Alternative (album)

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***Alternative*** is a compilation album by English synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was first released in 1995.

*Alternative* is a 2-disc set, consisting of 30 B-sides in chronological order. The title *Alternative* was a last-minute change from the title that had been long saved for such an album, *Besides*, but that title was taken by American rock band Sugar, who released their own B-sides compilation two months prior.

*Alternative* only really gained popularity among devoted fans of Pet Shop Boys with the exception of the UK, where it entered the charts at #2. A remake of the original 7-inch "Paninaro", titled "Paninaro '95", was released as a single (which was featured in the later *PopArt* set) to promote the 2-disc compilation.

The cover of *Alternative* features photographs of Tennant and Lowe in fencing masks. The first copies of the CD have a lenticular image on the cover which shifts between the two photographs.

Neil Tennant admitted in a radio interview with Absolute Radio that a second B-side album may be released in 2010. This materialised on 11 November 2011 when the duo announced through Varsity that they would release another B-sides album in February 2012 titled *Format*.

## Track listing

All tracks are written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe; except where indicated.

## Personnel

* Neil Tennant
* Chris Lowe

Producers
* Pet Shop Boys – all tracks except disc 1: track 13
* Phil Harding – disc 1: track 1
* Bobby O – disc 1: track 2
* Shep Pettibone – disc 1: track 7, additional production on disc 1: track 4
* David Jacob – disc 1: track 8
* Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson – disc 1: track 13
* Harold Faltermeyer – disc 2: track 6
* Stephen Hague – additional production on disc 2: tracks 7 and 9
* Jonathon Ruffle – disc 2: track 8
* Richard Niles – disc 2: track 13

Guest musicians
* Blue Weaver – Fairlight programming on disc 1: tracks 1 and 11, Hammond organ on disc 1: track 11
* Adrien Cook – Fairlight programming on disc 1: tracks 5, 6 and 7
* Helena Springs – additional vocals on disc 1: track 7
* Stephen Lipson – guitar on disc 1: track 11
* Shirley Lewis and Dee Lewis – additional vocals on disc 1: track 11
* Chris Newman – assistant Fairlight programming on disc 1: track 12, additional programming on disc 2: track 4
* Juliet Roberts – additional vocals on disc 2: track 2
* Dominic Clarke – programming on disc 2: tracks 2 and 3
* Gary Maughan – additional keyboards on disc 2: track 3
* Scott Davidson – programming on disc 2: track 5
* Harold Faltermeyer – programming on disc 2: track 6
* Pete Gleadall – programming on disc 2: tracks 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15
* Richard Coles – additional keyboards on disc 2: track 8
* Carol Kenyon, Katie Kissoon and Tessa Niles – additional vocals on disc 2: track 9
* Bruce Woolley – additional vocals on disc 2: track 10
* J.J. Belle – guitar on disc 2: track 11
* Sylvia Mason-James – additional vocals on disc 2: track 11
* Johnny Marr – guitar on disc 2: track 12
* Frank Ricotti – percussion and vibraphone on disc 2: track 12
* Richard Niles – string arrangement and conduction on disc 2: track 12, arrangement and conduction on disc 2: track 13
* Tony Walthers, Daniel Gaha & Lance Ellington – backing vocals on disc 2: track 13
* Gerard Presencer – trumpet solo on disc 2: track 13

## References

1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pet Shop Boys: *Alternative* at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
2. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Pet Shop Boys". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
3. ↑ "Alternative". ChartStats.com. Retrieved 30 September 2011.

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