L-R : Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe
Biographical History :
Pet Shop Boys were formed in 1981 by ex-Smash Hits editor Neil Tennant (vocals) and Chris Lowe (music), and originally called themselves West End. Since 1985, the group has had four number one singles in England and five Top Ten hits in America: "West End Girls" (#1 in the States and eight other countries), "Always On My Mind," "It's A Sin," the highly ironic '80s anthem "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)," and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?." The Pet Shop Boys have also collaborated with David Bowie, Electronic, Liza Minelli, Dusty Springfield, and Tina Turner, and have recorded a wildly diverse array of covers, including songs originally popularized by Elvis Presley, U2, Frankie Valli, and the Village People.
The group has always balanced wry, quintessentially English lyrics with unforgettable melodies and danceable electronic rhythms, and in the process have become one of the greatest current examples of a successful marriage of art and commerce -- their songs nearly always feature all of the hallmarks of classic pop music.
A truly worldwide success story, the group's seven previous albums have achieved gold, platinum and/or multi-platinum status in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
PSB DISCOGRAPHY
West End Girls remains the Pet Shop Boys singular crowning moment in chart success. The gritty track with the danger beat showcasing Neil Tennant's angel-on-high vocals stormed the charts in the US and UK on its release in November 1985, hitting No.1 on both sides of the Atlantic -- and heralded a new era of intelligient techno-pop sound.
PSB's Landmark Album - Actually
It's A Sin, the prime cut off the duo's 1987 album Actually, set the tone for the album's phenomenal success when it became the duo's 2nd UK # 1 hit. The follow up single What Have I Done To Deserve This, peaked at #2 in both the US and the UK, riding on American songbird Dusty Springfield's cross-Atlantic appeal. Actually's next two single tracks - Always On My Mind and Heart both reached UK # 1s.
Actually was a tremendously irresistable album to listen to. Other than those FOUR chart hits, the album possessed other thoughtful and well crafted tracks like Rent, and King's Cross.
Life after Actually was always going to be a difficult chapter for a few reasons. Follow ups to mega albums are inherently fraught with an unreasonable expectation. Secondly, house techno-tronic music was the new tidal wave on the horizon that washed over the Pet Shop Boys territory. Tennant always downplayed the hooking beat to let the intelligient lyrics and finely crafted melody carry the album. House music made the pounding beat, the computerized synth riff and mindless lyrical repetition fashionable and the momentum shifted away from the Pet Shop Boys.
Drowning in the wake, was probably the best way to describe the Pet Shop Boys efforts to regroup and re-invent their sound. Introspective from late 1988, was a brave effort to adjust to the new house sound but robbed the Boys of their musical strength. Domino Dancing, Left To My Own Devices, Its Alright, fared reasonably well on the singles charts - all making the Uk Top 10 but it was a pale shadow of the vibrance that Actually had.
Behaviour was released in 1990 on the heels of Introspective and was regarded as the Boys finest musical effort this side of Actually. The feeling that the Boys were never going to be on the cutting edge of techno-pop ever again, bathed this album with a sense of sadness as reflected by Being Boring.
By the time Very the album was released in 1993, the Boys were firmly entrenched as relics of a bygone era. Roadkills in a fast moving genre. House music was itself marginalized in the wake of alternative rock, grunge and R&B soul pop of the 90s.
The Epitaph to the Pet Shop Boys
Love Comes Quickly ... In Suburbia ...where
West End Girls...were Domino Dancing ...
Where The Streets Have No Name.
Jealousy and DJ Culture...now I'm Left To My Own Devices...
and its So Hard...there's not a lot of Opportunities...
It's a Sin cos What Have I Done To Deserve This...?
But Its Alright...cos we were never Being Boring
I have Heart as long as I can pay my Rent...
and You Are Always On My Mind.
Was It Worth It?...
End of tribute to ...
Review
May 1998 VW