Pet Shop Boys Community

#57 in the U.K chart this week. #2 in downloads.

And yet another feature of the performance saga:

https://variety.com/2021/music/global/p ... 234973257/

Egos ! Hmmmmm

Sources tell Variety that the Pet Shop Boys did not get as far as participating in rehearsals, as they had been due to be static during the performance, which featured Alexander dancing on John’s piano and a large cast of dancers.

Static…that’s the boys we know and love! It would be a shame if they’ve fallen out with Elton who has been a good supporter of theirs.

Disco. wrote: Fri 14 May 2021, 6:01 pm #57 in the U.K chart this week. #2 in downloads.

With the original Pet Shop Boys version at #78 in the download chart

Absolutely heartbreaking if they’ve walked out on a hit single - with their own record.

Why would they be credited on the record though? Neil doesn't sing.

le petit corbusier wrote: Fri 14 May 2021, 6:02 pm And yet another feature of the performance saga:

https://variety.com/2021/music/global/p ... 234973257/

I don't know what happened but I think we know a bit about Elton and we know a bit about PSB. It looks like it was the real reason:
"There had been “a lot of egos” behind the scenes between the two veteran acts. Years & Years was not said to be involved in any dispute".

PSB: the song is a PSB song, so it's obvious they had to be the first ones to be credited.
Elton: the song was planned for charity on his fundation, so he could want to be the first to be credited.
Olly (Years and Years): he was only a performer, so it wasn't his battle. He didn't probably want to take part of it.

Looks like the problem wasn't something related to EMI-Parlophone. Even more, when they put the song on its twitter account.
PSB took too much time to talk about the performance, maybe they were angry.
A contractual issue could be a smart way to talk about this "credits" battle.

Anyway, the song is not going to have any repercusion on charts.

I like how people just make things up. Either the Sun does it, or someone here does it. What is wrong with people?

Patrick Bateman wrote: Fri 14 May 2021, 9:49 pm Why would they be credited on the record though? Neil doesn't sing.

The release reflected (or was identical to) the Brits performance. If the Boys had performed, they could have been named artists on the release too if it weren't for these "contractual issues"...

Sandy Shaw wrote: Sat 15 May 2021, 12:08 amThe release reflected (or was identical to) the Brits performance. If the Boys had performed, they could have been named artists on the release too if it weren't for these "contractual issues"...

Why would they be credited if they only produced it? Stuart Price isn't credited.

Patrick Bateman wrote: Sat 15 May 2021, 1:03 am Why would they be credited if they only produced it? Stuart Price isn't credited.

Because they also wrote it in the first place.

Sandy Shaw wrote:

Patrick Bateman wrote: Fri 14 May 2021, 9:49 pm Why would they be credited on the record though? Neil doesn't sing.

The release reflected (or was identical to) the Brits performance. If the Boys had performed, they could have been named artists on the release too if it weren't for these "contractual issues"...

I guess we don’t know firmly whether or not Neil was originally supposed to sing as part of the performance / on the release. If the Variety interview is correct, and that Neil and Chris didn’t attend rehearsals because it was not necessary for their performance, it suggests there was never any vocal. If that is the case, I agree PSB would be hard pushed to claim any lead credit on what was originally an Olly and Elton collaboration. They were simply the producers. If they disagreed to the point where they removed Neil’s vocal from the record, that for me would be a different story.

Maybe Elton objected to them taking an artist’s credit on the record, so they withdrew from the performance. Elton would see it as a duet between himself and Olly which he had invited PSB to produce and appear on only as musicians. A legal interpretation of this disagreement would make things even more complicated.

Greendrake wrote: Sat 15 May 2021, 1:04 am Because they also wrote it in the first place.

And how many songwriters that don't perform on the record are actually credited as the performing artist?