On August 19th, Neil and Chris meet by chance in an electronics shop on the Kings Road. Realizing they have a common interest in dance music, they begin to write together. Initially they call themselves West End; later they come up with the name Pet Shop Boys, a name derived from some friends who work in a pet shop in Ealing. “We thought it sounded like an English rap group”.
The PSB medley of ‘Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)’ debuts on the U.S. singles chart.
Neil is one of many celebrities who attend Ian McKellen’s 60th birthday party at London’s Royal Garden Hotel. There he meets Monica Lewinsky, who has become a friend and frequent guest of Sir Ian’s.
The Pet Shop Boys receive the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
They appear on NBC’s Today show in New York City and then travel to Philadelphia for their evening concert there. After the show they meet with fans, signing autographs and responding to questions.
Working in Pete Gleadall’s studio, they edit the Potemkin track ‘Men and Maggots’ to reduce its length on the album. Meanwhile, Trevor Horn continues production work on Fundamental at Sarm West, during which he plays bass on ‘Luna Park.’
The Boys perform at the Wolverhampton (U.K.) Civic Hall.
Chris and Neil guest on BBC Radio 2 in a program titled Pet Shop Boys: Wired, in which they choose and play their favorite electro-pop music of the past decade.
They conclude the Latin American leg of their Electric Tour with a concert in Bogotá, Colombia.
Chris begins composing a track he calls ‘Avant Garde,’ which will soon evolve into ‘A New Bohemia.’
The Pet Shop Boys perform tonight in Bournemouth, U.K.