ARCHIVE NEWS FROM
JANUARY - DECEMBER 2005

Some of the news items on this page have been reproduced from PetShopBoys.co.uk, with the kind permission of Bill 'Redman' Goodin.

Pet Shop Boys

29th December 2005 - Pet Shop Boys Remix Madonna

A Madonna fansite says, "Last night Warner Bros provided the DJ from Beige in Los Angeles with a Pet Shop Boys remix of 'Sorry'. It sounded amazing and the crowd went wild!"

27th December 2005 - The First Review Of Fundamental

Here are some quotes:

To read the review visit the Popjustice website.

25th December 2005 - Merry Christmas!

So Pet Shop Boys would like to wish everybody around the world a very merry Christmas.

24th December 2005 - Fundamental Details

'Fundamental' has a provisional release date of Monday 17th April 2006 in the UK. The current track listing order looks like this at the moment (but they are still experimenting with it):

God Willing
Minimal
The Sodom And Gomorrah Show
I'm With Stupid
Psychological
I Made My Excuses And Left
Integral
Numb
Luna Park
Casanova In Hell
Twentieth Century
Indefinite Leave To Remain

22nd December 2005 - Elton And David's Stag Night

They were there, Neil and Chris performed two songs at the Elton John and David Furnish "stag" night party in London on Monday. At the conclusion of a 45-minute cabaret, they performed the Barfly version of 'It's A Sin' and then were joined onstage by Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters for a rendition of the Gloria Gaynor classic, 'I Am What I Am', arranged by the Pet Shop Boys with vocals shared by Jake and Neil.
Other performers in the cabaret included Paul O'Grady, Bryan Adams, Ian McKellen, Gary Barlow and Lulu, Eric McCormack (of 'Will and Grace'), Janet Street-Porter, Kiki Kokova and Ivan Putrov, Kiki and Herb, and Lee Ryan. The party was held in the Soho nightclub, Two Too Much.
Neil and Chris were also on the guest list for the reception yesterday.

10th December 2005 - Literally Issue 29, 2005 Christmas Card

Literally Issue 29 came through my letterbox this morning. It's a bit late as it had to be re-sent to me as the first copy didn't arrive. To find out what's in it see my Literally page for more details.
Also, the Pet Shop Boys Club 2005 Christmas card came through my letterbox this morning. To find out what this years Christmas card looks like see my Christmas 2005 page.

9th December 2005 - Down Under

A show based on the songs of Tennant/Lowe will open in Melbourne, Australia in early 2006.
For more information visit the Seriously - Pet Shop Boys Reinterpreted website.
Meanwhile the Australian production of 'Closer To Heaven', first seen in Brisbane earlier this year, will open in Sydney in 2006. Details to follow.

5th December 2005 - New Album And Single Titles

Pet Shop Boys' new album will be called 'Fundamental'. The album has a provisional release date of Monday 17th April 2006 in the UK. It will be preceded by a new single called 'Minimal'. Both will be on Parlophone.

26th November 2005 - Pet Shop Boys' Little Britain

David Walliams and Matt Lucas of 'Little Britain' have agreed to star in the video for the new Pet Shop Boys single. David added, "The Pet Shop Boys have asked us to do a video for a new single. We thought it would be funny to do it as Lou and Andy and then have Matt as Chris Lowe playing the keyboards. It would be great fun." Matt added, "We would love to be in a Pet Shop Boys video. They came to see our show a couple of weeks ago. There has always been a great connection between musicians and comedians."

25th November 2005 - Literally

Literally (Issue 29) has just been dispatched to Pet Shop Boys Club members.

19th November 2005 - Bid 2 Beat AIDS

Celebs Contribute to World AIDS Day Auction. Bid 2 Beat AIDS begins on Thursday 1st December 2005 to benefit LIFEbeat featuring memorabilia from the Pet Shop Boys, Tom Cruise, Kanye West, The Simpsons, Madonna, Britney, Mariah, Lil' Kim, Joni Mitchell, 50 Cent, Brooke Shields, and more!
LIFEbeat, the Music Industry Fights AIDS honors World AIDS Day on Thursday 1st December 2005 with Bid 2 Beat AIDS, a massive eBay auction featuring nearly 1000 rare and autographed items from stars in music, film, theatre and television. Proceeds benefit LIFEbeat which provides HIV/AIDS information directly to hundreds of thousands of young people every year, and reaches millions more with its public service and awareness campaigns. A portion of the money is also earmarked to help rebuild AIDS related services in the devastated Gulf Coast region. Sponsors include MTV, Borders Books and Music, Sirius Satellite Radio, Vespa and designer Chan Luu.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the Bid 2 Beat AIDS auction features: an autographed Pet Shop Boys 12" promo of 'Before' (the large pen** cover) signed by both Neil and Chris; the original artwork from Joni Mitchell's iconic album 'Court And Spark'; a 2006 Vespa LX-50 signed by stars including Kanye West at Sirius Satellite Radio; the actual podium from the 2005 MTV Movie Awards signed by stars including Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, Dakota Fanning and more; a script from a forthcoming episode of 'The Simpsons' signed by the entire cast, including sketches of Bart and Lisa by Matt Groening; an actual set piece and signed books from Madonna's reading of 'Lotsa De Casha' at Borders Books and Music; a signed jogging suit worn by Jennifer Lopez; a hat worn by Elton John; a diamond watch donated by Lil' Kim; signed guitars from Tim McGraw, Metallica, Wynonna Judd, and Red Hot Chili Peppers; gold records from No Doubt, Coldplay, and Hilary Duff; one-of-a-kind 'seat-filler' photo cards from the MTV Movie Awards rehearsal signed by Jessica Simpson, Johnny Knoxville, Samuel L. Jackson and more; theater memoribilia from Monty Python's Spamalot, Avenue Q, Wicked, Doubt, and more; signed books from Brooke Shields, 50 Cent, Barry White, Fantasia, and Jackie Collins, among others. Perhaps the most offbeat item in the auction thus far is a bottle of officially licensed, limited-edition Lindsay Lohan ketchup from Heinz, signed by Lindsay Lohan herself.
There are also hundreds of signed CDs, posters, DVDs, photos, toys, and magazines, from stars including Mariah Carey, Eminem, Usher, Britney Spears, Joan Rivers, Christina Aguilera, Deborah Harry, Black Eyed Peas, Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany, Jamie Foxx, Claire Danes, Deana Carter, Justin Timberlake, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Diddy, Beyonce, Duran Duran, Carol Channing, Molly Ringwald, Melissa Etheridge, Olivia Newton-John, Green Day, Billy Crudup, the list goes on and on.
Bid 2 Beat AIDS will kick off on eBay on Thursday 1st December 2005 at 3.00pm EST (8.00pm GMT).
For more information visit the LIFEbeat website. or the Bid 2 Beat AIDS website.

