Are we content ?

For general discussion of Pet Shop Boys topics.
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York Minster
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Re: Are we content ?

#31 Post by York Minster »

Danimal wrote: Tue 07 Aug 2018, 2:37 am In the "Super" studio diary Neil mentioned three songs they wrote during those sessions which he said they're saving for a "pop" album after they release the third Stuart Price installment. This "pop" album was further mentioned in interviews and it was suggested they would like someone like Jeff Lynne to produce it. Plans often change, but as recent as two years ago at least two further albums were on the drawing board.
I'm a big ELO fan. Probably my second favorite group after the Pet Shop Boys. So in theory a Jeff Lynne collab would be my dream combo.

But it's not. His production post-ELO is very staid and clunky. Given, he's produced many major hits for artists such as Tom Petty. But he is not a pop producer. I think that the Jeff Lynne comment was not very well thought out and I don't think it will happen.

If Neil and Chris want to sound more like ELO, they should get "The Orchestra" as a backing band (which is ELO Part III under a very lame name). I was surprised when I asked Neil many moons ago about ELO and he said he only knew Can't Get It Out Of My Head. How do you grow up in the 70s and work for a music mag and not know Evil Woman or Mr. Blue Sky or Livin' Thing?
And tryin' to figure out what happened to 'Germaine Propaine'
"He couldn't have fell off that hard" Ain't no way
"What happened to the way you was rappin' when you was scandalous
That Canibus turned into a television evangelist"
Plus he raps with his regular voice [BOOSH! BOOSH!]
[BOOSH! BOOSH!] (What was that?) Pet Shop Boys

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Drico One
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Re: Are we content ?

#32 Post by Drico One »

Too much of anything is never enough.

Drico.
The pale kid that hides in the attic behind his PC...

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Sandy Shaw
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Re: Are we content ?

#33 Post by Sandy Shaw »

York Minster wrote: Tue 07 Aug 2018, 9:06 pm
Danimal wrote: Tue 07 Aug 2018, 2:37 am In the "Super" studio diary Neil mentioned three songs they wrote during those sessions which he said they're saving for a "pop" album after they release the third Stuart Price installment. This "pop" album was further mentioned in interviews and it was suggested they would like someone like Jeff Lynne to produce it. Plans often change, but as recent as two years ago at least two further albums were on the drawing board.
I'm a big ELO fan. Probably my second favorite group after the Pet Shop Boys. So in theory a Jeff Lynne collab would be my dream combo.

But it's not. His production post-ELO is very staid and clunky. Given, he's produced many major hits for artists such as Tom Petty. But he is not a pop producer. I think that the Jeff Lynne comment was not very well thought out and I don't think it will happen.

If Neil and Chris want to sound more like ELO, they should get "The Orchestra" as a backing band (which is ELO Part III under a very lame name). I was surprised when I asked Neil many moons ago about ELO and he said he only knew Can't Get It Out Of My Head. How do you grow up in the 70s and work for a music mag and not know Evil Woman or Mr. Blue Sky or Livin' Thing?
He couldn't get that one out of his head, but the others he could... ;)
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glennjridge
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Re: Are we content ?

#34 Post by glennjridge »

those two live to create music so I dont think we will ever get a "we're hanging it up" tweet. Lord knows we have enough evidence of people far older than them still making music. they might not do world tours...Im think they would do what so many of the aging bands do....just to one off's here and there. but I suspect we will always get albums till they die,which today, could be a long time in the scheme of things.

but in the spirit of the thread, if they did hang it up, I would love a box set with all unreleased tunes...oddities, instrumentals and acapellas of all tracks and a large book with track by track descriptions of all the songs.

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SynthMan Wales
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Re: Are we content ?

#35 Post by SynthMan Wales »

glennjridge wrote: Wed 08 Aug 2018, 11:07 pm those two live to create music so I dont think we will ever get a "we're hanging it up" tweet. Lord knows we have enough evidence of people far older than them still making music. they might not do world tours...Im think they would do what so many of the aging bands do....just to one off's here and there. but I suspect we will always get albums till they die,which today, could be a long time in the scheme of things.

but in the spirit of the thread, if they did hang it up, I would love a box set with all unreleased tunes...oddities, instrumentals and acapellas of all tracks and a large book with track by track descriptions of all the songs.
Of course, there is always the option of them retiring the Pet Shop Boys as project, and for both to carry on together or individually as composers, producers, remixers or what have you.

I am thinking of the Tennant/ Lowe credit for Battleship Potemkin in this regard.

Does everything that Neil and Chris do together professionally need to be labelled as a Pet Shop Boys project? And would it possibly be, for them or the work in question, advantageous or disadvantageous to do so?

There is, despite the breadth of styles and media that PSB have worked in over the course of their career, a preconceived notion of what a Pet Shop Boys project entails, and maybe this can be a hindrance rather than a boon in some circumstance.

