Recording of DJ Culture and Was It Worth It?

[leesmapman]

I wonder if Behaviour had been released last year people would have written it off as quickly.

To be honest, I did write it off pretty quickly back in the day.

And Was it worth it? is a perfect showcase for what was to come: Very.

[JJ Naas]

And Was it worth it? is a perfect showcase for what was to come: Very.

Yeah, Was It Worth It was the first track with the bubbly Very -sound, maybe some Cicero tracks had that as well. Which I love, Very made me a fan.

[nervousboy]

I think The End of the World should have been one of the singles, to me it's the catchiest song on the album. I still don't understand why it wasn't.

I recall there was some discussion at HQ about this being a single but Jealousy won the argument.

[OakeyDokey]

A ballad is often the third/fourth single from a successful album as a consolidation exercise/showing a different side to a pop artist.

In this case, as much as I love Jealousy, the last single from the record probably needed to be something more urgent or dancey as a salvage operation after Being Boring's disappointing commercial performance.

To that degree, The End Of The World would have been a better choice - while not quite ticking all the boxes but I'm not sure anything from the Behaviour batch would have done. Still my favourite album/era though!

[Drico One]

Going back to DJ Culture and Was it worth it?, I loved the presentation of these singles - the videos for both were great in their differing ways. The playfulness of the DJ Culture video contrasted to its relatively serious subject matter and was a counterbalace to the rather po-faced miserablism of the Pet Shop Boys image to date. The artwork was striking too, with the two of them posing in front of and behind banks of technology. At a time when every spotty scallywag fancied themselves as bedroom DJs, this was a rejoinder that our heroes were operating on an altogether higher plane and that while sampling was now universal, it helped to have something original to say if you were going to indulge. They took the theme to its logical conclusion by backing the single with Music for boys.

Was it worth it? was, in some ways, a feelgood release by comparison. From the artwork dolls to the percolating profundity of Miserablism, this release holds fond memories. The extended mix is also one of their very best.

B-sides in this era were off the charts. From Bet she's not your girlfriend to Miserablism, a Pet Shop Boys single was an essential event in my life at this time - and you really depended on getting your hands on the CD single as you just didn't hear these tracks otherwise. This is why something like Alternative was such a revelation in 1995. There were tracks on there that many fans just had not heard prior to that point.

Drico.

[Gabby]

B-sides in this era were off the charts. From Bet she's not your girlfriend to Miserablism, a Pet Shop Boys single was an essential event in my life at this time - and you really depended on getting your hands on the CD single as you just didn't hear these tracks otherwise. This is why something like Alternative was such a revelation in 1995. There were tracks on there that many fans just had not heard prior to that point.

Drico.

My god, the B-sides were always top drawer - part of the reason I got into PSB to start with. It's funny how you say so many people hadn't heard them before Alternative - it's something I completely take for granted because I was such an avid collector I reckon there was almost nothing on Alternative I hadn't already heard. I almost wish I had had that "first listen" moment with Alternative. It would have been revelatory for many I am sure.

[daveid]

Going back to DJ Culture and Was it worth it?, I loved the presentation of these singles - the videos for both were great in their differing ways. The playfulness of the DJ Culture video contrasted to its relatively serious subject matter and was a counterbalace to the rather po-faced miserablism of the Pet Shop Boys image to date. The artwork was striking too, with the two of them posing in front of and behind banks of technology. At a time when every spotty scallywag fancied themselves as bedroom DJs, this was a rejoinder that our heroes were operating on an altogether higher plane and that while sampling was now universal, it helped to have something original to say if you were going to indulge. They took the theme to its logical conclusion by backing the single with Music for boys.

Was it worth it? was, in some ways, a feelgood release by comparison. From the artwork dolls to the percolating profundity of Miserablism, this release holds fond memories. The extended mix is also one of their very best.

B-sides in this era were off the charts. From Bet she's not your girlfriend to Miserablism, a Pet Shop Boys single was an essential event in my life at this time - and you really depended on getting your hands on the CD single as you just didn't hear these tracks otherwise. This is why something like Alternative was such a revelation in 1995. There were tracks on there that many fans just had not heard prior to that point.

