Seriously, is there anything better than the Pet Shop Boys?

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The sleevenotes to DM’s Singles 81-85 contain a snippet from Tennant’s review (“a routine slab of gloom”), I would also love to see the whole thing. It starts with a ‘however’ though, which suggests he did like the single’s flipside “Somebody” (and rightly so).

― Koens (Koens), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 16:27 (nineteen years ago) link

Depeche Mode are alot darker and more serious, to me, I think that's why they've always had a more public level of credibility.

Depeche Mode have credibility? DM strive to be dark and serious, but I think quite a bit of it rings hollow. This isn't to say that it's crap, but that it's simply teen-angst-courting artifice.

I mean, outside of this thread, in the real world, there are so many people who think the PSBs are just an embarassing blip from the 80s and early 90s? I don't mean total ignorami either, isn't that kind of a recieved wisdom among alot of music fans?

I know more people who'd be embarassed to have their copies of Black Celebration discovered in their collection than anything by the PSB,

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 16:36 (nineteen years ago) link

The bad review I like in that comp that most is the one from Paul Weller for one of the singles. You can just sense the loathing in his mind and words -- "How DARE they make music without real guitar and drums?!"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 16:37 (nineteen years ago) link

Yep, P.W. on "Leave in Silence": 'I've heard more melody coming out of Kenny Wheeler's arsehole'.

"Leave in Silence" admittedly not their most Geir-friendly song, but, you know, "News of the world".

― Koens (Koens), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 17:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I think playing the Credibility Game between PSB and DM is akin to watching Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder play peek-a-boo.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:25 (nineteen years ago) link

i think this must be a subculture, b/c most people i know don't take PSB or Depeche Mode seriously and are totally biased against things that are not straight out rock - i'm talking about the straight man's army and their minions (girlfriends who listen to their men's music and drink their men's beer). not saying you just can't like them, but i think there is definite bias against

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:38 (nineteen years ago) link

Is this where I can ask where you live again, exactly?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:40 (nineteen years ago) link

I think among most people I know PSB have substantially more credibility than DM. And I don't know anyone who is "totally biased against things that are not straight out rock".

xpost

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:42 (nineteen years ago) link

Are you serious, o. nate? Nobody???

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:15 (nineteen years ago) link

Ned, this is a common attitude in places such as Los Angeles, California.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:18 (nineteen years ago) link

Spencer, I live in Orange County. You think it doesn't happen here too? ;-) Besides, I know you don't take Depeche seriously! *flees*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:23 (nineteen years ago) link

I may be wrong
I thought we said
It couldn't happen here

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:24 (nineteen years ago) link

It's funny, I live in Canada, and I've encountered a few people, mostly in their 20s, who've never HEARD OF the Pet Shop Boys.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:32 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm not surprised by that at all!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:36 (nineteen years ago) link

...and last year I went to a Halloween party (of mostly graduate students). I was dressed up as a PSB from their 'Nightlife' period. Not a single person knew who I was supposed to be.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:40 (nineteen years ago) link

... That doesn't surprise me, either.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:43 (nineteen years ago) link

Well maybe I was surprised because it was the first time it happened to me and I grew up in Mexico and I expected The PSB to be better known here. I see they are not.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:43 (nineteen years ago) link

At this point the PSB pop profile seems to be pretty well limited to the UK and perhaps Europe. The only reason anyone knows their Nightlife look over here would be if they were not only already a fan but *still* a fan.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:46 (nineteen years ago) link

I also live in Canada (Montréal) and most people here know who they are. They've had hits here up through "Ney York City Boy" which was really big in clubs and on the radio. Not sure if they had the "Nightlife" look in that video though as I've never seen it.
The song people remember them most by over here is probably "Domino Dancing"!

― Seb (Seb), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:48 (nineteen years ago) link

I wonder if they're so thoroughly off the radar partly because of Tennant coming out in '94, letting programmers shunt them into a 'gay' cul de sac.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:55 (nineteen years ago) link

In the US obviously, pretty much passed without comment here.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:56 (nineteen years ago) link

Is this where I can ask where you live again, exactly?

I believe that Susan has said that she lives in San Francisco.

