Being Soaring.

In April 1984, the original, faster Bobby Oproduced version of West End Girls was released.

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Twenty months later they were No 1 with the statelier Stephen Hague mix. Since then, Pet Shop Boys have become the biggest-selling UK duo in pop music history. And they're still purveying their own unique line of euphoric/melancholic electronic dance music, as evinced by their brand-new album, Nonetheless. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe talk Pete Paphides through their brilliant 40-year career while, on p. 73, John Earls rates all 15 of their albums and, on p. 77, John Coleman compiles a hefty discography. On pages 58 and 64 you will have already read about Einstürzende Neubauten and Bananarama, who both had a good 1984. There is more '84-related goodness here: on p80, we celebrate the ruby anniversary of PSBs' emergence by reliving 1984's format wars, when for the first time vinyl went into battle with the CD, before finally, on p. 86, naming The Best Records Of 1984.

Two hours?!" gasps Chris Lowe. The idea that the next couple of hours of his life might be spent talking about his past and present life as a Pet Shop Boy momentarily throws him. With Neil Tennant T yet to arrive, it falls upon him to tell the group's publicist when the tea should be served. "Bring it in halfway," he decides. And then, half-jokingly, he suggests we should get AI to do the whole thing. Lowe promptly pulls his phone from the pocket of his black Adidas top and issues the command for his AI app to "write an interview with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys for Record Collector." Then, addressing your correspondent, he adds, "I'll send it to you if you want, then you can use it. Save us both a job!"