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
2002
A Top of the Pops special devoted to the Pet Shop Boys airs on U.K. television. On the same day, Neil and Chris take part in a live webchat hosted by the BBC.
2010
As part of an effort to help ‘save’ independent record shops (which have been dwindling now for several years around the world), today has been declared ‘Record Store Day.’ As part of the effort, various record companies and performers have issued special limited-edition ‘hardcopy’ releases to be sold exclusively in such shops. The Pet Shop Boys release a vinyl 45 of ‘Love Life’ backed with ‘A Powerful Friend.’
2012
Neil reportedly attends a small, ‘intimate’ Rufus Wainwright performance this evening at Under the Bridge in the Fulham section of London.
2014
It’s Maundy Thursday—the eve of Good Friday on the Christian calendar—and the German electronic duo Diamond Version debut online their new cover of the classic gospel hymn ‘Were You There?’ featuring vocals by Neil Tennant.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com