On May 2 the Pet Shop Boys appear at Heaven nightclub in London, playing a four song set as part of Can You Bear It?, a benefit for Dainton Connell’s family. For the final song they are joined by Suggs and Carl from Madness, in rambunctious high spirits, to perform a dance version of Madness’s “My Girl”: “It was a very emotional night”.
On October 27 a Pet Shop Boys-produced single by the British artist Sam Taylor-Wood, “I’m in love with a German film star”, is released on the cult German dance label Kompakt. It is the Pet Shop Boys’ third collaboration with Sam Taylor-Wood though the previous one was released under the pseudonym Kiki Kokova. The song is an electronic reinterpretation of the 1981 single by the Passions, a suggestion of Neil’s.
This year’s annual Christmas single from the Killers — “Joseph (Better You Than Me)” — is originally planned as a collaboration between The Killers and Elton John. Neil gets involved after Brandon Flowers asks for help with the lyric; in the end Neil’s short section of guide vocal for the lyric he contributes will remain in the final song when it is made available for download.
Neil leaves his job at Smash Hits to devote himself full-time to the Pet Shop Boys.
The Pet Shop Boys bring their Performance tour show to Detroit’s Clubland auditorium.
Chris and Neil work some more on ‘Minimal,’ adding lyrics and recording vocals.
Accompanied by Pete Gleadall, they go to a concert in Berlin by English singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf.
The Boys attend another performance of their ballet The Most Incredible Thing at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, this time accompanied by their friend, comedian Matt Lucas.
The Pet Shop Boys and their classic ‘West End Girls’ feature in a new ad campaign unveiled today by the sportswear and fragrance brand CK1 Palace.