Pet Shop Boys Community

Just picked up the 2013 expanded version of Electronic's debut album. The 2-CD collection comes with a long text about the birth of Electronic and the band's first years.
The text, written in that annoying language of english music critics, consistently describes Electronic's collaboration with Neil as collaboration with Pet Shop Boys.
Since this is official release one therefore wonders: was Chris involved in Getting away.. and Disappointed or not?

Quotes
"...in March 1989 the Manchester supergroup teamed up with Pet Shop Boys Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe... resulting in pop gem Getting away with it".

"...saw Electronic unveil another collaborative track with the Pet Shop Boys, Disappointed..."

Just found this on Geowayne's superb site
"Chris Heath writes of how Neil and Chris first met Johnny Marr in early 1989 "while helping New Order's Bernard Sumner with his solo LP"

My understanding is not - just Patience of a Saint. However, on the handful of times PSB joined Electronic live, Chris has played on all three tracks, where they have been performed.

https://youtu.be/5BArT4cV9_w

How much of Years & Years is in Dreamland? 1/3?

Greendrake wrote: Wed 31 Mar 2021, 2:37 pm

telys wrote: Wed 31 Mar 2021, 11:28 am The text, written in that annoying language of english music critics, consistently describes Electronic's collaboration with Neil as collaboration with Pet Shop Boys.

I would imagine it was probably written by one of those jugheads who thought that PSB were factually just Neil, and Chris was simply a dummy behind the keyboards.

No, it doesn't actually feels that way. But it's an interesting thought that PSB is always PSB no matter if it's both of Neil and Chris or just one of them.

domino wrote:How much of Years & Years is in Dreamland? 1/3?

Was recently thinking the same thing about their version of it’s a Sin. It now turns out, that the other two have left the band, and Years and Years is now just Olly on his own.


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From what I remember Neil co wrote lyrics for Getting Away with It and Disappointed but Chris and Niel co wrote the music/lyrics for patience of a saint

I remember an interview with Bernard where says that he suggested that Neil bring Chris to the studio. So I guess it started with only Neil. Anybody has the full story how this meeting and collaboration unfolded?

telys wrote:I remember an interview with Bernard where says that he suggested that Neil bring Chris to the studio. So I guess it started with only Neil. Anybody has the full story how this meeting and collaboration unfolded?

This is how I remember it. Mark Farrow is a mutual friend. He told Neil that Bernard was working on a project outside of New Order, and Neil conveyed back via Mark that he was interesting in collaborating. When it came to heading up to Manchester to work on tracks Neil brought Chris along “for moral support”. Once there they started working with a chord change Chris had already prepared - that song became Patience of a Saint. Bernard and Johnny already had another backing track to which Neil contributed lyrics - that one became Getting Away With It.

Disappointed obviously came some years later.

Getting Away With It

Neil only

Written by Marr/Sumner/Tennant

Single credits Neil Tennant appears courtesy of Parlophone

This wasnt on the original issues of the album, Electronic

The Patience Of A Saint

Neil and Chris

Written by Marr/Sumner/Tennant/Lowe

Additional vocals by Neil
Keyboards by Chris

Disappointed

Neil only

Written by Marr/Sumner/Tennant

No Neil appears... as the single was released on Parlophone

The Electronic 2CD booklet also says "Tennant and Lowe spent several days recording in Marr's studio, these sessions resulting in Getting away with it".

So why would Chris be left out of the credits for that song. No songwriting credit, ok understandable, but neither a keyboard credit.
Johnny Marr said in an interview Patience of a saint took about 30 min to write. "Several days recording" sounds like they did a lot more than what ended up released on records.

telys wrote:The Electronic 2CD booklet also says "Tennant and Lowe spent several days recording in Marr's studio, these sessions resulting in Getting away with it".

So why would Chris be left out of the credits for that song. No songwriting credit, ok understandable, but neither a keyboard credit.
Johnny Marr said in an interview Patience of a saint took about 30 min to write. "Several days recording" sounds like they did a lot more than what ended up released on records.

Chris didn’t write or play on Getting Away With It.

Turns out the booklet info was right. J Marr confirms in new interview that Chris played synth bass (and did some more stuff) on Getting away with it.

https://www.musicradar.com/news/intervi ... 0-years-on