An unexpected meeting between Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant in a music shop on the Kings’ Road Cheslea in 1981 and the
ensuing discussion about a Korg MS-19 synthesiser culminated in them,
as far back as 1999, being named by the Guiness Book of Records, as
the most successful UK pop duo of all time.
They had a joint interest in disco and electronic music was initially
influenced by the bands who pioneered that music such as OMD, Soft
Cell, Kraftwerk, and Depeche Mode.
Their early demoes were recorded on Tennant’s flat in Camden Town
and their name was influenced by a friend who worked in a pet shop in
Ealing. Tennant worked for the music magazine, Smash Hits and in 1983 he travelled to New York to interview Sting and he used the visit to arrange a meeting with producer Bobby Orlando, of hi-NRG Records. He gave him a demo of “It’s a Sin” and “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money.” Orlando loved them and between 1983 and 1984 they recorded 11 tracks with him and many of them were to become huge hits in the following years, albeit re-recorded versions.
In 1984 “West End Girls” was released in the US and became a huge club hit in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It then became a minor hit in Belgium and France but as it wasn’t released in the UK and was only available on 12” import.
Like so many successful artists in the music business their relationship with Orlando broke down and in March 1985, after long negotiations, the Pet Shop Boys cut their contractual ties with him, with a settlement giving him significant royalties of future sales. They signed with manager, Tom Watkins and joined East 17 and other artists as part of his stable. He soon signed them to the EMI label, Parlophone. After rerecording their early tracks with Stephen Hague “West End Girls” was released in the UK in 1986 and became an immediate hit and set The Pet Shop Boys on their way.
There are too many singles and albums to mention and they have awarded so many accolades including: three-times Brit Award winners, six-time Grammy nominees, 42 top 30 singles, 22 of them being top 10 hits, and four number ones, which includes the 1986 re-recording and subsequent release of “West End Girls”.
Unlike so many other successful artists they have never been afraid to cover other artists music and that has resulted in them having hits with them. Their most popular track, live, is “Go West” a hit in 1996 and restyling of the Village People’s hit. And most unexpected and significant hit is the medley combining the U2 song, “W
At first, they were criticised for what journalists described as having a lack-lustre image and having no stage presence but they were different and people remembered them. It worked in their favour and Tennant’s trendsetting and unusual choice of stylish clothes proved their critics wrong.
The band’s huge catalogue of more than thirteen albums, of their original songs and covers, along with their incredible number of collaborations with other artists, has kept them and their music in the public eye around the world for four decades.
One of the secrets of their success is that has kept their music fresh by the continuation and reinvention of their original sound and by working with a range of such diverse producers.
Touring initially proved a problem for them and they lost money but now following two appearances at Glastonbury, TV specials and documentaries and collaborating with other artists by either co-writing material, producing, or recording with them has further shown their unique ability and canny insight in world of music.
I hope that The Pet Shop Boys will continue to innovate and record new music for years to come and continue to give their massive audience worldwide who love their music.
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The Pet Shop Boys
BY-------Graham Sclater
TABITHA BOOKS