In Depth - a new fan podcast recorded by forum members

[Dog]

Thanks for all the nice comments. Really glad you enjoyed it

[Whosematchesarethose]

Thank you, took me back to the magic of Monday night!

[Richard-Eastham]

Hello Graham and Chris - Posting this here as a suggestion for a future podcast episode, but anybody here on the forum can offers answers to this too. My main question is this: How is the PSB live set-up configured?

Using Obscure as a reference (but my question applies to Dreamworld too):

- How were the recorded studio tracks reworked for a live performance?
- Which parts did Chris play?
- Which parts did Clare play?
- How and who decides on this split?
- Drum parts and percussion were played live by Max but not all parts, which parts were his and why?
- Which parts of the rhythm tracks remained pre-recorded and which bit were taken out and swapped for Max’s live playing? How is this decided? Is there a ‘rule of thumb’ here about how to decide this?
- What does Pete Gleadhall do on the night, in the moment? I sort of understand his studio role, but what’s his job (and his assistant’s job) during a live show?
- What appears on Chris’s screen?

I was at the last night of Obscure, and when Neil introduced the band, he said something like: “Here is computer corner, I don’t know what goes on here, but here we have Pete!”

Also, on the final night of Obscure, as Positive Role Model kicked in, Chris was looking over his shoulder to Pete and pointing at his screen. Pete’s head then popped up from behind his monitor and he and Chris exchanged words or looks, communicated somehow. Chris then goes back to his set up, before turning to Pete and giving him the thumbs up. So something went wrong and then was made right. All this got me thinking about how it all happens live, hence this post.

It was a thrill watching Chris play live, close up. If there was one precise moment from Obscure that was the best for me it was Chris playing the four notes with the guitar sound in Why don’t we live together that come immediately after the lines, “I/you may not care” – and he played these on the lower half of his Native Instruments keyboard controller. Meanwhile, the other half of the controller was set for the chimes/bell sounds of the main melody. So that one keyboard appeared to have split sounds for that song. How does this work? I assume the controller is reset for each song? How does this happen and who does this? Is this one of Pete's tasks?

I kept peering at the reflection in Chris’s sunglasses to try to see if I could glimpse what was on his monitor screen but couldn’t see anything. Inscrutable to the end

I know this request risks a podcast full of techy, engineering insight, that might be a bit of a dry or uninteresting listen for some subscribers, but I’m fascinated by all this and would love to know more.

Richard.

[Morse]

Hello Graham and Chris - Posting this here as a suggestion for a future podcast episode, but anybody here on the forum can offers answers to this too. My main question is this: How is the PSB live set-up configured?

Using Obscure as a reference (but my question applies to Dreamworld too):

- How were the recorded studio tracks reworked for a live performance?
- Which parts did Chris play?
- Which parts did Clare play?
- How and who decides on this split?
- Drum parts and percussion were played live by Max but not all parts, which parts were his and why?
- Which parts of the rhythm tracks remained pre-recorded and which bit were taken out and swapped for Max’s live playing? How is this decided? Is there a ‘rule of thumb’ here about how to decide this?
- What does Pete Gleadhall do on the night, in the moment? I sort of understand his studio role, but what’s his job (and his assistant’s job) during a live show?
- What appears on Chris’s screen?

I was at the last night of Obscure, and when Neil introduced the band, he said something like: “Here is computer corner, I don’t know what goes on here, but here we have Pete!”

Also, on the final night of Obscure, as Positive Role Model kicked in, Chris was looking over his shoulder to Pete and pointing at his screen. Pete’s head then popped up from behind his monitor and he and Chris exchanged words or looks, communicated somehow. Chris then goes back to his set up, before turning to Pete and giving him the thumbs up. So something went wrong and then was made right. All this got me thinking about how it all happens live, hence this post.

It was a thrill watching Chris play live, close up. If there was one precise moment from Obscure that was the best for me it was Chris playing the four notes with the guitar sound in Why don’t we live together that come immediately after the lines, “I/you may not care” – and he played these on the lower half of his Native Instruments keyboard controller. Meanwhile, the other half of the controller was set for the chimes/bell sounds of the main melody. So that one keyboard appeared to have split sounds for that song. How does this work? I assume the controller is reset for each song? How does this happen and who does this? Is this one of Pete's tasks?

I kept peering at the reflection in Chris’s sunglasses to try to see if I could glimpse what was on his monitor screen but couldn’t see anything. Inscrutable to the end

I know this request risks a podcast full of techy, engineering insight, that might be a bit of a dry or uninteresting listen for some subscribers, but I’m fascinated by all this and would love to know more.

Richard.

This really would make a really interesting podcast episode.

I’d love to understand more about how the PSB live set-up actually works, especially using Obscure as a reference point.

