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
1996
‘Before’ is released in 12-inch single format in the U.S.
2003
The official PSB website announces that a new ‘Greatest Hits’ collection will be released in the autumn.
2005
Chris and Neil make a surprise guest appearance with Yoko Ono at the Meltdown Festival in London. They perform the PSB mix of Yoko’s ‘Walking on Thin Ice.’
2006
They perform in Copenhagen.
2007
In the wee hours of the morning, the Boys perform as the closing headline act at the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden—a show marred somewhat by pouring rain.
2008
Spinning off from ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ Neil and Miranda Cooper turn it into a different song altogether that they call ‘Dreaming.’ It will soon evolve into ‘More Than a Dream.’
2011
Twenty years and three days since their Performance show in Dublin, the Boys are back there again on their current tour with Take That. This evening, however, they’re free, so they visit a pub and enjoy a few beers with friends.
2017
In spite of what Neil describes on their website as ‘very heavy rain,’ the Pet Shop Boys perform their Super Tour show this evening at Bergenfest in Bergen, Norway.
2020
They continue work on ‘Love Is the Law.’
2022
As the Boys describe it on their website, it’s ‘a misty, moisty evening’ in Oslo, Norway, where they perform their Dreamworld Tour show this evening at the OverOslo Music Festival.
2023
They perform at OVO Arena Wembley, London’s second-largest indoor arena after the O2.
2025: Amidst unusually hot weather even by local standards, the Boys kick off the Summer 2025 leg of their ongoing Dreamworld Tour this evening with a performance at the Icónica Sevilla Festival in Seville, Spain.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com