Comprehensive reissue campaign

[Gabby]

I rather like that PSB don't spend too much time looking back. They're obligated to in some respects, but the drive to move forward with new material mostly seems to win the day.

I think that's why Dreamworld tour surprises me. It's a lot of navel gazing, but I also think that as Neil and Chris have got older they're more prone to reflect back too. I certainly find myself doing it, and I'm a good 15 years younger than them, but I still think it's important to press forward and squeeze as much good out of your life as possible in what little time we all have left.

[Dog]

2025 / 2026 - PSB gap years

I’d already been making a few notes with a view to starting a similar thread but this now feels like a suitable home, so I’ll post here.

With November’s issue of the expanded edition of Nonetheless, it feels safe to consider the door duly closing on another bountiful PSB era. At April’s album launch Q&A in Manchester, Neil put paid to any notion that they might have an Electric-style fast-follower album tucked up their elegant sleeves, suggesting instead that we could look forward to a stack of b-sides, and that the next album would likely be three years off. Assuming their musical project Naked isn’t due to drop any time soon, I thought we could look ahead to what “gap years” 2025 and 2026 might look like from a Pet Shop Boys perspective. Now they’re back in the Parlophone fold, there’s every chance the label will be looking to maximise their investment. Nonetheless followed hot on the heels of both SMASH and the Relentless reissue, and now the deal is done it will be even more straightforward for new old product to find its way into production and ultimately onto our shelves. So what might us fans want to think about budgeting for in the medium term?

Likely first up, the latest intel (thanks to a fan conversation with Neil in a Hastings bookshop) suggests January will see the final emergence of the Dreamworld live DVD / Blu Ray. I assume, like the Discovery and Pandemonium packages, the package will also include audio CDs. But might we see a vinyl release as well? I could well imagine Parlophone looking to give it the full treatment - it is after all “The Greatest Hits Live”.

Beyond that, Neil has already mooted a good handful of compilation and reissue projects.

A potential Disco 5 has been much discussed, including in last year’s Classic Pop interview, where Neil revealed he already had a prepared tracklisting on his phone: like Disco Four, it would be a compilation of their remixes for other artists. At the Manchester Q&A, Neil asked if there would be fan support for such a release - PSB seem understandably uncertain about compilation releases, given these can be pulled together easily via streaming. While reaction in the room was positive, I came away thinking Neil still seemed unsure. If they did put out a Disco 5, it would give Parlophone the opportunity for a Disco reissue campaign. I could also imagine some kind of career spanning remix collection. This feels like a particularly neglected part of their catalogue.

This year’s Annually, heralding their return to Parlophone, suggested two further projects. One is the reissue of what they now seem to be calling the “Electric Trilogy”, with Neil saying: “It seems quite good to have all the catalogue in one place - the Kobalt albums will at some point be released on Parlophone.” These would presumably be Further Listening style reissues, complete with extra discs and detailed booklets. This could open the opportunity for Parlophone to plug another catalogue gap and reissue the previous Further Listenings releases on vinyl.

In Annually they also announced a plan to release, over time, every Pet Shop Boys single with their original b-sides and related remixes to streaming services. Neil said: “That is a project of Warner’s catalogue division which we’ve instigated. They will come out either one by one or in batches. And at some point in the future we might put them all out as a box of CD singles.” This would be another obvious gap year project and could also give rise to 12” reissues, Depeche Mode / New Order style.

While a new “b-sides / extra tracks” compilation hasn’t been officially rumoured, they certainly have the tracks. And it would make good sense to put this out ahead of any trilogy Further Listening editions which would repeat many of the same tracks. Again, this would give Parlophone license to revisit, remaster and reissue Alternative and Format - with the latter appearing on vinyl for the first time.

Back in the mid-nineties, the 1994/95 gap years between Very and Bilingual gave rise to both Disco 2 and Alternative, and I think we could see something similar play out in 2025 and 2026. Whichever of the above may come to fruition, it’s likely to continue to be an interesting - and potentially expensive - time to be a fan.

[nonesuch]

2025 / 2026 - PSB gap years

One is the reissue of what they now seem to be calling the “Electric Trilogy, with Neil saying: “It seems quite good to have all the catalogue in one place - the Kobalt albums will at some point be released on Parlophone.” These would presumably be Further Listening style reissues, complete with extra discs and detailed booklets.

