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.
At the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards show this evening in Los Angeles, Liza Minnelli is one of several artists who receive the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences ‘Living Legends’ Award. Just before she is presented with the award, Liza performs ‘Losing My Mind’ as produced by the Pet Shop Boys.
Neil records the vocals for ‘Home’ (which will later become ‘Here’), after which he goes jogging while Chris continues work on the instrumental backing.
The Boys spend the whole day working on ‘Memory of the Future,’ including the recording of a new vocal by Neil.
This evening they bring the Super Tour to Glasgow, Scotland.
Frances Barber wins ‘Best Lead Performance in a Musical’ at the Off West End Theatre Awards (the ‘Offies’) for her role as Billie Trix in the PSB-composed show Musik.