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
1991
The first (eponymously titled) album by Electronic is released. Two tracks feature one or both Boys: Neil co-wrote and sings on ‘Getting Away with It’—which doesn’t initially appear on the U.K. version, but does in other countries (it’s added to the U.K. version upon later re-release)—and both Neil and Chris co-wrote and perform on ‘The Patience of a Saint.’
1994
The Boys host a ‘Comic Relief’ charity special this evening on BBC Radio 1, airing music of their choice. They’re joined on the show by a number of popular British comedians.
2002
The Pet Shop Boys perform in Detroit.
2007
They perform at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.
2011
Take That’s reunion tour, with the Pet Shop Boys as ‘special guests,’ kicks off with the first of four nights at the Sunderland (U.K.) Stadium of Light. The Boys perform a 40-minute ten-song opening set of highlights from their Pandemonium Tour.
2015
They finish work on their song for Thilo Heinzmann’s wedding.
2016
At the International Music Summit in Ibiza, Neil and Chris are interviewed onstage by dance music DJ/executive Pete Tong.
2022
The Pet Shop Boys conclude their concert this evening in Newcastle by dedicating their performance of ‘Being Boring’ to Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher, who had died of natural causes the previous day.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com