European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 07, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thinking Opl the pet show toys e s dance music from by Dennis Hunt los Angeles time sin the skyscraper of pop dance music is the basement. In terms of critical respect it s Down there with heavy Metal. The common complaint dance  nothing but a mindless recurring beat accompanied by frivolous lyrics. To Many critics and pop fans the pet shop boys Are just another synthetic entry on the crowded largely faceless dance club circuit and the British duo s records Are dismissed As pretentious disco. But there is considerable ambition and skill behind the music of lyricist and Lead Singer Neil Tennant-35, and composer keyboardist Chris Lowe 30, whose International hits include West end girls and always on my mind. The pair s trademark the Sharp contrast Between a High Energy dance rhythms and insightful lyrics about the troubled moments of Romance. For added irony Tennant sings these tales of longing and regret in a droning detached style somewhat similar to Bryan. Ferry s. A. A. A. A v v a on their latest album behaviour Tennant a former writer for the British pop Magazine smash hits and Lowe a one time architecture student seem to take their boldest step toward greater artistic respectability placing More emphasis on intimate autobiographical lyrics than a never ending beat. To draw attention to the album the duo has embarked on. A world tour that includes concert dates in Europe in the Spring. During a recent interview Tennant and Lowe a who have also produced rec ads for Liza Minnelli and Dusty Springfield a were outspoken about critics and the slate of american dance music. Since behaviour offers less dance music do you worry that your old fans might be turned off by it Lowe i can t say that we really care. We Haven t fallen into the t rap of trying to make records strictly to please our audience. It s calculated and it s no fun. It s better Lor us  up with what we think is Good and Noi try to second guess the fans if it s Good the fans will like it too. But they can t be the first priority. That s How you wind up making bad records a records you Don t really believe in. What has been the critical reaction to the album Lowe because there s less _ _ a to a a. V i v r l a a Quot dance music on it Rock critics feel More comfortable with it. A journalist in Montreal basically said Quot you be. Grown up More the music is a lot More intellectual and you be kind of washed your hands of that Nasty dance  people say it sounds so much More mature which Means it has less dance music on it. These Are sup wedly compliments but they re not really. I love dance music and this positive reaction to the album is basically a negative reaction to dance. Music. That s crap As far1 As i m concerned. Why the change in the album Tennant we got away from the High Energy dance music to Experiment with different dance rhythms and a different sound. For a change we wanted to get into More personal music. Also in England dance music is changing. They re making Mellower records. The dance music is almost new agey. We still love High Energy music a Don t get me wrong. Over there we re practically the Only people who still make High Energy dance music. A you be received much More critical acclaim than most dance music artists but you be taken your share of critical potshots too. Do you value that critical opinion Lowe forget it. What you learn from critics is How to be Nasty and How not to be understood Many of them write reviews that make no sense a even if it s Praise. Based on their opinions you can see most of them Don t understand what we re doing or trying to do i be always thought of the critics As the enemy if a. The critics like you you be failed somehow. A considering your reputation for intelligent lyrics does t it bother you that most dance music fans care Only about the beat and Don t really listen to lyrics. A a a a a a a a a a a a /. A a a a a a a a -. Tennant not really. That s the nature of pop  s superficial music that can be enjoyed on a superficial level. I actually like it when someone says they like our songs because they can dance to them. The Content of the song May be lost on them but that does t make me feel bad. If they be just gotten into the beat at least the song touched them somehow. Some sceptics Are suggesting you re finally doing a tour to boost a career that has sagged somewhat in the last two years. Is that True Tennant not really. The reason we re finally doing a tour is because we have the resources to do the kind of show we be always wanted to do. We be avoided touring All these years because we did t want to Compromise and do it in a Way we did t want to do it a in a very cheap and Standard Way. You often hear that american dance music is stagnating. Do you agree Lowe yes. In America you can t Tell one dance record from another. You can t Tell Jody Watley from Paula Abdul from Janet Jackson. There Are so Many creative producers and writers but their Talent is going to waste. They re in a horrible rut. Some of it is very hard to listen to. If dance music is to survive in Americast has to change a get some variety respond to new inf spences. Wha music new in tipi theh Efto improving american dance Tennant the problem is radio. Radio adheres to this formula sound which influences How records Are made. All the producers and writers and artists want their records on radio so they make records to fit the formula. All that needs to be done is for one major radio station or two to Chige formats and break away from the formula and be successful and the rest Wilt  new format. Music that s interesting and different is being made it s just not being played. American dance music needs an experimental period a like what was happening in House music when it was developing in Britain. It was an exciting time with no musical boundaries and room for All kind of Experiment Ion. Is dance music in Britain More respected and creative Tennant yes. I Don t mean to sound like i m praising my country at the expense of America but dance music in Britain tends to be the motor of music. People in dance music in Britain can afford to be Brave and do what they want to do without worrying about whether it s going to be a hit because Over there radio is different. People think our music is so different and unlike other dance music. That s because it was nurtured in that British environment that has fewer rules. If we had been working in americ trying to get a Start we d probably sound like All the other dance music groups. What a horrible  the a on stage Quot listing on pages 14 and 15 Lor the pet shop boys tour dates. Stripes Magazine. February 7, 1991