For example, how are the studio tracks reworked for live performance? What is Chris actually playing live, what is sequenced, and what does Pete Gleadall control during the show? Also, how are Max’s live drums and percussion integrated with the pre-recorded parts?

I know it might be a bit technical or niche, but I’d find it fascinating. It would be great to hear how the whole PSB live machine actually works.

Would take some research, mind you....

[Dog]

Hello Graham and Chris - Posting this here as a suggestion for a future podcast episode, but anybody here on the forum can offers answers to this too. My main question is this: How is the PSB live set-up configured?

Using Obscure as a reference (but my question applies to Dreamworld too):

- How were the recorded studio tracks reworked for a live performance?
- Which parts did Chris play?
- Which parts did Clare play?
- How and who decides on this split?
- Drum parts and percussion were played live by Max but not all parts, which parts were his and why?
- Which parts of the rhythm tracks remained pre-recorded and which bit were taken out and swapped for Max’s live playing? How is this decided? Is there a ‘rule of thumb’ here about how to decide this?
- What does Pete Gleadhall do on the night, in the moment? I sort of understand his studio role, but what’s his job (and his assistant’s job) during a live show?
- What appears on Chris’s screen?

I was at the last night of Obscure, and when Neil introduced the band, he said something like: “Here is computer corner, I don’t know what goes on here, but here we have Pete!”

Also, on the final night of Obscure, as Positive Role Model kicked in, Chris was looking over his shoulder to Pete and pointing at his screen. Pete’s head then popped up from behind his monitor and he and Chris exchanged words or looks, communicated somehow. Chris then goes back to his set up, before turning to Pete and giving him the thumbs up. So something went wrong and then was made right. All this got me thinking about how it all happens live, hence this post.

It was a thrill watching Chris play live, close up. If there was one precise moment from Obscure that was the best for me it was Chris playing the four notes with the guitar sound in Why don’t we live together that come immediately after the lines, “I/you may not care” – and he played these on the lower half of his Native Instruments keyboard controller. Meanwhile, the other half of the controller was set for the chimes/bell sounds of the main melody. So that one keyboard appeared to have split sounds for that song. How does this work? I assume the controller is reset for each song? How does this happen and who does this? Is this one of Pete's tasks?

I kept peering at the reflection in Chris’s sunglasses to try to see if I could glimpse what was on his monitor screen but couldn’t see anything. Inscrutable to the end

I know this request risks a podcast full of techy, engineering insight, that might be a bit of a dry or uninteresting listen for some subscribers, but I’m fascinated by all this and would love to know more.

Richard.

I love the idea Richard. I think the best way to frame it would be as an interview with Pete Gleadall. If anyone has his contact details…

[Richard-Eastham]

Hello Graham and Chris - Posting this here as a suggestion for a future podcast episode, but anybody here on the forum can offers answers to this too. My main question is this: How is the PSB live set-up configured?

Using Obscure as a reference (but my question applies to Dreamworld too):

- How were the recorded studio tracks reworked for a live performance?
- Which parts did Chris play?
- Which parts did Clare play?
- How and who decides on this split?
- Drum parts and percussion were played live by Max but not all parts, which parts were his and why?
- Which parts of the rhythm tracks remained pre-recorded and which bit were taken out and swapped for Max’s live playing? How is this decided? Is there a ‘rule of thumb’ here about how to decide this?
- What does Pete Gleadhall do on the night, in the moment? I sort of understand his studio role, but what’s his job (and his assistant’s job) during a live show?
- What appears on Chris’s screen?

I was at the last night of Obscure, and when Neil introduced the band, he said something like: “Here is computer corner, I don’t know what goes on here, but here we have Pete!”

Also, on the final night of Obscure, as Positive Role Model kicked in, Chris was looking over his shoulder to Pete and pointing at his screen. Pete’s head then popped up from behind his monitor and he and Chris exchanged words or looks, communicated somehow. Chris then goes back to his set up, before turning to Pete and giving him the thumbs up. So something went wrong and then was made right. All this got me thinking about how it all happens live, hence this post.

It was a thrill watching Chris play live, close up. If there was one precise moment from Obscure that was the best for me it was Chris playing the four notes with the guitar sound in Why don’t we live together that come immediately after the lines, “I/you may not care” – and he played these on the lower half of his Native Instruments keyboard controller. Meanwhile, the other half of the controller was set for the chimes/bell sounds of the main melody. So that one keyboard appeared to have split sounds for that song. How does this work? I assume the controller is reset for each song? How does this happen and who does this? Is this one of Pete's tasks?

I kept peering at the reflection in Chris’s sunglasses to try to see if I could glimpse what was on his monitor screen but couldn’t see anything. Inscrutable to the end

I know this request risks a podcast full of techy, engineering insight, that might be a bit of a dry or uninteresting listen for some subscribers, but I’m fascinated by all this and would love to know more.

