Pet Shop Boys

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The grande dames of electro-pop, the Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tennant; vocals, wry expression) and Chris Lowe (keyboards, novelty headgear) met by chance in an electronics shop on the Kings Road. Sharing an ironic view of the world and a passion for the Hi-NRG underground dance scene, Smash Hits journalist Tennant christened the band the Pet Shop Boys because: "It sounded like an English rap group." Having made their first live appearance at the Fridge in Brixton, the band duly signed to Parlophone and, in January 1986, went to No. 1 in England (as well as in America, Canada, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand and Norway) with atmospheric electro-pop classic West End Girls. A 15-year onslaught of hits such as Surburbia, What Have I Done To Deserve This (with Dusty Springfield), Always On My Mind, Being Boring and, more recently, 2003's electroclash-influenced Miracles have established them as one of the great British singles bands, pitched somewhere between Noel Coward, Gilbert And George and the darker edge of clubland. The release of Greatest Hits collection PopArt in 2004 may have drawn a line under their earlier works, but the Pet Shop Boys' willingness to challenge pre-conceptions ensures they will still be delivering acerbic electro-pop classics when they're in possession of (presumably customised) Zimmer frames. Showing just that, 2009's Yes was wildly received by fans and critics, and the band were also honoured at the 2009 Brit Awards with an Outstanding Contribution To Music award.