17th November 2005 - New Album Update

Pet Shop Boys have just completed their new album in a West London studio. The album has been produced by Trevor Horn and features 10 new Tennant/Lowe songs, a short introduction (also written by Tennant/Lowe) and 'Numb', a song by Diane Warren, originally recorded for the 'PopArt' compilation in 2003.
Neil and Chris started writing songs for the album in January and commenced recording with Trevor Horn in May. Chris commented, "We've really enjoyed making this album with Trevor and his team and are very happy indeed with the finished result." Neil added, "We think it's a great Pet Shop Boys album and also a great Trevor Horn record." The album is expected to be released worldwide in April 2006.

14th November 2005 - 4 Poofs And A Piano

4 Poofs And A Piano from the UK TV show 'Friday Night With Jonathan Ross' are releasing an album. The album is called 'Screamin' Party Anthems!' and on it they do a 'Pet Shop Boys Medley'. The album is released on Monday 5th December 2005. The catalogue number is VTCD776.

7th November 2005 - Out Today

Don't forget that the 'Live 8' four-disc DVD set is released in the UK today. 'Go West' is the Pet Shop Boys only track to feature on the DVD. Buy 'Live 8': UK DVD.

5th November 2005 - Literally

A new issue of Literally (Issue 29), the Pet Shop Boys Club magazine, is in preparation and should be dispatched to Club members by the end of the month.

27th October 2005 - Elton John's Christmas Party

Elton John is releasing a Christmas album called 'Elton John's Christmas Party', which is a collection of Elton's favourite holiday party songs. The new compilation contains Elton's choice of 21 songs, including the Pet Shop Boys' 'It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas'.
The CD will be available exclusively at Starbucks Company operated stores in the USA and Canada and on the Starbucks website. from Thursday 10th November 2005. Starbucks and Universal Music Group will donate $2 for every CD sold to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Pre-order 'Elton John's Christmas Party': USA CD.

18th October 2005 - New Album Update

Chris and Neil, with producer Trevor Horn are now mixing the tracks for their forthcoming new album. It is expected that the album will be finished within the next month and will be released in Spring 2006. Touring plans for next year are currently being discussed.

11th October 2005 - Swedish West End Girls

A Swedish girl duo called West End Girls have recorded 'Domino Dancing'. The single is released in Sweden on Wednesday 19th October 2005 on the Columbia record label.
For more information visit the official West End Girls website. The track listing is as follows:

CD Single (SME-8287672-1962):
Domino Dancing
Domino Dancing - Extended
Domino Dancing - Wet Set Remix Extended Version

4th October 2005 - Happy Birthday Chris!

So Pet Shop Boys and all the many fans online wish Chris a very warm and happy 46th birthday!

19th September 2005 - 8th Best In UK Top Selling Singles

Pet Shop Boys are 8th in the list of groups who have had the most hit singles in UK chart history, according to research published by Guinness World Records. Neil and Chris have had 38 hit singles. The figures are contained in the latest edition of the 'Book Of British Hit Singles And Albums'. The top ten groups who have had the most UK hit singles are as follows:

1. Status Quo (61)
2. Queen (52)
3. Rolling Stones (51)
4. UB40 (51)
5. U2 (40)
6. Depeche Mode (40)
7. Bee Gees (38)
8. Pet Shop Boys (38)
9. REM (38)
10. Manic Street Preachers (37)

18th September 2005 - UK Chart

This week in the album chart 'Battleship Potemkin' went out of the top 100.

12th September 2005 - Fresh Throw

Neil has provided the chorus vocals on a new track, 'Throw' by Drum & Bass producer/DJ Dan Fresh. The song will feature on Dan Fresh's album, 'Escape From Planet Monday' due for release early in 2006. Dan Fresh co-produced 'Miracles' with Adam F in 2003.

11th September 2005 - UK Chart

This week 'Battleship Potemkin' entered the album chart at number 97.

10th September 2005 - New Album Update

Chris and Neil are now back in the studio with producer Trevor Horn and aim to complete their new album by November 2005. Trevor Horn is now producing the whole album with the Pet Shop Boys and 12 new songs are being worked on. Mixing of the tracks should commence in two or three weeks.

7th September 2005 - Live 8 DVD

The four-disc DVD set will be released on Monday 7th November 2005 in time for Christmas. It will feature the Paul McCartney/U2 duet along with various highlights from each city. 'Go West' is the Pet Shop Boys only track to feature on the DVD, it will be on disc 3. Pre-order 'Live 8': UK DVD.
Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof has high hopes for the DVD version of the concerts that ran simultaneously in July 2005 in London, Rome, Tokyo, Moscow, Berlin, Toronto, Philadelphia and Johannesburg. "I hope this will be the biggest-selling DVD of all time, it deserves to be. More importantly, perhaps, it should be, for it will help us achieve our goal of changing the lives of the extreme poor for the better and making our generation the one that helped end the disgrace of poverty" he said recently.

6th September 2005 - German Concerts

Chris and Neil have returned from Germany where they and the Dresdner Sinfoniker performed 'Battleship Potemkin', along with the Eisenstein film, in Frankfurt, Bonn, Berlin and Hamburg. Neil and Chris were delighted with the enthusiasm of the audiences in each city and also by the warm, sunny weather which was perfect for outdoor concerts!

5th September 2005 - Out Today

Don't forget that 'Battleship Potemkin' is released in the UK today. 'Battleship Potemkin', composed by Tennant/Lowe, is performed by Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer. Orchestrations are by Torsten Rasch. Buy 'Battleship Potemkin': UK CD. The track listing is as follows:

CD (8744502):
'Comrades!'
Men And Maggots
Our Daily Bread
Drama In The Harbour
Nyet
To The Shore
Odessa
No Time For Tears
To The Battleship
After All (The Odessa Staircase)
Stormy Meetings
Night Falls
Full Steam Ahead
The Squadron
For Freedom

26th August 2005 - Interview Tonight

An interview with Chris and Neil about their 'Battleship Potemkin' project can be heard this evening on 'Front Row' on BBC Radio 4 at 7.15 pm and afterwards on the programme's website.

25th August 2005 - Battleship Potemkin

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe release their original music for Eisenstein's classic film 'Battleship Potemkin' as a joint venture between EMI Classics and Parlophone on Monday 5th September 2005. Pre-order 'Battleship Potemkin': UK CD.
The music was recorded in London and Berlin with the Dresdner Sinfoniker in 2004, with orchestrations by Torsten Rasch.,br> It was premiered on 12th September last year, when Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker played the score to accompany a screening of the film in London's Trafalgar Square. The free event was presented by the ICA and GLA and attracted 25,000 people. At the time, 'The Independent' noted that "this must be the largest audience for an art movie ever recorded".
Eisenstein's film, made in 1925, describes the mutiny of the sailors on the battleship Potemkin in 1905, an event which then linked up with the local population in Odessa as part of Russia's 1905 revolution. In France the authorities destroyed the film; in Germany it was subject to censorship and in Britain it was banned, apart from club performances, until 1954.
For the film's Moscow premiere in January 1926, its soundtrack was a medley of existing pieces by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and others, but when the film reached Berlin later that year, it had its first specially-written score, by the radical composer Edmund Meisel. Eisenstein would subsequently acclaim the power of such "unity of fused musical and visual images" in his work and is said to have hoped that a new Battleship Potemkin soundtrack would be written for each new decade.
In April 2003, Philip Dodd, director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, approached Neil and Chris and suggested that they might write a new score for the film and perform it as a free concert in Trafalgar Square. They wrote the music in the order it would be heard, following the structure of the film. From the beginning they resolved to combine electronic music and strings; the lyrics of the three vocal pieces within it were largely inspired by the film's original subtitles, though one – 'After All (The Odessa Staircase)' – was also prompted by the role in London of Trafalgar Square as a home of political dissent.
Tennant and Lowe decided to ask Torsten Rasch to orchestrate the work after hearing his song cycle 'Mein Herz Brennt', a record based on the music of the rock group Rammstein which has sold over two million copies worldwide. Torsten Rasch's orchestrations were recorded by the Dresdner Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer, in Berlin during July 2004.
The finished composition – "not so much background music as foreground music", says Neil, will now be available on CD for the first time.
Neil continues; "I've read a lot about Russian history and, when we started this, I said of course it's really just a propaganda film and Chris pointed out that it's an ideal, really. It's an ideal of revolution. It's a romantic film of people struggling against oppression to find freedom. And that's why I think it works totally outside the communist context. It's a very stirring film, and I think we've tried to bring out that stirring and idealistic quality in the music."
Barry McCann, MD of EMI Classics, says; "EMI Classics are delighted to be involved in this exciting new project with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. It's an important new collaboration which builds upon their existing relationship with Parlophone and which celebrates the latest in a line of compositions written to accompany the classic Eisenstein film."
'Battleship Potemkin', composed by Tennant/Lowe, is performed by Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer. Orchestrations are by Torsten Rasch.

26th July 2005 - Literally Questions

A new issue of Literally (Issue 29), the Pet Shop Boys Club magazine is being prepared. Any club members who would like to submit questions for Neil and Chris to answer in the magazine please send them to:

Questions
Pet Shop Boys Club
PO Box 102
Stanmore
Middlesex
HA7 2PY
England

22nd July 2005 - New Album Update

Neil and Chris are currently working on a new batch of four songs for their next album with producer Trevor Horn, making nine tracks in total. The latest four are described as "more electro-pop" than the first "epic" five Trevor Horn has produced. The Dianne Warren composition, 'Numb', originally recorded for the 'PopArt' compilation and produced by Trevor Horn, will also feature on the new album which is due for release in Spring 2006.

21st July 2005 - Battleship Potemkin Update

Monday 5th September 2005 looks to stand as the release date of the 'Battleship Potemkin' CD. Artwork is not quite finished and a sample permission is outstanding but EMI, releasing the CD as a joint venture between EMI Classics and Parlophone, are confident of maintaining the release date for the UK and Europe. Japan will follow slightly later. There is no USA release date at the moment. Pre-order 'Battleship Potemkin': UK CD.

20th July 2005 - Battleship Potemkin Promo CD

There are promo CD copies of 'Battleship Potemkin' doing the rounds at the moment. There are 15 tracks on the CD and on the cover it says:

On September 12, 2004, Pet Shop Boys premiered the original music they had written to accompany the silent film classic Battleship Potemkin in a free concert presented by the ICA in London's Trafalgar Square. The music is a combination of electonics and strings, featuring orchestrations by the German composer Torsten Rasch played by the Dresdner Sinfoniker who performed it in Trafalgar Square with Pet Shop Boys.
Forthcoming performances of Battleship Potemkin are planned for later this year in Germany and Russia and next year in the UK.
On September 5, Parlophone will release the CD of the music, recorded in London and Berlin.

EMI have decided to delay the release of the 'Battleship Potemkin' CD for manufacturing reasons. A new date now around the end of September 2005, will be announced soon. Pre-order 'Battleship Potemkin': UK CD. The track listing is as follows:

'Comrades!'
Men And Maggots
Our Daily Bread
Drama In The Harbour
Nyet
To The Shore
Odessa
No Time For Tears
To The Battleship
After All (The Odessa Staircase)
Stormy Meetings
Night Falls
Full Steam Ahead
The Squadron
For Freedom

13th July 2005 - New ZYX Release

'Megamix' is released on ZYX Records on Monday 8th August 2005 in Germany. Some of the releases on the ZYX label from the Bobby 'O' era in the mid 1980s are remixed by Isy B with "modern sounds". The catalogue number is ZYX 55441-2. Pre-order 'Megamix': German CD. The track listing is as follows:

Original Giga Mix
One More Chance - Original
Sunglasses At Night/West End - Original
West End Girls - Original
Original Giga Mix

House Remixes 05
West End Girls - Remix 05
Pet Shop Boys - Remix 05
Sunglasses At Night/West End - Remix 05
One More Chance - Remix 05

10th July 2005 - Battleship Potemkin Delayed

EMI have decided to delay the release of the 'Battleship Potemkin' CD for manufacturing reasons. A new date now around the end of September 2005, will be announced soon. Pet Shop Boys and EMI are also now negotiating with the Russian copyright owners of the film 'Battleship Potemkin' for a worldwide DVD release of the film overdubbed with Pet Shop Boys' soundtrack music. Pre-order 'Battleship Potemkin': UK CD.

10th July 2005 - Happy Birthday Neil!

So Pet Shop Boys and all the many fans online wish Neil a very warm and happy 51st birthday!

7th July 2005 - Pet Shop Boys Catalogue

British art book publishers, Thames & Hudson, have approached Neil and Chris about producing an illustrated book compiling their entire visual and design output over the last 20 years. The book, to be entitled 'Pet Shop Boys Catalogue', is being edited by Philip Hoare and Chris Heath and is expected to be published in autumn 2006.

4th July 2005 - Battleship Potemkin CD Soundtrack

According to Amazon.co.uk, the CD soundtrack of 'Battleship Potemkin' will be released on Monday 5th September 2005. Pre-order 'Battleship Potemkin': UK CD.

3rd July 2005 - Live 8, Millions Rock

An estimated 3 billion people watched the Live 8 concerts in 10 cities across the world.
Pet Shop Boys played in Moscow last night at the conclusion of the Russian Live 8 concert in Red Square. After a series of Russian bands had performed, at 10pm (local time) Pet Shop Boys took to the stage situated at the side of the Kremlin and in front of St Basil's Cathedral and, having been asked to perform for 45 minutes, The set listing was as follows:

It's A Sin
Suburbia
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)
Domino Dancing
New York City Boy
Always On My Mind
Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
West End Girls
Left To My Own Devices
Go West

Joining Chris and Neil onstage were Sylvia Mason-James (vocals), Mark Refoy (guitars) and Dawne Adams (percussion). Live sound was mixed by Pete Gleadall. After the final track, everyone left the stage assuming the show was over but most of the audience refused to leave so Pet Shop Boys returned and performed 'It's A Sin' for a second time.
The Moscow concert was the last of the Live 8 concerts to be announced and Neil and Chris would like to thank everyone involved for organising such a successful event in only five days. Moscow police estimated last night that between 60,000-80,000 people attended the Pet Shop Boys performance.

2nd July 2005 - Live 8 Live Online

100 artists, a million spectators and 2 billion viewers will gather at Live 8 to spread one message, put an end to poverty. Get more information, add your name to the global petition and join the global experience, watch the shows live online today at AOL.

30th June 2005 - EMI To Release Live 8 On DVD

Live 8 has announced it's teaming up with music giant EMI for a worldwide deal for the Live 8 performances. According to the agreement, EMI will provide a large financial contribution to the Live 8 organization in exchange for the worldwide DVD rights to its concerts. Bob Geldof said, "We are very grateful to EMI for their financial contribution which helped to make the July 2nd concerts happen everywhere on the planet and thus nudge the world a little closer towards our shared aim, I hope this will be the biggest selling DVD of all time. It deserves to be." EMI expects to release locally tailored DVDs around the world in November.

29th June 2005 - Live 8 Rehearsals

Neil and Chris are busy rehearsing for their Live 8 performance this Saturday at Red Square in Moscow. After confirming their participation at the weekend, they have gone straight into rehearsals with Mark Refoy (guitars), Dawne Adams (percussion) and Sylvia Mason-James (vocals).
On returning from Russia, the Pet Shop Boys will continue recording tracks for their new album with Trevor Horn who is now producing the bulk of the album.

27th June 2005 - Live 8

It's just been announced that the Pet Shop Boys will be performing at the Russian Live 8 concert this Saturday 2nd July 2005 at Red Square in Moscow. The Pet Shop Boys will headline the concert and it will also feature several Russian artists. The concert will take place from 7.00pm to 10.30pm and is the tenth Live 8 concert to be announced for Saturday, one in each of the G8 nations, one in South Africa and a smaller one in Cornwall. The other nine concerts are, Hyde Park, London, UK; Eden Project, St Austell, Cornwall, UK; Palais de Versailles, Paris, France; Siegessäule, Berlin, Germany; Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy; Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA; Park Place, Barrie, Canada; Makuhari Messe, Tokyo, Japan; Mary Fitzgerald Square, Newtown, Johannesburg, South Africa. A further concert will take place on Wednesday 6th July 2005 the Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland as the G8 summit begins.
20 years ago, the original Live Aid concerts on 13th July 1985 at Wembley Stadium, London and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, raised £40m for famine relief in Africa.
Live 8 is not a Live Aid 2, it's part of a day of action across the world which kick-starts The Long Walk To Justice that calls on the leaders of the world's richest countries to act when they meet in Gleneagles on 6th-9th July 2005. On Saturday 2nd July 2005 millions will be coming together to call for complete debt cancellation, more and better aid and trade justice for the world's poorest people. Live 8 is calling for people across the world to unite in one call. In 2005 it is your voice they are after, not your money. The organisers claim: "An estimated 5.5 billion people can see Live 8 the greatest, greatest show on Earth."
For more information visit the Live 8 website.

19th June 2005 - Surprise Meltdown Festival Appearance

Neil and Chris made a surprise appearance with Yoko Ono at the conclusion of her concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on Friday night. Yoko Ono played as part of the Meltdown Festival (curated this year by Patti Smith) with her band which includes her son, Sean Lennon. After the band had left the stage, Yoko returned and introduced Neil and Chris. The three then performed 'Walking On Thin Ice - Pet Shop Boys Electro Mix', Yoko singing and Neil and Chris each playing a keyboard over the backing-track. Pet Shop Boys' regular programmer, Pete Gleadall, helped to mix the sound.
Meanwhile Neil and Chris are still busy recording tracks for their new album with producer Trevor Horn.

9th June 2005 - It's A Sin Covered Yet Again

'It's A Sin' has been covered by former teen idol Paul Anka (ask the grandparents). He has recorded jazzy versions of 80s tracks on his new album 'Rock Swings' which is released in the USA on Monday 13th June 2005. Paul said, "I've taken a bunch of classics by Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Nirvana, the Pet Shop Boys, Eric Clapton and others, rearranged them with a jazz beat, added a big band sound and made them swing." 'It's A Sin' has been previously covered by the German trance group X-Perience in 2002 and by the UK band JJ72 in April 2001.

7th June 2005 - Possible New Single Update

'No Time For Tears' is not yet officially confirmed as the new single. Neil said, "The single isn't confirmed yet, it's under discussion though." I will let you know when/if the release is officially confirmed between the Pet Shop Boys and Parlophone.