Richard.

I love the idea Richard. I think the best way to frame it would be as an interview with Pete Gleadall. If anyone has his contact details…

Hi Chris, Glad you like the idea. Actually, I do know somebody who has Pete's contact details. I can try to put you in touch. I'll DM you.

This message sent from a very windy Lytham Festival site, while Dave Pearce is (thankfully) finally winding up.

[Dog]

New episode out today

Episode 39 – Museum

Graham and Chris open the doors to Pet Shop Boys Legacy - their fantasy museum celebrating over 40 summers of PSB history. From the pulsating Electric‑style entrance tunnel to the Newcastle and Blackpool origin story settings, they build an immersive world of childhood bookshelves, mind-expanding youth theatres, Pleasure Beach big wheels, tropical disco dancefloors and early synthesisers.

The tour moves through London bedsits, the Chelsea Record Centre, Ray Roberts’ Camden studio and the Applejack Diner where Neil first met Bobby O. Then it expands into a full-blown Mark Farrow-designed PSB universe: iconic outfits, sleeves, videos, stage designs, deep‑cut artefacts and fan memories - all reimagined as a playful, over‑the‑top exhibition only the Pod Cast Boys could dream up.

At its core, the museum becomes a new way of understanding the Pet Shop Boys story - a map of where they came from; a celebration of the breadth of their creativity; and a reminder that their history is very much still being written.

Step inside for a summer celebration of imagination, fandom and four decades of Pet Shop Boys!

Listen now:
Spotify: http://tiny.cc/wsv6101
Apple: http://tiny.cc/0tv6101
YouTube: http://tiny.cc/3tv6101

[Richard-Eastham]

New episode out today

Episode 39 – Museum

Graham and Chris open the doors to Pet Shop Boys Legacy - their fantasy museum celebrating over 40 summers of PSB history. From the pulsating Electric‑style entrance tunnel to the Newcastle and Blackpool origin story settings, they build an immersive world of childhood bookshelves, mind-expanding youth theatres, Pleasure Beach big wheels, tropical disco dancefloors and early synthesisers.

The tour moves through London bedsits, the Chelsea Record Centre, Ray Roberts’ Camden studio and the Applejack Diner where Neil first met Bobby O. Then it expands into a full-blown Mark Farrow-designed PSB universe: iconic outfits, sleeves, videos, stage designs, deep‑cut artefacts and fan memories - all reimagined as a playful, over‑the‑top exhibition only the Pod Cast Boys could dream up.

At its core, the museum becomes a new way of understanding the Pet Shop Boys story - a map of where they came from; a celebration of the breadth of their creativity; and a reminder that their history is very much still being written.

Step inside for a summer celebration of imagination, fandom and four decades of Pet Shop Boys!

Listen now:
Spotify: http://tiny.cc/wsv6101
Apple: http://tiny.cc/0tv6101
YouTube: http://tiny.cc/3tv6101

This sounds like it will be an epic episode! Can't wait to listen to it

[babi7808]

Special thanks for uploading it to YouTube. I can't watch it anywhere else.

[Morse]

I've posted this on Facebook and Bluesky as well but thought I'd go here, too!

Loved the podcast, chaps! Absolutely loved it. The very idea of an interactive curated museum dedicated to the life and work of Pet Shop Boys is enough to turn all of us into a wet mess (horrible visuals for you, there, but I stand by it).

Naturally, after being stuck for ours in the Visual / Farrow Design section I'd then be stuck for hours on the DJ turntable melding remixes and deep cuts together (obviously - speaking if which I need to do a Pet Shop Boys mix on my Mixcloud for members here) but what a fantastic idea it all is.

A Pethead (sorry, Dog) wet dream indeed!!

(There's a lot of moisture referred to ion this post - I think (or rather hope) i';s got something to do with the dry weather here in Blighty!)

[psbnyc]

Really enjoyed this - what a great idea! Clear the V&A, we need the entire space!!

Thanks so much, a nice surprise to have you guys back for 4 summer episodes!

[leesmapman]

That's going to be a great episode! I'll put it on my mp3 player asap!

[Leonidas]

Hi G and C. Have you tried to get an interview with PSB, to ask them the questions true fans really want to hear the answers to?

[Dog]

Special thanks for uploading it to YouTube. I can't watch it anywhere else.

Ah, glad it’s useful for you

[Dog]

Hi G and C. Have you tried to get an interview with PSB, to ask them the questions true fans really want to hear the answers to?

Thanks for the nice comments.

Re the above - yes - unfortunately the official line is “Pet Shop Boys don’t do podcasts”… which of course we all know is a rule that is occasionally broken, but not for us unfortunately We are both fine with that, they have been nice about saying no.