On May 2 the Pet Shop Boys appear at Heaven nightclub in London, playing a four song set as part of Can You Bear It?, a benefit for Dainton Connell’s family. For the final song they are joined by Suggs and Carl from Madness, in rambunctious high spirits, to perform a dance version of Madness’s “My Girl”: “It was a very emotional night”.
On October 27 a Pet Shop Boys-produced single by the British artist Sam Taylor-Wood, “I’m in love with a German film star”, is released on the cult German dance label Kompakt. It is the Pet Shop Boys’ third collaboration with Sam Taylor-Wood though the previous one was released under the pseudonym Kiki Kokova. The song is an electronic reinterpretation of the 1981 single by the Passions, a suggestion of Neil’s.
This year’s annual Christmas single from the Killers — “Joseph (Better You Than Me)” — is originally planned as a collaboration between The Killers and Elton John. Neil gets involved after Brandon Flowers asks for help with the lyric; in the end Neil’s short section of guide vocal for the lyric he contributes will remain in the final song when it is made available for download.
Boy George’s PSB-produced ‘The Crying Game’ peaks at #15 on the U.S. charts.
The first public performance (not the official ‘opening night’) of Closer to Heaven takes place in London.
Alcazar’s Alcazarized, featuring the PSB-written ‘Love Life,’ is released in the Swedish band’s native country.
The Pet Shop Boys perform in Zurich, Switzerland.
While Neil collaborates with Xenomania’s Miranda Cooper on ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (part of which is eventually appropriated for ‘More Than a Dream’), Chris writes melodies for ‘The Way It Used to Be.’
Neil works on the credits list for Elysium.
In Buenos Aires, the Pet Shop Boys appear at a ‘private gig’ hosted by Mercedes Benz to celebrate the launch of their new A‑Class auto. They perform a truncated version of their current Electric Tour setlist.
Frances Barber records her vocals for ‘Ich bin Musik’ and ‘For Every Moment.’
The Pet Shop Boys bring their Dreamworld Tour to the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland.