This is a great moment to be the Pet Shop Boys. The ultimate Eighties synth-pop duo are having a renaissance right now, just in time for the 40th anniversary of their classic hit “West End Girls.” They have a brilliant new album, Nonetheless, their zippiest of this century and one of their best ever. New fans are discovering them in films like Saltburn and All of Us Strangers. They even scored the ultimate 2024 status symbol: a beef with Drake, after Aubrey Graham used “West End Girls” without permission for “All The Parties.
- 5/4/2024
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
Pet Shop Boys vocalist Neil Tennant shared his thoughts on Taylor Swift‘s musical legacy, drawing comparisons to Michael Jackson’s iconic status.
While he acknowledged his admiration for much of Swift’s music, Tennant expressed his belief that she has yet to produce a standout single that can rival the star power of Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”
“Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular, and I sort of quite like the whole thing, but then when I listen to the records … for a phenomenon as big, where are the famous songs?” Tennant told a panel discussion organized by The Guardian in London. “What’s Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?”
While Tennant acknowledged Swift’s exceptional vocal abilities and the exquisite production of her music, he felt that, melodically, it lacked dynamism. “She’s got a great voice, and the production is beautiful,...
While he acknowledged his admiration for much of Swift’s music, Tennant expressed his belief that she has yet to produce a standout single that can rival the star power of Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”
“Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular, and I sort of quite like the whole thing, but then when I listen to the records … for a phenomenon as big, where are the famous songs?” Tennant told a panel discussion organized by The Guardian in London. “What’s Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?”
While Tennant acknowledged Swift’s exceptional vocal abilities and the exquisite production of her music, he felt that, melodically, it lacked dynamism. “She’s got a great voice, and the production is beautiful,...
- 4/27/2024
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Pet Shop Boys vocalist Neil Tennant has questioned whether Taylor Swift has a song as “famous” as Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”
During a conversation with The Guardian’s head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridisi livestreamed earlier this week, the topic turned to the ubiquitous pop star. While Tennant admitted Swift is a compelling figure, the singer said he finds her actual music “disappointing.”
Get Taylor Swift Tickets Here
“Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular and I sort of quite like the whole thing,” Tennant said. “But then when I listen to the records — we both have the same feeling actually — for a phenomenon as big [as she is]… where are the famous songs? What is Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?”
After an audience member brought up “Shake It Off,” Tennant responded: “Is it though? No, ’cause I actually even know that that’s the answer,...
During a conversation with The Guardian’s head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridisi livestreamed earlier this week, the topic turned to the ubiquitous pop star. While Tennant admitted Swift is a compelling figure, the singer said he finds her actual music “disappointing.”
Get Taylor Swift Tickets Here
“Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular and I sort of quite like the whole thing,” Tennant said. “But then when I listen to the records — we both have the same feeling actually — for a phenomenon as big [as she is]… where are the famous songs? What is Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?”
After an audience member brought up “Shake It Off,” Tennant responded: “Is it though? No, ’cause I actually even know that that’s the answer,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
Look around and you just may find yourself amid a Pet Shop Boys renaissance.
Of course, the English duo — consisting of Neil Tennant, 69, and Chris Lowe, 64 — never went anywhere. They have been steadily putting out music since their landmark 1984 debut, Please, which instantly established them with timeless songs like “West End Girls” and “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money).”
But Pet Shop Boys’ deep catalog has been plundered in recent years everywhere from Madison Avenue (“Opportunities” showed up in a Super Bowl ad for Allstate) to Hollywood (several classics were used to wonderful effect in two of last year’s zeitgeistiest movies, Saltburn and All of Us Strangers). Their signature sound is suddenly everywhere — wistful and longing, danceable and intellectually sophisticated synth-pop. Their 15th studio effort, Nonetheless, drops tomorrow and features more of that infectious trademark music.
Tennant and Lowe sat with The Hollywood Reporter recently to relive their...
Of course, the English duo — consisting of Neil Tennant, 69, and Chris Lowe, 64 — never went anywhere. They have been steadily putting out music since their landmark 1984 debut, Please, which instantly established them with timeless songs like “West End Girls” and “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money).”
But Pet Shop Boys’ deep catalog has been plundered in recent years everywhere from Madison Avenue (“Opportunities” showed up in a Super Bowl ad for Allstate) to Hollywood (several classics were used to wonderful effect in two of last year’s zeitgeistiest movies, Saltburn and All of Us Strangers). Their signature sound is suddenly everywhere — wistful and longing, danceable and intellectually sophisticated synth-pop. Their 15th studio effort, Nonetheless, drops tomorrow and features more of that infectious trademark music.
Tennant and Lowe sat with The Hollywood Reporter recently to relive their...
- 4/25/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Among 70 lots donated by film and music stars are up for grabs, including Neil Tennant’s coat and Stanley Tucci’s hotpot
An original shooting script of much-loved Christmas romcom Love Actually is among the lots up for grabs in an auction to support charity War Child.
The script from the 2003 film contains three unseen storylines “which we eventually cut,” say director Richard Curtis and screenwriter Emma Freud, “lots of jokes which didn’t work, and some childish swearing which we were forced to remove by adults.”...
An original shooting script of much-loved Christmas romcom Love Actually is among the lots up for grabs in an auction to support charity War Child.
The script from the 2003 film contains three unseen storylines “which we eventually cut,” say director Richard Curtis and screenwriter Emma Freud, “lots of jokes which didn’t work, and some childish swearing which we were forced to remove by adults.”...
- 4/25/2024
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Tune in for a captivating journey through the iconic career of the Pet Shop Boys in the latest episode of “Imagine…” airing on BBC One this Tuesday at 10:40 Pm. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, the dynamic duo behind the Pet Shop Boys, have left an indelible mark on British pop music with their unique blend of synth-pop and thought-provoking lyrics.
With over 50 million records sold, more than forty Top 40 singles, and four UK number ones to their name, the Pet Shop Boys are undeniably one of the most successful duos in British music history. From their early hits to their latest releases, Neil and Chris have continued to push boundaries and captivate audiences with their wit, sensitivity, and intelligence.
Join “Imagine…” as it delves into the stories behind the music, exploring how the Pet Shop Boys’ songs have often served as commentary on Britain and the world around them.
With over 50 million records sold, more than forty Top 40 singles, and four UK number ones to their name, the Pet Shop Boys are undeniably one of the most successful duos in British music history. From their early hits to their latest releases, Neil and Chris have continued to push boundaries and captivate audiences with their wit, sensitivity, and intelligence.
Join “Imagine…” as it delves into the stories behind the music, exploring how the Pet Shop Boys’ songs have often served as commentary on Britain and the world around them.
- 4/10/2024
- by Posts UK
- TV Everyday
Pet Shop Boys covered David Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes” for the BBC Radio 2—with a little help from the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe performed the rock anthem at Maida Vale Studios on February 23rd, along with their new single “Loneliness” and ’80s hit “Left to My Own Devices.” The special set closed out BBC Radio 2’s Piano Month 2024.
Bowie famously wrote “All The Young Dudes” for English rock band Mott the Hopple in 1972, and it went on to become the band’s biggest hit and signature song. The Thin White Duke also recorded his own version of the glam rock tune (not released until 1995’s Rarestonebowie), and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) had a minor hit with a cover off of his debut solo album, 1990’s Tattooed Millionaire.
You can watch Pet Shop Boys’ performance of “All The Young Dudes” below, and stream...
Vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe performed the rock anthem at Maida Vale Studios on February 23rd, along with their new single “Loneliness” and ’80s hit “Left to My Own Devices.” The special set closed out BBC Radio 2’s Piano Month 2024.
Bowie famously wrote “All The Young Dudes” for English rock band Mott the Hopple in 1972, and it went on to become the band’s biggest hit and signature song. The Thin White Duke also recorded his own version of the glam rock tune (not released until 1995’s Rarestonebowie), and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) had a minor hit with a cover off of his debut solo album, 1990’s Tattooed Millionaire.
You can watch Pet Shop Boys’ performance of “All The Young Dudes” below, and stream...
- 2/26/2024
- by Frank Stein
- Consequence - Music
Pet Shop Boys have announced the release of a new album called Nonetheless, which is set for release on April 26th. The forthcoming project was produced by James Ford — our 2023 Producer of the Year — and marks Pet Shop Boys’ return to their longtime label home at Parlophone. As a preview, the band has shared the lead single, “Loneliness.”
Nonetheless features 10 new songs recorded and mixed in London last year with Ford. In a statement, the duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe said, “We wanted this album to be a celebration of the unique and diverse emotions that make us human. From the more dance-orientated tracks to the raw poignancy of the introspective ballads, with their beautiful string arrangements, each track tells a story and contributes to the overall narrative of the album.”
Nonetheless will be released through Parlophone, where Pet Shop Boys previously called home from 1985-2012. Pre-orders are now ongoing.
Nonetheless features 10 new songs recorded and mixed in London last year with Ford. In a statement, the duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe said, “We wanted this album to be a celebration of the unique and diverse emotions that make us human. From the more dance-orientated tracks to the raw poignancy of the introspective ballads, with their beautiful string arrangements, each track tells a story and contributes to the overall narrative of the album.”
Nonetheless will be released through Parlophone, where Pet Shop Boys previously called home from 1985-2012. Pre-orders are now ongoing.
- 1/31/2024
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Music
What have we, what have we, what have we done to deserve this? This week, Pet Shop Boys are infiltrating more than 1,400 theaters across 50 countries worldwide, with Trafalgar Releasing giving the beloved British duo two-night-only event screenings — on Wednesday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 4 — of their new concert film “Pet Shop Boys Dreamworld: The Hits Live.”
From White Light Film Productions, the documentary brings Pet Shop Boys’ ongoing global tour to fans far and wide, offering a comprehensive rendering of the duo’s performance at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen. Helmed by director David Barnard, a four-time filmmaking collaborator with Pet Shop Boys, “Dreamworld” is yet another visually dazzling, highly theatrical cinematic experience from vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, featuring costume changes, an elaborate set and throbbing, trippy visuals.
“It’s a great crowd in Copenhagen!” supervising producer Andrew Winter tells Variety on selecting where on the tour to film.
From White Light Film Productions, the documentary brings Pet Shop Boys’ ongoing global tour to fans far and wide, offering a comprehensive rendering of the duo’s performance at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen. Helmed by director David Barnard, a four-time filmmaking collaborator with Pet Shop Boys, “Dreamworld” is yet another visually dazzling, highly theatrical cinematic experience from vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, featuring costume changes, an elaborate set and throbbing, trippy visuals.
“It’s a great crowd in Copenhagen!” supervising producer Andrew Winter tells Variety on selecting where on the tour to film.
- 1/31/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
On Drake’s “All the Parties,” his voice emerges from what sounds like an ambient fever dream with ethereal synths swirling his words as he latches onto a familiar melody: “It’s 6, our town a dead-end world,” he sings, with autotune blipping his voice, “East End boys and West End girls, yeah.” Then he repeats that last line, just like the Pet Shop Boys did when they recorded the song “West End Girls” close to 40 years ago.
“West End Girls” was the British synth-pop group’s first single, which came...
“West End Girls” was the British synth-pop group’s first single, which came...
- 10/6/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Pet Shop Boys have unveiled five new songs as part of the 2023 edition of their “Annually” book series.
The songs were written and recorded as demos in London and Berlin in 2015 for potential inclusion on the album Super but were not used, “not because we didn’t like them, but because they didn’t fit the album, according to Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant.
The band has now decided to release the songs as an EP called Lost. “They all sit together quite well, production-wise, they’re all super-electronic,” Tennant said, and also “some of them are sort of relevant to the world at the moment.”
The release of Lost coincides with Annually 2023, a 64-page photo book documenting their recent tour with New Order and more.
Pet Shop Boys have also revealed that they’ve begun work on a brand new album, their first since 2020’s Hotspot. Additionally, they’ll...
The songs were written and recorded as demos in London and Berlin in 2015 for potential inclusion on the album Super but were not used, “not because we didn’t like them, but because they didn’t fit the album, according to Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant.
The band has now decided to release the songs as an EP called Lost. “They all sit together quite well, production-wise, they’re all super-electronic,” Tennant said, and also “some of them are sort of relevant to the world at the moment.”
The release of Lost coincides with Annually 2023, a 64-page photo book documenting their recent tour with New Order and more.
Pet Shop Boys have also revealed that they’ve begun work on a brand new album, their first since 2020’s Hotspot. Additionally, they’ll...
- 4/14/2023
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
A Sex Pistol competing at Eurovision might make for one of the most bizarre crossovers in music history. Does he have a shot? Absolutely.
John Lydon’s bid with his band Public Image Ltd (PiL) to represent Ireland in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest raised eyebrows when it was first announced. It probably didn’t help that the former punk antagonist (who has an Irish passport thanks to his parents) himself dubbed the event “absolutely awful”. Yet it’s hard to accuse him of lacking sincerity.
Inspired by a trip to the US state with Lydon’s wife, former actor and music promoter Nora Forster, “Hawaii” is a swooning, poignant ballad awash with memories of happier times. Lydon has been vocal about Forster’s health struggles – she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018, and he is her full-time carer. In a recent interview, Lydon spoke of how her condition...
John Lydon’s bid with his band Public Image Ltd (PiL) to represent Ireland in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest raised eyebrows when it was first announced. It probably didn’t help that the former punk antagonist (who has an Irish passport thanks to his parents) himself dubbed the event “absolutely awful”. Yet it’s hard to accuse him of lacking sincerity.
Inspired by a trip to the US state with Lydon’s wife, former actor and music promoter Nora Forster, “Hawaii” is a swooning, poignant ballad awash with memories of happier times. Lydon has been vocal about Forster’s health struggles – she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018, and he is her full-time carer. In a recent interview, Lydon spoke of how her condition...
- 2/3/2023
- by Roisin O'Connor
- The Independent - Music
When Angelo Badalamenti, composer and renowned collaborator of filmmaker-musician David Lynch, died on Sunday at age 85, he left behind some of the most evocative soundscapes known to cinema. Lustrous orchestration and small combo jazz sounds for Lynch works such as “Blue Velvet” and “Twin Peaks” tweaked the senses while underscoring the grotesquerie below the surface of the American dream. But there was so much more to Badalamenti than his sweeping cinematic ambience for a single filmmaker.
Here is a list of some of Angelo Badalamenti’s finest musical moments, with and without David Lynch.
The Slow Club scene in “Blue Velvet” and “Mysteries of Love” (1986)
Along with a cameo appearance as the pianist/band leader at the Slow Club where the tortured Dorothy Valens (played by Isabella Rossellini) sings, Badalamenti starts off her musical rendition of “Blue Velvet” as a sleazy lounge song, all blowzy saxophone and off-the-beat rhythms, before segueing into the tempered,...
Here is a list of some of Angelo Badalamenti’s finest musical moments, with and without David Lynch.
The Slow Club scene in “Blue Velvet” and “Mysteries of Love” (1986)
Along with a cameo appearance as the pianist/band leader at the Slow Club where the tortured Dorothy Valens (played by Isabella Rossellini) sings, Badalamenti starts off her musical rendition of “Blue Velvet” as a sleazy lounge song, all blowzy saxophone and off-the-beat rhythms, before segueing into the tempered,...
- 12/13/2022
- by A.D. Amorosi
- Variety Film + TV
“Yes, baby I’m a homosexual,” sings Darren Hayes over the shimmering Eighties pulse of his first solo album in a decade. This may not seem like much of a newsflash from the man who’s been married to his partner, Richard Cullen, for 17 years. But in recent interviews, the former Savage Garden frontman has spoken tearfully about his most successful years being in the closet, then straight-washed by the music industry when he found the courage to come out.
Shooting the video for his last single, “Insatiable” (2012), he’d been told he looked “too gay”. Now 50, he found himself watching artists such as Troye Sivan and Lil Nas X “just arrive as their authentic selves”. He realised how angry he was that his hard-won self-expression had been “extinguished by men in suits”.
While the title of his new record, Homosexual, is a proud and simple reclamation of the word that once scared Hayes,...
Shooting the video for his last single, “Insatiable” (2012), he’d been told he looked “too gay”. Now 50, he found himself watching artists such as Troye Sivan and Lil Nas X “just arrive as their authentic selves”. He realised how angry he was that his hard-won self-expression had been “extinguished by men in suits”.
While the title of his new record, Homosexual, is a proud and simple reclamation of the word that once scared Hayes,...
- 10/6/2022
- by Helen Brown
- The Independent - Music
Music supervisor Iain Cooke found himself immersed in two different eras over the past year in helping craft the pop landscape of TV projects. He focused on one year for just-released AppleTV+ doc “1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything. But the bold miniseries “It’s a Sin,” with its frank depiction of AIDS ripping through the day-to-day lives of a tight-knit group of young London pals in the ’80s, proved a specific challenge.
“We were trying hard to preserve the integrity of this immensely personal story that [creator] Russell T. Davies had been trying to tell for many years, and so many of the choices were very specific and represented a time and a place”, said Cooke. “I’m a huge fan of Russell’s writing, I don’t know of many other writers that can have you laughing out loud then sobbing inconsolably within half a page, and he creates...
“We were trying hard to preserve the integrity of this immensely personal story that [creator] Russell T. Davies had been trying to tell for many years, and so many of the choices were very specific and represented a time and a place”, said Cooke. “I’m a huge fan of Russell’s writing, I don’t know of many other writers that can have you laughing out loud then sobbing inconsolably within half a page, and he creates...
- 6/12/2021
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Pet Shop Boys have released their new song “Cricket Wife,” a 10-minute track the duo recorded while under lockdown in 2020.
The track was originally conceived as an instrumental work composed by Pet Shop Boys’ Chris Lowe, with Neil Tennant adding the lyrics — based on a poem he had written — and vocals, with both members recording their contributions from their own homes.
Additionally, Pet Shop Boys have digitally released the “lockdown version” of their classic “West End Girls,” which the duo recorded in June 2020. “Cricket Girl” and the new take on...
The track was originally conceived as an instrumental work composed by Pet Shop Boys’ Chris Lowe, with Neil Tennant adding the lyrics — based on a poem he had written — and vocals, with both members recording their contributions from their own homes.
Additionally, Pet Shop Boys have digitally released the “lockdown version” of their classic “West End Girls,” which the duo recorded in June 2020. “Cricket Girl” and the new take on...
- 5/21/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
It was one of the highlights of the U.K.’s biggest music awards show — but mystery surrounds why the Pet Shop Boys didn’t join Elton John and Years & Years’ performance of their classic song, “It’s a Sin,” at Tuesday night’s Brit Awards.
Elton and Years & Years’ Olly Alexander pre-recorded their cover of the song — originally released on Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 album, “Actually,” and a U.K. No.1 and U.S. No. 9 hit — ahead of the May 11 live show. The performance, inspired by the hit BBC Channel 4 drama of the same name, which was set during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and starred Alexander, was shown on big screens at the ceremony, with the Years & Years singer watching in the audience.
But it later emerged that the Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, had also been due to be part of the performance,...
Elton and Years & Years’ Olly Alexander pre-recorded their cover of the song — originally released on Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 album, “Actually,” and a U.K. No.1 and U.S. No. 9 hit — ahead of the May 11 live show. The performance, inspired by the hit BBC Channel 4 drama of the same name, which was set during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and starred Alexander, was shown on big screens at the ceremony, with the Years & Years singer watching in the audience.
But it later emerged that the Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, had also been due to be part of the performance,...
- 5/14/2021
- by Mark Sutherland
- Variety Film + TV
Discogs, the bottomless music reference site and music marketplace, has released a list of the 100 most expensive records sold on its platform, and the Number One sale is a fittingly obscure one: a special 12-inch promo vinyl released by the British DJ Scaramanga Silk.
Scaramanga Silk’s 2008 self-released debut, Choose Your Weapon, was released as a promo gatefold with a 12-inch vinyl and a CD-Rom, both of which contain the title track. The release also comes with “an art print by Immyart and a poem on acetate.” Only 20 copies of...
Scaramanga Silk’s 2008 self-released debut, Choose Your Weapon, was released as a promo gatefold with a 12-inch vinyl and a CD-Rom, both of which contain the title track. The release also comes with “an art print by Immyart and a poem on acetate.” Only 20 copies of...
- 2/3/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The Pet Shop Boys have always been a difficult band to categorise. They produce pop, but even their early work was imbued with political critique, perhaps drawing on singer Neil Tennant's background as a journalist, and provided comment on gay issues during the suffocating silent years of Clause 28/Section 2A. When it came to making a film, the only thing they really knew was that they didn't want to fit into one of the usual templates - no wacky international adventures or desperate quests to make it to the big gig. They gave director Jack Bond an almost free hand, and he created one of the oddest pop odysseys in cinematic history.
Not a great film but a fascinating cultural artefact, It Couldn't Happen Here has two very loose, intersecting narrative strands, one of which follows the adult Neil and Chris (Lowe), the other a version of their earlier,...
Not a great film but a fascinating cultural artefact, It Couldn't Happen Here has two very loose, intersecting narrative strands, one of which follows the adult Neil and Chris (Lowe), the other a version of their earlier,...
- 7/7/2020
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
New Order and Pet Shop Boys will embark on a co-headlining North American tour this September.
The 11-date Unity Tour will kick off September 5th at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto and include stops in cities like Boston, New York, Chicago, Vancouver and San Francisco before wrapping October 2nd at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Tickets will go on sale February 28th at 10 a.m. local time, with complete information available via New Order and Pet Shop Boys‘ respective websites.
The Unity Tour marks the first time New Order...
The 11-date Unity Tour will kick off September 5th at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto and include stops in cities like Boston, New York, Chicago, Vancouver and San Francisco before wrapping October 2nd at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Tickets will go on sale February 28th at 10 a.m. local time, with complete information available via New Order and Pet Shop Boys‘ respective websites.
The Unity Tour marks the first time New Order...
- 2/24/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Synth-pop stalwarts the Pet Shop Boys unveiled an infectious new rug-cutter, “Monkey Business,” set to appear on their upcoming album, Hotspot, out January 24th.
The track finds the duo fusing their classic synth sound with elements that seem expertly sourced from a vintage Giorgio Moroder disco track: a thumping four-on-the-floor, dramatic string swipes, lush horns and — for good measure — vocoder-laced vocals. The lyrics boast a delightful energy as well, with Neil Tennant singing, “Bring me margaritas/Champagne and red wine/We’re gonna have a party/Where we all cross...
The track finds the duo fusing their classic synth sound with elements that seem expertly sourced from a vintage Giorgio Moroder disco track: a thumping four-on-the-floor, dramatic string swipes, lush horns and — for good measure — vocoder-laced vocals. The lyrics boast a delightful energy as well, with Neil Tennant singing, “Bring me margaritas/Champagne and red wine/We’re gonna have a party/Where we all cross...
- 1/3/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Pet Shop Boys will release their 14th album, Hotspot, on January 24th, 2020. The album, produced by Stuart Price, features 10 new songs written by band members Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. The band has released a radio edit of one of the new tracks, “Burning the Heather” which features Bernard Butler on guitar.
Hotspot follows Pet Shop Boys’ 2016 album Super, which featured single “The Pop Kids” and appeared on Rolling Stone‘s 20 Best Pop Albums of 2016 list. The new album is available for preorder now.
Pet Shop Boys today announce details of...
Hotspot follows Pet Shop Boys’ 2016 album Super, which featured single “The Pop Kids” and appeared on Rolling Stone‘s 20 Best Pop Albums of 2016 list. The new album is available for preorder now.
Pet Shop Boys today announce details of...
- 11/14/2019
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
The Killers had a pair of surprises in store for their Glastonbury headlining set Saturday as the band brought out both Pet Shop Boys and Johnny Marr during the gig’s encore.
With the iconic British dance duo, the Killers tackled the Pet Shop Boys’ synth-pop rendition of “Always on My Mind” before Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe joined the Killers on that band’s hit “Human.”
What's this?! A @petshopboys and @thekillers duet?
We are Here for this!
Looking forward to The Pet Shop boys headlining for us at...
With the iconic British dance duo, the Killers tackled the Pet Shop Boys’ synth-pop rendition of “Always on My Mind” before Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe joined the Killers on that band’s hit “Human.”
What's this?! A @petshopboys and @thekillers duet?
We are Here for this!
Looking forward to The Pet Shop boys headlining for us at...
- 6/30/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Johnny Marr covered a lot of ground when he stopped by our podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, for an in-depth interview, from the break-up of the Smiths to his excellent new solo album Call the Comet. To hear the entire interview, press play below or download and subscribe on iTunes or Spotify.
More highlights from the conversation:
There’s a genuinely spooky song on your new album called “Walk Into the Sea.” Where did that come from?
Well, the thing with the record was that I was really led by my emotions.
More highlights from the conversation:
There’s a genuinely spooky song on your new album called “Walk Into the Sea.” Where did that come from?
Well, the thing with the record was that I was really led by my emotions.
- 10/31/2018
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
This may come as a shock to some of you, but David Tennant's name isn't actually David Tennant. The Doctor Who and Jessica Jones actor had to choose a stage name when he got in the business of acting due to another actor already having his name, David McDonald. Desperate to find a new last name, Tennant rummaged through a music magazine, and sort of ended up naming himself after Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys. Listen to Tennant describe the process below, and continue on for a bonus Doctor Who story:...
- 5/6/2018
- by Mick Joest
- GeekTyrant
A rescoring of Drive has caused online outrage, but Mark's keeping an open mind about musical reinterpretations
Movie music matters. It's tough to wax lyrical about why it matters without sounding like one of those autocue scripts that we'll be hearing all throughout the coming awards season, probably read out by unlikely pairs of presenters, (“Now, to present the award for Best Sound Editing, Justin Bieber and Angela Lansbury!”) so let's just say that it does.
Whether it's an original score from Hans Zimmer or a jukebox tour of Quentin Tarantino's record collection, a movie's soundtrack informs the tone and timbre of the movie itself. So when we get into the question of movie rescores, we're really getting back into that thorny issue of asking whether the director's original intentions are sacrosanct to any subsequent versions of a film. As some of you may already have guessed, we bring...
Movie music matters. It's tough to wax lyrical about why it matters without sounding like one of those autocue scripts that we'll be hearing all throughout the coming awards season, probably read out by unlikely pairs of presenters, (“Now, to present the award for Best Sound Editing, Justin Bieber and Angela Lansbury!”) so let's just say that it does.
Whether it's an original score from Hans Zimmer or a jukebox tour of Quentin Tarantino's record collection, a movie's soundtrack informs the tone and timbre of the movie itself. So when we get into the question of movie rescores, we're really getting back into that thorny issue of asking whether the director's original intentions are sacrosanct to any subsequent versions of a film. As some of you may already have guessed, we bring...
- 11/10/2014
- by sarahd
- Den of Geek
Pet Shop Boys have been bringing us their Original Synth™ for almost thirty years, and while their last hit in the U.S. was over 25 years ago, they’ve maintained their hitmaking ability in the U.K.
Today is Neil Tennant‘s 60th birthday, so let’s pay tribute by ranking their greatest hits. This is a good place to start your Essential Pet Shop Boys Collection.
10. Absolutely Fabulous
Year: 1994
Album: N/A
Chart Peak: N/A
Of course.
9. Opportunities
Year: 1986
Album: Please
Chart Peak: #10
The second single from their debut, it proved they were no one-hit wonders.
8. Always On My Mind
Year: 1987
Album: Introspective
Chart Peak: #4
Psb first performed their version on Love Me Tender, an ITV television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and it would go one to become one of theirbiggest hits.
7. Left To My Own Devices
Year: 1988
Album: Introspective
Chart Peak: #84
The second single from Introspective,...
Today is Neil Tennant‘s 60th birthday, so let’s pay tribute by ranking their greatest hits. This is a good place to start your Essential Pet Shop Boys Collection.
10. Absolutely Fabulous
Year: 1994
Album: N/A
Chart Peak: N/A
Of course.
9. Opportunities
Year: 1986
Album: Please
Chart Peak: #10
The second single from their debut, it proved they were no one-hit wonders.
8. Always On My Mind
Year: 1987
Album: Introspective
Chart Peak: #4
Psb first performed their version on Love Me Tender, an ITV television special commemorating the tenth anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and it would go one to become one of theirbiggest hits.
7. Left To My Own Devices
Year: 1988
Album: Introspective
Chart Peak: #84
The second single from Introspective,...
- 7/10/2014
- by snicks
- The Backlot
We've banged on in the past about how 'silent film' was never really silent. But when we finally cracked the challenge of joining sound and pictures, live accompaniment naturally fell by the wayside.
It's made something of a niche comeback for revivals of silent movies - from the Pet Shop Boys doing Battleship Potemkin to Minima taking on Nosferatu - and in recent years there's also been an increasing amount of live accompaniment to the talkies.
Asian Dub Foundation made a splash with their 2001 live score for La Haine and the Royal Albert Hall has become the venue of choice for full orchestral concerts alongside a screening. There can be few better examples of how wonderfully this can work than Gladiator, Ridley Scott's 2000 epic.
We're not here to review the film. You know the (ahem) score. But to quickly summarise: They don't make 'em like they used to, except...
It's made something of a niche comeback for revivals of silent movies - from the Pet Shop Boys doing Battleship Potemkin to Minima taking on Nosferatu - and in recent years there's also been an increasing amount of live accompaniment to the talkies.
Asian Dub Foundation made a splash with their 2001 live score for La Haine and the Royal Albert Hall has become the venue of choice for full orchestral concerts alongside a screening. There can be few better examples of how wonderfully this can work than Gladiator, Ridley Scott's 2000 epic.
We're not here to review the film. You know the (ahem) score. But to quickly summarise: They don't make 'em like they used to, except...
- 5/29/2014
- Digital Spy
Neil Tennant on stage at Coachella.
Birthday shoutouts go to Jason Sehorn, who is 43, Emma Thompson is 55, Seth Rogen is 32, and Samantha Fox is 48.
Attention! Magic Mike 2: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (or whatever it’s called) will be released July 3, 2015.
Ryan Murphy teases the surprises in store for Glee‘s final season. Some of it did surprise me.
Out has released their 8th annual list of the 50 most powerful Lgbt people. There are some new additions to the top 10 (Michael Sam)!
Angela Lansbury is now a Dame.
Just when I thought that “Meaty Tuck” was the most unforgettable new phrase of the week, along comes … “Shoe Truther”
"@VanityFair: @ActuallyNPH poses for Annie Leibovitz in the May issue of Vanity Fair pic.twitter.com/GMFfeISqap"” Annie rules! Loved doing this!
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) April 15, 2014
And here we go behind-the-scenes with John Cameron Mitchell.
“Chloe Sevigny” discusses Easter.
We told...
Birthday shoutouts go to Jason Sehorn, who is 43, Emma Thompson is 55, Seth Rogen is 32, and Samantha Fox is 48.
Attention! Magic Mike 2: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (or whatever it’s called) will be released July 3, 2015.
Ryan Murphy teases the surprises in store for Glee‘s final season. Some of it did surprise me.
Out has released their 8th annual list of the 50 most powerful Lgbt people. There are some new additions to the top 10 (Michael Sam)!
Angela Lansbury is now a Dame.
Just when I thought that “Meaty Tuck” was the most unforgettable new phrase of the week, along comes … “Shoe Truther”
"@VanityFair: @ActuallyNPH poses for Annie Leibovitz in the May issue of Vanity Fair pic.twitter.com/GMFfeISqap"” Annie rules! Loved doing this!
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) April 15, 2014
And here we go behind-the-scenes with John Cameron Mitchell.
“Chloe Sevigny” discusses Easter.
We told...
- 4/15/2014
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Derek Jarman is remembered as an innovative film-maker and artist but his stage work is key to his career – even his own residence was a performance
Derek Jarman wandered into theatre, as he did into much of his creative life. The stage design department at the Slade School of Art in 1963 was casually structured, and, for the era, an uncloseted zone of gaiety. He'd previously slapped a distemper brush on scenes for Lorca's Blood Wedding and other plays put on by fellow students at King's College, London. He had not seen much theatre, as movies – even concerts – came cheaper; the first production that really excited him was Peter Brook's short and gory staging of Antonin Artaud's Spurt of Blood in the RSC's 1964 Theatre of Cruelty season.
Jarman put a lot of effort into his design course, outlining a surreal play, The Billboard Promised Land (a mashup of The Wizard of Oz...
Derek Jarman wandered into theatre, as he did into much of his creative life. The stage design department at the Slade School of Art in 1963 was casually structured, and, for the era, an uncloseted zone of gaiety. He'd previously slapped a distemper brush on scenes for Lorca's Blood Wedding and other plays put on by fellow students at King's College, London. He had not seen much theatre, as movies – even concerts – came cheaper; the first production that really excited him was Peter Brook's short and gory staging of Antonin Artaud's Spurt of Blood in the RSC's 1964 Theatre of Cruelty season.
Jarman put a lot of effort into his design course, outlining a surreal play, The Billboard Promised Land (a mashup of The Wizard of Oz...
- 3/9/2014
- by Veronica Horwell
- The Guardian - Film News
How did we come up with our chart? By tallying the votes of our pop writers – and here's what they plumped for
Tim Jonze
Albums
John Wizards – John Wizards
Disclosure – Settle
Paramore – Paramore
Hebronix – Unreal
Kanye West – Yeezus
Christopher Owens – Lysandre
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time
British Sea Power – From The Sea To The Land Beyond
Tracks
Julia Holter – Hello Stranger
Miguel and Mariah Carey – #Beautiful
Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home
Sky Ferreira – You're Not the One
Justin Timberlake – Suit and Tie
Jeffrey Lewis – Wwprd
Paramore – Still Into You
Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge – White Noise
The 1975 – Chocolate
Stylo G – Soundbwoy
Tom Hughes
Albums
15-60-75 The Numbers Band – Jimmy Bell's Still in Town
Meat Wave – Meat Wave
The Drones – I See Seaweed 4
White Fence – Live in San Francisco
Ooga Boogas – Ooga Boogas
Superchunk – I Hate Music
Bits of...
Tim Jonze
Albums
John Wizards – John Wizards
Disclosure – Settle
Paramore – Paramore
Hebronix – Unreal
Kanye West – Yeezus
Christopher Owens – Lysandre
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time
British Sea Power – From The Sea To The Land Beyond
Tracks
Julia Holter – Hello Stranger
Miguel and Mariah Carey – #Beautiful
Drake – Hold On, We're Going Home
Sky Ferreira – You're Not the One
Justin Timberlake – Suit and Tie
Jeffrey Lewis – Wwprd
Paramore – Still Into You
Disclosure feat. AlunaGeorge – White Noise
The 1975 – Chocolate
Stylo G – Soundbwoy
Tom Hughes
Albums
15-60-75 The Numbers Band – Jimmy Bell's Still in Town
Meat Wave – Meat Wave
The Drones – I See Seaweed 4
White Fence – Live in San Francisco
Ooga Boogas – Ooga Boogas
Superchunk – I Hate Music
Bits of...
- 12/23/2013
- by Tom Hughes, Maddy Costa, Tim Jonze, Michael Hann, Malik Meer, Rebecca Nicholson, Nosheen Iqbal, Alexis Petridis, Dom Lawson, Paul Lester, Louis Pattison, Kitty Empire, Kate Hutchinson, Betty Clarke, Paul MacInnes, Kieran Yates, Ian Gittins, Jude Rogers, Dave Simpson, Alex Needham, Dan Hancox, Daniel Martin, Sam Wolfson, Ally Carnwath, Stevie Chick, Dorian Lynskey, Sam Richards, Caroline Sullivan, Chris Salmon, Michael Cragg, Alex Macpherson, Sean Michaels, Tom Lamont, Killian Fox, Adam Boult, Harriet Gibsone
- The Guardian - Film News
Nestled in the announcement about the 2014 Brit Awards was confirmation that next year's ceremony willbe the last hosted by James Corden.
Having made his debut alongside Kylie Minogue and comedy partner Mat Horne in 2009, Corden will have presented the annual backslapping event solo for four consecutive years, the longest stint in its history.
In the past, the Brits have changed host year-on-year, with only a handful (Tim Rice, Noel Edmonds, Simon Bates, Ben Elton, Chris Evans) getting a couple of consecutive shows under their belt.
Given Corden's safe-pair-of-hands success, we can well see the British Phonographic Industry looking to pick another long-term prospect. Either way, Digital Spy rounds out some possible replacements for Corden.
Alan Carr
The reason for Corden's success was his ability to (in the main) successfully juggle a sense of fun with the respectful deference the suits and stars demand from The Brits. Carr has of course...
Having made his debut alongside Kylie Minogue and comedy partner Mat Horne in 2009, Corden will have presented the annual backslapping event solo for four consecutive years, the longest stint in its history.
In the past, the Brits have changed host year-on-year, with only a handful (Tim Rice, Noel Edmonds, Simon Bates, Ben Elton, Chris Evans) getting a couple of consecutive shows under their belt.
Given Corden's safe-pair-of-hands success, we can well see the British Phonographic Industry looking to pick another long-term prospect. Either way, Digital Spy rounds out some possible replacements for Corden.
Alan Carr
The reason for Corden's success was his ability to (in the main) successfully juggle a sense of fun with the respectful deference the suits and stars demand from The Brits. Carr has of course...
- 11/28/2013
- Digital Spy
Think silent films reached a high point with The Artist? The pre-sound era produced some of the most beautiful, arresting films ever made. From City Lights to Metropolis, Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best
• Top 10 teen movies
• Top 10 superhero movies
• Top 10 westerns
• Top 10 documentaries
• Top 10 movie adaptations
• Top 10 animated movies
• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s
10. City Lights
City Lights was arguably the biggest risk of Charlie Chaplin's career: The Jazz Singer, released at the end of 1927, had seen sound take cinema by storm, but Chaplin resisted the change-up, preferring to continue in the silent tradition. In retrospect, this isn't so much the precious behaviour of a purist but the smart reaction of an experienced comedian; Chaplin's films rarely used intertitles anyway, and though it is technically "silent", City Lights is very mindful of it own self-composed score and keenly judged sound effects.
At its heart,...
• Top 10 teen movies
• Top 10 superhero movies
• Top 10 westerns
• Top 10 documentaries
• Top 10 movie adaptations
• Top 10 animated movies
• More Guardian and Observer critics' top 10s
10. City Lights
City Lights was arguably the biggest risk of Charlie Chaplin's career: The Jazz Singer, released at the end of 1927, had seen sound take cinema by storm, but Chaplin resisted the change-up, preferring to continue in the silent tradition. In retrospect, this isn't so much the precious behaviour of a purist but the smart reaction of an experienced comedian; Chaplin's films rarely used intertitles anyway, and though it is technically "silent", City Lights is very mindful of it own self-composed score and keenly judged sound effects.
At its heart,...
- 11/22/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
After last year’s introspective “Elysium,” Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant return with “Electric,” an aggressively dance-oriented album of eight originals and one very interesting cover. This is an album to thump, not think, your way through. The album marks the first time Psb have worked on a studio album with producer Stuart Price, best known for his work with Madonna and The Killers. Price has talked about combining “Old school synth and drum machine programming and new school computer mangling” for the album. That intent is clear from the the album’s opener, "Axis." An instrumental with a relentless rat-a-tat that looks...
- 7/16/2013
- Hitfix
Birthday shoutouts go to Gale Harold (above), who is 43, Sofia Vergara is 41, Neil Tennant is 59, and Alec Mapa is 48.
Damon Wayans, Jr. is set to reprise his role as Coach from the New Girl pilot for a “Major Season Three Arc.”
John Barrowman thinks the next Doctor should be a woman: “We’ve had great guys playing the role. The character of River Song was so popular in the last part of the series and it was such an impact, why shouldn’t we have a female doctor.”
James Franco will be “honored” with a roast on Comedy Central. Drinking game! Take a shot every time someone makes a “He’s so gay …” joke.
Speaking of dumb gay jokes to look forward to, there’s going to be a gay character when Two and a Half Men comes back this fall.
Andrew Garfield on Spider-Man’s sexuality: ‘Why can’t he be gay?...
Damon Wayans, Jr. is set to reprise his role as Coach from the New Girl pilot for a “Major Season Three Arc.”
John Barrowman thinks the next Doctor should be a woman: “We’ve had great guys playing the role. The character of River Song was so popular in the last part of the series and it was such an impact, why shouldn’t we have a female doctor.”
James Franco will be “honored” with a roast on Comedy Central. Drinking game! Take a shot every time someone makes a “He’s so gay …” joke.
Speaking of dumb gay jokes to look forward to, there’s going to be a gay character when Two and a Half Men comes back this fall.
Andrew Garfield on Spider-Man’s sexuality: ‘Why can’t he be gay?...
- 7/10/2013
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Neil Tennant has acknowledged that the Pet Shop Boys’ new album will come as something of a relief to the band’s fans, after their most recent efforts diverted from their much-loved disco anthem sound.
“No one got excited when they heard the Pet Shop Boys were releasing an album about living in La and getting old,” he muses to HuffPostUK. “But they strangely got a bit more enlivened by the news that a disco album was on the way.”
The Pet Shop Boys’ mastery of this particular genre has resulted in 50 million album sales, including a catalogue of hits including 'West End Girls', 'Rent' and 'Go West'.
Go on... remind yourself...
For their 12th studio album, 'Electric', they’ve turned to the talents of master-mixer Stuart Price, the man who put Madonna on the dance-floor for the 'Confessions' album.
“I’m not a purist, but you could call it purely electronic,...
“No one got excited when they heard the Pet Shop Boys were releasing an album about living in La and getting old,” he muses to HuffPostUK. “But they strangely got a bit more enlivened by the news that a disco album was on the way.”
The Pet Shop Boys’ mastery of this particular genre has resulted in 50 million album sales, including a catalogue of hits including 'West End Girls', 'Rent' and 'Go West'.
Go on... remind yourself...
For their 12th studio album, 'Electric', they’ve turned to the talents of master-mixer Stuart Price, the man who put Madonna on the dance-floor for the 'Confessions' album.
“I’m not a purist, but you could call it purely electronic,...
- 7/8/2013
- by Caroline Frost
- Huffington Post
Zachary Quinto attends Summer Party On The Highline
Birthday shoutouts go to Paul MCartney, who is 71, Carol Kane is 61 and Alison Moyet is 52.
Longtime readers of the TheBacklot (formerly AfterElton) will surely know Dennis in Mpls, TheFixer and Mockingjay. This intrepid trio has banded together to start a website called The New Millennial Gay Experience. We know a little something about the headaches of launching a new website, so our hat is off to them and we wish them every success with this venture.
Jeb Bush: Republicans should fake it.
Cher To Headline NYC’s Pride Dance On The Pier.
Armie Hammer is the latest Hollywood hunk to deny reports he’s going to play Christian Grey.
17 Lgbt Political Moments That Made Us Proud This Year.
I’m glad I’m not the only one getting tired of all talk, no action.
Samantha Bee is a Goddess. And it...
Birthday shoutouts go to Paul MCartney, who is 71, Carol Kane is 61 and Alison Moyet is 52.
Longtime readers of the TheBacklot (formerly AfterElton) will surely know Dennis in Mpls, TheFixer and Mockingjay. This intrepid trio has banded together to start a website called The New Millennial Gay Experience. We know a little something about the headaches of launching a new website, so our hat is off to them and we wish them every success with this venture.
Jeb Bush: Republicans should fake it.
Cher To Headline NYC’s Pride Dance On The Pier.
Armie Hammer is the latest Hollywood hunk to deny reports he’s going to play Christian Grey.
17 Lgbt Political Moments That Made Us Proud This Year.
I’m glad I’m not the only one getting tired of all talk, no action.
Samantha Bee is a Goddess. And it...
- 6/18/2013
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Some have argued that 1988 was the greatest year for summer cinema: Die Hard, Bull Durham, Big, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Coming to America, and A Fish Called Wanda all clocked us with genre-bending ingenuity in ’88. I was thinking about it the other day, and I’m prepared to call 1988 one of the best years for pop/dance music too. If you’re like me and worship things like silver anniversaries, hopefully you can make use of this jam-packed list: 10 underrated dance jams from ’88 that will fill your summer of 2013 with monumental firepower. It’s 1988, and it’s forever our girl.
1. Jody Watley, “Most Of All”
A sentimental favorite from the Best New Artist of ’87: Jody Watley‘s self-titled debut album produced five singles, the last of which was released in April of ’88. The heartbreak anthem “Most of All” pairs a danceable chorus with a sad lyric, and for a...
1. Jody Watley, “Most Of All”
A sentimental favorite from the Best New Artist of ’87: Jody Watley‘s self-titled debut album produced five singles, the last of which was released in April of ’88. The heartbreak anthem “Most of All” pairs a danceable chorus with a sad lyric, and for a...
- 6/18/2013
- by Louis Virtel
- The Backlot
Tavi Gevinson isn't just a style icon and a wise-beyond-her-years feminist; she can sing and act, too. The young multitasker stars in the 2-D animated short "Cadaver," alongside Christopher Lloyd and Kathy Bates. After months of waiting, we're thrilled to present the premiere of the highly anticipated film.
"Cadaver" tells the story of a dead older man who comes back to life to bid his wife a final farewell. According to director and writer Jonah Ansell, the film "began as a short, whimsical poem that I wrote to my kid sister the day she cut open her first dead body as a med student at Chicago’s Northwestern University." Gevinson scored the role of the med student because, as she told The Huffington Post, "We're like real-life friends because our families go to the same temple and have had like, Rosh Hashana together."
The seven minute film also features Gevinson's...
"Cadaver" tells the story of a dead older man who comes back to life to bid his wife a final farewell. According to director and writer Jonah Ansell, the film "began as a short, whimsical poem that I wrote to my kid sister the day she cut open her first dead body as a med student at Chicago’s Northwestern University." Gevinson scored the role of the med student because, as she told The Huffington Post, "We're like real-life friends because our families go to the same temple and have had like, Rosh Hashana together."
The seven minute film also features Gevinson's...
- 1/16/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
London, Jan 2: British rock band Ultravox's 1981 hit 'Vienna' has been named as UK's favourite number two single.
The track topped the survey by BBC Radio 2 and the Official Charts Company to find the greatest song, which missed out on the number one spot.
Vienna was held off the top spot in 1981 by novelty track 'Shaddup You Face' by Joe Dolce, the BBC reported.
Christmas favourite 'Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl came in at second place.
The 1987 hit was beaten to the top by the Pet Shop Boys' cover of Elvis Presley hit 'Always On My Mind.'
Other songs to feature in the top 10 include.
The track topped the survey by BBC Radio 2 and the Official Charts Company to find the greatest song, which missed out on the number one spot.
Vienna was held off the top spot in 1981 by novelty track 'Shaddup You Face' by Joe Dolce, the BBC reported.
Christmas favourite 'Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl came in at second place.
The 1987 hit was beaten to the top by the Pet Shop Boys' cover of Elvis Presley hit 'Always On My Mind.'
Other songs to feature in the top 10 include.
- 1/2/2013
- by Meeta Kabra
- RealBollywood.com
Newcastle city council has been criticised by a host of musicians with connections to the North-East for its planned cuts to the culture budget. Music legends including Bryan Ferry, Sting and The Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant have sent an open letter to The Guardian opposing the "shortsighted attack" on the city's cultural life. Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler and Thomas Allen were also signatories alongside writers Pat Barker and Tony Harrison and actors Robson Green and Kevin Whately. They call the cuts "economically disastrous", saying that "the council's support helps these arts organisations (more)...
- 12/17/2012
- by By Hugh Armitage
- Digital Spy
Pet Shop Boys have announced the first two UK dates for their 2013 'Electric' tour. The gigs will showcase the duo's first stage production since the 'Pandemonium' tour, which began in 2009 and was performed around the world. Pet Shop Boys will play London's O2 Arena on June 18 and Manchester Arena on June 20, with European and Us dates expected to be announced soon. They will work with Stuart Price (Madonna, The Killers) on the music, (more)...
- 12/5/2012
- by By Colin Daniels
- Digital Spy
Pet Shop Boys have unveiled their new single 'Memory of the Future'. The track, which is available to download from December 31, has been re-worked by producer Stuart Price for its release. Listen to the new version of 'Memory of the Future' below: Grammy Award-winning Price has previously worked with the likes of Madonna, Kylie Minogue, The Killers, Lady GaGa and Scissor (more)...
- 11/15/2012
- by By Robert Copsey
- Digital Spy
Jessie Ware has released a new remix Ep online. The singer has unveiled a series of reworkings of her track 'No To Love', which features on her debut album Devotion. The Ep includes remixes from George Fitzgerald, Ewan Pearson and Todd Edwards, whose previous work includes Pet Shop Boys, Goldfrapp and Daft Punk. Ware plays the final date of her sold-out UK tour in Bristol tonight (November 14), before (more)...
- 11/14/2012
- by By Robert Copsey
- Digital Spy
Jennifer Hudson, Jesse L. Martin, and Sean Hayes are all booked to appear on the next season of NBC's Smash, but the show's newest choice of guest-star is a tad more eye-popping: Liza Minnelli will appear as herself and sing an original song by composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. I say we use this news to explore our own absinthe fantasies about what Liza really could achieve on Smash. Here's what I've come up with.
Eileen Rand (Anjelica Huston) and Liza glumly duet on the Pet Shop Boys/Liza classic, "Losing My Mind." Throughout the song, Eileen and Liza repeatedly throw slow-motion martini splashes at each other, and by the end of the song, they've disappeared in a sea of vermouth and olives. Too conceptual? I think it's just enough to frazzle Debra Messing for five-to-eight minutes, before she goes on being frazzled about something else. I would also...
Eileen Rand (Anjelica Huston) and Liza glumly duet on the Pet Shop Boys/Liza classic, "Losing My Mind." Throughout the song, Eileen and Liza repeatedly throw slow-motion martini splashes at each other, and by the end of the song, they've disappeared in a sea of vermouth and olives. Too conceptual? I think it's just enough to frazzle Debra Messing for five-to-eight minutes, before she goes on being frazzled about something else. I would also...
- 11/13/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
Pet Shop Boys have premiered their new music video online. The duo will release 'Leaving' on October 14 as the latest cut to be lifted from their recent album Elysium. The single will also be available physically on CD and 12" vinyl from October 15 and will contain extra tracks and remixes. New tracks include 'Hell' - which was originally planned to feature on Elysium - and 'In His Imagination'. A limited-edition (more)...
- 10/1/2012
- by By Lewis Corner
- Digital Spy
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
When Muse released a trailer for their new album, The 2nd Law, many fans of the alternative rockers were somewhat distraught to hear a bit of dubstep in the mix. Were Matt Bellamy and Co heading into an electro-pop area of music that would probably alienate some of their long-term fans?
Well, those fears are well and truly laid to rest from the first track of The 2nd Law as Muse pick up more or less directly where they left off with 2009’s The Resistance, only with a bit of evolution to incorporate what seems like every genre of music into the 13 tracks. The new material still has a number of symphonic tracks, plenty of thudding drum driven rockers and a handful of almost-ballads. But it does not end there.
The influences behind the new album seems to stem from a bit of Led Zeppelin on...
When Muse released a trailer for their new album, The 2nd Law, many fans of the alternative rockers were somewhat distraught to hear a bit of dubstep in the mix. Were Matt Bellamy and Co heading into an electro-pop area of music that would probably alienate some of their long-term fans?
Well, those fears are well and truly laid to rest from the first track of The 2nd Law as Muse pick up more or less directly where they left off with 2009’s The Resistance, only with a bit of evolution to incorporate what seems like every genre of music into the 13 tracks. The new material still has a number of symphonic tracks, plenty of thudding drum driven rockers and a handful of almost-ballads. But it does not end there.
The influences behind the new album seems to stem from a bit of Led Zeppelin on...
- 9/26/2012
- by Anthony Lund
- Obsessed with Film
Pet Shop Boys have revealed that they almost entered a track for Eurovision. The electronic duo explained that they were invited by the BBC to submit a song for the annual contest, but that the track 'Winner' eventually morphed into their own anthem for the London 2012 Olympics. "It was slightly with Eurovision in mind," Neil Tennant told BBC Breakfast. "The BBC asked us if we were interested, then when the album came out it seemed like the right time to release it." The pair performed their classic hit 'West End Girls' at the Olympics closing ceremony last month, while (more)...
- 9/17/2012
- by By Tom Eames
- Digital Spy
Here is last week's caption pic winner. This week's caption pic is at the bottom of the page.
Thanks to everyone for participating! The winner is ...
"I am always prepared if a cute guy wants to give me his number."
Thanks to chronomaxx for this week's winning caption!
Weekend Birthdays! (Note: Birthday shoutouts are for out entertainers, allies, or for any celeb that seems to have a following on Ae). Ben Cohen (above) is 34, Andrew Lincoln is 39, Tommy Lee Jones is 66, Tom Hardy is 35, Dave Annable is 33, Jennifer Tilly is 54, Richard Marx is 49, Molly Shannon is 48, and Amy Winehouse would have been 29. Jesse L. Martin is joining the cast of Smash, as a theater company artistic director who may become involved with Debra Messing's character. In ratings news, Glee's move to Thursday was down 13% from last season’s opener, but was up 14% from last season's finale. Plus it...
Thanks to everyone for participating! The winner is ...
"I am always prepared if a cute guy wants to give me his number."
Thanks to chronomaxx for this week's winning caption!
Weekend Birthdays! (Note: Birthday shoutouts are for out entertainers, allies, or for any celeb that seems to have a following on Ae). Ben Cohen (above) is 34, Andrew Lincoln is 39, Tommy Lee Jones is 66, Tom Hardy is 35, Dave Annable is 33, Jennifer Tilly is 54, Richard Marx is 49, Molly Shannon is 48, and Amy Winehouse would have been 29. Jesse L. Martin is joining the cast of Smash, as a theater company artistic director who may become involved with Debra Messing's character. In ratings news, Glee's move to Thursday was down 13% from last season’s opener, but was up 14% from last season's finale. Plus it...
- 9/14/2012
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Benedict Cumberbatch led calls for an encore at The Killers' iTunes Festival gig.
The Sherlock actor was spotted among the crowds at London's Roundhouse, where he rocked out to the band's greatest hits.
Brandon Flowers and the band thrilled crowds with slick versions of songs including Jenny, Human and Mr Brightside, and some new material including the Pet Shop Boys-esque Flesh And Bone.
When they left the stage, Parade's End star Benedict was among the first to shout for an encore.
The actor stamped his feet and clapped in time, to cries of "Elementary!" from fans who had spotted him.
The Killers release their first album in two years, Battle Born, on Monday and are streaming it this week on iTunes.
The Sherlock actor was spotted among the crowds at London's Roundhouse, where he rocked out to the band's greatest hits.
Brandon Flowers and the band thrilled crowds with slick versions of songs including Jenny, Human and Mr Brightside, and some new material including the Pet Shop Boys-esque Flesh And Bone.
When they left the stage, Parade's End star Benedict was among the first to shout for an encore.
The actor stamped his feet and clapped in time, to cries of "Elementary!" from fans who had spotted him.
The Killers release their first album in two years, Battle Born, on Monday and are streaming it this week on iTunes.
- 9/13/2012
- by PA
- Huffington Post
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