes" by Larry Schwartz
7. Illawarra Mercury, 13 August 2009, "These Paper Scissors rock" by Katelin McInerney
8. MX (Australia), 20 September 2007, "Playing games" by Karina Dunger
9. MX (Australia), 6 September 2007, review by Andrea Beattie
10. Byron Shire News, 6 August 2009, "Paper Scissors cut a new path" by Stevey-Lee Ginger
11. The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 September 2007, review by Peter Windrim
12. 'Trainspotting with The Paper Scissors' Interview with Jai Pyne http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/musicnews/s2014660.htm
13. The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 November 2007 ,"The next big things" by Sacha Molitorisz
14. The Chronicle (Toowoomba), 25 June 2009, "Band to 'Howl' a Bon Amici"
15. Friday 7 August with Tom Robinson http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/tom_robinson/tracklisting.shtml?y=2007&d=20071210
16. "Face to face with Richard Kingsmill". Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
17. "rage". www.abc.net.au.
18. Rewind project on Buffet Libre official site http://www.buffetlibredjs.net/rewind.php
19. The Age, 16 May 2008, "Perfect match" by Patrick Donovan, Andrew Murfett
20. The Courier-Mail, 7 August 2009, "Go" by Laura Stead
21. "Artist Profile".
22. Rage Playlist 11 December 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/rage/archive/s2768968.htm
23. "Myspace". Myspace.
24. _{"List of Studios used for TPS 'In Loving Memory' - Fracas Music Byron Bay/ The K Byron Bay/Flight Path Studio Newtown/400 Hurts Studio Glebe/Mateo's Taqueria, Queens NYC/ Electric Avenue Camperdown/Berkfinger's Condemned Studio Broadway/Vintage Sounds Marrickville/Oasis Tallebudgera Valley"} https://twitter.com/dapaperscissors
25. Official Facebook 'Info' section https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#!/pages/The-Paper-Scissors/21000475632?v=info&ref=ts
26. Dramatico Publishing artist page http://www.dramatico.com/us/publishing.html
27. Engineer – Tom McFall http://www.discogs.com/Bloc-Party-A-Weekend-In-The-City/release/873177
28. http://www.thebrag.com/2011/06/20/album-review-the-paper-scissors-in-loving-memory/
29. Rimmer, Jonny. "The Paper Scissors - In Loving Memory (Album Review)". Stereoboard.
30. "The Paper Scissors - Taller Than You Then". Indie Shuffle.
31. http://canvasonfbi.podbean.com/e/canvas-063-indigenous-dance-pacific-performance-and-post-industrial-euro-tech/
32. http://thethousands.com.au/sydney/eat-drink/a-south-king-street-turkish-food-roundup-by-turktown-records
33. http://rollingstoneaus.com/music/post/five-for-friday-white-summer-jai-pyne-gideon-bensen-young-tapz-golden-vessel/2645
34. "Jai Pyne". Jai Pyne.
35. "Keep them guessing". Radio National. 9 July 2012.
36. "Fleetwood Macchiato: Sydney's own slice of coffee nerd heaven". Lost At E Minor: For creative people. 7 August 2013.

External links

• The Paper Scissors at MySpace
• The Paper Scissors at Facebook