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”.
Neil is in Budapest for a brief visit that provides inspiration for the second verse of ‘To Step Aside.’
A performance of the Potemkin score takes place tonight in Bonn, Germany.
The Pet Shop Boys perform at the Electric Picnic in Ireland.
They bring their Pandemonium Tour show to the historic Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. On the same day, the U.K. city of Blackpool—Chris Lowe’s hometown—officially launches its ‘Brilliance’ light and audio show, which features a recorded greeting by the Boys as well as a specially recorded medley of their hits, to which the light show is synchronized.
For the second night in a row they perform in Gateshead, U.K.
The Boys perform again this evening in Gateshead.
Following its recent and very successful run in Edinburgh, the PSB-Jonathan Harvey-Frances Barber cabaret show Musik begins its five-night stand at London’s Leicester Square Theatre.