March 1995
On March 6th, ‘Various’, a collection of the Pet Shop Boys’ most recent videos, is released.
History
July 1995
On July 31st, the Pet Shop Boys release ‘Paninaro ‘95’, a new version of the song they first recorded in 1986. It is based upon the new arrangement Chris performed on the ‘Discovery’ tour, and Chris’ new, updated lyrics.
August 1995
On August 7th an album of Pet Shop Boys B‑sides is released. It is called ‘Alternative’ (a last minute change from the title which had always been saved for this record: ‘Besides’). It contains thirty songs in chronological order from ‘In the night’ to ‘Some speculation’, and the first copies of the CD and album have a hologram on the cover which shifts between two photographs, one of Neil, one of Chris, both in fencing masks. “They’re some of our favourite songs”, Neil explains, “and it just seemed like a nice idea to have them in one place”. On the same day, ‘Discovery’, a video of the Pet Shop Boys performing live in Rio de Janeiro, is released.
December 1995
On December 19th the Pet Shop Boys record a two hour radio programme, Merry Pet Shop Boys, for Radio One to broadcast on Christmas Eve. They play their favourite records from the previous year, beginning with Livin’ Joy’s ‘Dreamer’ and ending with the Sleaze Sisters with Vicki’s ‘Let’s Whip It Up’, and including songs by Edwyn Collins, Grace, The Original, The Passengers, Dubstar, Gusto, Billie Ray Martin, and two by Oasis. During the recording they drink champagne, and eat twiglets and crisps. Neil leaves the band once, and Chris explains to a Radio One producer why he likes the records that he likes: “It’s like art. You like it because you like it. You don’t know why. I I like any song with the word ‘love’ in it. I like any record with love in it because, as far as I’m concerned, right, love’s the only thing that matters”.
On this day
1986
Exactly one week after filming the ‘U.S. scenes’ for their ‘Suburbia’ music video, the Boys are in Kingston-upon-Thames to film its ‘U.K. portions.’
1995
Alternative debuts on the U.S. album chart at its #103 peak.
1997
As part of their ongoing research for writing their musical, Chris and Neil watch videos of Annie, Oliver!, and Carousel.
2005
Neil records background vocals no fewer than forty times for ‘The Sodom and Gomorrah Show,’ creating a falsetto chorus of ‘Sun, sex, sin, death, and destruction.’
2009
The Pet Shop Boys perform at the State Theater in Minneapolis.
2013
They perform the first of two consecutive nights’ shows at the Beacon Theater on Broadway in New York City.
2016
‘Say It to Me’ is released as a single. The Boys also appear as guests on Chris Evans’s morning show on BBC Radio 2.
2017
The London luxury fashion house Burberry uses a full program of PSB music for its September 2017 show this afternoon. Meanwhile, one day after the PSB show at Rock in Rio, Neil and their musical assistant Pete Gleadall are robbed while out taking a walk in Rio de Janeiro. Reports differ: some say that they were mugged at knifepoint, but Neil himself states on their website that merely his pocket was picked and he lost his iPhone.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com