Pandemonium

What an appropriate title for my return to My Life As A Pethead.

I've had much sorrow and pain in my life since my last post in 2007. I'm praying the next decade will bring better times. As long as I have my friends and my remaining family, I will survive.

September 2009 was a highly anticipated month since I had two Pet Shop Boys concerts on the agenda. The first being in Chicago on September 14 and the second was in Milwaukee on September 15. I was thrilled to be able to spend time with my dear, sweet friend Lynn and this makes 3 Pet Shop Boys shows that we've been able to go crazy together. But most importantly I was able to see and spend time with my dearest Mark and his sweetie. Mark is the perfect definition of the word "Friend." I'd like to thank all my friends that put up with my aches and pains for 3 days. I regret that my sweetheart and fellow Erasure fan as well as Pet Shop Boy fan, Barbra was unable to attend the the Chicago show due to illness. It's not good to travel by air when being under the weather.

But the Pandemonium On Tour went quite well. We all had VIP seating at both shows which included an exclusive meet n' greet with Neil and Chris. They were gracious enough to sign a bunch of items that we brought with us. We were fortunate to talk with them. I'm not sure what everyone asked but I asked a few questions as well as had them sign a copy of Catalogue which I had signed for my friend and neighbor who couldn't go to the concert. I also had the latest Literally that I received in the post 3 weeks prior to the concert. Neil and Chris both signed it and Chris made a remark to Neil that this was the latest issue that was just sent out. I think they were really impressed that I had it with me. I might be wrong but I believe Neil recognized me from past concerts. One in particular was in St. Louis in October 2006 when I met them after the show. Neil said he loved the theatre and the city of St. Louis. He said the name of the theatre slipped his mind. But when I told him it was the Pageant, he said, "ahhh I that's right! We just loved the theatre and the audience. I wanted so badly to get a picture with Neil and Chris. But photography was prohibited at the meet n' greet and I respect their request considering there were so many fans waiting to meet them.

I did ask Neil and Chris if they had plans to release the Further Listening versions of Nightlife, Release and Fundamental. They said those plans are the decision of the record label. I then asked if they had plans to release an Alternative 2. Neil and Chris said, "absolutely, it's planned for release early 2010. That was all I had to hear is that there will actually be another Alternative release. I hope they continue to have the artwork and album design by Farrow.

One other thing I mentioned to Neil is that My October Symphony fits perfectly with the Instrumental of King of Rome. I can't take credit for this discovery. I do have the instrumentals from my Limited Black Lexan numbered box set. My Friend Mark brought the lyrics of My October Symphony to my attention how well they fit with the instrumental version of King of Rome. When I told Neil about Mark's discovery, he said, "we're going to have to give it a listen and maybe we'll do a medley of My October Symphony and King of Rome. I almost peed my pants when I saw his reaction to the news. Since My October Symphony is known to be Neil's favourite song. Now we only have to sit back and wait and see if they perform the medley in a future show.

So much more to say, but I'm about to poop out. One more thing, if you haven't pre-ordered your copy of the Christmas EP, you may want to order it through www.petshopboys.co.uk It's more reasonable there and they were sending the first 200 customers a signed copy or 200 promos. But you can only get one or the other and you cannot choose which you prefer. I imagine they may all be taken since this was posted 3 weeks ago on their website. I want the promo and hope I get it. I can get the EP signed by them on their return to the US in the future.

I'll have more to say later. Gotta go, Sidney's telling me to go to bed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US and across the pond. Heck, I don't even think they celebrate Thanksgiving across the pond. Oh well, G'nite y'all!

See you in September

Well, it's not official yet. Um... let's rewind a few weeks back when Pet Shop Boys were denying the rumours of an album called DISCO 4. It was originally posted on an retailer's website as a preorder. Then as fast as it appeared there, it disappeared from their site. But it only disappeared after the rumours got back to the website saying it wasn't official.

This weekend I found a site where I frequently purchase Cd's, CD singles, DVDs and vinyl items. GUESS WHAT??? There's a release date of 24 September 2007!!! Is this perhaps another rumour? I highly doubt it. See, the last time the rumour was afloat, Neil and Chris hadn't yet officially renewed and signed their contract. How dare Parlophone let the secret out?

Here's the only info I can post so far on the details of the release.

Disco 4 - COUNTRY: U.K.
Format: LP VINYL
Expected Release Date: 24-Sep-07
Disco 4 - COUNTRY: U.K.
Format: CD
Expected Release Date: 24-Sep-07
Integral - COUNTRY: U.K.
Format: 12" SINGLE VINYL
Expected Release Date: 17-Sep-07
Integral - First single from the forthcoming "Disco 4" collection.
COUNTRY: U.K.
Format: CD SINGLE
Expected Release Date: 17-Sep-07

Isn't this a coincidence that the release of this CD and vinyl LP are just three days before Neil and Chris take to the Hollywood Bowl? And The release date happens to fall on Rufus Wainwright's performance at the Hollywood Bowl? Although release dates are pretty much confirmed, the track listing isn't.

So as the subject title of this entry reads, see you in September!

Cubism in the USA...

That's what the headline is today on Pet Shop Boy's Official website today.

I will hopefully receive my copies within the next day or two. It was a sad day today in what is known as the heart of the Midwest. With all of the independent record stores either run out of business or being bought out by the conglomerate retailers, there was no place to get a copy of the DVD on New Release Tuesday. Best Buy and Circuit City has it online. Borders doesn't have it in store or even online. It's circumstances like this that reinforce my lack of faith in record companies distribution of Pet Shop Boys products. The recording industry whores bitch about people downloading illegal copies of music and videos. Sure there will always be arse wipes that will always download P2P illegally and nothing will ever change that. The recording industry whores were even too secure with the physical product that they never bothered to do the digital downloads prior to the original Napster. No one will ever convince me that some college kid invented the idea. Record companies are so full of themselves that they thought no one would ever run their profits down with free downloads.

While the RIAA bitches sat with their thumbs in their arses instead of catching up with technology, they pulled their lawyers into a circle jerk and worked on a way to get revenge. Instead of working on a positive solution to illegal downloads such as incentives like reducing the cost to consumers of overpriced Cd's. Or working on digital download sites that they could control. But the RIAA's lawyers went banging on Internet Providers doors demanding IP addresses and threats of lawsuits on the customers they lost due to their own stupidity.

They say the oldest profession in the world is prostitution. Well, that makes record company executives the second largest profession and that would be Pimps! They have pimped musicians ever since the first piece of recorded music.

If it wouldn't have a negative effect on European CD sales, I would love to see US record companies go broke and only have digital downloads. It wouldn't hurt Pet Shop Boys US sales. US record labels suck and need a kick in the arse. :o)

On 12 July, Neil and Chris renewed their contract with Parlophone. If you go to their website, you can see Neil (supposedly) signing the new contract. Can anyone see who is missing from the picture? No, I'm not referring to Chris. He (supposedly) took the picture. Nice Picture of Neil, Chris! But where are the record company executives? I hope Parlophone supplied a postage paid envelope with the paperwork. LOL

Thus, this brings me to the next topic. It deserves a separate mention.

A Cube In Review - An Easy * * * * * Stars

Okay, since we're quickly approaching the US release of Cubism I figured I'd re post my review that I had posted on one of the Pet's forum. Some say I was too harsh in my critique some say I was fair. I'll only say that I was more than generous in my thoughts on the presentation of the DVD. The only saving grace was the fact this is by far THE BEST performance in any DVD or video I have seen of their live footage.

Since I already covered this topic. I am posting my review from a Pet Shop Boys forum.


I found the performance on Cubism to be fantastic. The quality of the video production was superb. The sound quality was excellent! - for that they deserve 5/5 *****

Now for the DVD product. Slipcover designs **
Cover artwork **
Liner notes/booklet * (not much thought involved)
Bonus/Extras * (I suppose they felt they had to have some kind of bonus on this DVD)

I suppose I was disappointed with the extra feature. Sadly, I was bored.
I thought there would have been more thought in the booklet liner notes/credits. It was taken word for word
from the tour book. And I was expecting more than a slide show with Neil's and fan's comments for the
extra material.

Disco 4 and MORE!

I have waited a couple of weeks to post this in case this was just a rumour. But it seems to be more than a rumour according to HMV. There has been a confirmed release date for the fourth installment of Disco releases by the boys. Disco 4 has not yet been mentioned on Pet Shop Boys official website. So does this mean that it's non-existent or does it just mean they are holding out for the right time to post it?

It would seem to me this would be a good time to mention it. We know the North American release of Cubism is due on July 24. We also know that the Minimal Japanese EP is due to be released on August 13 on EMI-Toshiba with some of the promo remixes of both Minimal and I'm with stupid for the price tag of $20. I've already preordered my copies.

It hasn't been brought up in quite a while, but Nightlife Further Listening was to be released this fall. It's been rumoured that it may make an appearance in November. I can only hope. It's also to be noted that Release Further Listening can't be far behind. It's been 5 years since the release of Release and it was only 5 years from the release of Bilingual when they released that Further Listening set. So the second half of 2007 maybe a busy time for the boys.

As far as Disco 4, I hope they do a totally new listing of remixes and unreleased tunes. Although what I hear is it will include a remix of Integral, intended to be released as a single.But I cannot imagine releasing a single (and there would have to be remixes or b-sides) taken from a remix CD.

Of all the Disco CDs, I still like Disco- The Remix Album the best. Disco 2 was actually the only Disco album. It was a continuous remix CD which most fans never liked. I liked the format but the remixes weren't the ones I would have chosen. Then Disco 3 came around. It was the one I was least anxious about. I enjoyed the previously unreleased tracks more than the remixes. So i am hoping there's some bonus tracks and maybe if they'd go back to the idea they had with Disco 2 of having a continuous mix but please no dubs. After all, when you're at a disco, the music is continuous.

And that's what a Disco's 4

Cubism or Dupism?

When I heard there was to be a DVD release of the Fundamental tour I was excited. Then when I heard the DVD was to be the video of the concert in Mexico City, I was disappointed. I was hoping Pet Shop Boys would have filmed one of the 18 US tours. Why they chose Mexico City is a mystery to me. According to the documentary on the DVD extras Neil said "I think the reason we wanted to film the show there is because you get this real warmth from the audience excitement."

I wasn't at all 18 US venues last year. But I managed to make it to three of the shows. St. Louis, Detroit and Chicago. And from what I witnessed, I felt both warmth and excitement. Granted, the venues were smaller than the one in Mexico City. Maybe Neil and Chris believe we in the US don't have the same enthusiasm about seeing them before and after the shows because their security staff tries to keep the fans away from them. For example in Chicago, the theatre security staff kept insisting that both Neil and Chris had both exited the theatre and they said we would be wasting our time to wait outside the stage door exit. After 3 times of telling the waiting fans they were gone, Neil stepped out the door. So maybe the reason we in the US can't express our excitement is due to the fact that their security staff does their best to keep the fans distanced from them. Also, I know for a fact that if I knew which gate they were coming through at the airport and when they were landing, my butt would definitely would have been there to welcome them. Enough of my commentary on the commentary. LOL

I had preordered the DVD as soon as the date was announced. They released the DVD in two limited edition slipcovers. One is a blurry picture of the backside of Chris. The other limited edition slipcover is a blurry picture of Neil. So being the fan I am, I ordered one of each (at different times so I would be sure not to get two identical sleeves). On Monday morning June 11, I log onto the official Pet Shop Boys site and what do I see? It's announced that there will be a US release of Cubism on July 24. Will there be another surprise in July? I can only hope.

I truly believe if both the UK and US DVD's and CD's were released closer together that they would show more sales in the US. We the fans buy a DVD or CD when it's released in the UK rather than to wait anywhere from 2 months to 3 years to get the releases. By the time they release a US version, it's not a new release to us. We contribute to the UK sales and US sales suffer.
I found the performance on Cubism to be fantastic. The quality of the video was superb. The sound quality was excellent! Yet I didn't feel the volume of warmth and excitement of the audience. But I'm only comparing the enthusiasm that I express at their shows. I don't consider waving arms in unison to be excitement.

And since I am comparing things. Neil and Chris have decided to change their website, one cannot even ask questions like we were once able to do on their old website. Oh sure I can write my question and snail mail it across the pond and wait until the next edition of Literally comes out next year in hopes to get a response.

Back in the 90's the official Pet Shop Boys website was unique to most bands websites. They would answer questions from the first 4 or 5 days of the month that were submitted by fans. It was fun, although I recall when they would get rude questions. But most questions were cool because they were the kinds of questions they would never be asked by the media. I know I am not alone when I say I miss those Q & A sessions. I realize it would be difficult to answer questions while touring.

