Just curious, but what does everyone think of PSB?
I sampled some of their songs the other day on Musicmatch and thought they were decent (similiar to NO in some ways).....
What do you all think of PSB?
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I use to be really obsessed with them. I loved please and Actually. This was before I really gotten into New Order. I use to collect whatever I could by them. I actually spent over a hundred dollars once to get a copy of their film "It couldn't happen here". I started losing interest when Very came out. It wasn't a bad album. I really liked it. But I couldn't stand the damn costumes and all. Then their stuff started getting to dancy and poppy for my taste. I really felt like I wasted my money with Bilingual. I still like them. but I haven't really kept up with them very much. I still listen to Actually fairly often. Being Boring is one of my all time favorite Tracks.
I just noticed that NO and PSB released separate songs named "Young Offender" in '93
NO's Republic and PSB's Very. 
Just noticing this, I wonder how PSB's sounds...
As far as PSB goes, I think it's a mixed (hand)bag for me...some of their stuff sounds cheesy and dated (their early 90s stuff), and others ("What Have I Done...", "Domino Dancing", "West End Girls" and "I Want to Wake Up") are quite masterful.
EDIT- 
Halfway to 1000. Wow, me.
I love PSB. They're a great pop band, with many classics in their career. Are also very melancholic, specially in their best album, Behaviour.
Songs like "Being boring", "This must be the place i waited years to leave", "My October symphony", "So hard", and many more, are fantastic. From their previous albums i like Please and Actually, but Introspective is good too.
My faves are: "What have i done to deserve this", "Shopping", "West end girls", "Left to my own devices", "Always on my mind", "King's cross", etc.
Ah, and they have one of the best song titles ever: "You only tell me you love me when you're drunk".
I thik PSB are great some of their songs are all time classics - Suburbia, Being Boring, Red Letter Day, Home and Dry, Rent, Too Many People. Neil Tennant has one of the best consistently good voices in pop. Their lyrics are a cut above the average and they have stood the test of time - much like New Order.
Rocket has ALL their albums and a few rare bootlegs.These are all on CDs because their 12 inch singles etc are extremely costly and i could not afford both the COMPLETE PSB aswell as BOWIE and the others i collect aswell as NEW ORDER.Some fantastic DANCE music and extremely classic songs.I never thought they were anything like NEW ORDER but just liked the synths and singers voice.Used to read NEIL when he wrote for NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS.West End Girls,Domino Dancing,I Want a Dog,NEW YORK CITY BOY,Go West,Always on My Mind and numerous others still get played regularly at PLANET ROCKET!
Cheers CHIP SHOP BOY ROCKET :D
Originally posted by Subsy of Greater Rochester I just noticed that NO and PSB released separate songs named "Young Offender" in '93NO's Republic and PSB's Very.
Both sound very similar. Stephen Hague is written on the both of them.
Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb Eyes Cocksuckers.
So you REALLY like em a lot then BENNY?:D
Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb Eyes Cocksuckers.
yeah, but that's no reason to dislike them....
i've always liked PSB--ever since 'please' was released. they've put out some fantastic songs/albums throughout the years.
Rather liked Rent and What Have I Done To Deserve This?, but haven't actually bought any of their albums.
I remember begining to like New Order with the idea of Sebastien who told me Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr were gays.. :D
So what? doesn't stop the music.
I liked them a lot on Behaviour and Very, then for some reason, nothing came out here until Nightlife...
BTW... :topic:
Remember, there is a forum for those topics!
ah, PSB got played around the house too much when i was a kid, and i was throughly sick of them. but i like them now...though i don't really know their stuff beyond very.
Always been a fan, but not as much since roughly mid 90s, although they still turn out some decent material. "Actually" one of their best albums. Still love "I Want To Wake Up" & "King's Cross". Their stuff with Barney 'n' Johnny wasn't half bad either!
I'm a fan...Tennants lyrics are hilarious and poignant.
Haven't bought much of their stuff since early 90's though.
I remember catching the "young offender" coincidence as well
I actually got into PSB right when I was getting into new order. However, the first album I listened to was "Nightlife," which I found at the public library and taped - illegally, but never mind that. Although nightlife does have several good songs on it, particularly in the first half, I prefer their older stuff, especially "please," which is in my boombox almost as much as the first side of Substance and Disintegration (I've been a Cure fan for a while). I like New order better, since their sound varies and is more than just synths, programming, and vocals.
(Shouldn't there be a keyboard/synth icon, especially since this is a new order forum?)
