Pet Shop Boys Anonymous

[stew]

i dont feel un cool people like football and that is 22 sweaty men running around a pitch!

i talk about and make my friends listen to music by them and even watch who cares what other people think amyway!

[bobblekat]

Having lived both in Germany and the UK, I find there is more of a stigma attached to being a PSB fan in the UK, actually. Which is a disgrace considering it is their home country.

But then hey, a vast majority in this country are morons

[Jareth]

But then hey, a vast majority in this country are morons

Very true. Too many stupid lad types.

[No Muscle Mary]

I seem to have spent my whole life defending them and I will go on doing so.

99% of people think I have crap taste in music. I just chalk it down to ignorance.

[kennym]

I was just thinking about why cool...

Cool is free acceptance by others. Your safe because you are with the status quo. You don't stand out and you follow a trend that nobody is really leading. You do something or act a particular way because you have seen others do it and gain acceptance from others. Cool is popular.

well that is totally the opposite of what PSB are all about. So I guess PSB are not cool they never were about being cool and they never will be cool. They are about being different. They are about trying new things. They have diversity and are not caged in by the need of acceptance. (to a point of course, they are signed to a record label and need a level of commercialism)

It definitely isnt cool in Scotland to like psb but I'm never averse to talking about them in the "cool" crowd and although you get pelters from some, a lot of people will admit to liking their old stuff and only some of their new stuff.

Believe/Like it or not pacific, for three or four years between 85 and 89 the psb were considered very "cool" . People copied Neil's hairstyle for goodness sake! He was the original Jason Donovan!

To say psb act in an intentional uncool manner is a '93 onwards thing and seems to only happen when it suits.

I blame the slow demise ( i say demise loosely as they are still huge) on @ssholes like Jimmy Sommerville and Andy Bell who tried to out them before they were ready. Complete anonymity on their sexuality until the attitude article wouldve seen them maintain the aura of cool a lot longer.

It's a horrible society we live in sometimes.

Did Andy Bell try to 'out' them?

Living in Edinburgh it's not easy to say that you are a fan of the Pet Shop Boys. I recently had friends round for my sons Birthday Party. My 2 year old son likes dancing and his Mummy said "Yeah he loves dancing to Pet Shop Boys!" to which someone said "Oh dear!". Mummy then explained to the visitor that Daddy is a big Pet Shop Boys fan and obviously feeling silly she said "Ah i used to like a lot of their stuff.."

Had my wife said my son likes dancing to New Order or Depeche Mode there is no way that there would have been a "Oh dear..".

After 20 years it would be madness to rebrand the name Pet Shop Boys but i do think it provokes an image of a cheesy 80's Gay disco group.

But then, who cares?

[Kirk Mack]

Whenever friends that aren't fans say something snide about PSB, I just remind them of the many times they've read Lord of the Rings and all the versions of the DVD they own.


That shuts them up.

[i probably would]

Well call me uncool if you like but I still wear my psb t-shirts and my nightlife tour hat which i love and still looks cool. I am not ashamed of liking Pet Shop Boys nor am i ashamed to admiting it and I can't for the life of me see why some of us should like them in secret. I wouldn't say Depeche Mode or New Order were any more or less cool - to be honest I like all of them but no-one comes close to the mighty PSB.

"Yeah he loves dancing to Pet Shop Boys!" to which someone said "Oh dear!".

So what did that person say what music they liked - Shayne Ward or any of the pap idol rubbish that is being churned out purely for money.

So Petheads get those old t-shirts out and play psb loud and spread the word! If anyone challenges you on why you like psb say what i say. I bet you like at least one psb song and as you remind them how many hits they have had then they soon change their minds.

But then, who cares?

[Synature]

I think I understand b@man. My closest friend loves PSB. Even though I don't really care what my friends are listening to it's nice to have him available for Pet Shop moments; new releases, concerts etc. He definitely adds to the excitement level. It would not be the same without him.
My advice: Next PSB concert you go to, make connections. You already have one thing in common with everyone there!