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
1994
The Boys perform in Adelaide, Australia.
1996
Neil gives an ‘Internet interview’ via laptop computer from the offices of Parlophone Records in London.
2004
Chris and Neil conclude their Latin American ‘mini-tour’ with a concert in the largest city in the southern hemisphere: São Paulo, Brazil.
2006
The Boys perform at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
2008
Neil provides some additional lyrics and sings a few lines on the Killers/Elton John upcoming Christmas song, ‘Joseph, Better You Than Me.’
2012
While working on it, the Boys decide to give the track they previously called ‘Electric’ a new title: ‘Axis.’
2013
The German edition of GQ magazine includes Neil and Chris among its ‘Men of the Year’ for 2013. They’re in Berlin this evening to accept the honor in person at the awards show.
2013
Chris and Neil attend the matinee show of their musical Closer to Heaven at London’s Union Theatre. On very short notice, actor Ben Kavanagh crosses gender to step into the role of Billie Trix, filling in for Katie Meller, who had taken ill (but is expected to recover shortly). As the Boys note on their website, they like it so much that they return to see the second half of that evening’s performance.
2017
They work some more on ‘Wedding in Berlin’ and ‘You Are the One.’
2024
The double‑a single ‘New London Boy’/‘All the Young Dudes’ is released digitally along with several bonus tracks.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com