This is what I'm waiting for (in case anyone out there is taking notes!) A CD singles boxset would also be nice.

[leesmapman]

Plus A Man From.The Future

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[Leonidas]

Plus A Man From.The Future

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Exactly!

[Leonidas]

2025 / 2026 - PSB gap years

I’d already been making a few notes with a view to starting a similar thread but this now feels like a suitable home, so I’ll post here.

With November’s issue of the expanded edition of Nonetheless, it feels safe to consider the door duly closing on another bountiful PSB era. At April’s album launch Q&A in Manchester, Neil put paid to any notion that they might have an Electric-style fast-follower album tucked up their elegant sleeves, suggesting instead that we could look forward to a stack of b-sides, and that the next album would likely be three years off. Assuming their musical project Naked isn’t due to drop any time soon, I thought we could look ahead to what “gap years” 2025 and 2026 might look like from a Pet Shop Boys perspective. Now they’re back in the Parlophone fold, there’s every chance the label will be looking to maximise their investment. Nonetheless followed hot on the heels of both SMASH and the Relentless reissue, and now the deal is done it will be even more straightforward for new old product to find its way into production and ultimately onto our shelves. So what might us fans want to think about budgeting for in the medium term?

Likely first up, the latest intel (thanks to a fan conversation with Neil in a Hastings bookshop) suggests January will see the final emergence of the Dreamworld live DVD / Blu Ray. I assume, like the Discovery and Pandemonium packages, the package will also include audio CDs. But might we see a vinyl release as well? I could well imagine Parlophone looking to give it the full treatment - it is after all “The Greatest Hits Live”.

Beyond that, Neil has already mooted a good handful of compilation and reissue projects.

A potential Disco 5 has been much discussed, including in last year’s Classic Pop interview, where Neil revealed he already had a prepared tracklisting on his phone: like Disco Four, it would be a compilation of their remixes for other artists. At the Manchester Q&A, Neil asked if there would be fan support for such a release - PSB seem understandably uncertain about compilation releases, given these can be pulled together easily via streaming. While reaction in the room was positive, I came away thinking Neil still seemed unsure. If they did put out a Disco 5, it would give Parlophone the opportunity for a Disco reissue campaign. I could also imagine some kind of career spanning remix collection. This feels like a particularly neglected part of their catalogue.

This year’s Annually, heralding their return to Parlophone, suggested two further projects. One is the reissue of what they now seem to be calling the “Electric Trilogy, with Neil saying: “It seems quite good to have all the catalogue in one place - the Kobalt albums will at some point be released on Parlophone.” These would presumably be Further Listening style reissues, complete with extra discs and detailed booklets. This could open the opportunity for Parlophone to plug another catalogue gap and reissue the previous Further Listenings releases on vinyl.

In Annually they also announced a plan to release, over time, every Pet Shop Boys single with their original b-sides and related remixes to streaming services. Neil said: “That is a project of Warner’s catalogue division which we’ve instigated. They will come out either one by one or in batches. And at some point in the future we might put them all out as a box of CD singles.” This would be another obvious gap year project and could also give rise to 12” reissues, Depeche Mode / New Order style.

While a new “b-sides / extra tracks” compilation hasn’t been officially rumoured, they certainly have the tracks. And it would make good sense to put this out ahead of any trilogy Further Listening editions which would repeat many of the same tracks. Again, this would give Parlophone license to revisit, remaster and reissue Alternative and Format - with the latter appearing on vinyl for the first time.

Back in the mid-nineties, the 1994/95 gap years between Very and Bilingual gave rise to both Disco 2 and Alternative, and I think we could see something similar play out in 2025 and 2026. Whichever of the above may come to fruition, it’s likely to continue to be an interesting - and potentially expensive - time to be a fan.

I enjoyed reading your analysis. We’re certainly in a new Parlophone era where releases will be more regular. I posted before about the Parlophone Effect. Nonetheless has shown this already. You didn’t even mention Turing or Volume, so it’s a huge potential production line.

I agree about the audio CD and vinyl for the DreamWorld tour and I still think there will be another Nonetheless release announced.

