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”.
The Pet Shop Boys kick off their MCMLXXXIX Tour in Hong Kong.
The Boys perform at Finland’s Turku Festival.
This evening in London, Neil and Chris attend the English National Opera’s acclaimed premier production of the opera Two Boys by composer Nico Muhly and librettist Craig Lucas.
They bring their Electric Tour show to Stockholm.
The German leg of the Super Tour continues this evening with the Boys performing in Dresden.
Taped on June 23, the guest appearance of Neil, Jonathan Harvey, and Frances Barber airs on Graham Norton’s BBC Radio 2 show (the last one before his summer break) to talk about the Boys’ new cabaret stage show Musik, starring Ms. Barber. Later this same evening, attendees at The Killers’ headlining performance at the Glastonbury Festival receive a huge surprise when the Pet Shop Boys suddenly appear onstage as unannounced special guests to duet with the headliners on two songs: ‘Always on My Mind’ and The Killers’ own ‘Human.’
Having revised the lyrics, Neil re-records his vocal on ‘The Schlager Hit Parade.’
The Dreamworld Tour comes to Hannover, Germany.