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History

August 1983

Neil is sent to New York by Smash Hits to interview The Police. By this time the Pet Shop Boys are obsessed by a stream of hi energy records made by New York producer Bobby Orlando, known as Bobby O’. “I thought well, if I’ve got to go and see The Police play then I’m also going to have lunch with Bobby O’ ”. Neil and Bobby O share a cheeseburger and carrot cake at a restaurant called The Apple Jack on August 19th (two years to the day since Neil and Chris met) and Bobby O’, flatered by Neil’s compliments, suggests making a record with the Pet Shop Boys.

On this day

1987

On the eve of its release as a single, the Pet Shop Boys perform ‘Rent’ on the U.K. TV show Live from the London Palladium.

1989

Dusty Springfield records her vocal for the PSB-written and ‑produced ‘Daydreaming.’

1999

Nightlife is released.

2006

The Boys appear in concert in Toronto.

2007

They perform at the Pilar Festival in Zaragosa, Spain.

2009

Neil and Chris visit Brazil’s capital city, Brasilia, for the first time. They spend much of the day playing tourist, appreciating the architecture, and are photographed in front of the Presidential Palace. That evening they perform at the city’s Marina Hall.

2010

Chris and Neil attend a performance in London of the duo My Bad Sister—the twins Sophie and Polly Duniam, who had performed as backup singers and dancers on the Boys’ Pandemonium Tour.

2011

They write the new song ‘Odd Man Out,’ while Pete Gleadall begins mixing their demo of ‘Winner.’

2013

They perform in Las Vegas.

2018

Alex Needham of The Guardian visits the studio where Chris and Neil are working and interviews the latter for his book One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem. Meanwhile, they continue working on the song ‘On Social Media.”

2022

Neil and Chris are driving up the coast of California from Los Angeles to San Francisco, the next stop of the Unity Tour. Along the way they stop at Big Sur, where Neil snaps a photo of a local cat who has decided to perch him/herself atop some of his luggage.