Lyrically, PSB can be better than New Order, but they just don't have Hooky's bass. "Why don't we live together?" and "love comes quickly" are my favorite songs off please, although "domino dancing," "Closer to heaven," and "vampires," which aren't on please, are also pretty good.
I´ve been listening to them since 1985,west and girls. Like them a lot,suburbia is my number 1 and Neil taught Barney to sing much better.His voice in Republic tour was fantastic and never out of tune after Electronic sessions.
I love PSB. I've been a fan since WEG in '85-86. I think NO and PSB compliment each other and my fantasy has been for them to collaborate. I kinda got that with Electronic so I'm happy. Neil has a great voice and he writes just the neatest lyrics. Being Boring is my favorite PSB song - it's just brilliant! Too Many People sounds like it coulda been a NO song.
I got to see them last year in Detroit and they kicked ass.
They rock my world. 
:D:D:D:D:D anita
There a great band,i originally got into them back in the late 80's as they have always been cited as being closing aligned to neworder and i knew that Barneys a big fan of neils lyricism and the critically acclaimed psb "sound"
Still think Behaviour is one of the most powerful albums ever released - regardless of the somewhat dodgy innuendos that lurk round every corner in Tennants lyrics, he remains without doubt of the cleverest and poignant lyric writers around. Just hearing the collaborations that were done with Electronic is testament to this. The lyrics on GAWI for example effortlessly blows wide open the twisted tenderness (for want of a better phrase!) relationship subject matter that Barney so often relentlessly harps on about in NewOrder songs but can never quite seem to nail down and put to bed.
So yea i got lot of time for their music, although i have all albums up to behaviour and picked up release a short while ago as it was in the sale im not an avid fan in so much as i have to have all their albums.
Ps: That Electronic connection not bring it back a little ON topic eh Spotnick?? ;)
I guess to bring it further back on topic....
I thought it was interesting comment my Neil Tannant in "NEWORDERSTORY" where he went out bought the new NO single "blue Monday". brought it home, played it and his heart instantly sank because he said it was something he and chris were wanting to do. and that they were working on a track with a similiar bassline around the same time.
Sorry to be a stick in the mud here, but don't have any time for them at all. Pompous rubbish when compared to New Order IMHO.
CTB
I hired the PSB's for a party recently.
I thought 200 quid was expensive until they started playing some of their older stuff which went down really well. Bit disappointed with the sound (they only brought one speaker!) - but Neil and the other boy stopped back to chat to the guests which went down well, and I noticed one of them had taken a dump as the toilet roll was very neat when I went in afterwards to check for damage.
I very much love the group, actually. So far I have Introspective, Behaviour, Discography, Very, Alternative, and Disco 3. In fact, I was singing Love Comes Quickly on my way to the university.
Neil has a great voice in my opinion, plus his lyrics are excellent (plus I've awlays had a thing for irony), and the music is great.
Domino Dancing and Miserabilism are my favorite tracks of there's.
By the way, speaking of very/republic, has anybody noticed the following:
1988-89: DM's Violator, NO's Technique, PSB's Introspective, all considered by many as the best albums of the group.
1993: NO's Republic, PSB's Very, both with Stephen Hauge and somewhat similar sounds.
1994-1995: NO's Best Of, which features older tracks, PSB's Alternative, which features older tracks.
2000-2001: DM's come back as Exciter, regarded as decent, NO's comeback as Get Ready, regarded as decent, PSB release Release, regarded by many as a very poor album.
Neil & Chris are obviously genious. It was and still is the first band after the Beatles which can make so many beautiful excellent songs and - quite often!! I'd be very proud of them if I were an Englishman.
I loved Release because they did something different on it. Love is a Catastrophe just rips a huge hole in my heart...Home & Dry is waiting for someone to come home...
I just love it to death...told Neil that, too!
Originally posted by anita I loved Release because they did something different on it.
I didn't buy Release yet, although I downloaded a few songs from it, and they were decent, but not up to the older stuff. Too guitarish in my opinion, which, although I like when bands use guitars well (such as NO in Get Ready or any release by smashing pumpkins or the cure), the sound just doesn't fit PSB well. However, "The Night I fell in Love" is hilarious, in my opinion. I despise Eminem (and most of american rap culture), especially his homophobic lyrics, eventhough he considers them just a part of his stage image or whoever that moron slim shady is.
PSB are the best songwriting duo active in the music industry. Although I love New Order, I have to admit a large portion of the PBS catalog is just as good, or better than NO - especially the Further Listening CDs. These guys know how to write a song and produce it. Best album - Behavior. Then there’s their unofficial third member who brings so much to the table – Johnny Marr. It all works rather well.
