March 1985
They sign to Parlophone Records after long negotiations with Bobby O’, who relinquished his contractual rights over them in return for a substantial royalty on future record sales.
History
April 1985
On April 5th, Neil leaves Smash Hits. In the next issue an ‘obituary’ is written, bidding him a sad adieu and predicting that in a matter of weeks Neil’s pop duo, the Pet Shop Boys “will be down the dumper and he’ll come crawling back on bended knees, ha ha ha”. “I spoke to my mum on the telephone and said how we’d signed with EMI and she said “But you’re not going to give up your job, are you?” and I said, actually I did last week”.
July 1985
On July 1st, the first version of ‘Opportunities’ is released. It reached #116 in the UK.
August 1985
They play a short set as part of the ICA Rock Week in London, Chris showing off his skills on the trombone. Neil and Chris are interviewed on stage by Max Headroom. They re-record ‘West End girls’ with producer Stephen Hague the same month.
October 1985
‘West End girls’ is released on October 28th and goes to #1 in the UK in January. It is subsequently #1 in USA, Canada, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand and Norway, selling 1.5 million copies. “People endlessly ask us what it’s like having a #1” says Neil at the time. “But what it feels like is vaguely nothing. It feels like having a cup of tea”.
On this day
1997
The Pet Shop Boys begin their three-week run of Somewhere shows at London’s Savoy Theatre.
2001
The PSB back catalogue is re-released on CD with bonus discs.
2002
The Release Tour comes to San Diego, California.
2006
Neil and Chris are in Paris filming the video for ‘Minimal.’
2007
Playing to an exclusive invitation-only audience, the Boys perform a live show for BBC Radio 2 to mark the re-opening of the historic BBC Radio Theatre in London.
2008
Neil and Miranda Cooper collaborate on the lyrics for ‘Love etc.’
2010
The Boys report on their official website that they have just finished composing the music for their ballet, scheduled to debut in 2011.
2014
Chris and Neil are in Sydney, Australia in preparation for their upcoming three consecutive nights’ concerts at Carriageworks.
2019
Neil records a telephone interview with the BBC’s Zoe Ball. Then he and Chris work on several tracks: ‘Omar’s Theme,’ ‘Ich bin Musik,’ and ‘Angelic Thug.’
2022
The PSB Dreamworld Tour comes to Oberhausen, Germany.
2023
The Boys perform at Sala Apolo in Barcelona, their second concert in that city in less than a week.
2024
‘A New Bohemia’ with bonus tracks is released as a digital single today. (A physical release will follow.) This same evening, the Boys perform in Glasgow.
- Facts collated by geowayne.com