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.
The Pet Shop Boys make an early TV appearance on BBC’s Whistle Test (formerly The Old Grey Whistle Test).
BPI awards U.K. triple-platinum album status to Actually.
They perform at the Equality Rocks concert in Washington, D.C. As part of their set, Neil duets with Melissa Etheridge on ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’
The Back to Mine compilation of various-artists tracks chosen by Chris and Neil is released.
The Boys perform in Oslo, Norway.
Neil and Chris attend this evening’s performance in London of the revival of Closer to Heaven. Also in attendance is comedian David Walliams, who poses with the Boys and the show’s cast members for a photo he then posts on Twitter.