Okay, so that's about it for now.

A Pethead Is Born

I don't actually recall the date I was hooked on Pet Shop Boys. But I do recall the events surrounding my initial interest in them. It was during the early years of MTV when I was very much into what was considered New Wave. It was artists like The Police, Tears For Fears, U2, Depeche Mode, Erasure, A-ha and so many others that had me hooked on MTV. It was in 1986 when I saw the video for West End girls, that I was intrigued by this new group called Pet Shop Boys. Being in the boring social wasteland of the Midwest I was not able to find anything by this new group. But while visiting family in the Vieux Carre I was overwhelmed with the abundance of both new and used record shops. Where I lived, we had Peaches Records and Tapes which was probably the largest chain. You know they always had the huge album covers lining the outside perimeter of the buildings (which were always transformed grocery store buildings.)

While going through the variety of record stores in New Orleans I found a Pet Shop Boys CD. I grabbed it and felt so fortunate to have found it when I wasn't really looking for it. I couldn't wait to get in the car to play the CD. I know, CD players were almost unheard of in 1986 but I had my Sony Discman with the cassette adapter for the car. It was the top of the line Discman that retailed for about $500. I had already had my Home CD player since 1983 when they were selling for $800 - $1000. In fact I still have it and it still works.

The bad thing about the mid 80's was that music artists were releasing their albums on both vinyl and the new format, the CD. The vinyl version would be released weeks before the CD was released. Thus I was buying vinyl first and the CD later. I can still remember my 1st CD title I bought. I may expand on that at another time.

Still in 1986 I wasn't really what i would consider a fan of theirs when West End girls came out. It wasn't until Behaviour was released that I really found myself getting deeper into their music. Although I liked the first three albums, none were as artistically complete as Behaviour was. Since being a fan of U2 since the early 80's I was impressed with what they did with the non album single Where The Streets Have No Name and added Frankie Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You. When you can take a late 60's song and combine it with the 80's U2 song, that was something to hear. Neil and Chris have a way of making a song their own. They proved this when they did the cover version of Elvis' Always On My Mind in 1987.

So I went from liking them in 1986 to becoming a fan in 1988 to becoming a major fan in 1993 with the release of Very. I found over the years that music is the soundtrack to my life. When I hear a song, I can usually tell you where I was at that point in my life and how I was feeling about my life. There isn't a day that I don't have music playing somewhere in the background. Pet Shop Boys music is so much of the feelings and emotions of my life. If a song doesn't hold a particular memory or feeling of emotions, I know that one day I'll go back and listen to the song and find that it was almost like they knew how I would be feeling.

Most people consider Pet Shop Boys music to be depressing and about never having love. But how many of us have that shiny happy people feeling everyday? I'm not here to interpret their songs at least not at the moment. I will say that since Pet Shop Boys became a part of my life, I am a happier and much better person for it. My dream is to someday spend some extensive time to really talk with Neil and Chris. Although Neil is my favourite Pet Shop Boy and have met him at meet and greets, I would truly love to be able to meet with him one on one and exchange thoughts with him on various aspects of Pet Shop Boys. I know he really doesn't know how he and Chris have impacted my life. When I first met Neil in 1999 at the Nightlife show in Chicago I told him how much he has enlightened me and brought out feelings in me that no other musical artist has ever done.

In 1999 in Chicago I was finally elevated from a dedicated fan to that of a Pethead. At that moment after the show while having a few personal moments with Neil I knew that I was truly a Pethead and now I wonder if there is any higher honour than that of a Pethead.

I must say that I have met many fellow Petheads over the years both online through chatrooms, bloggers, forums and in person at the many concerts. But I have also made many friends from all over the country and I know we'll always be friends forever. My main Pet Shop Boy girl is Lynn. She is such a sweet and loving friend who is always there for me. I only wish we could be closer.

Then there's the number one guy I think the world of. His name is Mark or Marky. He knows who he is and I only wish I could tell him what I feel in my heart for him. I never want to distance myself from him, ever!

In closing, I can honestly say that Pet Shop Boys have influenced me and my life as no one (except one man) could ever hope to.