Jump to content

Neil Tennant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the singer, songwriter and music journalist. For the American philosopher, see Neil Tennant (philosopher).

Neil Tennant
Tennant performing with Pet Shop Boys at Hyde Park in 2019
Tennant performing with Pet Shop Boys at Hyde Park in 2019
Background information
Birth nameNeil Francis Tennant
Born (1954-07-10) 10 July 1954 (age 71)
North Shields, Northumberland, England
OriginNewcastle upon Tyne, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • music journalist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
  • synthesizer
  • guitar
Years active1970–present
Labels
Member ofPet Shop Boys
Websitewww.petshopboys.co.uk

Neil Francis Tennant (born 10 July 1954) is an English singer, songwriter and music journalist, and co-founder of the synth-pop duo the Pet Shop Boys, which he formed with Chris Lowe in 1981. He was a journalist for Smash Hits, and assistant editor for the magazine in the mid-1980s.

Tennant coined the phrase imperial phase to describe the period in which a musical artist is regarded to be at their commercial and creative peak simultaneously. This observation was initially self-referential, made as the Pet Shop Boys had achieved commercial success with four British number one hits ("West End Girls", "It's a Sin", "Heart", and "Always on My Mind"), had received critical praise for their first three albums and had expanded their creative horizons through innovative collaborations in the visual and performing arts.[1]

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Neil Francis Tennant was born in the town of North Shields, approximately 8 miles east of Newcastle upon Tyne, to William W. Tennant (1923–2009), a sales representative, and Sheila M. (Watson) Tennant (1923–2008).[2] He has an older sister, Susan, and two younger brothers, Simon and Philip.[3] The family moved to Greenfield Road (opposite the corner of South Bend), Brunton Park, Gosforth shortly after Neil was born.[4]

Tennant was raised as a Roman Catholic, and he served as an altar boy. He attended St Oswald's Catholic Primary School in Newcastle,[5] followed by St Cuthbert's Grammar School, an all-boys Catholic secondary school. His songs "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave" and "It's a Sin" refer to his time at St Cuthbert's and the strict upbringing there.[6][7]

In 1965, Tennant joined the Young People's Theatre in Newcastle, where he learned about stage performance and became interested in writing music for theatre.[8][5] As a teenager, he joined the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, which was both a library and a social gathering place.[9][10]

Tennant taught himself to play guitar at the age of 12, using the tutorials Play in a Day by Bert Weedon and Hold Down a Chord by John Pearse. He started writing his own songs based around the chords he learned. He used his guitar studies to learn how to play the piano in his family home,[11] and he also played cello in school.[12]

In 1970, Tennant started a folk music group named Dust with Chris Dowell, a friend from the Young People's Theatre. They were heavily influenced by The Incredible String Band. The group, which also featured two female friends, recorded a session of five songs that were broadcast on BBC Radio Newcastle in 1971.[13][14][15] Tennant wrote several of their songs including "Can You Hear the Dawn Break?", which he regards as his first 'proper' song.[8]

Early career

[edit]

Tennant left Newcastle in 1972 to study history at North London Polytechnic (now part of London Metropolitan University), completing an honours degree in 1975. He then worked for two years as the production editor for Marvel UK, the UK branch of Marvel Comics.[16] His job entailed compiling American comics into a weekly publication, anglicising the dialogue to suit British readers, and ensuring that risqué characters like Red Sonja were redrawn with more modest clothing to make them suitable for the general audience of the weeklies.[17][18] He also wrote occasional features for the comics, including interviews with pop stars Marc Bolan and Alex Harvey.[19]

In 1977, Tennant moved to Macdonald Educational publishing,[17] where he edited The Dairy Book of Home Management (1980)[20][21] and various illustrated books about cookery, playing the guitar and other home interests. He next worked at ITV Books, where he edited TV tie-in books, including one of Mary Berry's cookbooks.[14]

Tennant became acquainted with the staff of Smash Hits when he commissioned the magazine's designer, Steve Bush, to design a book about the 1981 Madness film Take It or Leave It. Smash Hits editor David Hepworth offered Tennant a job editing The Smash Hits Yearbook and also named him news editor of the magazine when he started work there in June 1982.[22][23] Tennant wrote features and reviews for the teen pop magazine[5] and also edited the yearbook from 1982 to 1985. He set up the American version, Star Hits, in New York in 1983, and he interviewed then up-and-coming singer Madonna.[24][16] Tennant rose to assistant editor of Smash Hits,[12] and was offered the position of editor before his departure in 1985.[5]

During this period, Tennant continued to write music. He auditioned for Rocket Records in 1973, and in 1981 he submitted a demo to other record companies without success. Some of his early songs were later released, including "Nothing Has Been Proved" (1989), performed by Dusty Springfield, and "Nervously" (1990) and "Hey, Headmaster" (1993) by Pet Shop Boys.[25]

Pet Shop Boys

[edit]
Main article: Pet Shop Boys
Tennant performing at Pori Jazz 2014 in Pori, Finland

