Pet Shop Boys Community

I posted this on our podcast socials (https://www.facebook.com/share/1L5PB3FE ... tid=wwXIfr) but thought it might be worth sharing here too.

The evolution of The Clothes Show theme

The BBC series The Clothes Show ran from 1986-1998. During that time its theme music went through a number of different incarnations - and you may not know them all.

Back in 1986, the original theme music was the Shep Pettibone remix of Five Star’s recent hit Find The Time. So far, so brilliant.

https://youtu.be/13dI86d8OMc?si=PMoMWW8J9Lo6rrVn

Then in 1987 the show switched to what became its iconic theme - the Arthur Baker remix of Pet Shop Boys’ In The Night, taken from the Disco album.

https://youtu.be/DavPkK1k0_g?si=RHvxVy57WtH3JzZj

By 1995 the BBC wanted a refreshed sound for a revamped series, and asked Pet Shop Boys to rework their own theme. Instead of a simple remix, they delivered an entirely new instrumental recording, written in a four‑part symphonic structure so producers could use different sections for different parts of the programme. This is the version included on Format and the Before single release.

https://youtu.be/mUTzn4oO-6c?si=zRgHp9GKyrf1o5Bw

But check this. Two years later the show was revamped again - new titles, new graphics, and yet another take on the now‑famous Pet Shop Boys theme. This time the BBC turned to Ashley Beedle, then riding high with Black Science Orchestra, The Ballistic Brothers and X‑Press 2. Working with producer/engineer James Brown, together they created a radical drum‑and‑bass reinterpretation of In The Night.

So radical, it actually sounds nothing like it - but the closing titles definitely credit it as a remix. Remember, this was from that period in the 90s when remixes truly went off on one. E-Smoove anyone? There’s a thin line between love and crime.

Long forgotten, that “1996 Remix” has now resurfaced - at least the part used in the programme - and you can hear it in this newly unearthed YouTube clip:

2m56s: Opening titles
3m49s: Closing titles

https://youtu.be/Y5-m8jHVimQ?si=gJ3Y0iPgvzczHro5

There’s a cleaner version of the opening titles here:

https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-moti ... -show-1997

Very interesting!
Is there any official release for this remix?
The answer should be obviously negative, but I prefer to ask. You never know...

VRIDD wrote:Very interesting!
Is there any official release for this remix?
The answer should be obviously negative, but I prefer to ask. You never know...

I don’t think so. I thought it might have emerged as an Ashley Beedle track under a different name but Shazaam doesn’t recognise it. Some drum and bass fans are looking into it too.

Unrecognisable but still sounds like Sylvia Mason-James so a remix of the 1995 version?

You can just about hear the song buried in there. I dunno, its aged badly but I don't mind it.

Didn’t rate it back then. Agree that it’s not aged well at all.

Makes Oscar G and E-Smoove sound like masterpieces

tottenhammattspurs wrote: Sun 05 Jul 2026, 12:29 am Makes Oscar G and E-Smoove sound like masterpieces

i love jungle/drum and bass and this is a pretty good example of it's time...that said it has nothing to do with he PSB track.

raggatwin wrote: Mon 06 Jul 2026, 11:20 am i love jungle/drum and bass and this is a pretty good example of it's time...that said it has nothing to do with he PSB track.

I also tend to fast forward throug hthe PSBs 1995 version...it's a bit jarring...to my ears at least

tottenhammattspurs wrote: Sun 05 Jul 2026, 12:29 am Makes Oscar G and E-Smoove sound like masterpieces

I quite like the Ashley Beedle and James Brown reinterpretation - again it uses the original chords but adds that spacey drum and bass b=vibe to it. Very clever.

The Oscar G and E-Smoove remixes are cdancefloor masterpieces! The fact E-Smoove edited down their dub remix into a 7" version showed how good it was. Both use the original chords in the breakdown.

They're all different and sound fantastic in a club - which is the whole point of a club/dancefloor remix

Dog wrote: Sat 04 Jul 2026, 8:27 am There’s a cleaner version of the opening titles here:

https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-moti ... -show-1997

I can not hear it

I prefer the E-Smoove to the original tbh, totally different of course. Would quite like to hear this In the Night remix over a full 4 mins, don't think it works great as opening or closing credits