Tag Archives: Pet Shop Boys

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MELODY MAKER – 15.12.1999

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As the millennium approaches, Travis are the cover stars of Melody Maker, having hit the big time in 1999.

Kelly Jones of Stereophonics talks to Melody Maker about working with his namesake (and no relation) Tom, with a duet between Tom Jones and Stereophonics due to be released in the new year.

In news, Melody Maker was in the news, with Cerys Matthews comments on drugs in a recent edition of Melody Maker being debated on Question Time.

There is a profile of one of the cult TV shows of the year, Rock Profile on UK Play, starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

Travis get four pages as Melody Maker joins them on tour in Europe.

Hoping to be as big as Travis in the future are Muse, who get a full page profile on the following page.

The early months of 2000 will see Oasis release a new album, and Melody Maker gives a track by track review, courtesy of a “shadowy insider”

In reviews, Melody Maker pays a visit to Brighton to see James in concert, and a trip to Glasgow to see Pet Shop Boys.

THE SOUND OF 2019

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So 2019 is now over and we are almost in 2020.

Seeing as everybody is doing End Of Year Reviews, I thought i’d join the party, albeit a bit belatedly.

So here is my Top 50 Songs Of 2019. There’s no scientific formula to this list. I just went through 2019s Friday Fives and decided to spend an hour and rank the songs in order of favouriteness.

In a change from previous years, it’s only a Top 50 as it would probably take me until 2021 to do a Top 100.

1. Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hill
2. Sigrid – Mine Right Now
3. Taylor Swift ft Brendon Urie – Me
4. Dermot Kennedy – Outnumbered
5. Catfish and the Bottlemen – Longshot
6. Liam Gallagher – Shockwave
7. Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles
8. Two Door Cinema Club – Talk
9. Freya Ridings – Castles
10. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Wandering Star
11. Tom Walker – Just You and I
12. Billie Eilish – Bury A Friend
13. Pet Shop Boys ft Olly Alexander – Dreamland
14. Of Monsters And Men – Alligator
15. Chvrches and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – Miracle
16. Kygo ft Whitney Houston – Higher Love
17. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Black Star Dancing
18. Bastille – Joy
19. Coldplay – Orphans
20. Liam Gallagher – Now That I’ve Found You
21. Sam Fender – Will We Talk
22. Gang Of Youths – What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?
23. Editors – Black Gold
24. Bastille – Can’t Fight This Feeling
25. Bloxx – Go Out With You
26. Katy Perry – Never Really Over
27. Blossoms – Your Girlfriend
28. Muse – Hungry Like The Wolf
29. The Courteeners – Heavy Jacket
30. Billie Eilish – Bad Guy
31. Chemical Brothers – MAH
32. Jade Bird – Lottery
33. Haim – Now I’m In It
34. Crystal – Just Can’t Get Enough
35. Rick Astley – Every One Of Us
36. Chvrches – Death Stranding
37. OMD – Don’t Go
38. The Divine Comedy – Infernal Machines
39. Vic and Bob – Bono’s Cooking Some Pork
40. Miles Kane – That’s Life
41. Liam Gallagher – The River
42. The Divine Comedy – Queuejumper
43. Weezer ft Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
44. The Vaccines – All My Friends Are Falling In Love
45. Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now
46. Shakespear’s Sister – All The Queen’s Horses
47. Lizzo – Juice
48. Rose Elinor Dougall – First Sign
49. Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
50. Dea Matrona – Let’s Go Crazy

Congratulations to Vampire Weekend. There’s no physical prize, but they can just boast about it everywhere they go. Ideally, they’d be doing so in Belfast before a concert. Hint hint.

If you care, here’s the list of previous winners (NOTE: The 2006-2008 Countdowns were on Bebo, and have now been wiped from internet history)

2018 Lovelytheband – Broken
2017 Liam Gallagher – For What It’s Worth
2016 The Strumbellas – Spirits
2015 Blossoms – Charlemagne
2014 Jamie T – Zombie
2013 Haim – The Wire
2012 Taylor Swift – We Are Never Getting Back Together
2011 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – AKA …… What A Life
2010 Marina and the Diamons – Shampain
2009 Little Boots – New In Town
2008 Sons and Daughters – Darling
2007 Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4
2006 Kasabian – Empire

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 20.9.2019

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1. Pet Shop Boys ft Olly Alexander – Dreamland
2. Freya Ridings – Castles
3. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – This Is The Place
4. The Cars – My Best Friend’s Girl
5. Edwyn Collins – A Girl Like You

Stereophonics and Pet Shop Boys announcing concerts with no Belfast gig. Flip sake.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 4.11.1987

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As 1987 comes to an end, U2 are now the biggest band in the world. So big, they get to be on the cover of Smash Hits.

In news, Curiousity Killed The Cat are definitely not splitting up.

Back in the charts with Got My Mind Set On You, George Harrison’s career so far gets featured, just in case you didn’t know who he was.

There is also speculation this week about the futures of Level 42 and The Smiths.

In competitions, you could win a signed Erasure single.

From splits to reunions, there are rumours that Culture Club might be getting back together.

Smash Hits goes on tour with Colin Vearncombe, better known as Black, as he tours Europe.

Carol Decker of T’Pau gets a double page interview where she disagrees that she looks like the Duchess Of York and prefers Barbie over Sindy.

There were lyric posters for Jesus and Mary Chain, The Smiths, T’Pau and Marillion.

U2 get a four page feature which is accompanied by a review of a biography of them written by Eamon Dunphy, as well as a competition to win U2’s entire back catalogue.

Talking of U2, Jimmy Somerville reveals he has a poster of Larry Mullan in his kitchen despite not being a fan of U2.

