THEY DO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT BUT
THEY CAN GIVE IT ANYTIME

A new CD, a world tour and a musical? Actually, the Pet Shop Boys wouldn't normally do this kind of thing

By Trenton Straube

If you're the type who reads HX Magazine - and you are - then you're the type who knows the PSB. Of course, you might not recognize them now. In their video for this past summer's single, "IDKWYWBICGIAM," Neil Tennant and Chris Low got a futuristic makeover of sorts, and the duo emereged sporting wigs with dark root and blond tips. The look has cropped up again and again. It's an impersonal and detached image that the PSB developed with theater designer Ian McNeil as a reaction to their new CD, Nightlife. The latest collection of songs are more impersonal - "The lyrics are not necessarily reflections of me," Tennant says - so it would follow that the artists should appear less naturalistic as well. The two say the look was inspired by a magazine photo they saw of Japanese men wearing samurai trousers. "We didn't want the look to be just fashion," Tennant explains, "we wanted an element of ritual in it. It makes you feel very different when you're wearing it, and sometimes when you're performing, it's good to feel bigger, or different, than yourself - and it makes people look at you." Not a bad idea for two men about to embark on a world tour. We recently spoke with Tennant via telephone as he and Lowe were preparing to take their show to New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. What was the inspiration for your new single, "NYCBoy"?

David Morales suggested doing a big disco anthem. It's sort of like PSB recording in the 70s. A friend of mine worked at a magazine in NY for three years, and he had kids. I thought it would be great to capture the excitement of [being a kid] and catching a train to the city and hanging out in the streets. In the video, we tried to show NY in different phases: hip-hop in the early 80s, West Side Story in the 50s, Studio 54 - at Bianca Jagger's birthday party. Still, even now [Studio 54] remains the ultimate disco. Has NYC influenced you in any way?

I know NY as an outsider, but I go [there] about once or twice a year. The last time I was there was in May - I stayed in SoHo - then late August, while working on NYCBoy with David Morales. But I started out in NY in the early 80s at EMI Studios - where 7th Avenue meets Broadway, that's where the studio was. Since then, we've consistently worked with people from NY: Danny Tenaglia, Shep Pettibone, and now David Morales. Do you go out while you're here?

Sure. We've gone to hear Danny. The last time [we were here in NY], we went to Body and Soul. You've been known for your lavish shows. What can we expect from your new tour?

The set was designed by Zaha Hadid. It's very futuristic, but not really theatrical. It's more of a concert. We have the backup singers from NYCBoy, costume changes, wig changes... That's not theatrical?

It's not what we call theatrical. Unlike our last tours, which were more like operas. You've covered show tunes uch as "Somewhere" from West Side Story as well as Noel Coward songs. Do you catch many Broadway shows while you're here?

I normally go. I saw Hedwig [and the Angry Inch]. When we stayed in SoHo, we would drive up along the river and always noticed the [Jane Street] Hotel. When we saw Hedwig, we were thrilled it was at that space. We've also been working on a musical for the theater for the past 3 1/2 years with playwright Jonathan Harvey, who wrote Beautiful Thing. We're doing a workshop in the spring, and hopefully production will start about eight months later. I play the manager of a gay club. Kylie Minogue is my daughter. She walks in the place and is horrified. The song [on Nightlife] about that is called "In Denial" - her father is disillusioned about what a mess his life is. What's the title of the musical?

The title keeps changing; there is not [sic] title. The last time you performed in NY was at Roseland in May 92, and that was just a few songs as a benefit for Lifebeat. Your fans haven't had many chances to see you live. Is there anything that distinguishes your American fans from other fans?

It's interesting because our music is in every country in the world. In America, we seem to have a strong following, and we seem to have gotten younger fans. I realized this because it was Chris [Lowe's] birthday the other day [Oct 4], and [the fans] had posted birthday wished on the Web site, and the messages had information [about the fans] on them. We also have a strong gay following in America. You don't have a gay follwoing in other countries?

No. Not in Japan. Our version of "Go West" is a football anthem - it's a very heterosexual song in Germany. I love The Village People and wanted to take that sound and put it in a pop record. Is that in any way similar to what you did with Donna Summer in your new single - what's the story behind that sample?

[Pause.] Sorry, you've lost me. Isn't there a sample from a Donna Summer song in "NYCBoy"?

No, it's not...it's an orchestra. [Pause.] Which Donna Summer song? I though [sic] it was from "MacArthur Park."

Maybe David [Morales] slipped... I'm probably totally wrong. I'll have to listen to the song again and then get out my Donna Summer CDs.

I will too.

[Note: According to David Morales' record label, Def Mix, there is no sample in "NYCBoy" and all the music for that single was recorded in the studio, although some of it was probably inspired by other songs.]