― the D Double signal (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:00 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost - i grew up right in the heart of Dave Matthews country. and i can tell you, if you want to do anything there, you must draw off of something "classic" or else you are shunned -- its all about history and the tried and true and unwillingness to take risks .... which infects the music there but also creates folks who freak out and do really new things...kinda like you find the biggest punkfreaks in suburbia. but i'm in california now-thk god, and there is more respect all kinds of expression here.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:00 (nineteen years ago) link

told you!

― the D Double signal (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:01 (nineteen years ago) link

Are you serious, o. nate? Nobody???

Well, at least nobody that I talk about music with. I don't know any total rock purists. Most people I know are either music nerds like me who like a little bit of everything, or else they are very casual music listeners who have a few acts that they listen to, which might be pop, neo-folk, rock, country or whatever, but though they might have a favorite style they usually profess to like a few things outside that style as well.

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:04 (nineteen years ago) link

Not sure if they had the "Nightlife" look in that video though as I've never seen it.

Yes, they did have that look, although they didn't appear a lot on the video. BTW I live in Montreal too.

I wonder if they're so thoroughly off the radar partly because of Tennant coming out in '94, letting programmers shunt them into a 'gay' cul de sac.

OTM

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:05 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost - yeah i should have clarified - was talking about the past hatred on East Coast...i haven't tested PSB hatred out here yet.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:07 (nineteen years ago) link

10 things the Pet Shop Boys did to commit career suicide in the United States

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:08 (nineteen years ago) link

The song people remember them most by over here is probably "Domino Dancing"!

Likely because Much Music caned that video when it came out. "What Have I Done to Deserve This" and "Go West" also got a fair bit of airplay, but nothing close to what "Domino Dancing" got.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:10 (nineteen years ago) link

Try this if my previous link is not working.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:17 (nineteen years ago) link

Dammit! OK click on the link and then go to PSB Lists. Its the first one.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:19 (nineteen years ago) link

The 'Eminem gay love affair' song must have created some interest in the US 2 yrs ago, surely?

― Koens (Koens), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:35 (nineteen years ago) link

"The night I fell in love"

― Koens (Koens), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:35 (nineteen years ago) link

"BTW I live in Montreal too."

Really? I wish I could've seen your costume!

― Seb (Seb), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:35 (nineteen years ago) link

The 'Eminem gay love affair' song must have created some interest in the US 2 yrs ago, surely?

Zilch.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:40 (nineteen years ago) link

Their albums still shift a few hundred thousand in the U.S. "Release" sold a bit more than "Nightlife."

As for the Eminem song, it was all the talk in rockcrit circles for a couple of months (Dre even considered issuing a response record), but no one else knew about it.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:41 (nineteen years ago) link

So, I didn't read this thread. Do I need to get some Pet Shop Boys albums?

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:43 (nineteen years ago) link

wait, what is the song about-how anti-gay m&m is?

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:46 (nineteen years ago) link

N/A: Yes. Especially Please, Actually, Behaviour, Very and Alternative.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:47 (nineteen years ago) link

it was all the talk in rockcrit circles for a couple of months

That further proves my point! They were the only people talking about it!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:49 (nineteen years ago) link

OK. I'm pretty sure they're selling a used copy of Behavior at Reckless Records for $6. Maybe I'll go pick it up tonight.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:49 (nineteen years ago) link

I will risk drawing the ire of Dan by saying that as a preteen I was oddly fascinated by Domino Dancing, especially the video, which was on a videotape of MTV that my grandparents sent me (since I was living outside the US and was thus popular-culture-deprived). I probably haven't heard the song in at least 12 years but I still remember how the bulk of the song goes.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Wait, was there a hot girl in the video? That might explain it.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:53 (nineteen years ago) link

wait, what is the song about-how anti-gay m&m is?

"The Night I Fell in Love", it's on Release

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:53 (nineteen years ago) link

It's a fine choice, n/a. Personally I'd say go for the double-disc reissues but if you need a starting point, it can't hurt!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:53 (nineteen years ago) link

The "Domino Dancing" video is pretty gay. I especially love the narrative stance: the PSB looking wryly at these two beautiful boys wrestling in the surf.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Wait, was there a hot girl in the video?

Yes there was. There were also hot guys.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Very unconvincing construction workers.

― Koens (Koens), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:58 (nineteen years ago) link

It's a great video, one of my all time favourites. Very stylized, very ambiguous.

― daavid (daavid), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 21:01 (nineteen years ago) link

The girl is almost an afterthought.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 21:02 (nineteen years ago) link

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