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
1991
The Pet Shop Boys perform in Chicago.
1994
‘Liberation’ is released as a single.
2001
They mix the ‘slow version’ of ‘Closer to Heaven’ that will later be released on the Telegraph promo disc.
2004
‘Flamboyant’ enters the U.K. singles chart at #12.
2005
Neil and Chris have breakfast with their manager and discuss asking Trevor Horn to produce their next album, which will become Fundamental. Later they begin writing ‘Minimal.’
2007
Continuing the Australian leg of the Fundamental Tour, the Boys perform in Adelaide.
2011
The Pet Shop Boys’ official website announces that they will appear as ‘special guests’ on the upcoming summer Take That reunion tour of the U.K., Ireland, and continental Europe. Meanwhile, in the studio, Neil and Chris continue working (with Pete Gleadall) on their song ‘Vocal’ and their remix of ‘The Colour of a Man.’
- Facts collated by geowayne.com