INTERVIEWS / NEIL / CHRIS / PSB /

The Pet Shop Boy on married men, being sick on flowers and receiving Alvar Altoo umbrella stands from fans...

You said 'Introspective' was the 'Sergeant Pepper' of disco. So what is Disco 3?
Disco 3 is obviously The White Album of disco. Introspective was our major disco grandiosity statement, whereas this is a bit simpler sounding. Like The White Album it's got good songs.

When were you last in touch with Bobby O?
Bobby O phoned our office about five years ago offering to sell us the original West End Girls. He owns three tracks by us as part of our settlement deal with him. He wanted too much money so we didn't buy them. I met someone recently who says he's writing lyrics for them an that he's still a fascinating character. He wrote one of the songs on this album called Try it (I'm in love with a married man). That line 'Do you think about me darling when you make love to your wife' is a great line.

Is 'I'm in love with a married man' the great lost PSB song?
There is a sense with this album that we've gone full circle. In the early '80s we were almost obsessed with Bobby O's music. He used to make a lot of records. When we met him he said he was trying to release more 12-inches than CBS in one year. We were fascinated by this raw sound and the themes of this songs. We tried to get Tina Turner to record 'I'm in love with a married man'.

Felix Da Housecat sampled Bobby O on Silver Screen. Are you a fan of electroclash?
I am. Sometimes I like the idea of it more than the reality. The thing about electroclash is it's a break with, and an alternative to, house music. House music was about community and everyone being together and pretty much still is. Electroclash is more like punk or new romantic music in that it celebrates outsiderness. Maybe it creates a community of outsiders, but it's outsider music that I feel most comfortable with. I was bored with nightclubbing in London but now I find myself in clubs again, enjoying myself. Where do I go? The Cock, NagNagNag, and I like Trash.

Our House or Taboo?
I haven't seen Our House. Taboo actually, because I'm always going to admire someone who writes something from scratch, rather than a greatest hits musical, although I believe Our House is pretty good.

Do you still buy Smash Hits?
I haven't bought it since 1995. Those magazines are always in plastic bags now, and I find it a bit emberassing buying a magazine in a plastic bag. Also the pop stars got less interesting.

As ex-editor of Marvel comics, are you looking forward to Ang Lee's Incredible Hulk?
Not desperately, no. I didn't read Marvel comics before or after, but for two years while I worked there I read millions of them. I used to like the soap opera element, so even in the Spiderman film - which I thought was pretty good - what I liked were the bits in-between the superhero bits.

Did you and Chris boycott viewing Pop Idol?
We didn't boycott it! I think we watched some of it. We did a university tour last year and were backstage at Keele University. Johnny Marr was there, and he was amazed and horrified that Chris wanted to find out who had won Pop Idol. He voted, by the way, for Gareth. As Morrissey used to say "It's the undiscussable".

Are you a fan of Popbitch? According to you, apparently, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore has a black cock.
(Sharp intake of breath) Was that on Popbitch? It wasn't? I can't believe I ever said that. There was a rumour at the beginning that it was me and Chris who started it, and I was astonished that people thought we were the kind of people that would (a) do that, and (b) have the energy to do it.

Did you really raise the spirit of Oscar Wilde in a séance when you were a kid?
Absolutely. It was when my parents were on holiday when I was 16. We had a séance, the glass moved around the table which was all a bit weird and we said "Who are you?" and it said "Oscar Wilde". Before that it said, "My dear children, you are so young, do not make my mistakes". Then we said "Are you happy?" and it went "No!" I'm scared now, don't want to talk about it (laughs).

Bookend your record collection.
First record I bought was Girl Don't Come by Sandie Shaw. You wouldn't get away with that title nowadays, which I still like. The most recent was a compilation from this label in germany called Kompakt.

Let's finish with some old questions from Tennant-era Smash Hits ... Have you ever been sick on a daffodil?
No, but I once talked to a rose when I was tripping in 1974.

Has anyone ever given you a blowup iguana?
Given me what? No. Weirdest present from a fan? I recently got given a an Alvar Aalto umbrella stand. He's a Finnish designer.

Do you know anyone called Tarquin?
No, I don't. That was one of my questions at Smash Hits. We asked Bryan Ferry and he did know someone called Tarquin.

Have you ever been startled by an ice cream van?
No, I don't like ice cream. Did I feel guilty for asking people questions this daft? No, I think it's the best kind of question. People used to like it because it was a relief from being asked about their latest album.

Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yeah, the last time I rode a horse was on Paul McCartney's estate. Paul was going for a ride with Linda. I used to live quite near them in Sussex. Paul McCartney showed me how to mount a horse, so to speak.