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Re: Are we content ?

#36 Post by Kevinsane »

For every Winner or Twenty Something there's been a In His Imgaination or Pop Kids. The latter is just brilliant, and the former, while not perfect, resonates with me deeply, as I work with at risk kids trying to find their path and their tribe.
I hope they keep making music and putting it out there, as I'd rather treasure the gems than think they'll never be mined.

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retrofuturist
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Re: Are we content ?

#37 Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Having just discovered (excuse the pun) Electric Light Orchestra's "Discovery" album this week, and having felt compelled to listen to it on repeat, I'm actually all in favour of Jeff Lynne producing a Pet Shop Boys album.

"Discovery" is a great album, and actually reminds me a lot of a Pet Shop Boys album... a killer opening and closing track, a creative use of electronics, well-crafted pop songs in a mix of different styles and tempos, yet incredibly cohesive as an end-to-end listen etc.

Retro. :)
"Politics are too emotional now. Contemporary culture generally is too emotional, really... I'd rather people looked to the truth." (Neil Tennant)

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York Minster
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Re: Are we content ?

#38 Post by York Minster »

retrofuturist wrote: Sat 11 Aug 2018, 12:56 am Greetings,

Having just discovered (excuse the pun) Electric Light Orchestra's "Discovery" album this week, and having felt compelled to listen to it on repeat, I'm actually all in favour of Jeff Lynne producing a Pet Shop Boys album.

"Discovery" is a great album, and actually reminds me a lot of a Pet Shop Boys album... a killer opening and closing track, a creative use of electronics, well-crafted pop songs in a mix of different styles and tempos, yet incredibly cohesive as an end-to-end listen etc.

Retro. :)
Yes, that's Discovery, ELO's disco album from 1979. Time, their 1981 electronic post-disco album about Robots also has a lot to offer PSB fans. But again, can anyone point to any Jeff Lynne production post 1986 that makes him suitable to produce an electro pop act? I realize Jeff Lynne is credited as producer for all the ELO albums. But there were other people there who were making those sounds. Lynne has given up on a lot of what made the ELO sound great. Listen to the recent "Jeff Lynne's ELO" album and you'll hear the clunky post-1986 production. He's more of a "countrified traveling wilbury" these days than a purveyor of well-produced string laden electro pop-rock. BTW, he also re-recorded all of ELO's biggest hits, and now any time any ELO song is used in a commercial or in a film, you're not actually hearing the original, although most people think they are. So now he gets all the royalties and Bev Bevan gets zip. Jeff Lynne also has no "depth". Everything Neil and Chris do has layers of meaning. Or at least Drico makes it seem that way. Jeff Lynne describing ELO songs goes like this: "Evil woman was about an evil woman I once thought of." Seriously that's barely hyperbole.
And tryin' to figure out what happened to 'Germaine Propaine'
"He couldn't have fell off that hard" Ain't no way
"What happened to the way you was rappin' when you was scandalous
That Canibus turned into a television evangelist"
Plus he raps with his regular voice [BOOSH! BOOSH!]
[BOOSH! BOOSH!] (What was that?) Pet Shop Boys

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tottenhammattspurs
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Re: Are we content ?

#39 Post by tottenhammattspurs »

I’d like to see the next album produced by Joey Negro
is is and isnt isnt

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Kiran
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Re: Are we content ?

#40 Post by Kiran »

Likely to be on my own with this opinion, but their last few albums didn't really do much for me. Electric and Super had a few moments (although I would not say that any of the songs would make any PSB top 20 for me) so if they stopped today, I would feel like they ended their career on a low point.

My preference is that they go out on a high so I would like them to finish with an album that leaves me thinking "that was damn good".

No need for anyone to try and dissect my view because it isn't going to change.
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Re: Are we content ?

#41 Post by MikeyC »

VERY content! :)

Bulldog

Re: Are we content ?

#42 Post by Bulldog »

tottenhammattspurs wrote: Sat 11 Aug 2018, 11:05 am I’d like to see the next album produced by Joey Negro
My dream too. He could give them back the lush disco/britfunk sound they need now. Both Dawson and Price made them sound too dry.

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Re: Are we content ?

#43 Post by retrofuturist »

I've mentioned it previously, but I'd like to see them work with Ricardo Autobahn from Spray, but I know it won't happen.

But, you know... we can't have all possible worlds at once, so I'll be thankful for whatever we get, whenever we get it.
"Politics are too emotional now. Contemporary culture generally is too emotional, really... I'd rather people looked to the truth." (Neil Tennant)

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SynthMan Wales
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Re: Are we content ?

#44 Post by SynthMan Wales »

My dream producer for PSB would be James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem.

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Re: Are we content ?

#45 Post by Kevinthehorse »

My dream producer for PSB would be Callum Malcolm, who produced the classic Blue Nile albums from the 1980s. It would have to be something of a "downtempo" album though for it to work.

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