6th June 2005 - Possible New Single

According to Siren Disc, the Pet Shop Boys new single will be called 'No Time For Tears'. Other details on the website say that the expected release date is Monday 29th August 2005 and it will be available on three formats, a 2 track CD, a 3 track CD (including video) and 12". All this has yet to be confirmed.

4th June 2005 - Potemkin Munich Date Cancelled

The planned performance of 'Battleship Potemkin' in Munich on Saturday 1st September 2005 at the Philharmonie in Munich will not go ahead. The renovations to the venue will not be finished in time. Attempts to find an alternative venue for the same date have not been successful. Tickets hadn't gone on sale and the Pet Shop Boys apologise to fans in the Munich area for any disappointment.

1st June 2005 - Arts Theatre Faces Demolition

The Arts Theatre in London, which staged the Pet Shop Boys musical 'Closer To Heaven' in 2001 could be forced to close by late summer 2005 due to an ongoing dispute between the theatre's management and its landlord, the Indian-based company Gamma Investments. Gamma wants to demolish the Arts Theatre with a view to redeveloping the site as part of a lucrative hotel and office block. The theatre's director, Edward Snape, strongly opposes these plans, and instead advocates a series of extensive refurbishments to improve the facilities of the historic theatre which was built in 1927.

28th May 2005 - Happy Birthday So Pet Shop Boys!

So Pet Shop Boys is five years old today!

25th May 2005 - Song Of The Decade

'West End Girls' (1985-1994) along with, 'You Really Got Me' (The Kinks, 1955-1964), 'Space Oddity' (David Bowie, 1965-1974), 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (Queen, 1975-1984), and 'Angels' (Robbie Williams, 1995-2004) have been voted the Songs Of The Decades in a BBC Radio 2 vote held to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ivor Novello Awards.
Over the past five weeks, Radio 2 have been featuring five songs from five 10 year periods from a shortlist of 25 songs which had been selected by the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters as the most influential between 1955 and 2004. Six million people voted for their song favourite online. The 50th Ivor Novello Awards take place in London on tomorrow.

24th May 2005 - Munich Potemkin Problem

A problem has emerged with the venue for the planned performance of 'Battleship Potemkin' in Munich on Saturday 1st September 2005 at the Philharmonie. Renovations to the venue may not be finished in time for the concert. Attempts are being made locally to solve the problem. Tickets have not gone on sale yet for the Munich concert. The other 'Battleship Potemkin' dates in Germany are unaffected and tickets are on sale now. Buy tickets at Kartenhaus.

23rd May 2005 - Battleship Potemkin

The provisional worldwide (except USA) release date of the 'Battleship Potemkin' CD has been set by Parlophone/EMI for Monday 5th 2005, but this date could change.

21st May 2005 - In The Studio

Chris and Neil are busy in the studio with producer Trevor Horn working on 5 tracks for their new album due for release in Spring 2006. Trevor Horn produced 'Left To My Own Devices' and 'It's Alright' for the Pet Shop Boys in 1988/89 and recently produced the song 'Numb' for them which was originally intended for the 'PopArt' album but will now appear on next year's album. At the end of last year the Pet Shop Boys appeared in the 'Produced by Trevor Horn' show at London's Wembley Arena which also featured Seal, Tatu, Grace Jones and Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Songs being recorded at the moment include 'Luna Park', 'Casanova In Hell' and 'The Sodom And Gomorrah Show'. The musical style is described as "electronic and quite epic".

19th May 2005 - Best Wishes Kylie

Neil and Chris were shocked to hear that Kylie Minogue has been diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer and would like to offer her their love and best wishes for successful treatment and a full recovery.
Pet Shop Boys have been fans of Kylie since her first releases and have collaborated with her twice, writing a track, 'Falling' for her and performing the duet, 'In Denial' with her on the 'Nightlife' album and which Kylie has been performing using Neil's pre-recorded vocals on her 'Showgirl: The Greatest Hits' tour. Neil and Chris recently attended the last night of Kylie's UK tour at Earl's Court in London and met her afterwards.
Kylie is currently undergoing tests at a first class medical facility in Melbourne, Australia in preparation for an operation this week by one of Australia's leading surgeons. Thankfully tests so far have confirmed the earlier diagnosis that the cancer appears to be confined to the breast. Today Kylie said, "My heartfelt thanks to the incredible number of people who have sent messages of love and support over the last two days. I want to reassure you that I am being well taken care of. Olivier is by my side and I have a lot of family and friends around me. I would also like to extend my best wishes to all of the other women around Australia and around the world who are dealing with the same illness." Kylie's been touched by the many fans who have asked if they can send cards or flowers. She has suggested that instead well-wishers might like to make a small donation to the Cancer Council in her name.
For more information and/or to donate to the Kylie Minogue Breast Cancer Fund visit The Cancer Council website.
I'm sure that all Pet Shop Boys fans will join Neil and Chris in wishing Kylie a fast recovery and letting her know that we are all thinking about her at this difficult time.

12th May 2005 - Neil, Chris And Kylie

Apparently Neil and Chris were at Kylie's final UK show at Earls Court in London on Saturday night. The 'Showgirl: The Greatest Hits' concert shown on Channel 4 on Saturday night attracted an audience of 2.3 million viewers! The show's Musical Director Steve Anderson said, "We had some small problems with the TV show due to the quick turnaround, which is something we are not used to. The performance was superb and will shine on the DVD!"

11th May 2005 - Wowie Zowie

Neil has collaborated with DJ/producer Tom Stephan, aka Superchumbo, on a track on his forthcoming album, 'Wowie Zowie'. The track is called 'Tranquilizer' and was co-written by Neil (lyrics and melody) and Tom Stephan (backing track) and features vocals by Neil. Other guest performers on the album include Sylvia Mason-James (familiar to Pet Shop Boys fans from the 'Nightlife' and 'Performance' tours) on the tracks 'Some' and 'Irresistible!'.
Tom Stephan said, "I was so excited that Neil agreed to make an appearance on the album. I've had the honor of doing several remixes for the Pet Shop Boys but this was something greater. My recording process usually starts with some kind of lyrical hook, but this resulted from first fiddling around in the studio. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I sent it to Neil and he wrote the accompanying lyrics and melody. I'm especially pleased with it because Neil's talents have brought a new dimension to the Chumbo sound." The album will be released on Monday 13th June 2005 on Twisted and the catalogue number is TWD58002CD. Pre-order 'Wowie Zowie': UK CD.
For more information plus lyrics and audio samples visit the 'Wowie Zowie' website.

