Pet Shop Boys Community

Great episode — but the math is a bit off. The probability of getting at least 5 correct hits when choosing 22 out of 172 is about 12.67%, not 1 in a million.

Frippe1970 wrote:Great episode — but the math is a bit off. The probability of getting at least 5 correct hits when choosing 22 out of 172 is about 12.67%, not 1 in a million.

Ha! I’m sure it will be off. I think the number we use is 271 though. Glad you enjoyed it

Alright, that would still be 4,15%.

Finally all caught up (mother had a hairdo to be done, so I managed to binge listen while waiting!)

I agree and hope for more of a party atmosphere gig, so hope there aren't too many PSB slow/ballads. A segment where they bring it down a notch would work, then back to the party for the close.

As I said over on FB "Bolshy" is a family favourite so we are rooting for it. I don’t think you mentioned "The boy who..." which for my peeps would also be welcomed (and I think could be a real crowd pleaser anyway)

Really hoping for a special guest on our night (any night is cool but the FOMO is real!). Mr Marr is a great call. I was wondering if there might be a few celebs in attendance just to see the show (SEB, Tracy Thorn?) Might be some good people spotting nights including those crazy Pod Cast Boys

Frippe1970 wrote: Sat 28 Mar 2026, 1:08 pm Alright, that would still be 4,15%.

Throw the "Dog" a bone ffs !

I’m hoping for Particle, Water, Generic Jingle and Answer The Phone.

Frippe1970 wrote: Sat 28 Mar 2026, 1:06 pm Great episode — but the math is a bit off. The probability of getting at least 5 correct hits when choosing 22 out of 172 is about 12.67%, not 1 in a million.

I think the maths here is whether or not you have 22 chances at getting five correct, or whether you get five correct from just five guesses.

From memory, the one in a million figure is actually somewhere between 5 and 6 correct on the latter calculation. We rounded it down as creative licence.

We were going to break it all down in the podcast. But we thought it might be a bit boring. We also considered getting Margot Robbie to explain it whilst in a bath drinking champagne, but we were a bit (big) short of time.

In terms of the debate as to which method we should have used - that was purely because the the band haven't written a song called 12.67% (or 4.15% if we use the 271 songs).

tottenhammattspurs wrote: Mon 30 Mar 2026, 9:11 am I’m hoping for Particle, Water, Generic Jingle and Answer The Phone.

The odds of you guessing these four correct is only 1 in 29,918 - so considerably less. I'd get to the bookies now if I were you.

I'm just glad that people are querying this rather than the accuracy of my Bobby O impression.

Thanks for listening.

(G)

Another brilliant podcast , agree about talk talks the colour of spring , what an amazing cd that is , mark Hollis was so underrated

OakeyDokey wrote: Mon 30 Mar 2026, 1:24 am

Frippe1970 wrote: Sat 28 Mar 2026, 1:08 pm Alright, that would still be 4,15%.

Throw the "Dog" a bone ffs !

Loved this.

Is there a podcast this Friday, C&G??

Morse wrote:

OakeyDokey wrote: Mon 30 Mar 2026, 1:24 am

Frippe1970 wrote: Sat 28 Mar 2026, 1:08 pm Alright, that would still be 4,15%.

Throw the "Dog" a bone ffs !

Loved this.

Is there a podcast this Friday, C&G??

Yes, Volume inspired

Skybluearmy87 wrote:Another brilliant podcast , agree about talk talks the colour of spring , what an amazing cd that is , mark Hollis was so underrated

Ah another Talk Talk fan… what a band… what an amazing run of albums

Dog wrote: Ah another Talk Talk fan… what a band… what an amazing run of albums

+1

Episode 37 – Volume

With Volume - Pet Shop Boys’ complete visual history - finally landing, Graham and Chris open the book and step straight into four decades of meticulously crafted pop iconography. Using the anniversary of Please as their start point, they trace how the duo’s visual world was forged even before chart success.

They begin with their earliest photo shoots: Eric Watson’s ripped T‑shirts and tennis racquets; the Tottenham flat where friendships, romances and future lyrics intertwined; and the stark, stylish images that helped define the PSB aesthetic. From there they follow the thread through XL Design, ZTT’s manifesto-driven maximalism, Factory’s cool minimalism, and the arrival of Mark Farrow - the designer who would help turn Pet Shop Boys sleeves into modern art.

Along the way they revisit the key visual turning points: the first Boy cap, the tartan‑trousered Brixton showcase, the “don’t look triumphant” Top of the Pops performance, the industrial luxury of the West End Girls sleeve, and the early videos where Neil and Chris perfected the art of doing… practically nothing.

But are they “art”, or just “dead arty”? By exploring the images, collaborators and ideas that shaped Pet Shop Boys’ visual identity, Graham and Chris paint a podcast portrait that uncovers how PSB instinctively understood that pop should look as good as it sounds.

Listen now!
Spotify: http://tiny.cc/fda1101
Apple: http://tiny.cc/gda1101

I had to look up the Harry Styles reference, but well done!

leesmapman wrote: Fri 03 Apr 2026, 8:52 am I had to look up the Harry Style reference, but well done!

I almost stood up and applauded when Chris said it during the recording! (G)