Pet Shop Boys answer questions from readers where Neil Tennant confirms that he actually has to wear glasses and it’s not part of an image.

In ads, you could buy a pink cassette player from Rumbelows for £34.99.

Featured earlier in the magazine, The Communards are Single Of The Fortnight.

Wet Wet Wet get a concert review, with fans being interviewed outside the venue, with 15 year old Sharon saying that Marti Pellow has a nice bottom.

Talking of concerts, you could win a VHS of Spandau Ballet in concert

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 27.1.1988

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We go back to early 1988, when American teen star Tiffany is the cover star of Smash Hits, having just had a massive hit with I Think We’re Alone Now.

As you open the magazine, there is a poster of Eddie Kidd, famous as a Stuntman but is also launching a singing career.

In news, Pet Shop Boys have recorded a song with Patsy Kensit, and Roger Taylor has launched a career as a singer with a band called The Cross, and is interviewed.

Cher gets a full page dedicated to her, looking at her fashion over the previous twenty years.

A-Ha announced they were going on a UK tour, beginning at Shepton Mallet Showering Pavillion and George Michael is doing a tour which includes two nights in Belfast.

Hugh Cornwell from The Stranglers is interviewed, while Smash Hits reports than a Soap actress called Kylie Minogue has recorded a song called I Should Be So Lucky which was described as “Quite good”, to their surprise.

The Housemartins also announced their split this week.

Bros get interviewed, with Craig revealing his first concert was AC/DC.

Michael Hutchence gets a double page profile, billed as “The most fanciable creation in the history of the universe?”

Also being interviewed is Dollar, with David and Thereza being asked questions about each other.

Tiffany gets a three page interview where she reveals he prefers Sindy over Barbie, and that boys at school called her “Whiffany”

In singles reviews, The Bangles cover of Hazy Shade Of Winter was the best single of the fortnight.

As the magazine ends, there is a double page interview with Bananarama where they, like Dollar, were asked questions about each other.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SMASH HITS – 20.11.1985

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George Michael is the cover star of Smash Hits, as Wham! are once again riding high in the charts.

1985 was the year of Live Aid, and the Fashion industry joined in with Fashion Aid, an event attended by the likes of Freddie Mercury, Suggs and Boy George.

Feargal Sharkey is interviewed, where he reveals he doesn’t like Ginger Nuts and isn’t very good at sports.

Wham! get a four page feature, where they reveal that their new single I’m Your Man is about sex.

In ads, there is an advert for a new single called West End Girls by an unknown band called Pet Shop Boys.

Also getting interviewed this week is the band Mai Tai.

Paul Hardcastle is subject to a Q and A. It wasn’t N-n-n-n-n-n-nineteen questions long, but he did reveal that Joan Collins is his favourite actress.

Concert Reviews sees Smash Hits head to Glasgow for Midge Ure doing a hometown show at Barrowlands Ballroom.

There’s no guest reviewer for Singles, as In Embrace got voted Best Single.

New products on the markets were Popic Watches, watches with the image of your favourite pop band on them.

Enjoying a good review were Jesus and Mary Chain, whose new album got awarded 9 and a half out of 10.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MELODY MAKER – 12.7.2000

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Liam and Noel Gallagher, on stage in Dublin, are the cover stars of this week’s edition of Melody Maker, because they are definitely not splitting up, after some recent difficulties.

Melody Maker looks at the safety of music festivals in the UK, after a fatal crush at Roskilde Festival in Denmark, which resulted in the deaths of nine people.

In the aftermath of this, both Oasis and Pet Shop Boys cancelled their proposed appearances at the festival.

Coldplay have just released their debut album, telling Melody Maker they “want to win the world over”.

Mansun have unveiled their new single I Can Only Disappoint U at a fan convention, with fans canvassed for opinion, giving it the thumbs up.

Patrick Kielty gets interviewed, and says he has a “very Catholic taste in music” when asked what is on his stereo.

Following on from the safety of music festivals, Melody Maker spends two pages looking at stage diving, wether it is dangerous or just harmless fun.

Oasis concert at Lansdowne Road gets three pages of coverage, Noel Gallagher’s first since walking out on the band a few weeks earlier.

Elsewhere, there were eight pages dedicated to T In The Park.

In reviews, Clint Boon gives his Single Of The Week award to Elbow.

Ozzy Osbourne is the subject of a Q and A, revealing he looks at himself in the mirror 40 to 50 times a day.

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 7.4.2017

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1. The Charlatans – Plastic Machinery
2. Kasabian – You’re In Love With A Psycho
3. James – Sit Down (Game Of Thrones 2017 version)
4. Shed Zeppelin – Good Times, Bad Times, Disco Down
5. The Sundowners – Great Beauty

So, concert news this week. Kasabian, supported by Blossoms playing CHSQ in August. Yes please!!!! Already happy with Kasabian, but Blossoms as support is the icing on the cake. I predicted that Blossoms would be coming back for a festival appearance this summer when I reviewed their recent Limelight gig. I wonder will Orla who got dumped be there. It was a you had to be there moment.

Also, George Ezra will playing The Limelight at the end of next month, previewing songs from his second album. Hopefully, as good as his last Belfast gig. Already got my ticket in the presale. You can read about his last visit here.

Meanwhile, Pet Shop Boys have announced a second Dublin gig in September due to demand. How about a Belfast gig due to demand? I bet they do one on the night Northern Ireland play Czech Republic so I can’t go. What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?

Meanwhile, Bangor Court House might be turned into a concert venue. Interesting, very interesting.

Ryan Adams update. Still looking for a ticket for Ulster Hall in September. Standing, Face Value. Ta very much.