The Imagination of the Pet Shop Boys.

Bit of a PetShopFest at the moment, as the 30th anniversary of their debut album is celebrated on radio and TV. Neil Tennant remains the more vocal Pet Shop Boy. As Assistant Editor of Smash Hits, he knew just to how to appeal to kids and more mature music fans alike but I always found their sound a bit cold and slightly derivative. In an interview about their musical influences, Tennant referred to the avant-garde synth-pop of Biosphere and Etienne Daho but Chris Lowe mentioned “Imagination”. I thought he meant the imagination required to write big hits but no, he meant Imagination, the rather derided Brit-Funk troupe from the early 80s. Marvellous. I always loved Imagination but thought I was the only one. Have a listen. Their influence on Tennant and Lowe is so obvious now. Can’t believe I’d never noticed it before.