Drico.

What I find really weird is that the very next single after Was it worth it?, Can you forgive her?? also had dolls-of-a-sort on the cover. Strange times.

[RichBeard]

I remember the ‘wow’ moment when I bought Alternative.. it was like discovering a totally new PSB! I love the interview inside the sleeve, I remember being blown away by how articulate & funny they were! And the b-sides from the Behaviour era are amazing, totally agree..

I’ve always loved DJ Culture.. some great lyrics, love the, ‘like Liz before Betty, she after Sean’ line, genius in my mind! A beautifully bleak sounding melody too.. always love Neil’s spoken choruses as well..

Was it worth it? Is just a jem.. I remember being so gutted when it wasn’t on PopArt!

I remember checking the UK chart positions inside Discography, I was shocked Was it worth it? wasn’t a big hit! And DJC only no. 13 I think.. that’s criminal!

Both singles are classics for me..

[stormynight]

Personally, I think DJ Culture is one of their weakest singles, but I'm odd like that.
To answer your question: both tracks have been composed for the compilation. I think the genesis of DJ Culture is mentioned in the PSB vs. America book, but I'm not sure about that.

That´s excatly what Neil said back in 2003. DJ Culture is not a Single, actually. More an album track,

[DakotaSoul]

They performed was it worth it live at the Hacienda show in 1992.

https://www.mixcloud.com/heejune-park/p ... 13-may-92/

[OakeyDokey]

Thanks for that, some interesting arrangements in that set.

Rent sounds so bad-ass, a real tour de force. Interesting harmonies in Love comes quickly, maybe doesn't always work. And great to hear a live version of Was It Worth It? of course.

[Dog]

Thanks for that, some interesting arrangements in that set.

Rent sounds so bad-ass, a real tour de force. Interesting harmonies in Love comes quickly, maybe doesn't always work. And great to hear a live version of Was It Worth It? of course.

Yes it’s an excellent version of Rent. I’ve always hoped they’d wheel it out again.

[Enrique]

Impressive. Thanks

[minimal]

Maybe that's an unpopular opinion to share in this forum but it has been on their most recent tour that I thought the way they reinterpreted and programmed older material (i.e. the hits) sounded incredibly weak. It appeared to me that absolute bangers like Domino Dancing, Always on my mind et al. lost all their charme, character, energy. This particular set is the complete opposite: it's raw, full of energy, and quite possibly PSB at a creative peak. I've often thought that PSB during and around Behaviour were also the most open-minded throughout their career. Their live gig at the Hacienda supports the thesis, IMHO. Just look at that setlist. Oh boy.

Don't get me wrong: I'm looking foward to attending the Greatest Hits tour as we never had such a particular concept before. However, I wish they'd be more open, provocative and creative again if it comes the arrangements of the songs.

Of all the tours I've attended, which means every tour since Release, I have to admit that Release was the best in terms of the live versions performed.

m+

[Gabby]

Maybe that's an unpopular opinion to share in this forum but it has been on their most recent tour that I thought the way they reinterpreted and programmed older material (i.e. the hits) sounded incredibly weak. It appeared to me that absolute bangers like Domino Dancing, Always on my mind et al. lost all their charme, character, energy. This particular set is the complete opposite: it's raw, full of energy, and quite possibly PSB at a creative peak. I've often thought that PSB during and around Behaviour were also the most open-minded throughout their career. Their live gig at the Hacienda supports the thesis, IMHO. Just look at that setlist. Oh boy.

Don't get me wrong: I'm looking foward to attending the Greatest Hits tour as we never had such a particular concept before. However, I wish they'd be more open, provocative and creative again if it comes the arrangements of the songs.

Of all the tours I've attended, which means every tour since Release, I have to admit that Release was the best in terms of the live versions performed.

m+

The live version of "I get excited" was scorching on the Electric tour and should have been recorded/released.