Atelier E.B.
Nice cap! If you're interested, go to the link to read about the Atelier E.B. art and fashion collaboration which has produced it. (PSB have no involvement with this company.)
London
A double rainbow in London this afternoon! Hope you’re all keeping well. Neil x
Someone’s birthday
Chris Lowe is 61 today apparently. Personally I don’t believe it. Chris xx
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen plays Pet Shop Boys’ version of his song “The last to die” on his radio show, now on BBC Sounds. Link below.
Great Northern Playlist
Tomorrow evening, Sunday August 16th, BBC Radio 2 and ten BBC local radio stations will come together to perform the Great Northern Playlist, songs from the north of England chosen by BBC Radio listeners and “reimagined” by the BBC Philharmonic. “It’s a sin” will be one of the hits included. More details at the links below.
1993
Polaroid from 1993 photo-session with Andy Earl for “I wouldn’t normally…” artwork. Costume by David Fielding. Love that wig! Neil x
Train
First time I’ve been on a train since March! Hope you’re all keeping well. Neil xx
Happy Birthday, Neil
It’s Neil’s birthday this Friday. If you’d like to leave him a birthday message, a fan has kindly set up a guestbook where you can do that. Link below.
Books reviewed
There's a review of "Pet Shop Boys, Literally" and "Pet Shop Boys versus America" in this week's issue of the Times Literary Supplement. Link below.
Hong Kong
Just wanted to say hello to all of our friends in Hong Kong (where we played our first full-length concert in 1989 – pic above). Love, Neil x
Peter's Pop Show
Four PSB live performances on Peter’s Pop Show from the 1980s have been released on YouTube and are available to watch at the link below. Pet Shop Boys appeared twice on the cult German TV chart show to perform “Suburbia” and “Opportunities (Let’s make lots of money)” on December 6th, 1986 and “It’s a sin” and “Rent” on December 5th, 1987. Peter's Pop Show was held at Dortmund’s Westfallenhalle from 1984 until 1993 and traditionally aired during Christmas time and on New Years Eve. The show’s eponymous host, Peter Illmann, is more widely known in Germany for his influential 1980s pop TV series “Formel 1”.
Listener's digest
The Guardian has shared a new ‘Listener’s digest’ piece on the PSB back catalogue. Link below.
Number one
“West End girls” is number one in The Guardian’s countdown of The 100 Greatest UK Number 1 singles. Link below.
Pastoral playlist
Neil has chosen a selection of tracks for a “Pastoral” playlist in The Observer newspaper today. Link below.
Playlist
Someone has kindly done a Spotify Playlist of all my song choices in Literally/Annually from the very first issue to the current one. Some great stuff and some not so great! Chris x
The Ancient Mariner
Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, is being read in daily instalments in a production by the University of Plymouth. Episode 21 today is read by Neil Tennant. Link below.
VE Day
My mother Sheila (second from the right) at the end of the war. She was in the Women’s Royal Air Force. Neil x
Number one
Pet Shop Boys’ new single “I don’t wanna” is number one in the UK physical singles chart this week. The “I don’t wanna” single package is available on CD, vinyl and digital platforms at the link below.