The Pet Shop Boys' first twenty singles...

????? I don't think I've ever heard the original mix of "Absolutely Fabulous" then, because none of the _Very_ singles remind me of it at all. I'd go so far as saying "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing" is one of their best singles, particularly when remixed.

And for all my talk about lyrics and what they generally don't mean to me, Marcello's comment reminds me about how that line in particular always was suffused with...I don't want to call it a 'perfect' grief, but the combination of delivery and words speaks to my heart more than a thousand screams at an empty universe.

Big surprise: John Peel show:

Thursday 10 October - Pet Shop Boys ! Is this the most mainstream pop artist ever to record a Peel Session?

The boys have been having a quiet one since the end of their massive 'Release 2002 Tour'. The next single they are set to release from their album Release is 'London'.

The Pet Shop Boys have adopted a 'back to basics' approach towards tonights set with fully live guitars, bass and drums on stage. They recorded two songs which they wrote back in 1983 but never got down to recording and they also recorded an old Bobby O song from the early 80's. Their next single is 'London' which has also been recorded for tonight's session.

The lads have tried to approach this Peel session with a view to doing something different and they hope that's what comes across.

I only have listened to "Please" and "Disco", taped "Actually" off my sister years ago back in the 80s. After that not listened to any PSB (albums) apart from a few chart singles on the radio that have not interested me.

The production on Disco - is superb.

I still don't like the descent into balladry, though, for me Behaviour was when they turned from the coolest band on the planet into a decent duo turning out one or two good singles per album. Those singles could still be astonishing, Tom says everything that needs to be said about "Can You Forgive Her?" far more eloquently than I ever could, but "So Hard" was their perfect single. The KLF remixed it while they were at their glorious best and the result is a pop Field Of The Cloth Of Gold, two titans in their pomp competing in splendour.

Random thoughts: Chris Lowe should release a hi-nrg spoken word album (cf "Paninaro", "One Of The Crowd") and promote it standing motionless on Top Of The Pops. I saw them play from the back of Wembley Arena, hoary rawk venue par excellence, and it was great, especially the baroque freakshow accompanying "It's A Sin". Introspective is perfect. Can you get the dance album that came with initial copies of Very anywhere?

I could go on.

In that sense, if no other, I am the inverse of the Nipper.

Ta!

Vaguely more seriously...well, this might be a dumb question, but what songs on Discography do you especially like? That'll help in determining a good starting point. :-)

Is it worth getting the rereleased versions of their older albums if you already have _Alternative_?

Nick, I got the piss taken out of me for having them, if that is any kind of barometer.

(This thread made me remember to download 'I'm not scared' by 8th Wonder - which, combined with the Minnelli lp, makes me think so much of their best work was with other people [see also: 'Getting away with it'].)

Never heard the album. I knew it existed but I couldn't be bothered, though it sounds like there's something there...

Is it worth getting the rereleased versions of their older albums if you already have _Alternative_?

They're expensive, yes, but as mentioned, plenty of goodies with the remixes and edits, some very radically different, as well as the B-sides. And I'm a sucker for the wonderful interviews for each, as well as the photos (and hey, even every last lyric! -- and I never knew until I read the Introspective booklet that he was singing "Roundhead general," I just thought it was some sort of random thing).

Thought is a labyrinth.

Wait a minute, it's one of your favorite bands, you have all the albums, singles, remixes and b-sides, advocate buying the reissues because of the "wonderful" interviews, photos and lyrics. They write and produce an entire LP for a very well-known vocalist, and you've never heard it?? Wow.

Actually, I'm not that big a fan, Sean, though I agree with what Jerry the Nipper wrote about Results. I just like her as a star/performer, she's got that gushy, needy, "like me! like me!" persona that I really go for. Nobody else does anymore. Also she was brilliant in Cabaret and New York, New York. And her cover of King Harvest's "Dancing in the Moonlight" is swell.

I don't recall the Pet Shop Boys getting much attention in the US at first, they were considered just another urbane British dance duo in the tradition of Eurythmics, Soft Cell, Blancmange, etc.--fine if you like that sort of thing, but nothing extraordinary. And I remember lots of Al Stewart jokes.

Not a silly question at all. Let me see..."It's A Sin" and "West End Girls" are my two fave PSB tracks evah, "Being Boring" onwards doesn't exactly get my heart racing (apart from "CYFH?" which I've always had a soft spot for, in spite of not really having paid much attention to the lyrics before yesterday - thanks Tom!), quite partial to "So Hard" and there's *something* about "Go West" I can't help loving - perhaps it's just cos it's THE GAYEST SONG IN THE WORLD and that can only be good...

That said, I saw them live in London in, uh, February was it?, and my lord were they awful...

a) thinking it's the best intro of all time
b) thinking of the phrase 'diamond beats'

Has anyone got anything new to say about the Pet Shop Boys instead of how great my thread is?

How wrong can you be?

They feel like comfortable furniture in my mind that will never be moved. But they'll never get dusty (ho ho).

I would agree if it weren't for "Can You Forgive Her?" -- I think it beats Opportunities for best intro by a slight margin.

lol

Taking Sides on songs with short spoken intros: "Love Comes Quickly" vs "Livin' on a Prayer" vs "Caribbean Queen"

vs Modern Love.

Now imagine Neil Tennant starting "Love Comes Quickly" with "She's so awesome."

As they did fifteen of these twenty songs last night I hold Tom's original collective judgment of their worth to be fully accurate. (DJP is still wrong about "Domino Dancing" of course -- and that was a LOUD crowd singalong.)

Best bit about the news of yet another compilation;
a Blu Ray with 66 videos

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/pet-shop-boys-smash-the-singles-1985-2020/

Great indeed, but my real hope is that they do a sequel/update to the amazing commentary track they did for the PopArt DVD -- and if that's not ported over somehow I'm holding onto my copy.

Hear, hear. A friend you and I have in common quote it all the time.

"Fabulous acting here."

"Unintentionally hilarious."
"As ever."

"Oh, look! We're doing choreography."

Chris Lowe's laugh at the end of the commentary for "Somewhere" lives in my head rent-free, as does "Ah...revenge" from the "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing" commentary.

SO many highlights but Chris’s drawling, sighing
“Urrgh GOD.. “ when he sees himself at the start of ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This?’ is the one that has entered my lexicon.

"I look TERRIBLE! Stupid hair. Dickie bow."

Here’s that old Pop/Art DVD commentary in full

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG9W0NbssnI