After completing a degree in history at the Polytechnic of North London, Neil takes a job at Marvel Comics, anglicizing spellings and indicating where over-risque woman needed to be redrawn decently. While there he interviews comic fan Marc Bolan, who politely points out that his tape recorder wasn’t working. In 1977 he works at Macdonald Educational Publishing, later moving to ITV Books. In June 1982, he joins Smash Hits.
A Top of the Pops special devoted to the Pet Shop Boys airs on U.K. television. On the same day, Neil and Chris take part in a live webchat hosted by the BBC.
As part of an effort to help ‘save’ independent record shops (which have been dwindling now for several years around the world), today has been declared ‘Record Store Day.’ As part of the effort, various record companies and performers have issued special limited-edition ‘hardcopy’ releases to be sold exclusively in such shops. The Pet Shop Boys release a vinyl 45 of ‘Love Life’ backed with ‘A Powerful Friend.’
Neil reportedly attends a small, ‘intimate’ Rufus Wainwright performance this evening at Under the Bridge in the Fulham section of London.
It’s Maundy Thursday—the eve of Good Friday on the Christian calendar—and the German electronic duo Diamond Version debut online their new cover of the classic gospel hymn ‘Were You There?’ featuring vocals by Neil Tennant.