Pet Shop Boys Community

He's always been like that though. A very jealous guy. I don't know why though. It could be because of that hammering he took on some record forum when PSB got a lot more votes than Erasure when someone suggested the poll.

He never has a bad word to say about Erasure. Which is why his opinion isn't taken seriously.Nobody can like EVERYTHING a band produces. There are quite a lot of people on the Erasure forum that don't like him as a moderator too but wont say anything in public.

Like eldritch said, You can't take someone serious when he thinks that ''Erasures song writing will be remembered in 30 years time, like Lennon and McCartney are now.''

Dave

We all know that New York city boy sucks and can admit it!!!

I just can't see any 'rivalry'.
There's nothing to compare,
quite simple.

I'm a huge fan of both bands, but why do people keep comparing them to each other in the first place? Yes - they are both electropop acts and yes - they both have openly gay lead singers, but their sound is totally different!

This whole supposed 'rivalry' thing is stupid! I read that Neil met Andy Bell a few years ago and they had a nice long chat with each other. Apparently, Neil also stated in an interview that he liked Erasure's 'Blue Savannah', the 1995 album and the single 'Rock Me Gently'.

In my opinion, it's the hardcore fans of both acts who always appear to blow this whole situation out of proportion sometimes. I adore both of them but I don't see any rivalry of any sort.

If it is a small mirror of things, one of my friends who is working in a university radio station (actually my university) handed me the results of a poll. The list is quite long but it is actually very poor for Erasure- Erasure is almost non-existent in Turkey- I wouldn't mention it, thinking that everyone would be pissed off because what was the purpose? Now there is a purpose:

Now the facts in Turkey about PSB and Erasure (this poll was actually made in 2003 by the university radio when PopArt was released):

1. Ask an average man on street who is casually interested in music (radio listeners, not much album buyers) about counting PSB songs off his head :
Suburbia, It's A Sin, What Have I..., Always On My...Domino dancing, Where the streets...Go west...That's the Way Life It is and New York City Boy (incredible but true): 9 songs

Erasure songs: Sometimes, Abbesque, Love to Hate You: 3 Songs

Albums:
All PSB albums up to Very (included)(including Disco 1 and Discography) + Bilingual and PopArt= 9 albums
Erasure: Chorus, Abbaesque (some think it was an album) and Pop first 20 hits=3

Any video that made impression:
It's A Sin, Heart, Domino Dancing, So Hard (turkish people love adultery, it seems), Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you) (thanks to very hot U2 vs PSB debates), Go West and (surprise!!!!) Home & Dry-7 clips (remember that there was only one channel in Turkey up to 90s and you should pray to see pop clips)

Erasure: Love to hate you - 1

Play a song and ask the name of the song and the band (top five songs):
1. It's a Sin (10 out of ten poll answerers knew the name of the song and the band)
2. Always on my mind (10 out of ten)
3. Doming Dancing (10 out of ten)
4. Go West (9 out of ten)
5. That's the way life it is (7 out of ten)

More obscure songs:
1. West end girls (in Turkey PSB history starts with Suburbia): 7 out of 10
2. Rent: 7 out of ten
3. It's Alright: 6 out of ten
4. Can you forgive her:5 out of ten
5. I don't know...: 4 out of ten

Erasure:
1. Sometimes: 7 out of ten
2. Love to hate you:6 out of ten
3. Take a chance on me: 5 out of ten (the other half said Abba song)
4. A little respect: 3 out of ten
5. Always: 2 out of ten

More obscure songs:
1. Who will need love like that?: 3 out of ten
2. Chains of love: 2 out of ten
3. Run to the sun: 1 out of ten
4. Sollsbury Hill: Nobody remembered it (everyone said Peter Gabriel)

(to be continued)

(continued from above)

- Considered to be must-have pop albums (PSB): Actually, Introspective, Discography, Very and PopArt
(Erasure): Abbesque

Considered to be must-have greatest hits: Discography, PopArt (no mention of Erasure; DM, New Order, Madonna, George Michael and MJ included)

You don't know English so you don't listen to English pop music but is there any song that sticks with you although you don't know and sing along with the lyrics:
It's A Sin (PSB), Always on my mind, Domino dancing, Go West, New York city boy (oh God) (Maddy, DM, U2, Whitney Houston and Metallica also have a long list, Duran Duran, MJ and Modern Talking are other entries)
No Erasure song

Who prominently represents 80s?(you can check more than one)
PSB: 95 out of 100 (second to Madonna 98 out of 100 and ties with MJ)
Erasure: 11 out of 100

Best things in 20th century (from a different poll- a magazine, on the brink of 21st century)
PSB (Dance music for those who don't know how to dance and who don't give it a damn)(a band that taught us to dance to disco while crying from the heart)(listen a PSB song and easily believe that pop is art; art is life; life is drama and drama is PSB)
Honorary mention: Discography ("were it not the DJ Culture, it would be among the top five greatest hits of 20th century but don't worry, including DJ Culture it is among top six" )
(Again radio station poll)
Copies sold in Turkey (all albums, no single is released in TR): PSB- 278.000 (Actually and Introspective leading)
Erasure: 54000 (Abbesque leading)

Albums recommended in a marginal ROCK AND HEAVY METAL ALBUMS GARAGE SALE CENTRE -
PopArt (a perverse history of popmusic since 80's)
Release (moody listening for soft-rock listeners- always in stocks- quite in demand since it was first released) (no Erasure item)

Covers: All famous PSB covers are known (except Sometimes) and they equally led to hot debates -Always on my mind is considered a masterpiece over a "sleep-inducing, tepid Elvis song" (but got some harsh reactions from zelaous Elvis lovers), while Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you) almost divided U2 fans into two sides; Go West is known as a "stadium song"

