Classic Pop Presents

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ARCHIVE INTERVIEWS • EVERY ALBUM REVISITED • TOP 40 SINGLES DREAMWORLD TOUR • COLLABORATIONS + AND MUCH MORE!

Classic Pop Presents

ArticleWELCOME

Amost unusual song from an unusual band,” declared Steve Wright from the Top Of The Pops balcony, to introduce the Pet Shop Boys to its stage for the first time back in late 1985. In amongst a cast that included the sunshine pop of Wham!, Go West...

Rik Flynn, Editor

ArticleMark Lindores

grew up in the golden age of Smash Hits and Number One. Writing for Classic Pop and Mixmag, he is living the dream of his 15-yearold self. Inside, he looks at PSB’s evolving style and their relationship with club culture.

Classic Pop Presents

ArticleIan Wade

has written for numerous publications over the years, as well as recently publishing his book, 1984: The Year Pop Went Queer. This issue, he takes on the Pets’ Top 40 singles and Introspective.

Classic Pop Presents

ArticleJohn Earls

won Writer Of The Year at the PPA Independent Publisher’s Awards 2025 and is CP’s reviews editor. For this edition, we feature his superb archive interview with Pet Shop Boys, plus an in-depth look at UK No.1 album Very.

Classic Pop Presents

ArticleAndrew Dineley

is the author of Classic Pop’s regular Pop Art series. He has interviewed dozens of the creative legends behind many of music’s most iconic record covers. Here, he looks at the duo’s peerless art and design.

Classic Pop Presents

ArticleINTERVIEW: PET SHOP BOYS

In this eye-opening archive interview, Classic Pop met Neil and Chris to discuss the importance of the single and their thoughts on modern pop music on the release of their all-killer SMASH compilation IN 2023, PET SHOP BOYS UNLEASHED WHAT...

JOHN EARLS

ArticleCLASSIC ALBUM: PLEASE

Newly signed to major label Parlophone and with super-skilled producer Stephen Hague at the controls, the duo’s debut LP held tunes that would go on to be classics… Had Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe not been so bloody-minded at the end of 1985,...

STEVE O’BRIEN

ArticleVERY

After a succession of near misses, Pet Shop Boys finally made No.1 with their ‘coming-out’ album, an upbeat celebration of pop writ large It is, of course, a national scandal that Pet Shop Boys have only spent one week at No.1 in the UK Album...

JOHN EARLS

ArticleCLASSIC ALBUM: ACTUALLY

One-hit wonders? No chance. The Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 sophomore album marked the absolute zenith of their ‘imperial phase’ All the signs were there: the Pet Shop Boys were a one-hit wonder. West End Girls, released in November 1985, spent eight...