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”.
David Bowie and the Pet Shop Boys videotape a performance of ‘Hallo Spaceboy’ to be shown the following day on Top of the Pops.
The Pet Shop Boys kick off a brief four-date Russian tour. Tonight they perform the first of two consecutive nights’ concerts in Moscow.
Chris and Neil fly to Naples.
Madonna’s ‘Sorry’ featuring the PSB ‘Maxi-Mix’ is released as a single in the U.S.
Neil attends the ‘Convention on Modern Liberty’ in London this afternoon, where he listens to lectures and discussions on how civil liberties are currently under threat from government, corporations, and technology.
The Boys write the song ‘Inside.’
Sonos add vocals to ‘Hold On’ and ‘The Way Through the Woods.’
The PSB concert scheduled for this evening at the Olympia Bruno Coquatrix in Parisis is canceled on account of insurmountable technical difficulties—at least insurmountable in time for the show. The Boys promise on their website that the concert will be rescheduled for a later date.