10th May 2005 - Interview

Neil and Chris were interviewed in the studio by a journalist from 'The Independent' newspaper. It's on the The Independent website.

7th May 2005 - Neil And Kylie In Denial

Kylie Minogue's sell-out, record-breaking 'Showgirl: The Greatest Hits' world tour in which Neil's pre-recorded vocals are used on 'In Denial', is being shown tonight at 9.25pm on Channel 4 in the UK. The show is from London's Earls Court Arena. If you miss it tonight, don't worry it's repeated on Saturday 14th May 2005 at 9pm on E4 in the UK.

4th May 2005 - Extra Potemkin Date

Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer have added an extra date of 'Battleship Potemkin' ('Panzerkreuzer Potemkin') in addition to the four dates previously announced. It's on Saturday 1st September 2005 at the Philharmonie in Munich, Germany. Tickets will go on sale shortly. Buy tickets at Kartenhaus.

1st May 2005 - Interview With Chris

There is an interview with Chris about the 'Back To Mine' compilation album and much more on the Track It Down website.

26th April 2005 - New Tracks

The lastest issue of Literally gave titles of tracks which may or may not be used on the Pet Shop Boys next album, which is expected to be released in spring 2006. The titles are, 'Casanova In Hell', 'Luna Park' and 'I Made My Excuses And Left'.
Literally also revealed the around Christmas 2003 Neil and Chris worked on a version of 'In Private' with Elton John.

25th April 2005 - Literally Issue 28

It's here, Literally Issue 28 finally came through my letterbox this morning. It's the first issue since October 2003. To find out what's in it see my Literally page for more details.

25th April 2005 - Out Today

Don't forget that 'Back To Mine: Pet Shop Boys' is released in the UK today. The catalogue number is BACKCD20. Buy 'Back To Mine: Pet Shop Boys': UK CD. The track listing is as follows:

CD1 - Chris Lowe:
"Songs about love, friendship, sex, religion, hope and despair"
Don't Cry Tonight Savage
Take A Chance Mr Flagio
Dirty Talk Klein & MBO
Passion The Flirts
Ti Sento Matia Bazaar
Never Be Alone Justice vs Simian
The Show Must Go On Queen
Stand On The Word Celestial Choir
I Was Born This Way Carl Bean
I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love Dusty Springfield

CD2 - Neil Tennant:
"A sequence of music for late-night listening"
Traum Fairmont
Pulse Pause Repeat Harold Budd, Ruben Garcia and Daniel Lentz
Microgravity Biosphere
Come In! (II Movement) Emsemble Opus Posth (Composed By Vladmir Martynov)
Promenade Sentimentale (Sentimental Walk) Vladmimir Cosma
La Baie Etienne Daho
Tiny Vessel
Laura's Theme Craig Armstrong
One Two Three No Gravity - Dettinger Mix Closer Musik
Goin' Back Dusty Springfield
Lunz Lunz
Sospiri Op. 70 Sir John Barbirolli Conducts The New Philharmonic Orchestra (Composed By Edward Elgar)
DD Rhodes www.jz-arkh.co.uk
Video Kid Video Kid
Movement Lobe
At Dusk John Surman
Melodie Opus 47 No. 3 Emil Gilels (Composed By Edvard Greig)

22nd April 2005 - Literally

Literally (Issue 28) has just been dispatched to Pet Shop Boys Club members.

19th April 2005 - Panzerkreuzer Potemkin

Pet Shop Boys and the Dresdner Sinfoniker orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer will be performing 'Battleship Potemkin' ('Panzerkreuzer Potemkin') at four concerts in Germany in September. Tickets go on sale on Friday 22nd April 2005 at 9.00 am. The nationwide ticket hotline in Germany is +49 40 433 039 or you can buy tickets at Kartenhaus. The dates are as follows:

Friday 2nd September 2005 - Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
Saturday 3rd September 2005 - Museumsmeile, Bonn, Germany
Sunday 4th September 2005 - Museumsmeile, Berlin, Germany
Monday 5th September 2005 - Stadtpark, Hamburg, Germany

11th April 2005 - UK Chart Starts Counting Downloads

A shake-up of the UK singles chart is taking place this week as legal music downloads are counted alongside singles bought from shops for the first time.
Songs downloaded from approved internet retailers from yesterday will go towards the track's official chart place. The first Top 40 to incorporate download sales will be revealed on Sunday 17th April 2005.
More than 4.5 million songs were downloaded on official services between January and March making up 45% of the total singles market. The move comes seven months after the first separate download chart was compiled.
The combination of physical and download sales would lead to a "golden age for the single", the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has predicted. BPI chairman Peter Jamieson said, "These figures suggest that the addition of downloads to the official singles chart will take the market to new audiences and broaden the appeal of the singles market."

8th April 2005 - New Issue Of Literally

The latest issue of Literally (Issue 28), will be dispatched to Club members on Wednesday 13th April 2005. Neil and Chris thank Club members for their patience and apologise again for the long delay between issues.

1st April 2005 - April Fool!

This was posted on Pet Shop Boys Community this morning:

As previously announced, the album 'Nightlife' will be reissued with a bonus 'Further Listening' disc of tracks recorded during the same period as the album, joining the series of Pet Shop Boys reissues released in 2001. In addition, Chris and Neil have now compiled a 'Further Listening' disc for their remaining studio album 'Release', and both reissues will be made available through EMI/Parlophone later this year, but only after the release of the 'Battleship Potemkin' CD/DVD and Alcazar's version of 'Baby', which is currently being mixed. The original demo of 'Baby' will be included with 'Release' but it was felt the public should be given the chance to hear the finished version by the Swedish pop quartet first.
In deciding which music should be included on the bonus CDs, the Pet Shop Boys again tried to lay down a series of rules that would govern their choices, though this time they have slightly relaxed the rule that additional songs must have been recorded in the same period as the album. The previously unreleased full French-language version of 'Paris City Boy', for instance, is included with 'Nightlife' rather than 'Release' even though vocals were recorded in 2003, as the music was completed and mixed in 1999 and the song belongs to that album.
The same principle applies to all released songs linked to the 'Closer to Heaven' stage production, which are now collected together on the album originally planned to be the musical soundtrack, 'Nightlife'. There was much deliberation over the Pet Shop Boys demos of songs written for the musical and it was felt that only 'Run Girl Run' and the unreleased 'Tall Thin Men' were of sufficient master quality to be considered for inclusion, but the latter didn't fit musically with the rest of the CD, which Chris and Neil were anxious to be seen as an accomplished and logical sequence of music rather than just a fascinating resource for fans. 'Tall Thin Men' may be included as part of another PSB project at a much later date, along with the fan club-only track 'It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas'. A radio mix of the song without the Pet Shop Boys' spoken greetings was unearthed and included on some early 'Further Listening' track listings but, again, partly due to time constraints, it was one of the first tracks to be removed.
As well as several unreleased mixes or demos, Chris and Neil were pleased to include the original full length PSB remix of 'Here'. "During mastering of 'Disco 3' we had to go back into the cutting room at the last minute and trim off the start as we realised it had an almost identical beginning to the Blank & Jones remix of 'Home And Dry' on the same album, but in compiling these reissues we found it was still on the master-tape so we decided to use it for this CD." The full track listings are as follows:

