On August 19th, Neil and Chris meet by chance in an electronics shop on the Kings Road. Realizing they have a common interest in dance music, they begin to write together. Initially they call themselves West End; later they come up with the name Pet Shop Boys, a name derived from some friends who work in a pet shop in Ealing. “We thought it sounded like an English rap group”.
Having recorded vocals for ‘You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You’re Drunk’ the day before, the Boys now spend time in the studio listening to the playback.
Neil records vocals for ‘Vulnerable.’ He and Chris also begin writing ‘Get Over It,’ which eventually becomes ‘Legacy.’
In the wee hours of the morning, an admittedly drunk Neil and Chris (following the preceding evening’s visit to a karaoke bar) are back in the studio writing a new dance song titled ‘Axis.’
It’s announced today that Neil is among a group of eleven ‘visiting fellows’ at Oxford University’s Lady Margaret Hall for the following year. (Among others announced at the same time are actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Emma Watson.) As college principal Alan Rusbridger describes the appointment, ‘At a minimum we’d like them to drop in occasionally at college, eat with us and meet informally with a variety of the LMH community.… We’d like them to do one thing a bit more structured. It could be a conversation or debate, a performance, a lecture or seminar, a form of outreach—or something we haven’t thought of.’
The official PSB website makes the surprise announcement today of the release, one track per day for the next several days, of a new four-song EP titled Agenda. Its first track, ‘Give Stupidity a Chance,’ begins streaming today.
The second London run of the PSB/Jonathan Harvey one-woman stage show Musik at the Leicester Square Theatre, starring Frances Barber, begins this evening with a ‘preview’ performance. Both Chris and Neil as well as collaborator Jonathan Harvey are in attendance. After the show, the Boys attend a celebration at Koha Restaurant & Bar.