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”.
‘Being Boring’ is released as a single. On the same day, the book Pet Shop Boys, Literally, written by Chris Heath, is published.
The Montage concert video is released.
Having completed the U.S. leg of their Fundamental Tour, the Boys fly to Guadalajara for the first of three shows in Mexico.
‘Did You See Me Coming?’ hits #1 on the Billboard Dance Club/Play chart. On the same day, Neil and Chris record a two-hour show for Dave Pearce’s BBC Radio 6 Sunday evening dance-music program, although it’s not scheduled to air until December 20.
As they had several days before, they once again spend the whole day working on ‘Bolshy.’
The Pet Shop Boys perform this evening at New York’s Madison Square Garden—amazingly, their first-ever concert at that famed venue. It’s not, however, in the stadium-sized portion that holds up to 20,000, but instead at the smaller ‘Theater’ portion with its seating capacity of up to 5,000.