Tennant met Chris Lowe in August 1981 and they began their songwriting partnership shortly afterwards.[26][12] In 1983, an opportunity arose for Tennant to go to New York to interview The Police for Smash Hits. While there, he arranged to meet Bobby Orlando, a producer whom he and Lowe admired.[18] Tennant mentioned he was writing songs in his spare time, and Orlando agreed to record some tracks with him and Lowe at a later date. Orlando produced the Pet Shop Boys' first single "West End Girls" in 1984.[27]

Solo appearances

[edit]

Alongside his work with Chris Lowe as Pet Shop Boys, Tennant has worked on several side projects including:

Books

[edit]
  • One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem (2018) – a collection of Pet Shop Boys' lyrics and song-by-song commentaries.[49]

Personal life

[edit]

Tennant came out as gay in a 1994 interview in Attitude magazine.[50][51] Otherwise he remains quiet about his personal and romantic life, preferring to be a "man of mystery", as he states it.[52] He maintains a house in London. He owned a house in County Durham[53] in the countryside of North East England,[54] but has since sold it.[55] He and Lowe also have an apartment in Berlin.[56]

Tennant is a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.[57] In 1998, Tennant was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to the Labour Party.[58] However, in the 2005 general election he voted for the Liberal Democrats, citing disillusionment with Labour's ID card scheme.[59] The Pet Shop Boys agreed to personal appeals by then-Mayor of London Boris Johnson and then-Prime Minister David Cameron, both prominent Conservative Party politicians, for the group to play at the "winners' parade" taking place shortly after the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony. Enjoying the event's atmosphere and how their stage presence turned into a well-received performance, Tennant subsequently texted Cameron's staff pushing Cameron to use gay scientist Alan Turing's centenary year as impetus for the UK Government to formally pardon Turing.[60] The formal pardon did go through on 24 December 2013, with the related official paperwork signed by Queen Elizabeth II.

Tennant has praised the group The Specials and singer-songwriter Elvis Costello, highlighting "Ghost Town" and "Shipbuilding" as protest songs successfully putting politics into pop music.[60]

He has criticised ageism in the music industry, stating in 2013 that radio professionals would tell him that they want to play Pet Shop Boys songs on air, but will not because the duo, then in their 50s, were considered to be "too old".[60]

Legacy

[edit]

