February 1986
On February 24th, ‘Love comes quickly’, which will remain one of their favourite songs, is released, reaching a disappointing #19 in the UK.
History
March 1986
On March 24th, their first LP ‘Please’ is released. “It’s so people can go into the record shop and say can I have the Pet Shop Boys album, please?”.
April 1986
‘West End girls’ reaches #1 in USA.
May 1986
On May 19th a new version of ‘Opportunities’ is released. “The point of that song is that the humour is black, it’s like a joke. The impression is that the people in it are not going to make any money”.
June 1986
The Pet Shop Boys announce, then cancel, a tour of Europe and America; the cost of using a theatre designer and playing fairly small venues proves prohibitive.
September 1986
On September 22nd, a re-recorded version of ‘Suburbia’, a song inspired by the Penelope Spheeris film of the same name about a group of disenchanted rebellious youths in suburban Los Angeles, is released. “It’s about a riot happening in some decaying suburb. It’s just the description of the riot happening and then the aftermath”. On the B‑side is the first version of ‘Paninaro’, named after an Italian youth cult and featuring a quote they both liked that Chris had said on a TV show: “I don’t like country and western, I don’t like rock music, I don’t like rockabilly… I don’t like much really, do I? But what I do like, I love passionately”.
November 1986
On November 17th ‘Disco’, an LP of disco remixes, is released.
On this day
1998
A various-artists book-with-CD compilation titled We Love You is released. The CD consists mostly of somewhat techno-oriented collaborations, including the first appearance of the Pet Shop Boys’ pairing with Sam Taylor-Wood on ‘Je T’Aime… Moi Non Plus.’
2000
Neil records vocals for the song ‘Motoring,’ after which the Boys go out to celebrate Neil’s sister’s birthday.
2005
They play their newly completed album Fundamental to their management and various friends, including Janet Street-Porter and Mark Farrow. The initial order of tracks, however, will later be scrapped for a new running order.
2006
The Pet Shop Boys conclude their North American Fundamental Tour with a show in Monterrey, Mexico.
2015
This evening Chris attends a performance of the one-woman show An Audience with Princess Julia at the London bar/cabaret/theatre The Glory. On the Boys’ official website, Chris writes, ‘So many great memories. An absolute legend of the London fashion and club scene!’
2016
Tonight the Pet Shop Boys end the U.S. leg of their Super Tour with a show at the Jackie Gleason Center in Miami Beach.
2018
They work with Stuart Price on the tracks ‘Monkey Business’ and ‘Collector’s Item.’ Mid-day they walk to the Christmas market at Potsdamer Platz for lunch.
2021
Neil and Chris attend the Soft Cell concert this evening at London’s Hammersmith Apollo (now formally the Eventim Apollo, but still popularly referred to by its older name). Afterward they post on their website how much they loved the show and note that Chris and Soft Cell’s David Ball had attended the same school in Blackpool.
2023
Neil’s performance singing ‘Cricket Wife’ and ‘Legacy’ with orchestral accompaniment, recorded six days earlier in Berlin, is broadcast this evening on Sven Helbig’s radio show.
2024
The Boys are in Chris’s hometown of Blackpool, where they perform on this evening’s edition of the TV show Strictly Come Dancing.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com