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History

July 1975

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.

On this day

1989

Directed by Derek Jarman, the Pet Shop Boys have a dress rehearsal in London for their upcoming tour—their first ever—which will kick off one week later with a show in Hong Kong.

1991

‘Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)’ hits its #72 peak on the U.S. singles chart.

1992

Electronic’s single ‘Disappointed,’ co-written by Neil, who also sings lead vocals, is released.

2002

The Boys perform in Hamburg, Germany.

2009

Neil and Chris are in Amsterdam for their concert this evening at the Heineken Music Hall.

2011

Tonight is the first of three consecutive PSB/Take That shows in Glasgow, Scotland. As they have throughout the tour, the Boys work on new songs back at their hotel. Today they begin writing a song titled ‘Making Waves.’

2015

Chris and Neil work all day on a song titled ‘Wedding in Berlin,’ which they will later offer as a wedding present to some friends of theirs.

2017

They perform this evening at the Nottingham Motorpoint Arena.

2018

The Pet Shop Boys are among the artists—creators of ‘Northern anthems’ as voted on by the general public—depicted in an exhibition of original portraits by Manchester-based illustrator Stanley Chow that opens today at Sage Gateshead as part of the ‘Great Exhibition of the North.’ The PSB songs that have been nominated by the public as ‘Northern anthems’ are ‘Love Comes Quickly’ and ‘It’s a Sin.’

2022

The Dreamworld Tour comes to Cork, Ireland.

2024

Pet Shop Boys headline at the Isle of Wight Festival.