Actor David Tennant adopted his stage name from Tennant when joining Equity, as another actor was already registered with his birth name, David McDonald.[61][62][63]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ewing, Tom (28 May 2010). "Imperial". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 October 2022. I felt at this time that we had the secret of contemporary pop music, that we knew what was required. We entered our imperial phase.
  2. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  3. ^ Heath, Chris (2020). Pet Shop Boys, Literally. London: William Heinemann. p. 278. ISBN 9781473575691.
  4. ^ Graham, Hannah (25 November 2016). "Childhood homes of North's stars; Where Our Famous Sons and Daughters Grew Up". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle, UK. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Laing, Olivia (2021). "Neil Tennant: Nobody writes lyrics like Neil Tennant". Fantastic Man. No. 34. Amsterdam. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  6. ^ Tennant 2018, p. 16-17, 96-97.
  7. ^ Heath, Chris (2018). Behaviour: Further Listening 1990-1991 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone Records. pp. 6–7. 0190295818852.
  8. ^ a b Tennant 2018, p. 10.
  9. ^ Scott, George (director); Tennant, Neil (interviewee) (24 May 2006). Pet Shop Boys: A Life in Pop (documentary). EMI. Event occurs at 6:45–7:40.
  10. ^ Hanley, Lynsey (25 June 2010). "Beguiled by the Lit & Phil". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  11. ^ Tennant 2018, pp. 9–10.
  12. ^ a b c Harrison, Ian (August 2013). "Pet Shop Boys Interviewed: We prefer not to be fake". Mojo. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  13. ^ Whittaker, Adrian (7 November 2023). "Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys on The Incredible String Band". The Quietus. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  14. ^ a b Tapper, James (10 April 2022). "From Pet Shop Boy to nostalgic folkie: Neil Tennant plays guitar". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Message from Neil". petshopboys.co.uk. London. 11 July 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Pet Shop boy pops home to where he belongs". Chronicle Live. Newcastle, UK. 28 February 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Pet Shop Boys Official Site, History Section 1975". petshopboys.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b Mossman, Kate (4 May 2024). "Pet Shop Boys: "Labour could do with an infusion of idealism" – The pop duo on Keir Starmer, the royals, Marvel and the word "queer"". New Statesman. London. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  19. ^ Ellen, Mark; Hepworth, David (9 April 2024). Word in Your Ear ep. 621: Neil Tennant remembers the pop press and the last great era of forward-looking songs (podcast). Event occurs at 12:25–14:25.
  20. ^ "The Dairy Book of Home Management - Hardcover". ABE Books.co.uk. 1980. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  21. ^ Turner, Luke (20 May 2024). "Playful yet Professional, Nevertheless: a Pet Shop Boys Interview". The Quietus. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  22. ^ Ellen & Hepworth 2024, 3:00–6:10.
  23. ^ Perrone, Pierre (5 April 2012). "Eric Watson: Photographer who worked with the Pet Shop Boys and for pop bible Smash Hits". The Independent. London. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  24. ^ "The day Neil Tennant met Madonna" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 9, no. 25. London. 30 December 1988. pp. 33–35. Retrieved 23 July 2025 – via World Radio History.
  25. ^ Tennant 2018, pp. 11–12.
  26. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Official Site, History Section 1981". petshopboys.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  27. ^ Heath, Chris (2018). Please: Further Listening 1984-1986 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. p. 1. 0190295831745.
  28. ^ Aroesti, Rachel. "Kae Tempest: Self Titled review – the rhythms in his lyrics are still so distinct". Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  29. ^ Cooper-Fiske, Casey (14 April 2025). "Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant says copy of Smash Hits inspired him to go classical". Yahoo! News. PA Media. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  30. ^ LeJarde, Arielle Lana (7 August 2024). "Bronski Beat's 'Why' remixed by Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant and Superchumbo: Listen". DJ Mag. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  31. ^ Fairman, Richard (26 June 2024). "Composer Michael Berkeley is joined by famous friends on 'Collaborations' — review". Financial Times. London. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  32. ^ Achenbach, Andrew. "M Berkeley Collaborations". Grammophone. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  33. ^ Davies, Sam (26 October 2023). "An extremely rare interview with Casisdead". The Face. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  34. ^ Giles, Jeff (6 February 2017). "Pretenders Release New Version of "Let's Get Lost" Featuring Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  35. ^ Carlsson, Johan (24 April 2014). "Neil Tennant sings on new song by Diamond Version". Release Music Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  36. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (4 August 2020). "U2, Elton John, and the Killers record Xmas songs for charity". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  37. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (12 February 2007). "Rufus Wainwright Seeing 'Stars' On Next Album". Billboard. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  38. ^ Spencer, Roy (1 May 2020). "Classic Album: DJ Fresh". Future Music. Retrieved 12 October 2024 – via PressReader.
  39. ^ Hogwood, Ben (19 June 2005). "Superchumbo - Wowie Zowie". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  40. ^ "No Regrets - Robbie Williams". petshopboys.co.uk. 23 November 1998. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  41. ^ "Noel Coward — Twentieth Century Blues". petshopboys.co.uk. 6 September 1998.
  42. ^ Dalton, Stephen (12 March 2012). "From Rock's Backpages: Neil Tennant & Brett Anderson on Noel Coward". The Quietus. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  43. ^ "Film Star". petshopboys.co.uk. 1 August 1997. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  44. ^ Kenny, Glenn (1 March 1993). "'Crying' Time for Boy George, Pet Shop Boys". Rolling Stone.
  45. ^ Earls, John (29 August 2023). "Cicero - Future Boy". Classic Pop. p. 95.
  46. ^ "Boy George Songs and Albums: Full Official Chart History". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  47. ^ "Cicero Songs and Albums: Full Official Chart History". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  48. ^ Draper, Jason (31 May 2021). "Interview: Johnny Marr looks back on Electronic's debut album 30 years on". Music Radar. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  49. ^ Tennant, Neil (2018). One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem: 1979–2016. London: Faber & Faber. ISBN 9780571348909. OCLC 1085375005.
  50. ^ Burston, Paul (13 March 2016). "Attitude Archive: Neil Tennant's 1994 Coming Out Interview". Attitude. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  51. ^ "For Hard-Core Petheads: The Tennant Interview in Full". The Atlantic. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  52. ^ "I prefer to be Neil Tennant, man of mystery". The Herald. 25 January 2020.
  53. ^ "I refuse to be restricted by background - or fear". The Guardian. 4 September 2004. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  54. ^ Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, Kirsty Young
  55. ^ Diament, Robert and Tovey, Russell (hosts) (25 April 2024). Talk Art, season 21, ep. 5: Pet Shop Boys (podcast). Event occurs at 1:13.
  56. ^ "Pet Shop Boys: Neil Tennant mag fast alles an Berlin". morgenpost.de. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  57. ^ "Elton John AIDS Foundation patrons". ejaf.com. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  58. ^ "'Luvvies' for Labour". BBC News. 30 August 1998.
  59. ^ "Pet Shop Boys protest at ID cards". BBC News. 1 March 2006.
  60. ^ a b c "The Pet Shop Boys on texting Cameron and Russian homophobia". New Statesman. 10 June 2021.
  61. ^ Tim Walker "David Tennant: The good doctor", The Independent, 29 March 2008
  62. ^ Shannon, Sarah (7 December 2005). "David Tennant: His days of blissful anonymity are numbered". The Independent. UK. Archived from the original on 21 April 2006.
  63. ^ "David Tennant reveals Pet Shop Boys inspiration". BBC News. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Neil Tennant.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neil_Tennant&oldid=1302436505"