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”.
Introspective is released.
The Boys finish recording ‘Sail Away’ at Sarm West.
PSB are featured on U.K. radio’s The John Peel Show, including three previously unreleased songs. (Their performance had been recorded eight days prior.)
After working in the studio mixing a couple of Fundamental tracks, Chris and Neil attend a concert by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto.
The Boys begin the North American leg of their Fundamental Tour with a concert in Montreal.
A pre-recorded interview with Neil is broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s Janice Long Show. For the show’s regular ‘Spoken Word’ feature, Neil reads an excerpt from the novel Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
The Boys work all afternoon on the track ‘On Social Media.’