Nightlife - Further Listening 1998-2001:
Sail Away
Screaming - Original Version Previously Unreleased
Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus Vocals By Sam Taylor-Wood
Screaming - Soundtrack Version
Friendly Fire
For All Of Us Previously Unreleased
Nightlife Previously Unreleased On CD
Silver Age
The Ghost Of Myself
Casting A Shadow
Lies
You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk - Dance Mix Previously Unreleased
Positive Role Model
Somebody Else's Business - Extended Mix Previously Unreleased On CD
Run Girl Run - Demo For Billie Trix Previously Unreleased
Closer To Heaven - Slow Version
Love Life - Demo For Alcazar
Break 4 Love - USA Club Mix Previously Unreleased On CD
Paris City Boy - French Version Previously Unreleased

Release - Further Listening 2001-2004:
All Or Nothing - Demo For Miu Previously Unreleased
Transparent
Between Two Islands
Searching For The Face Of Jesus
I Didn't Get Where I Am Today
Always
London - Genuine Piano Mix
Sexy Northerner
Home And Dry - Ambient Mix
Time On My Hands
Here - Expanded Extended Mix Previously Unreleased
Try It (I'm In Love With A Married Man)
If Looks Could Kill
Love To Love You, Baby - Vocal Mix Vocals By Kiki Kokova Previously Unreleased On CD
We're The Pet Shop Boys
Flamboyant - Demo Version
Baby - Demo For Alcazar Previously Unreleased
Miracles - Extended Mix
Flamboyant - Single Version

30th March 2005 - Battleship Potemkin CD Update

A CD release on Parlophone/EMI of Pet Shop Boys original score for 'Battleship Potemkin' is looking likely in early autumn 2005.

29th March 2005 - Closer To Heaven Tickets

Tickets for the new Australian production of 'Closer To Heaven', the musical by Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys go on sale on Thursday 31st March 2005. The production opens at the Brisbane Powerhouse on Wednesday 8th June 2005 and runs till Saturday 18th June 2005.
For more information visit the Brisbane Powerhouse website.

21st March 2005 - Back From Italia

Neil and Chris have returned from Naples, Italy, where they spent a couple of weeks writing songs for their next album. They have now completed 13 new songs since the beginning of the year. Their programmer in Naples was Luca Baldini. While there they met the French DJ/artist, Miss Kittin, and listened to her DJ set in a local club, during which Neil gave an impromptu performance at Miss Kittin's request, rapping the lyrics for 'West End Girls' over a track she was playing. They also met DJ/producer David Morales who was in town to spin at another local club and dined with the Norwegian singer and songwriter, Sondre Lerche, before attending his concert. Neil and Chris will continue song writing after Easter and look set to start recording their new album in May 2005.

20th March 2005 - Back To Mine Track Listing

'Back To Mine: Pet Shop Boys' will be released on Monday 25th April 2005 in the UK. The artwork has been created by PSB's long standing designers Farrow and despite looking very PSB it also maintains Back to Mine's illustrated theme. A special anniversary package has also been designed to house both CD's. The catalogue number is BACKCD20. Pre-order 'Back To Mine: Pet Shop Boys': UK CD. The track listing is as follows:

CD1 - Chris Lowe:
"Songs about love, friendship, sex, religion, hope and despair"
Don't Cry Tonight Savage
Take A Chance Mr Flagio
Dirty Talk Klein & MBO
Passion The Flirts
Ti Sento Matia Bazaar
Never Be Alone Justice vs Simian
The Show Must Go On Queen
Stand On The Word Celestial Choir
I Was Born This Way Carl Bean
I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love Dusty Springfield

CD2 - Neil Tennant:
"A sequence of music for late-night listening"
Traum Fairmont
Pulse Pause Repeat Harold Budd, Ruben Garcia and Daniel Lentz
Microgravity Biosphere
Come In! (II Movement) Emsemble Opus Posth (Composed By Vladmir Martynov)
Promenade Sentimentale (Sentimental Walk) Vladmimir Cosma
La Baie Etienne Daho
Tiny Vessel
Laura's Theme Craig Armstrong
One Two Three No Gravity - Dettinger Mix Closer Musik
Goin' Back Dusty Springfield
Lunz Lunz
Sospiri Op. 70 Sir John Barbirolli Conducts The New Philharmonic Orchestra (Composed By Edward Elgar)
DD Rhodes www.jz-arkh.co.uk
Video Kid Video Kid
Movement Lobe
At Dusk John Surman
Melodie Opus 47 No. 3 Emil Gilels (Composed By Edvard Greig)

18th March 2005 - Showgirl In Denial

Kylie Minogue will be performing 'In Denial' (the duet she and Pet Shop Boys recorded for the 'Nightlife' album in 1999) on her record-breaking, sold-out 'Showgirl: The Greatest Hits' world tour which opens tomorrow night in Glasgow.
Kylie will be duetting on stage with Neil's pre-recorded vocals. According to Kylie's official website it says, "One section features a segment of 'In Denial', Kylie duets with Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys, which opens a ballet sequence set on the streets of Soho."

9th March 2005 - Closer To Heaven Down Under

'Closer To Heaven', the musical by Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys which first opened at the Arts Theatre in London in 2001, now has new dates at the Powerhouse in Brisbane, Australia. The new dates are from Wednesday 8th June 2005 to Saturday 18th June 2005. Tickets have not gone on sale yet.
For more information visit the Brisbane Powerhouse website.

8th March 2005 - Back To Mine Release Date

'Back To Mine: Pet Shop Boys' will be released on Monday 25th April 2005. It will be the 20th release in the series and it will be a double CD release, one CD of Neil's choices and one of Chris's.
Neil's idea when compiling the collection was to "create a sequence of music for late night listening, sequencing electronic, ambient, classical and pop music. It's the sort of music I enjoy in the couple of hours before sleep." Chris on the other hand has chosen "songs about love, friendship, sex, religion, hope and despair. Starting with early 80's electro through Italian disco, rock, gospel and ending with classic Dusty Springfield."
The artwork is a one off and it's done by Farrow, the PSB's long term design team. It apparently looks very PSB but it's also very Back To Mine. I will let you know the track listing when I know what it is.
For more information visit the Back To Mine website.

7th March 2005 - Italia

Neil and Chris are currently in Italy writing songs for their next album. Why Italy? "We wanted a change of scenery. It helps to keep the songwriting process fresh." Their programmer in Italy is Luca Baldini who is also a DJ and member of the dance production duo, Dance Society.

24th February 2005 - Literally

The long-awaited new issue of Literally (Issue 28) is now in production and will be dispatched to Club members by the beginning of April 2005. Neil and Chris thank Club members for their patience and apologise again for the long delay between issues.

21st February 2005 - New Tracks

Neil and Chris have spent four weeks in their studio so far this year writing songs for their next album. So far they have completed eight new tracks and the writing continues.

20th February 2005 - Back To Chris And Neil's

Chris and Neil have each prepared a CD for release in the 'Back To Mine' series in which musicians and DJs compile a sequence of their favourite tracks for "after-hours grooving". There have been 19 releases in the series so far including CD's from, New Order, Faithless, Underworld, Groove Armada, Carl Cox and Danny Tenaglia. 'Back To Mine: Pet Shop Boys' will be a double CD release, one CD of Chris's choices and one of Neil's. The CD is released in late April/early May 2005.
For more information visit the Back To Mine website.

19th February 2005 - Alcazar

It has been confirmed that Neil and Chris have given the track 'Baby' to Alcazar, who will record it immediately for release later this year. The track was written by Chris and Neil in 2003 and they describe it as "very poppy". They gave it to Alcazar because the lyrics are a boy/girl duet and they thought it would be perfect for Alcazar which features two girls and two boys. Reports that 'Baby' was written as a Eurovision Song Contest entry are untrue!

18th February 2005 - PSB And New Order

At last nights NME Awards at the Hammersmith Palais in London, Chris and Neil presented New Order with the Godlike Genius Award, honouring them for their magnificent achievements in both Joy Division and New Order.

17th February 2005 - Alcazar Rumour

According to the Swedish website/paper Expressen the Pet Shop Boys have written another track for the Swedish pop group Alcazar. Alcazar were given 'Love Life' by Neil and Chris in 2003 and it reached number 10 in the Swedish chart. The new track in called 'Baby' and it's to be included on Alcazar's forthcoming album. The journalist describes 'Baby' as a brilliant, dramatic, electronic and sad epic song that reminds him of 'Being Boring'. 'Baby' was originally written as a PSB/Alcazar contribution to the Eurovision song contest, but the song wasn't finished in time for the British competition. Alcazar will now compete in the Swedish pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the track 'Alcastar'.

8th February 2005 - In The Pipeline, Update

Chris and Neil are in their studio at the moment writing songs for their next album which, it is anticipated, will be released in Spring 2006. 'Battleship Potemkin' is being planned for release on CD and DVD in September 2005.

24th January 2005 - Out Today, Finally

Don't forget that Liza Minnelli's 1989 album 'Results' which Neil and Chris wrote and co-produced, is finally re-released in the UK today. The digitally remastered package includes 3 remixes, 'Losing My Mind - Extended Mix', 'Don't Drop Bombs - Extended Remix' and 'Love Pains - Steve Hurley's Remix' and a DVD, 'Visible Results' which includes the videos for three of the singles released from the album. There is also a forward from Neil and Chris and a feature written by Chris Heath. Buy 'Results (Expanded Edition)': UK CD/DVD.

16th January 2005 - Results Remastered Delayed Again

Liza Minnelli's 1989 album 'Results' which was due for re-release tomorrow has now been delayed, but only by a week. Sony say it will now be released on Monday 24th January 2005. Pre-order 'Results (Expanded Edition)': UK CD/DVD.

15th January 2005 - Tennant Influenced By Lennon

Neil says he was inspired to pursue a songwriting career by late Beatles legend John Lennon. Neil adopted Lennon's personal style in a bid to stand out from the trite lyrical style which typified songs in the 1980s. He said, "The biggest influence on me when I first started writing songs was John Lennon talking about the writing of 'Strawberry Fields Forever'."

6th January 2005 - Closer To Oz

'Closer To Heaven', the musical by Jonathan Harvey and Pet Shop Boys which first opened at the Arts Theatre in London in 2001, was due to open at the Powerhouse in Brisbane, Australia later this month. The opening has now been postponed to early June 2005, when the Brisbane Pride Festival is on (this change is still to be confirmed by Really Useful, the administrator of the rights). This is the new time for the opening since it was decided that late January was such a bad time to do the show. A website for the Brisbane show we be available soon.

4th January 2005 - Results Remastered

Sony are finally re-releasing Liza Minnelli's 1989 album 'Results', which Neil and Chris wrote and co-produced. The reissued package includes a feature written by Chris Heath and a DVD, 'Visible Results' including the videos for three of the singles released from the album, it's released on Monday 17th January 2005. Pre-order 'Results (Expanded Edition)': UK CD/DVD. The track listing is as follows:

CD (5163813):
I Want You Now
Losing My Mind
If There Was Love
So Sorry, I Said
Don't Drop Bombs
Twist In My Sobriety
Rent
Love Pains
Tonight Is Forever
I Can't Say Goodnight
Losing My Mind - Extended Mix
Don't Drop Bombs - Extended Remix
Love Pains - Steve Hurley's Remix

DVD:
Losing My Mind
Don't Drop Bombs
So Sorry, I Said

2nd January 2005 - In The Pipeline

This Year Neil and Chris will be writing new songs prior to recording a new album which is anticipated as being released in 2006, prior to a world tour. There are also plans at the discussion stage for more performances of 'Battleship Potemkin' in Europe, prior to its release on CD and (under discussion) DVD.

1st January 2005 - Happy New Year!

What will the Pet Shop Boys be up to in 2005? Keep up to date by regularly checking back here.
All the best for 2005.