<p>Neil’s an old friend from our days back at Smash Hits in the early ‘80s. The first Pet Shop Boys demos were played on the office tape machine, though he was a bit self-conscious about “the one with the rap on it”, and he’s one of the few people who’s seen the music press from every angle - as a reader in the ‘70s, as a writer and interviewer and as a musician on its front covers. We had so much great material from this wide-ranging conversation that we’ve turned it into a two-part podcast. Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in this first half ...</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;… the NME article he and his brother pinned to their bedroom wall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the event at a Sex Pistols show “which stopped me going to gigs for about three years”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the first time he saw his name in print.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… interviewing Marc Bolan in his “fat phase”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… a barbed chat with Morrissey.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the pop press shift from “super-showbiz to super-counter-culture”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… Television, the Clash and other music he discovered through the NME.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… meeting John Taylor 35 years after interviewing him.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the pop decade when “something extraordinary happened every day”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… his mother’s horrified reaction when he left Smash Hits to start the Pet Shop Boys.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the Human League in their Imperial Phase.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… Phil Collins showing him round Abba’s studio in Stockholm.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… and why ‘80s pop stars were “the most controlling”.</p><br><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>PSB tour dates: <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/pet-shop-boys-tickets/artist/735852" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/pet-shop-boys-tickets/artist/735852</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Order the new Pet Shop Boys album ‘Nonetheless’ here: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/nonetheless-Deluxe-2CD-Shop-Boys/dp/B0CTKKBBVF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/nonetheless-Deluxe-2CD-Shop-Boys/dp/B0CTKKBBVF</a></p><br><p>-------------------------------------</p><br><p><strong>Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for early - and ad-free! - access to all of our content, plus a whole load more!: </strong><a href="https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear</a></p> <a target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href="https://open.acast.com/public/patreon/fanSubscribe/4234399">Get bonus content on Patreon</a><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Word In Your Ear

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold

Neil Tennant remembers the pop press and “the last great era of forward-looking songs"

APR 9, 202436 MIN
Word In Your Ear

Neil Tennant remembers the pop press and “the last great era of forward-looking songs"

APR 9, 202436 MIN

Description

<p>Neil’s an old friend from our days back at Smash Hits in the early ‘80s. The first Pet Shop Boys demos were played on the office tape machine, though he was a bit self-conscious about “the one with the rap on it”, and he’s one of the few people who’s seen the music press from every angle - as a reader in the ‘70s, as a writer and interviewer and as a musician on its front covers. We had so much great material from this wide-ranging conversation that we’ve turned it into a two-part podcast. Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in this first half ...</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;… the NME article he and his brother pinned to their bedroom wall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the event at a Sex Pistols show “which stopped me going to gigs for about three years”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the first time he saw his name in print.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… interviewing Marc Bolan in his “fat phase”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… a barbed chat with Morrissey.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the pop press shift from “super-showbiz to super-counter-culture”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… Television, the Clash and other music he discovered through the NME.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… meeting John Taylor 35 years after interviewing him.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the pop decade when “something extraordinary happened every day”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… his mother’s horrified reaction when he left Smash Hits to start the Pet Shop Boys.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… the Human League in their Imperial Phase.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… Phil Collins showing him round Abba’s studio in Stockholm.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>… and why ‘80s pop stars were “the most controlling”.</p><br><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>PSB tour dates: <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/pet-shop-boys-tickets/artist/735852" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/pet-shop-boys-tickets/artist/735852</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Order the new Pet Shop Boys album ‘Nonetheless’ here: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/nonetheless-Deluxe-2CD-Shop-Boys/dp/B0CTKKBBVF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/nonetheless-Deluxe-2CD-Shop-Boys/dp/B0CTKKBBVF</a></p><br><p>-------------------------------------</p><br><p><strong>Subscribe to Word In Your Ear on Patreon for early - and ad-free! - access to all of our content, plus a whole load more!: </strong><a href="https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear</a></p> <a target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href="https://open.acast.com/public/patreon/fanSubscribe/4234399">Get bonus content on Patreon</a><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>