I don't mind them myself. Their older stuff's the best; West End Girls and It's A Sin are probably my two favourite tunes of theirs. Thank God I can admit that here! :)
I'm surprised no one's brought up "Alternative"...it's a 2 disc set that has their absolutele best work imo.
New Life Jack The Lad Was That What It Was You Know Where You Went Wrong It Must Be Obvious We All Feel Better In The Dark Too Many People
...are their best songs, PERIOD! Grab Alternative if you don't already own it.
Alternative is a fantastic album!!!! Who else can release a 3x12 album of 30 songs that are B-sides and have them sound as good, if not better, than some of the A-sides????
Originally posted by anita Alternative is a fantastic album!!!! Who else can release a 3x12 album of 30 songs that are B-sides and have them sound as good, if not better, than some of the A-sides????
Suede did with Sci-Fi Lullabies! 
The latter and Alternative are the best B-sides compilations ever released, imho.
PSB are great. I discovered them when they released It's a Sin, and loved them till the release of Very, which I found too excentric, a parody of what they did before. Later, I bought Bilingual which is decent but lacks the magic of the first albums. I didn't buy Nightlife (didn't like the singles). My interest came back recently with the broadcasting of Home & Dry and London, which are the best singles they've released for years. I just bought Disco 3 which is really great, and I'm planning to buy Release very soon. This recent revival of interest made me dust off their old stuff, and re-discover Very which I finally like a lot, after 10 years!
To summarise, it's really a great band, and I'm very into them for the moment. Until NO's next album, probably.
besides enjoying their music, i'm especially fond of the bumpy orange 'very' CD cover. it's a bit tate modern, but you can locate it in the dark.
They're rubbish.
Smug, knowing, arch, ironic, precious, sneering, contemptuous, pretentious, posturing.
So that's their nine album titles sorted then.
Originally posted by AgentWood besides enjoying their music, i'm especially fond of the bumpy orange 'very' CD cover. it's a bit tate modern, but you can locate it in the dark.
i know! i've always been in love with that album cover. :)
Originally posted by Subsy Returns Home I just noticed that NO and PSB released separate songs named "Young Offender" in '93NO's Republic and PSB's Very.
Yeah, but although "Domino Dancing" itself isn't a bad song, its video is downright hilariously trashy.
I love PSB probably just less than NO. As mentioned there are some coincidences between the 2.
Both went to New York in the early 80's and were heavily influenced by the NY electro scene. NO through Arthur Baker and PSB through Bobby O. Both were remixed by Shep Pettibone and as mentioned previously produced by Stephen Hague.
There must have been some synergy between the 2 as PSB appeared on Electronic's Getting Away With It.
Originally posted by AgentWood besides enjoying their music, i'm especially fond of the bumpy orange 'very' CD cover. it's a bit tate modern, but you can locate it in the dark.
Yeah, like NO's "special edition" of Republic: orange, if I remember correctly, but puffy rather than bumpy, right?
The Pet Shop Boys have been brilliant down the years. Actually is an excellent album and more recently Nightlife. Has anyone noticed the similarity between True Faith and Heart? I think PSB released theirs first so did NO borrow a few ideas?? Who cares True Faith is the better song anywayz.
The Pet Shop Boys have been brilliant down the years. Actually is an excellent album and more recently Nightlife. Has anyone noticed the similarity between True Faith and Heart? I think PSB released theirs first so did NO borrow a few ideas?? Who cares True Faith is the better song anywayz.
sssshhhhhh...don't tell anyone, but i am a bigger PSB fan than i am a NO fan.
i read an interview somewhere, that said something to the extent of PSB wanted to incorperate a bit of the hooky/robert-smithish twang. it shows on behaviour (this must be the place i waited years to leave, the end of the world)
Originally posted by Sean Taugher sssshhhhhh...don't tell anyone, but i am a bigger PSB fan than i am a NO fan.
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! BLASPHEMY!!!!
I was very much a PSB fan before I discovered the Order.
I have all their albums but have hardly listened to the last 2 at all.
Some cracking singles (far to many to list but Opportunities & Its a Sin head the cast)& a cracking double B-Sides compilation (ahem!)
But PSB have nothing in their armoury to touch Neworder's finest moments (see all the polls for opinions on what they may be ;)
I was very much a PSB fan before I discovered the Order.
I have all their albums but have hardly listened to the last 2 at all.
Some cracking singles (far to many to list but Opportunities & Its a Sin head the cast)& a cracking double B-Sides compilation (ahem!)
