On February 28 the Pet Shop Boys begin a short, four-concert Russian tour, visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg, inspired by their visit to St. Petersburg to see Brian Eno the previous summer. In Moscow they perform twice in one night, once in a large arena then later in the middle of an over-crowded nightclub. The local media ask them whether they speak Russian, “We’re very good at saying ‘nyet’,” they explain.
On April 13, Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noel Coward is released. It is an album of Noel Coward songs covered by contemporary musicians, co-compiled by Neil, who has been working on it for the past eighteen months. He has loved Noel Coward’s music since he first heard it in about 1970. “I think as a songwriter he’s slightly underrated,” Neil says, “simply because his plays are so famous, and people forget.” The Pet Shop Boys do a version of “Sail Away”, and amongst the other interpreters are Elton John, Paul McCartney, Suede, Robbie Williams and the Divine Comedy. “We tried to choose artists,” Neil explains, “who somehow seem to be in the Noel Coward tradition of wit, theatrically and style.” To promote the album, Neil appeared along on TFI Friday where he sang along with a busker playing Pet Shop Boys songs on an acoustic guitar.
At the request of their former American record company, the Pet Shop Boys agreed to the release of ‘Essential Pet Shop Boys’, a compilation of early Pet Shop Boys songs recorded between 1985 — 1990, including a number of rare remixes, as part of a series of limited edition CDs by other artists.
At the behest of director Gus Van Sant, the Pet Shop Boys wrote a new song, with Tom Stephan, at extremely short notice for the soundtrack of Van Sant’s remake of ‘Psycho’. It is called “Screaming”. “It’s about an obsessive fan, written from the obsessive fan’s point of view,” Neil says. “Or actually just by someone obsessed with someone who doesn’t love them.”
CyberWorld 3D starts appearing in IMAX Theaters across the U.S. One of the short animated films featured is the Boys’ ‘Liberation’ video.
Continuing their ‘touristing’ in Chile, Chris and Neil visit the coastal city of Valparaiso, considered the nation’s ‘cultural capital.’
The Boys work some more on ‘Winner’ and begin writing a new song called ‘Ego Music.’
Neil and Chris enjoy a Sunday off in San Francisco between their Saturday and Monday Electric Tour dates in neighboring Oakland. Chris can see Alcatraz from his hotel room, and he had considered taking a tour of the island today. But he is unable to do so on account of the current U.S. federal government shutdown (caused by budgetary wrangling in Congress), which has forced the temporary closure of all federal parks and landmarks—Alcatraz among them.
The Pet Shop Boys headline the Breakfest Festival this evening in Medellín, Colombia. It’s their final anticipated tour date of the year.
The new album, For All the Dogs, by Canadian singer/rapper Drake is released today. One of its tracks, ‘All the Parties,’ includes (uncredited) the melody and lyrics from the chorus of ‘West End Girls.’ Immediately (the same day) the Pet Shop Boys post on their website a statement of ‘surprise’ at this occurrence, pointing out ‘No credit given or permission requested.’