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 Pet Shop Boys perform in Glasgow, U.K.
The Boys are the focus of a feature story in the U.S. gay news magazine The Advocate.
They continue their Fundamental Tour with a show in Bonn, Germany.
They headline the Latitude Festival in Suffolk, U.K.
Chris and Neil appear as guests on Jo Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show. Later this same evening, their pre-recorded performance at the previous month’s Sonar Festival in Barcelona airs on Spanish radio.
The Boys perform this evening in Bochum, Germany.
The mastering of Hotspot takes place at Metropolis Studios.