Neil Tennant
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- This article is about the musician. For the philosopher, see Neil Tennant (philosopher).
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.
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[edit] Childhood
As a child, Neil attended St. Cuthbert's Grammar School, an all-boys' Catholic school in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. (The same school which Sting attended.) The 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. Their most popular song was a called "Can you hear the dawn break?" and they were heavily influenced by The Incredible String Band.
[edit] Later life
In 1975, after completing a degree in history at North London Polytechnic, Neil worked for a brief time as an editor for the UK branch of Marvel Comics. He was tasked with anglicizing the dialogue of Marvel's catalogue to suit British readers, and also indicated where over-risque 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 to go over to New York and 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 later produced 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, he publicly "came out" shortly after the release of 1993's Very in Attitude, a UK gay lifestyle magazine. According to the musician Superchumbo, they had a brief romantic relationship.
[edit] Current career and future
Tennant and Lowe are as of 2006 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.
[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 |
Categories: 1954 births | British dance musicians | Gay musicians | English pop singers | English male singers | English songwriters | Pet Shop Boys | Living people | LGBT people from the United Kingdom | Ivor Novello Award winners | People from North Shields | Alumni of the University of North London
