I recall a friend recounting telling me, "It must be obvious? well it wasn't to me."
― Gukbe, Thursday, 7 July 2011 16:54 (twelve years ago) link
Well I kind of see why it wasn't obvious to everyone. I mean in the eighties everyone looked (and acted) gayer than the PSB.
― daavid, Thursday, 7 July 2011 16:59 (twelve years ago) link
That was part of the joke too: they were less, er, flamboyant than their peers.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 July 2011 17:02 (twelve years ago) link
So pre'93, were their shows not 75% gay men like they are now? I don't think I saw them live until the Nightlife tour.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 7 July 2011 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
That percentage is wrong in Germany and the UK.
― Gukbe, Thursday, 7 July 2011 19:07 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, not true at all of any PSBs shows I've been to.
― Strictly vote-splitting (DL), Thursday, 7 July 2011 19:56 (twelve years ago) link
Since Miami is one of their US strongholds, the percentage of straights attending their shows is MUCH higher.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 July 2011 19:59 (twelve years ago) link
Hadn't heard their own version of this, really into it tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dj3ymyCl3s&NR=1&feature=fvwp
― Lazy Lay (Eazy), Friday, 8 July 2011 05:36 (twelve years ago) link
TBH, as a straight fan, I never thought about their sexual orientation or whether it even mattered to how I listened to the songs until they released "Go West", which I didn't like to the point of actively avoiding everything associated with Very (which was really, really easy to do in the US)
Except in gay clubs.
As a straight kid living with a gay dad (who only did his business outside the house)
Define "business."
― Kevin John Bozelka, Sunday, 10 July 2011 15:50 (twelve years ago) link
A friend posted this old Drudge headline this morning--he can't remember the context. I think you might call this Soto bait:
http://rockcritics.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/drudge-boring1.jpg
― clemenza, Friday, 22 July 2011 17:59 (twelve years ago) link
how can you expect to be taken seriously?
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 22 July 2011 20:10 (twelve years ago) link
i don't think they were *so* evasive about it, i was at school in 88/89 when there was a (Channel 4?) tv special made by Jon Savage that at one point had the boys sitting together, with one saying clearly that they first heard disco 'in all the gay clubs'. also there's plenty of lines to read between in the '... Vs America' book.
― piscesx, Friday, 22 July 2011 20:37 (twelve years ago) link
yeah but they're British, and most Americans assume they're all gay.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 22 July 2011 20:38 (twelve years ago) link
"Heart" was the album's FOURTH single (and it hit #1, to their and everyone's surprise).
The lowest-selling ever No 1 or something at the time, I seem to recall from my Record Mirror reading days.
― Alba, Wednesday, 17 August 2011 22:02 (twelve years ago) link
Enjoyed today's Introspective article by Tom
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/aug/17/introspective-pet-shop-boys
― oppet, Wednesday, 17 August 2011 22:35 (twelve years ago) link
Sadly Tom didn't vote in the poll, I don't know if he even lurks around here. Would've been interesting to see his choices.
― The multi-talented F.R. David (Billy Dods), Thursday, 18 August 2011 08:35 (twelve years ago) link
Just finished Pet Shop Boys: A Life in Pop. Would I ever have loved to be at that Potemkin presentation in Trafalgar Square--any British people who were there? It reminded me a bit of seeing Daniel Lanois preview Neil Young's album at Nuit Blanche last year, with video screens all around Nathan Phillips Square, but of course there was no Neil at that. Loved the West End Girls too--much better than the West End Girls who were from Vancouver 20 years ago. Anyway, good film. Didn't even mind having to listen to so much of someone from the Killers--seemed like a knowledgeable fan.
― clemenza, Saturday, 27 August 2011 04:23 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, I was at that Potemkin show, am sure some other people here were too. It was good - I have a vague memory of some rain, but perhaps I'm imagining that? It was the first time I saw Potemkin, too, which helped.
― toby, Saturday, 27 August 2011 11:10 (twelve years ago) link
The rain was real--somebody in the documentary said that people were politely putting away their umbrellas so other people behind them would be able to see okay.
― clemenza, Saturday, 27 August 2011 15:24 (twelve years ago) link
I was there as well. There was a lot of rain, but as I recall the rain stopped just before the performance, and umbrellas were duly lowered. Great event, but I remember the film more than I remember the music, to be honest.
― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 30 August 2011 09:44 (twelve years ago) link
http://open.spotify.com/user/djperry1973/playlist/7LyurbFLzd9cnbyqaBdYKs
countdown from 50 - 1, five tracks missing because I couldn't find them (stupid Spotofiy, missing Behaviour) plus 2 versions of "I Want A Dog" (the superior original version and the boring Introspective version)
― sick yr finger up his butt (DJP), Friday, 16 September 2011 20:45 (twelve years ago) link
Format, a new B-Sides collection coming in February.
― encarta it (Gukbe), Friday, 18 November 2011 20:25 (twelve years ago) link
:(http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/mar/22/eric-watson?newsfeed=true
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGf1bqtrrMo
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:17 (twelve years ago) link
aww, RIP. A big reason why Catalogue is my favourite coffee table book.
― stay in school if you want to kiw (Gukbe), Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:37 (twelve years ago) link
RIP. Those sleeves and videos are burned into my brain.
― And I have been called "The Appetite" (DL), Thursday, 22 March 2012 23:20 (twelve years ago) link
There was some chatter about the Helena Springs version of A New Life on the poll threads; whether or not it was ever released and such. Here it is! As with the cover of Do I Have To? by Inga, i think i might actually prefer it to theirs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njjdHfeereM
― piscesx, Monday, 12 February 2018 12:51 (six years ago) link
I collated the chatter &c on one of the b-sides threads but great to be reminded of this - I should really rip it in case it vanishes.
― etc, Wednesday, 14 February 2018 08:23 (six years ago) link
I bought a 12-inch of "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" probably 5-10 years ago that I played for the first time tonight. I love "A New Life"--definitely would have had it on the ballot I submitted for this.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 3 February 2021 03:07 (three years ago) link
I think I prefer it to the A-side!
It doesn't feel like a decade since this exercise. I remembering reassessing Nightlife and concluding that said longplayer was upper-tier PSB. Pretty sure that's still my position.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 3 February 2021 06:19 (three years ago) link
"A New Life" is great and I voted for it in this poll! The one I regret not voting for is "Jack the Lad", which is probably in my top ten now
― Vinnie, Wednesday, 3 February 2021 12:46 (three years ago) link