On this day in music history…
In 1972, the pilot episode of The Midnight Special aired on NBC. When the idea for the show had initially been pitched to NBC, it was rejected, so producer Burt Sugarman took it upon himself to buy the airtime for the first episode. It included performances by Argent, Harry Chapin, David Clayton-Thomas, The Everly Brothers, The Isley Brothers, Helen Reddy, Linda Ronstadt, War, Cass Elliot, and John Denver, who also hosted the episode. The ratings were impressive enough to NBC that the network took it on as a weekly program, starting six months later.
In 1981, Neil Tennant was buying a synthesizer in a London electronics shop. A conversation was sparked between Tennant and fellow shopper Chris Lowe, and they discovered their mutual interest in dance music. They became friends and started writing music together, ultimately deciding to form a band. At first, they called themselves West End, but eventually, they re-named themselves Pet Shop Boys. Their debut album would be released in 1986.
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