But PSB have nothing in their armoury to touch Neworder's finest moments - see all the polls for opinions on what they may be ;)
I was surprised when True Faith came out because it really seemed to be heavily influenced by the Pet Shop Boys. They even "borrowed" the PSBs long time production/remix combo (Stephen Hague/Shep Pettibone) for the single. Not that I minded, since I loved both bands. :) I've also noticed that Mark Farrow and Peter Saville seemed to have borrowed ideas from each other over the years (for the sleeve designs).
Originally posted by undertow I've also noticed that Mark Farrow and Peter Saville seemed to have borrowed ideas from each other over the years (for the sleeve designs).
i am not seeing this... but i don't have any of my cd's and 12" slabs here in my office. would you be so kind as to clueing me in? i can kinda see a technique/introspective comparison with color choice and repetition, but i am stumped beyond that.
Originally posted by Sean Taugher > Originally posted by undertow> I've also noticed that Mark Farrow and Peter Saville seemed to have borrowed ideas from each other over the years (for the sleeve designs).
i am not seeing this... but i don't have any of my cd's and 12" slabs here in my office. would you be so kind as to clueing me in? i can kinda see a technique/introspective comparison with color choice and repetition, but i am stumped beyond that.
I guess I'm thinking of mutual type styles more than anything else. They both put out fantastic sleeves and I think the minimalist sleeves for PSBs "Being Remixed" or "DJ Culturemix" could be mistaken for Saville designs and Electronic's "Getting Away With It (remix)" and perhaps "World in Motion (remix)" could be Mark Farrow. Of course, that all changed when Very came out... none of the singles from that album could be mistaken for Saville designs!
Originally posted by Gnu Odor I heard that they're gay.Sorry girls!
you're kidding...right??? 
Originally posted by Gnu Odor I heard that they're gay.Sorry girls!
I'm sure the one person in the world who didn't know that is devastated right about now! :p
They have some good songs and lyrics, but their voice and background music just remind me of an orgy of gays and drugs. well "westend Girls" is one of my fav songs though.
Originally posted by Tristan Jayol They have some good songs and lyrics, but their voice and background music just remind me of an orgy of gays and drugs. well "westend Girls" is one of my fav songs though.
Yeah, "Westend Girls" is one of the highlights of the Eighties, I remember the video when it used to air on Casy Kasem's saturday-morning video show! 
Originally posted by Taboo # 7 > Originally posted by Tristan Jayol> They have some good songs and lyrics, but their voice and background music just remind me of an orgy of gays and drugs. well "westend Girls" is one of my fav songs though.
Yeah, "Westend Girls" is one of the highlights of the Eighties, I remember the video when it used to air on Casy Kasem's saturday-morning video show!
Damn I would have loved to see that; I was born in '85 so I do not have any of these great memories of the eighties that everbody here does :(
Originally posted by What shall I call myself today? Tristan...are you trying to say that I am old???Don't make me thrash you with my cane...
Pardon me, brothers. Could you spare me some cutter?
You kids don't know how easy you have it...why, in my day, we didn't have any Britney Spears. We had to settle for Debbie Gibson! :barf:
Instead of Nsync and Justin Timberlake, we had NKOTB and Vanilla Ice! :barf: :barf:
And, instead of George Bush, we had George Bush! :barf: :barf: :barf:
Originally posted by Taboo # 7 > Originally posted by What shall I call myself today?> Tristan...are you trying to say that I am old???> > Don't make me thrash you with my cane...
Pardon me, brothers. Could you spare me some cutter?
You kids don't know how easy you have it...why, in my day, we didn't have any Britney Spears. We had to settle for Debbie Gibson! :barf:
Instead of Nsync and Justin Timberlake, we had NKOTB and Vanilla Ice! :barf: :barf:
And, instead of George Bush, we had George Bush! :barf: :barf: :barf: I may be 19, but I still do remember Vanilla Ice, and I'd take him over Eminem any day. And, really, in another 10 years, Britney Spears is going to be the next Paula Abdul, with larger plastic tits.
Originally posted by Who is this man that follows me? > Originally posted by Taboo # 7> > > > Originally posted by What shall I call myself today?> > Tristan...are you trying to say that I am old???> > > > Don't make me thrash you with my cane...>
Pardon me, brothers. Could you spare me some cutter?
