BIOGRAPHY / NEIL / CHRIS

Born Neil Francis Tennant on 10th July 1954 in North Shields, Newcastle. He is the second eldest of a family of four children - elder sister Susan and two younger brothers, Simon and Phillip. His early life was pretty uneventful, although he did get a little bit of stick at school in Newcastle. It seemed that his Geordie accent wasn't quite strong enough for the other lads at St. Cuthbert's Grammar School so they used to call him 'poshie'. Neil says "I was a bit upset!".

In 1975, Neil plays in a group in Newcastle called Dust. Their most popular song is a preposterous affair he has written called "Can you hear the dawn break?". They are heavily influenced by The Incredible String Band. "We were convinced we would become terribly famous. It was a very kind of stoned seventies but we used to think it was absolutely brilliant at the time".

Neil's first job was as a counter assistant in Ladbrokes the bookmakers, every Saturday for about a year. He also had a summer job for about two years in the British Museum's manuscript department. "Everyone else seemed to get a horrible job in a factory but I didn't want a job where my hands got dirty. I've never had one and I hope it stays that way".

After completing a degree in history at the Polytechnic of North London, Neil took a job at Marvel Comics where he used to change the spellings from American to English and add bits of clothing to the comic characters when their dress got a little too exciting for British tastes. After Marvel Comics Neil worked for a book publisher, editing titles such as 'Diary of Home Management' His last job before becoming a Pet Shop Boy was as assistant editor of Smash Hits.

In 1981 he met Chris, and started his professional music career as the singing Pet Shop Boy. He went to New York to meet Bobby O, and managed to get him to let Neil and Chris record some of their material.

Neil's lyrics are mainly from personal experiences, or about other people. A fine example of this are the lyrics from "Metamorphosis".

In 1998, an album called "20th Century Blues" was released, dedicated to Noel Coward was co-produced by Neil. Neil has an interest in Noel Coward, and Oscar Wilde, and is a keen antiques collector.

'It's only a laugh, no harm done'

Personal Profile:

Favourite drink:
Red wine. Or Jamaican blue coffee. Or water.

Favourite food:
Brown rice and vegetables.

Favourite colour:
Dark blue.

Favourite toy as a kid:
A train set, my cousin's originally, on a green board. It had Potter's Bar station on it, and whenever I pass through Potter's Bar station on the way to Durham I always think of the train set.

Favourite item of clothing:
I'm afraid I haven't really got one at the moment.

Favourite word:
Umbilical.

Favourite journey:
When I lived in Rye I used to love the train journey from Ashford to Rye across the marshes on a winter's afternoon.

Favourite animal:
My dog.

Favourite smell:
Lavender.

Favourite book as a teenager:
The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake. I haven't really read them for thirty years but I think I'm going to read again on this tour. I liked the fact that it was its own world - this enormous castle that goes on forever; you discover unknown rooms with things happening in them.

Turn-ons:
New shoes - I love the way they smell. Beautiful eyes - they make me melt. I also find gentleness a turn-on.

Turn-offs:
Shrinkwrapping. Smelly hotel rooms. People who bend your ear. I'm a bit of an ear-benders magnet.

Best and worst characteristics:
I don't think one should ever discuss what you regard as your best characteristics. The worst are and endless list. So many, really. Tetchiness, tactlessness, bossiness, being too full-on all the time, being slightly obsessive. All these things, by the way, have their positive side, I think.

First single bought:
Girl Don't Come' by Sandie Shaw. And what a great record it is.

First album bought:
The Beatles' White Album.

First concert:
Jon Hiseman's Colosseum on Newcastle City Hall, autumn 1968. I wouldn't like it now but it was great then. I particularly liked the lights.

First kiss:
With Frances MacDonald in the book cupboard at the back of our classroom in St Oswalds primary school in Newcastle when I was about nine. I quite enjoyed it.

Most impressive scar:
I've only got one scar really, less than an inch long, below my chin. I imagine I got it as a kid, but I don't know how.

Things which make you cry:
Emotional music. For instance at Dusty's funeral when they played a tape of 'Goin' Back'. People I know dying makes me cry, particularly if they're young. And innocence hurt, in whatever situation. But, especially these days, I don't think crying is necessarily a sign of sincerity.

Ambition as a child:
To be a pop star.