If you’re going to have regular meetings with your agent, you need something to talk about. Hopefully, they will cut down their touring and release more new material. They have the rest of the year to start preparing their next project so exciting times ahead.

[daveid]

Fingers crossed the next two years aren't fallow, like 2014 and 2015 were (what a drag that was). We'll get Dreamworld in January and maybe - with Parly's permission - another disc with Annually 2025. I would love to get a proper recorded release of AMFTF which is now over ten years old. I'm not interested in another Disco album, nor any re-releases beyond the first one which is a classic album in its own right. Re-releases of the Price trilogy with FLs would be great but it feels a bit too early for it to happen. I would happily pay a fortune for the existing FLs on vinyl. I agree they should focus less on touring now and just get back into the studio whenever they can. I want an album in 2027.

Also - MCMLXXXIX on CD/DVD/BR
ditto Performance
ditto Montage
ditto Somewhere (with fixed sound)
ditto Release tour (whatever exists)
ditto Cubism
ditto Electric

[Leonidas]

What I’ve wanted above EVERYTHING is the pre It’s a Sin singles on CD.

[OakeyDokey]

Outtakes, Glasgow rehearsals, Munich demos etc. of Behaviour is all I want.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'd like a complete singles boxset on cd. Not that bothered about repackaging other stuff that's been repackaged a billion times before.

We've been very lucky with the Price trilogy, Dreamworld and Nonetheless - it could have gone very differently after they left Parlophone. Sadly I do wonder if they've got many albums left in them as the Pet Shop Boys. Another two or three years at their age is very different to the gap between Behaviour and Very.

[Pinhead44]

It's always upset me, the thought that they would never again create another PSB album of new music but, for me, Nonetheless is such a strong album, I would be happy for that to be their last album, and go out on an album I really love, rather than risk going out on a sub-standard one.

Other than that, I would like a reissue of Disco. Disco 3 I liked, but other than that, I don't really get excited by a Disco 5 in the same format as Disco 4.

Then it would be them concentrating on completing their amazing bonus tracks back catalogue, so completing further listening's from Electric to Nonetheless. A vinyl release for format, and a stand-alone third release for all the bonus tracks since format.

[Gabby]

The mere thought of all of these possibilities is making me feel kind of sick to my stomach. There could be some really tough decisions ahead on where to draw the line between being a devoted fan and not going completely bankrupt.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I rather like that PSB don't spend too much time looking back. They're obligated to in some respects, but the drive to move forward with new material mostly seems to win the day.

We really are blessed. How many bands that are still going after so long are still so forward looking?

I think that's why Dreamworld tour surprises me. It's a lot of navel gazing, but I also think that as Neil and Chris have got older they're more prone to reflect back too.

My feelings are that they have a sense of their own mortality. I think a "greatest hits" tour is something that they would look back upon and regret not doing, if circumstances arose which could prevent it from happening.

When you've done everything in life you've pretty much ever wanted to do, the last thing you want is your mind being tainted with regret and missed opportunity.

Retro.

[oakey]

I don’t see a CD single box happening, despite their love for the format. That would be too much of a niche. Maybe 12” releases of the Nonetheless singles but I think that ship has sailed for them too given all the other Nonetheless-related releases.

What I would like is a Disco 5 release, and what would be nice if this was joined by a Disco Box release. A budget clam shell packaging with all 4 or 5 Disco albums on CD would do for me, but a similar LP box would be interesting to many I guess (but would be too expensive for me probably as Disco 2 and upwards would span 2 LPs each). Also Disco 2 on vinyl would not work well. Even though I have all the Disco albums on CD and Disco 1 and 3 on vinyl as well, I would love having them all in remastwred format with gatefold style covers.

I also see FL CD editions happening, as well as a new B sides compilation to follow up on Format.
Plus maybe one new album in 3 years time.

And then they likely call it a day. Sorry, just being realistic. Don’t want to be ageist but Neil is not Mick Jagger and most people of the boomer generation don’t make it into their 80s in good health.

[daveid]

Neil isn't quite a boomer, although the final wartime rationed products were ended the year he was born. He's also far from a burned-out drugged-up has-been rocker. He knows how to stay healthy and he's got the brains, don't forget.

It's Chris I'm worried about. One of these days he's going to fall asleep on a sofa somewhere and decide he can't be bothered waking up again...