Neil Tennant

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This article is about the musician. For the philosopher, see Neil Tennant (philosopher).
Neil Tennant (right) with collaborator Chris Lowe (left)
Neil Tennant (right) with collaborator Chris Lowe (left)

Neil Francis Tennant (born July 10, 1954 in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, England) is an English musician, who, with his colleague Chris Lowe, makes up the successful pop duo, the Pet Shop Boys.

Contents

[edit] Childhood

As a child, Neil attended St. Cuthbert's Grammar School, an all-boys' Catholic school in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. (Sting went to the same school.) Neil's songs "This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave" and "It's A Sin" refer to his early life in Catholic school and the strict Catholic upbringing there. "It's A Sin" caused controversy with its implicit criticism of Catholic education.

Whilst at school Neil played guitar and cello. At the age of 16, he played in a group called Dust, whose most popular song was a called "Can You Hear The Dawn Break?". They were heavily influenced by The Incredible String Band.

[edit] Later life

In 1975, having completed a degree in history at North London Polytechnic, Neil worked briefly as an editor for the UK branch of Marvel Comics. He was responsible for with anglicizing the dialogue of Marvel's catalogue to suit British readers, and for indicating where women needed to be redrawn more decently for the British editions. In 1977, he moved to Macdonald Educational Publishing and, later, ITV Books. In 1982 he joined the British teen pop magazine Smash Hits, where he rose to Assistant Editor.

At Smash Hits, an opportunity arose for him to go to New York to interview The Police. Whilst there, Tennant arranged to meet Bobby Orlando, a producer who both he and Lowe admired. Tennant mentioned that he was writing songs in his spare time and Orlando agreed to record some tracks with him and Lowe at a later date. Orlando subsequently produced the Pet Shop Boys' first single "West End Girls".

[edit] Personal life

Although Tennant avoided the issue of homosexuality in the 1980s, preferring his lyrics to be androgynous, shortly after the release of 1993's Very he publicly "came out" in Attitude, a UK gay lifestyle magazine. According to the musician Tom Stephan aka Superchumbo, they had a two-year romantic relationship.

[edit] Current career and future

As of 2006 Tennant and Lowe are still going strong as Pet Shop Boys. Neil has a hi-tech, state of the art recording studio in his home in Durham and many songs from 2002's Release album were recorded there.

Tennant is also known for his support of modern art, and was a judge for the 1998 Turner Prize as a representative of the Patrons of New Art.

According to Rufus Wainwright's official website Tennant is to be the executive producer for Wainwright's next album Release The Stars, due to be released in May 2007. Wainwright made a special appearance during a live show of Tennant's.

[edit] Non-Pet Shop Boys appearances on record

  • In September 2006, Tennant can be heard on two tracks (both produced by the Pet Shop Boys) on Robbie Williams's Rudebox album. The first, co-written by the Pet Shop Boys, is called "She's Madonna" while the second "We're the Pet Shop Boys" was written by My Robot Friend.
  • In June 2006, Tennant provided backing vocals on "Throw" by DJ Dan Fresh.
  • In 2005, Tennant provided lyrics and sang on the track "Tranquilizer" by DJ Tom Stephan (a.k. Superchumbo). Under numerous guises and aliases, Stephan had previously remixed Pet Shop Boys tracks such as "Paninaro 95", "New York City boy" and "Sexy Northerner". In 2006, he would remix "Minimal".
  • In 1998, along with Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, Tennant sang backing vocals on the Robbie Williams' single No Regrets.
  • Tennant provided backing vocals for the Tina Turner track "Confidential", which was written and co-produced for her by the Pet Shop Boys.
  • In April 1996, Tennant's vocals were featured on two live recordings by the British group Suede that were released as b-sides to their single "Filmstar". One track was a cover of the Pet Shop Boys track "Rent", while the second was a duet with Suede singer Brett Anderson on the Suede song "Saturday Night".
  • In 1996, Tennant effectively sings a duet with David Bowie on the Pet Shop Boys remix of Bowie's "Hallo Spaceboy".
  • Tennant provided backing vocals on Boys George's Pet Shop Boy produced cover of "The Crying Game".
  • Worked with the band Electronic, which consists of Johnny Marr (formerly of the Smiths) and Bernard Sumner of New Order and Joy Division. Tennant sang backing on vocals on their first single "Getting Away With It" in 1991 while taking lead vocals on the 1991 single "Disappointed". Along with fellow Pet Shop Boy Chris Lowe, he wrote and appeared on the Electronic album track "Patience of a Saint", on which he shared lead vocals with Sumner.
  • Tennant's backing vocals can be heard on many tracks by Cicero, who was signed to the Pet Shop Boys record label.
  • "Nothing has been proved" by 'Dusty Springfield (written and produced by the Pet Shop Boys for the film Scandal) features a spoken interlude by Tennant ("It's a scandal... such scandal... it's a scandal.")
  • "Losing my Mind" and "Don't Drop Bombs" from Liza Minelli's Pet Shop Boys produced Results feature Tennant on backing vocals.

[edit] Trivia

  • Doctor Who star David Tennant chose his acting surname from Neil Tennant. This came after reading an interview with Tennant in Smash Hits shortly after learning that he would have to change his professional name in order to join the actors' union, Equity, as there was already a registered member with his real name, David McDonald.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Pet Shop Boys
Neil Tennant | Chris Lowe
Discography
Albums: Please | Actually | Introspective | Behaviour | Very | Bilingual | Nightlife | Release | Fundamental
Soundtracks and scores: Closer to Heaven (Original Cast Recording) | Battleship Potemkin
Remix albums: Disco | Disco 2 | Disco 3
Compilations: Discography: The Complete Singles Collection | Alternative | PopArt: The Hits
Live: Concrete
Related Articles
Other projects: It Couldn't Happen Here | Results | Spaghetti Records | Closer to Heaven | Back to Mine: Pet Shop Boys
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