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”.
‘Home and Dry’ is released as a single in the U.K.
The Pet Shop Boys bring their Fundamental Tour show to Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Neil and Chris appear on BBC1 prime-time television’s The One Show.
They’ve been very busy in the studio of late. Today they announce on their official website that they have just finished composing the music for Act One of their ballet, scheduled for debut in 2011.
Photographer and videographer Eric Watson succumbs to a fatal heart attack at the age of 56. Watson was extremely important in the history of the Pet Shop Boys, having taken their first publicity photos as well as shots for numerous single covers and the albums Please and Behaviour. He was also instrumental in their signing with Epic Records, and directed several of their early music videos and their Performance concert film.
Today sees the release of the CD single of ‘The Pop Kids’ with bonus tracks. A digital bundle of remixes is also released. This same evening, Neil attends a performance by electronic musician Ulrich Schnauss at the Rich Mix performing arts center in London’s East End.
This afternoon the final scheduled performance of the debut U.S. run of the Boys’ ballet The Most Incredible Thing takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina.