What were you listening to BEFORE Pet Shop Boys

[raggatwin]

Ghosts by Japan is brilliant song. It still sounds modern today.

[Radiophonic]

Indeed. But I don't think anything from their last three albums has dated.

I read a quote from an interview of Neil saying something like "Pet Shop Boys got 'the David Sylvian crossover audience" Can anyone put the quote into context?

I was very hesitant about getting into Pet Shop Boys music at first because I didn't want to be drawn into the same collecting frenzy of my Japan/Sylvian obsession.

[NC2E]

I read a quote from an interview of Neil saying something like "Pet Shop Boys got 'the David Sylvian crossover audience" Can anyone put the quote into context?

It's from Q in 1988:

Their hardcore following is the mainstream club audience, Neil claims — "slightly to the left of Stock, Aitken and Waterman. And then we often get accused, particularly in Europe, of being a Yuppie group, and that our LPs are bought on CD for people to listen to on their car stereos. To be honest, it's true to an extent. And when we did record signings in America, in Dallas a whole family came to see us: the mother, her daughter and the grandmother were all Pet Shop Boys fans. We do get a lot of letters from mothers. Mothers like me! And also I get the fans that write poetry: I have a slight David Sylvian crossover audience, whereas Chris gets the sex audience, the ones who write obscene letters! It's quite thrilling, actually!"

You can read the whole interview here:
Outsiderdom: The Pet Shop Boys

[Syncratic]

I have that issue of Q.

[Radiophonic]

I read a quote from an interview of Neil saying something like "Pet Shop Boys got 'the David Sylvian crossover audience" Can anyone put the quote into context?

You can read the whole interview here:
Outsiderdom: The Pet Shop Boys

Thanks for that.

[mole973102]

In 1986 I ticked off both A-ha and Pet Shop Boys on a wallchart 'Top 40 Chart'.
For years I had a cassette where I had recorded the Top 40 of the Year from 1986 with Bruno Brookes. Sadly it is now lost forever...

[Patrick Bateman]

So's Bruno.....

[Oznerol]

Thnks God with PSB I found the real musical way..before them what I liked the most were Falco and Sigue Sigue Sputnik...

[FormerEnfantTerrible]

I listened to a lot of Ego Music....

[Deschanel]

Blondie, Donna Summer, Chic and tons of other disco, LA stuff like Berlin and Missing Persons, tons of other pop stuff, especially from the UK- I barely need list them, the Durans and the whole "2d British Invasion" of UK pop bands that are so well known. Watch an early 80's John Hughes movie to see what I mean. Culture Club, Madness, Eurythmics and 900 other minor one-hits just poured over here in those days.

My very, very first impression or idea that PSB existed came from an (expensive, imported) issue of Blitz or The Face in early 1985, where there was a slim ad on the side of the page for "Opportunities" , just Neil smiling in a suit and tie with a large $ dollar sign on his lapel. I instantly hated him. That dollar $ign pin annoyed me as a semi-punky teen. So much.

Then that spring, some of my classmates returned from a school trip to Italy (I had gone the year before. Exchange rates were favorable, this is not the huge luxury it seems today) and West End girls was apparently hugely popular in Europe (or at least, touristy discos in Italy) , a girl I had a crush on told me about it, I remembered the "Opportunities" ad , and pondered. Sure enough it was a hit here too soon, but we didn't have MTV where I live, had to tape it off "Friday Night Videos" on NBC. Sorry for the digression/useless info. Just, I really hated PSB before I loved them. Weird,I know.

[PSBee]

Very wide range over the years...

ELO
The beach Boys
UK Subs
Siouxsie & The Banshees
Blondie
The Skids
Killing Joke
Echo & The Bunnymen
The Jam
Spandau Ballet
Duran Duran

[Radiophonic]

The above tracks opened up a mixtape I made in 1985. If I can remember what the others were I'll include them later. I think there was some Soft Cell, Virna Lindt, George Michael, David Sylvian on it.

[prospect]

Blimey. First thoughts, from memory - everything from Abba and A-ha to Billy Idol, OMD, The Jam, Soft Cell and breakdance/hip-hop.

And then I did a website check of what was in the charts in the early eighties. Just astounding how many tracks I could probably still sing, word-perfect. Happy days.

[daveid]

He drinks in my local pub. I love the hip hop track he did with mos def, tinisletown to the boogie down.

Not the Pembury Tavern in Hackney?

[RaciePSB]

Blondie, Donna Summer, Chic and tons of other disco, LA stuff like Berlin and Missing Persons, tons of other pop stuff, especially from the UK- I barely need list them, the Durans and the whole "2d British Invasion" of UK pop bands that are so well known. Watch an early 80's John Hughes movie to see what I mean. Culture Club, Madness, Eurythmics and 900 other minor one-hits just poured over here in those days.

My very, very first impression or idea that PSB existed came from an (expensive, imported) issue of Blitz or The Face in early 1985, where there was a slim ad on the side of the page for "Opportunities" , just Neil smiling in a suit and tie with a large $ dollar sign on his lapel. I instantly hated him. That dollar $ign pin annoyed me as a semi-punky teen. So much.

Then that spring, some of my classmates returned from a school trip to Italy (I had gone the year before. Exchange rates were favorable, this is not the huge luxury it seems today) and West End girls was apparently hugely popular in Europe (or at least, touristy discos in Italy) , a girl I had a crush on told me about it, I remembered the "Opportunities" ad , and pondered. Sure enough it was a hit here too soon, but we didn't have MTV where I live, had to tape it off "Friday Night Videos" on NBC. Sorry for the digression/useless info. Just, I really hated PSB before I loved them. Weird,I know.

Wow! Can't help but feel I've kind of missed out on something quite big musicwise after reading that Sean! You certainly know your stuff.

For me it was just a matter of whatever was in the charts at the time, and to be honest, nothing stands out to me before the first time I heard 'West End Girls', in the way that every relationship you've ever had seems to feel insignificant next to 'true love' when it happens along. ..Except that PSB has kept my heart in a way no boyfriend ever managed to. *sigh!*