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History

July 1975

After completing a degree in history at the Polytechnic of North London, Neil takes a job at Marvel Comics, anglicizing spellings and indicating where over-risque woman needed to be redrawn decently. While there he interviews comic fan Marc Bolan, who politely points out that his tape recorder wasn’t working. In 1977 he works at Macdonald Educational Publishing, later moving to ITV Books. In June 1982, he joins Smash Hits.

On this day

1986

The Boys begin recording ‘Paninaro’ at Abbey Road. (They will continue working on it for the next two days, and then some more in mid-August.)

2002

Continuing their Release world tour, Neil and Chris are in transit from yesterday’s performance in Nigita, Japan, to tomorrow’s performance in Singapore.

2008

Human League singer Phil Oakey records his guest vocals for ‘This Used to Be the Future.’

2012

The Pet Shop Boys perform a three-song set at Wimbledon before the start of the Olympics tennis matches there. With specially prepared backdrop videos, they perform ‘Always on My Mind,’ ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ and their new single ‘Winner.’

2017

The albums Nightlife, Release, and Fundamental are reissued today, remastered and with bonus ‘Further Listening’ discs boasting many additional tracks. On this same day, the Boys perform at the Storsjöyran Festival in Östersund, Sweden.

2018

The Pet Shop Boys conclude their second four-night stand at London’s Royal Opera House with tonight’s concert.