January 1988
‘I’m Not Scared’, a song the Pet Shop Boys have written and produced for Patsy Kensit, is released as a single by her group Eighth Wonder, and is their first hit.
History
February 1988
At the BPI Awards, the Pet Shop Boys win the Best Group award. They also mime to ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ on stage with Dusty Springfield. Afterwards Neil comments, “It’s kind of macho nowadays to prove you can cut it live, I quite like proving that we can’t cut it live. We’re a pop group, not a rock ’n’ roll group”.
March 1988
A different mix of ‘Heart’ is released as a single on March 21st and reaches #1 in the UK. “It’s a real disco song — the idea of ‘heartbeat’ the beat of the record and the beat of your heart. It’s actually pretty corny, to be honest, but I think the words are quite sweet and sincere”. The video, shot in Yugoslavia, is a resetting of the Dracula story with Ian McKellen in the title role.
May 1988
For the second year running, the Pet Shop Boys win the Best International Hit award at the Ivor Novello Awards, this time for ‘It’s a sin’.
June 1988
Ian McKellen persuades the Pet Shop Boys to play live at an anti-Clause 28 benefit, Before The Act, at London’s Piccadilly Theatre, performing ‘It’s a sin’ and ‘One more chance’. “A brilliant event”, they say afterwards.
July 1988
‘It couldn’t happen here’ is released on July 8th to mixed reviews: it wins an award at the Houston film festival.
August 1988
The Pet Shop Boys win the Berolina award in Germany for ‘Group of the Year’. The award is presented to them by Miss Venezuela.
September 1988
On September 12th, ‘Domino dancing’ is released, a song they recorded that February in Miami with Expose producer, Lewis Martinee. They shoot a video in Puerto Rico and appeared with a full Latin band on Wogan and Top Of The Pops.
October 1988
On October 10th, their new album ‘Introspective’ is released. It is so called because “all the songs, although it’s a dance album, are introspective”. The title was chosen after considering and dismissing ‘f’, ‘Dogmatic’, ‘Bounce’ and ‘Hello’. They explain that ‘Introspective’ sounds serious, like an art exhibition: “Nick Rhodes”, says Chris at the time, “will be so jealous”.
November 1988
On November 14th, ‘Left to my own devices’ is released: “an exaggerated autobiography”. The second verse refers to a time when Neil’s mother would worry about him because he’d wait in a corner of the back garden pretending to be a Roundhead soldier.
On this day
1982
Produced by Bobby ‘O’ Orlando, the Flirts’ ‘Passion’—which ends up having a major influence on PSB—is released.
1986
Chris and Neil record ‘That’s My Impression’ at Aosis Studios in London.
1998
The Boys perform the first of two concerts in St. Petersburg, Russia.
1999
Kylie Minogue records her vocals for ‘In Denial.’
2010
To help celebrate 30 years of the BRIT Awards, Mastercard sponsors a competition for a member of the British public to win a live performance by an award-winner in the living room of his or her own home. The winner, Lorraine Sands of Twickenham, is surprised when the Pet Shop Boys appear today at her doorstep. They then recreate a portion of their recent Pandemonium Tour show in her living room, complete with backup singers and dancers. They perform four songs: ‘Suburbia,’ ‘All Over the World,’ ‘It’s a Sin,’ and ‘West End Girls.’ Afterward Neil describes the experience as ‘surreal but very good fun.’
2011
While visiting Berlin, Chris and Neil write a new song called ‘Multi-Kulti,’ inspired by German chancellor Angela Merkel. (This song, still unreleased, is later retitled ‘About Time.’)
2012
Neil re-records the vocal for ‘Leaving.’
2014
A rumor begins to spread online that Neil has written a soon-to-be-published autobiography titled Petipedia that, among other things, describes something of a feud between David Bowie and Elton John. The story about the autobiography is almost immediately refuted by a source within the PSB organization.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com