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History

August 1983

Neil is sent to New York by Smash Hits to interview The Police. By this time the Pet Shop Boys are obsessed by a stream of hi energy records made by New York producer Bobby Orlando, known as Bobby O’. “I thought well, if I’ve got to go and see The Police play then I’m also going to have lunch with Bobby O’ ”. Neil and Bobby O share a cheeseburger and carrot cake at a restaurant called The Apple Jack on August 19th (two years to the day since Neil and Chris met) and Bobby O’, flatered by Neil’s compliments, suggests making a record with the Pet Shop Boys.

On this day

2000

Chris and Neil perform in Budapest, Hungary.

2001

The Boys announce the cancellation (officially a ‘postponement’) of their planned Wotapalava touring music festival.

2005

The Pet Shop Boys headline the Live 8 charity concert in Moscow.

2006

They bring their Fundamental Tour to Liverpool, England.

2009

They perform at the Old Ice Hall in Helsinki.

2010

Neil attends the opening of the ‘Room Divider’ exhibition at London’s Wilkinson Gallery in London. A demo portion of his and Chris’s new ballet score could be heard as part of the show. Neil asks them, in his own words, to ‘turn it up a bit.’

2011

The second PSB/Take That show at Wembley Stadium takes place tonight. This same evening sees the premiere episode of a new three-part documentary TV series on BBC2, Secrets of the Pop Song; Neil is among the participating commentators.

2012

The single ‘Winner’ gets its world premiere on Ken Bruce’s BBC Radio 2 show this morning.

2014

The Guardian reports that Neil has expressed his support for striking workers at Lambeth College in London by sending the University and College Union (UCU) a photo of him holding up a sign that reads ‘Lambeth UCU — Your fight is our fight.’

2015

After having spent the earlier part of the day in the studio with Stuart Price listening to tracks proposed for their next album (which hasn’t yet been titled Super), the Pet Shop Boys appear as the headline act this evening at House Festival 2015 in London’s Marble Hill Park.