1963
Future Smiths/Electronic guitarist and frequent PSB collaborator John Maher—better known as Johnny Marr—is born in Manchester, U.K.
1984
The Pet Shop Boys sign a five-year management contract with Tom Watkins of Massive Management.
1999
The Boys perform at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
2005
Neil and Chris write an unidentified song with Robbie Williams.
2010
Continuing the promotional activities related to the new PSB hits collection Ultimate, Neil is featured on Matt Everitt’s BBC6 radio show The First Time. The music programmed for the show includes not only several PSB numbers but also tracks by other artists that have influenced them or otherwise played a role in their history, including (among others) the Beatles’ ‘Fool on the Hill,’ the Incredible String Band’s ‘October Song,’ the Flirts’ ‘Passion,’ Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love,’ and, perhaps most surprisingly, Isao Tomita’s electronic rendition of Debussy’s ‘The Girl with the Flaxen Hair.’
2016
The Boys are in Austin, the capital city of Texas, in anticipation of their Super Tour show there the following night. The Pretenders also happen to be in town, so Chris and Neil attend their performance this evening (‘Brilliant concert,’ as Neil later enthuses on their website) and visit with Chrissie Hynde afterward.