In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Episode 34 - Please (part one)
Unboxing the opening chapter of their 40th-anniversary super deluxe celebration of Please, Graham and Chris rewind to PSB Year Zero - the moment an “ex-Smash Hits journalist” met a “weird architect” and began politely reshaping pop. They trace the stories of five pivotal Please people who helped turn Neil and Chris into Pet Shop Boys: eight-track mentor Ray Roberts; Hi-NRG maverick Bobby O, maximalist manager Tom Watkins; rock-steady producer Stephen Hague; and legendary vocalist and Dylan collaborator Helena Springs.
Along they way, they tell the full, cinematic origin stories of West End Girls and Opportunities - from knee-slapping demos and New York studio bills to T.S. Eliot, sealed trains and chart-dodging false starts - and share their own first steps into PSB fandom. It’s the beginning of a two-part deep dive into the album that started everything.
Plus: stay tuned right to the end of the credits for news of the first ever In Depth podcast competition!
Spotify: http://tiny.cc/f4a0101
Apple: http://tiny.cc/g4a0101
Support our War Child fundraiser and get your name in the credits of a future episode: https://www.justgiving.com/page/pet-sho ... th-podcast
Unboxing the opening chapter of their 40th-anniversary super deluxe celebration of Please, Graham and Chris rewind to PSB Year Zero - the moment an “ex-Smash Hits journalist” met a “weird architect” and began politely reshaping pop. They trace the stories of five pivotal Please people who helped turn Neil and Chris into Pet Shop Boys: eight-track mentor Ray Roberts; Hi-NRG maverick Bobby O, maximalist manager Tom Watkins; rock-steady producer Stephen Hague; and legendary vocalist and Dylan collaborator Helena Springs.
Along they way, they tell the full, cinematic origin stories of West End Girls and Opportunities - from knee-slapping demos and New York studio bills to T.S. Eliot, sealed trains and chart-dodging false starts - and share their own first steps into PSB fandom. It’s the beginning of a two-part deep dive into the album that started everything.
Plus: stay tuned right to the end of the credits for news of the first ever In Depth podcast competition!
Spotify: http://tiny.cc/f4a0101
Apple: http://tiny.cc/g4a0101
Support our War Child fundraiser and get your name in the credits of a future episode: https://www.justgiving.com/page/pet-sho ... th-podcast
Woof.
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rathound
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
nice, will take a listen. The older it (and I) get the more I love that era of PSB. It still all sounds so fresh.
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psbnyc
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Really enjoyed this - great lead-up to April 6 - thanks so much, guys!
Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Thanks for that - really glad you enjoyed itpsbnyc wrote:Really enjoyed this - great lead-up to April 6 - thanks so much, guys!

Woof.
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Frippe1970
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Hi Graham and Chris if you are reading this, wouldn't it be a fun episode to speculate about the Obscure setlist? You could take a look at our entries in the competition in this forum and enter your own setlist. I'm sure with you In Dephts insight you would be strong contenders.
Last edited by Frippe1970 on Sun 15 Mar 2026, 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- leesmapman
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Huray for a mention of the song "Popcorn"!
Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Hey thereFrippe1970 wrote:Hi Graham and Chris if you are reading this, wouldn't it be a fun episode to speculate about the Obscure setlist? You could take a look at our entries in the competition in this forum and enter your own setlist. I'm sure with you In Dephts insight you would be strong contenders.
Stay tuned Frippe! After our Please anniversary double bill we’ve got an Obscure preview episode, and a Volume episode. Woof.
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Frippe1970
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Great, can't wait!Dog wrote: Mon 16 Mar 2026, 7:44 amHey thereFrippe1970 wrote:Hi Graham and Chris if you are reading this, wouldn't it be a fun episode to speculate about the Obscure setlist? You could take a look at our entries in the competition in this forum and enter your own setlist. I'm sure with you In Dephts insight you would be strong contenders.Stay tuned Frippe! After our Please anniversary double bill we’ve got an Obscure preview episode, and a Volume episode.
Henrik
- DopeFiend
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
I tried listening but 2 and a half minutes in and they're still stringing together song title puns. I get that it's witty but I was kind of expecting something more real and conversational.
Oh well, I'm glad some people like it. Not for me though.
Oh well, I'm glad some people like it. Not for me though.
Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
If you’d listened to an even a little bit more you’d have realised it’s the basis for a competition. But this was clearly trumped by your desire to criticise.DopeFiend wrote:I tried listening but 2 and a half minutes in and they're still stringing together song title puns. I get that it's witty but I was kind of expecting something more real and conversational.
Oh well, I'm glad some people like it. Not for me though.
Woof.
Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Please do not feed the trolls,
it just offers encouragement.
You offer total positivity in your contributions, which I always look forward to seeing!
Thank you!
This member often disappoints me
*(Foe feature long since activated)
Shot in the fatal cause 'of frock-and-droll'
Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Xakrij wrote:Please do not feed the trolls,
it just offers encouragement.
You offer total positivity in your contributions, which I always look forward to seeing!
Thank you!
This member often disappoints me
*(Foe feature long since activated)
Woof.
- tottenhammattspurs
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
"Trumped by your desire to criticise" is a b-side title just waiting to be written!
is is and isnt isnt
- Morse
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
I honestly wouldn't bother with people like that, mate - as always, it was a fantastic episode and it's a great podcast from you two (and a great quiz idea, to be honest!).Dog wrote: Mon 16 Mar 2026, 9:25 amIf you’d listened to an even a little bit more you’d have realised it’s the basis for a competition. But this was clearly trumped by your desire to criticise.DopeFiend wrote:I tried listening but 2 and a half minutes in and they're still stringing together song title puns. I get that it's witty but I was kind of expecting something more real and conversational.
Oh well, I'm glad some people like it. Not for me though.
Just hope I win
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OakeyDokey
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Re: In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members
Very evocative! Made me wish a TV drama of The Pets formative years existed.