You kids don't know how easy you have it...why, in my day, we didn't have any Britney Spears. We had to settle for Debbie Gibson! :barf:
Instead of Nsync and Justin Timberlake, we had NKOTB and Vanilla Ice! :barf: :barf:
And, instead of George Bush, we had George Bush! :barf: :barf: :barf: I may be 19, but I still do remember Vanilla Ice, and I'd take him over Eminem any day. And, really, in another 10 years, Britney Spears is going to be the next Paula Abdul, with larger plastic tits.
Yes, to every M&M fan, just repeat the words "Vanilla Ice"; they won't know what you're talking about, and pretty soon no one will know M&M either...:D
Originally posted by Real deal with Bill Mcneal And Mille & Vanille? Who remembers?
I remember....(dramtic music rises)....I REMEMBER, DAMMIT! :jump2:
Originally posted by Taboo # 7 > Originally posted by Real deal with Bill Mcneal> And Mille & Vanille? Who remembers?
I remember....(dramtic music rises)....I REMEMBER, DAMMIT! :jump2:
I remember they didn't sing anything...
Good old 80s!PSB are one of my favorite bands - I think that Very is a perfect album. They have loads of wonderful B-Sides, too. The Very-era B-Sides like Shameless, Some Speculation and Euroboy are great.
Always On My Mind, Go West, Flamboyant (their newest single!) and New York City Boy are my absolute favorites.
I'm sorry...this is now OFF TOPIC in behind closed doors...
can't fathom why you would dig this up...but it's out of here!!!
I've loved them since '88 or so. I would play West End everyday while I was getting ready for school in 87 or 88. Geeeezz....
Originally posted by undertow > Originally posted by Sean Taugher> > > > Originally posted by undertow> > I've also noticed that Mark Farrow and Peter Saville seemed to have borrowed ideas from each other over the years (for the sleeve designs).>
i am not seeing this... but i don't have any of my cd's and 12" slabs here in my office. would you be so kind as to clueing me in? i can kinda see a technique/introspective comparison with color choice and repetition, but i am stumped beyond that.
I guess I'm thinking of mutual type styles more than anything else. They both put out fantastic sleeves and I think the minimalist sleeves for PSBs "Being Remixed" or "DJ Culturemix" could be mistaken for Saville designs and Electronic's "Getting Away With It (remix)" and perhaps "World in Motion (remix)" could be Mark Farrow. Of course, that all changed when Very came out... none of the singles from that album could be mistaken for Saville designs!
Years before PSB released a record, Mark Farrow designed sleeves for several Factory artists (Stockhom Monsters, Section XXV, etc).
I love PSB. I have their all albums and singles. Somebody said about the influence on 'True Faith'. But think that way: ever since Subculture and BLT came out, PSB were their humble adherents. And Saville's artwork inspired PSB covers and even the very idea of design was borrowed from Saville. That's obvious. Chris and Neil have always been smart guys. And that's not bad actually :)
RELEASE is my favorite album so far.
How about their most recent material?
Miracles and Flamboyant are genuine PSB, don't you think?
Originally posted by I don't want to be just a number in Society How about their most recent material?Miracles and Flamboyant are genuine PSB, don't you think?
They are ace singles. I wasn't too fond of Release, but the last two singles, especially Flamboyant, are great.
Originally posted by I don't want to be just a number in Society How about their most recent material?Miracles and Flamboyant are genuine PSB, don't you think?
Both are superb; particularly Flamboyant. It's one of their best songs!
I've always liked the Pet Shop Boys, I saw them four years ago at a Festival and they were superb. They, anyway, weren't one of my fave bands, until I heard Flamboyant... I just LOVE that song so much! My brother laughs at me, like: "your fave song is their last!!!", but it's true, I just don't know why, it's one of my favorite songs of all time. I'm willing to see them again this summer!
Originally posted by Girldroid I've always liked the Pet Shop Boys, I saw them four years ago at a Festival and they were superb. They, anyway, weren't one of my fave bands, until I heard Flamboyant... I just LOVE that song so much! My brother laughs at me, like: "your fave song is their last!!!", but it's true, I just don't know why, it's one of my favorite songs of all time. I'm willing to see them again this summer!
Are they going to be touring this summer?
Yeah, they're doing some festivals. They'll play here in Spain at the Benicassim Festival (F.I.B.), along with Kraftwerk and many others. I don't know about more dates, but I'd swear they exist...
By the way, Girldroid, nice to see a Faint quote under your posts. You always did have good taste, what with the New Order and the David Lynch films and so on.
Originally posted by His Holiness, The Pope By the way, Girldroid, nice to see a Faint quote under your posts. You always did have good taste, what with the New Order and the David Lynch films and so on.
Thanx!!!
