Pet Shop Boys

Is anyone else happy like I am that they've released the DVD of their Behaviour tour? Especially since I missed it. When they played LA. In 1991. When I was out of town that week. And couldn't catch them. WHEN THEY PLAYED WHAT WAS APPARENTLY ONE OF THEIR BEST SHOWS ON THE TOUR ACCORDING TO PET SHOP BOYS VERSUS AMERICA. But I digress.

But Marcello, we close our eyes.

Taking Sides:Go West vs. Wang Chung

So come on Pinefox, what *do* you see in Go West?

Don't try it!

It's still my favorite. Though the older I grow, Behavior is starting to sorta creep into my psyche and wedge itself in at a close #1.5

this is pure insanity. There's a desperation in neil's voice that is particularly sad. The only quibble I *may* be able to come up with is the sax solo.

whoa. xposts out the wazoo.

Fine fine, go ahead and nitpick. ;-)

I am deliriously happy about this, as it was recorded at the very same Birmingham NEC concert that I attended in 1991.

they still wouldn't let them use 'cant take my eyes off you' though it says it's on the disc on the box, it actually isnt on the disc. if u get me.

Oh dear. "Love etc" is on the internet.

It's a stinker.

"A stinker's" a bit too much. I'd say it's good some good bits and some parts that really don't work. Like the first verse.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7879322.stm

it's great. it wipes the floor with BEFORE or I'M WITH STUPID as a first single off an album to name two. lovely artwork too.

it's good I think, not a stinker by any means. agree with daavid that the start/first verse doesn't quite work but after that I think it's pretty great

"I remember on Pop Idol, Pete Waterman told someone, very sympathetically, 'The thing is, you're more of a Depeche Mode kind of artist.' In other words, 'What are you doing here, pet?'

He's so right. I wish they'd kick Simon Cowell's ass.

Gui Boratto and the Pet Shop Boys have hit twice with the German Film Star mix and now this Love Etc. remix. Would be great to hear Disco 5 or whatever they're on completely remixed by Boratto.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Just because they named their new CD "Yes," does not mean that British electro-pop duo, the Pet Shop Boys, will agree to just about anything.

PETA has asked the Pet Shop Boys to change the band's name to Rescue Shelter Boys.

The band has turned down a request from an animal rights group to rename itself the Rescue Shelter Boys.

The organization, the People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA), sent a letter to Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe acknowledging that its request, at first blush, might appear "bizarre."

But, by changing its name, the band could raise awareness at every tour stop of the "cramped, filthy conditions" that breeders keep animals in before selling them to pet stores, PETA said in its letter. Read how the Pet Shop Boys got their name

The duo, which has performed under its current name for more than 20 years, reproduced PETA's written request in full on its Web site.

The musicians said they were "unable to agree" to the request "but nonetheless think (it) raises an issue worth thinking about."

The animal rights group said it was pleased the Pet Shop Boys had drawn attention to the issue by posting its letter so prominently on the band's site. Talking about its campaign on a blog entry, a PETA staffer wrote:

"I think I may have to stick "West End Girls" on my iPod right now to celebrate."

"West End Girls" is one of the many hits the group has had in its long career.

PETA is no stranger to oddball campaigns. A recent one was aimed to re-christen fish as "sea kittens" because "who could possibly want to put a hook through a sea kitten?"

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/10/peta.pet.shop.boys/index.html

How many songs about pet-shopping have they actually done, though?

I want a dog,
A chihuahua
When I get back to my small flat
I want to hear somebody bark
Oh, you can get lonely

Don't want a cat,
Scratching its claws all over my
Habitat
Giving no love and getting fat
Oh, (oh oh) you can get lonely
And a cat's no help with that

(Bulldog, hound, pug, labrador,
Collie, retriever, Dobermann-pinscher,
Husky, dalmatian, St. Bernard and dachshund,
Mongrel, beagle, cocker spaniel)

my God, I love that song so much

(the original b-side, that is)

Saw them tonight. It was excellent.

Me too.

Oh cool, you were at the Boston show? I thought they were really great. The Coldplay cover threw me but they made it about 1000x better than the original version.

I see them on Wednesday! Looks like they have a higher budget too.

The whole thing was pretty impressive. You'll have a great time.

Higher budget than the Cubism set...?

Yeah, I was at the Boston show. The Coldplay cover was amazing, I thought (and I don't like the original). Was also really impressed with how impressive they made such a minimal stage show.

Love how they make Viva La Vida sound like a Tennant/Lowe song without changing that much - the 4/4 pulse, the rush into the chorus, and the lyrics about leadership (a v Tennant theme) all sound both more joyous and more profound than they do in Coldplay's hands. Because of Tennant's preoccupation with Russian history, it suddenly makes me think of the 1917 revolution.

do they segue Did You See Me Coming into Viva La Vida because that would make a lot more sense to me than performing it entirely separately given how Did You See Me Coming is blatantly inspired by the latter

A wildly good cover. I didn't realize how much I loved Neil's voice!

So Coldplay really are the new U2, then.

"Viva La Vida" is mixed with the "all day all day's" from "Domino Dancing". And yes the show was amazing. Loved the visuals and the song choice. "King's Cross", "Do I Have To", "Suburbia", wow! And from the new album, "The Way It Used To Be" and "All Over The World" sound great.

They played "Do I Have To?" WOW

The artists I was listening to last night went the Replacements>the Troggs>James>Divine Comedy>Junior Boys>Magnetic Fields> and then ended with the Pet Shop Boys.

I tried to figure out what the connection was, and then I realized this was some sort of perfect hetero-to-homo slope. Lastfm probably has a graph for this and everything.

some big fucking balls to segue into 'can't take my eyes off of you'

think it works though

Did these guys do any production work for anyone other than Liza & Dusty?

yes, Cicero! the first signing to their old Spaghetti label

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYcp6wtnPLI

and they wrote this song/music (tho don't seem to have actual producer credit)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rVl-q8OQE8

:D

Thank you!

Yes was so great.

plus of course

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN3eEzLSlKY

+ Boy George's cover of 'The Crying Game', Tina Turner's 'Confidential', Robbie Williams 'She's Madonna' and 'We're The Pet Shop Boys', Kiki Kokova's cover of 'Love To Love You Baby' and Sam Taylor-Wood's cover of 'I'm In Love With A German Film Star'

I get a zillion times more mileage out of Format than one might have predicted during the era covered, given that my attentiveness to even their A-sides had really dropped away through the post-imperial period. I was a fool around the turn of the century, basically.

Just tried to pre-order the announced book Volume as a means of getting priority for the gig but it's rejecting my payment details ugh.

there’s a no-purchase-necessary link here

https://npn.wmx.co/petshopboysobscurepresale

TY!

My favorite was when they played "Do I have To" on the Yes tour.