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
2000
Mini is released in Japan.
2001
The Boys fly to Moscow to attend a Marilyn Manson concert.
2002
Neil is one of a number of celebrities attending Bananarama’s 20th anniversary show at London’s G‑A-Y nightclub, during which ex-member Siobhan Fahey reunites onstage with her former bandmates for several songs.
2005
They work in the studio on several songs in progress, and then write a brand new one, ‘The Resurrectionist.’
2011
Chris has a cold. Nevertheless, he and Neil continue working in the studio on ‘Your Early Stuff.’
2012
Adam Tressler records guitar parts for ‘Breathing Space,’ after which the Boys discuss, as they put it, the ‘direction to take’ on the song.
2020
Neil appears today on Stuart Maconie’s ‘First, Last and Everything’ segment on BBC Radio 6.
2021
The official PSB website announces that Chris and Neil have recorded a ‘dramatic’ new song, ‘Cricket Wife,’ which will soon be released on a bonus CD single accompanying the next edition of their Annually publication.
2023
Neil joins Jake Shears this morning on BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room for a live performance of ‘Rent.’
2024
Exactly one year after their previous appearance on the show, Neil and Chris guest on BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room to perform ‘Left to My Own Devices,’ their new single ‘Loneliness,’ and a cover of David Bowie’s ‘All the Young Dudes,’ accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Anne Dudley. During a question-and-answer session, the Boys are surprised and delighted that one of the questions comes from fellow rock/pop star Rod Stewart, who asks them which football teams they support. Chris responds ‘Arsenal… and Blackpool, obviously’ (being a Blackpool native), whereas Neil admits to not really being a fan but nevertheless taking an interest in his hometown team of Newcastle.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com