- Erasure: Abbesque (Abba is popular in Turkey)

Best pop tracks in history: It's A Sin (number 23) Always on my mind (67) Domino dancing (91)
No Erasure song

Do you know band members: PSB: (Correct spelling)74% of the interviewed)
Erasure: 35% (half of them said they know Vincent because he was an ex-DM member)

Who the hell are they? Describe:
PSB are two-member legendary English synth pop-duo with fantastic lyrics, good orchestral arrangements and funny looks; the Queen of the Pop Music (85% of the interviewed checked this option)

Erasure are a synth band from Europe formed by Vincent Clark, an ex-DM member

Who writes lyrics: (for PSB) NT (69% of the interviewed)- No idea 23% Chris? 8%
(for Erasure) Vincent Clark (20%) - maybe the singer?(10%)- Andy Bell (2%) the rest- I don't know

Are they still making music? PSB- Yes (74%) Last album please: Umm, Release? 44%- Bilingual? 41% Nightlife?11% Disco 3? 2%

Erasure- Yes 32% Last album please: Umm, I say I say I say %84- Erasure? 12% Didn't they cover a bunch of folk songs (OPS they mean)? 3%

Press coverage (popart vs Hits)

Popart- 86 reviews (all four and five stars- 25 of them recommend "without any reservation")
Hits- 21 reviews (ranging from two stars to four stars- 3 of them say you must buy it)


Consequently, concurrent with the release of PopArt a PSB weekend was organised in the channel and PSB music blasted through loudspeakers all around the campus Now PSB are among the top ten "must-play" acts whatever and whenever they release something (others you know brand names Maddy, MJ, Metallica, DM, U2 Red Hot Chilli Peppers etc)



Uh the end- I didn't know PSB are so much loved in Turkey
How this can be interpreted universally and geographically, isn't it obvious?

A comparison between Pet Shop Boys and Erasure is totally useless. Erasure simply aren't known in any country that's not named United Kingdom, Erasure did not collaborate with well-known artists like David Bowie, Tina Turner, Elton John, Dusty Springfield etc... Erasure did not have strings of 17 and 18 Top 20 singles in their home country and Erasure did not have more than 3 singles that were internationally successful. Erasure is a nice synthpop duo, but they simply don't belong in the same league as Pet Shop Boys.

Oh, with the part "the Queen of the Pop Music" I think I made a small translation mistake: The poll-answerers meant that in pop-music landscape, PSB represent what Queen represent for rock music.

LOL at Undertakers postings on the Erasure forum today! Assuming it is you of course, and not an imposter.

Walking around Grimsby in leotards? Vince and Andy are like Lennon and McCartney? With comments like that you should blend in perfectly with the rest of them.

The only question is whether anyone will realise that your taking the piss? Probably not, maybe Stephano will want you to be his new best friend.

Pet Shop Boys are good and so are Erasure. I love them both. And they excel in different areas. To be honest, neither group has much of a presence anymore, in North America at least.

Comparing singles chart positions and hits and all that...it is pointless. Why are some people on this board so ruffled?

I'm sure Neil & Chris and Vince & Andy don't give a shit, either.

Devices wrote:LOL at Undertakers postings on the Erasure forum today! Assuming it is you of course, and not an imposter.

Walking around Grimsby in leotards? Vince and Andy are like Lennon and McCartney? With comments like that you should blend in perfectly with the rest of them.

The only question is whether anyone will realise that your taking the piss? Probably not, maybe Stephano will want you to be his new best friend.

It's not me. My ISP is banned from from Erasure Towers. I was grassed up lol by someone who is registered here by the name of Homer1972.

They even know the new Undertaker is nothing to do with me (i know who it is) but they haven't done anything about it, so i take it they enjoy the new Undertakers input.

Dave

everyone has his/her own opinion and in my view erasure is and has always been as long as i've heard something for the first time of them a weird and crappy band and i've never liked a single song of them. but who cares?

I'm a fan of both bands, which Avalon has commented on before...

Here are some comparisons I'd like to make.

Erasure's newer music is their best, while I feel if I want to listen to the Pet Shop Boys best, I return to Please, Actually and Introspective.

Live, Pet Shop Boys are a lot easier on the eyes and ears.

Vocally speaking, live or in the studio, Andy Bells voice outshines Neil's, you can't even compare the two.

Logically speaking everyone compares Andy to Neil and Chris to Vince but I don't think you can do that. It's very obvious Neil is the lead song writer and performer of the PSB while Vince does most of the work for Erasure and Andy just sings what he's told, much like how Gahan sings for Gore's music.

Production wise, PSB win hands down across all mediums.

PSB promo videos are much better than Erasure's.

Lastly, I have to be in the mood for Erasure's music, where I can pretty much throw on the PSB anytime.

Undertaker wrote:

Devices wrote:LOL at Undertakers postings on the Erasure forum today! Assuming it is you of course, and not an imposter.

Walking around Grimsby in leotards? Vince and Andy are like Lennon and McCartney? With comments like that you should blend in perfectly with the rest of them.

The only question is whether anyone will realise that your taking the piss? Probably not, maybe Stephano will want you to be his new best friend.

It's not me. My ISP is banned from from Erasure Towers. I was grassed up lol by someone who is registered here by the name of Homer1972.

They even know the new Undertaker is nothing to do with me (i know who it is) but they haven't done anything about it, so i take it they enjoy the new Undertakers input.

Dave

It was a really funny post that one - especially when you'd read the thread here first