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
1988
The Pet Shop Boys are at #1 on the U.K. singles chart for the fourth straight week with ‘Always on My Mind.’
1989
BPI awards U.K. double-platinum status to Introspective.
2000
‘You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You’re Drunk’ debuts on the U.K. singles chart at #8.
2008
Neil attends ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ at London’s Battersea Arts Centre, which he describes the next day on the official PSB website as ‘Extraordinary.… Very gothic.’ Like everyone else, he attends wearing a mask. In his case, it’s an especially appropriate one given the ‘Red Death’ theme: one of the ‘plague doctor’ masks that he and Chris wore on the cover of their ‘Numb’ single.
2009
For the second time in as many days, the Boys announce on their official website the completion of a bonus track for their upcoming single ‘Love etc.’ The title of this second bonus track is ‘Gin and Jag.’
2014
Today the lineup of artists performing at this year’s Coachella Music Festival (in April 2014) is announced. For the first time ever at Coachella, the Pet Shop Boys are listed among the artists scheduled to appear.
2015
Although members had been informed of the fact several weeks earlier by club administration, the Pet Shop Boys formally announce today on their official website that they have closed their official fan club and that henceforth their publication Literally will be published on an annual basis and available for purchase. Meanwhile, while working on new tracks in London, they begin the first of several successive days of work on a song titled ‘Clean Air Hybrid.’
- Facts collated by geowayne.com