The 'bona fide piece of pop memorabilia' found in an Altrincham record shop
26.02.2023 - 16:25
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A dad has told of the moment he found a letter from Pet Shop Boys star Neil Tennant thanking DJ Janice Long for playing his debut single. David Prior, 45, a local journalist, uncovered the 'bona fide piece of pop memorabilia' when he went to the opening of a new music shop in Altrincham to interview its owner.
The lifelong Pet Shop Boys fan was just leaving when he was passed a 12-inch record of their first-ever single, 'West End Girls', and noticed a note under its sleeve. When he looked closer, he saw a letter written by Neil Tennant thanking famed DJ Janice Long for playing his song on her Radio 1 show in April 1984.
Read more: Police seize 20 tonnes of fakes and vow: "This is the end of Manchester's 'Counterfeit Street'"
In the message, the singer discussed recording the track with producer Bobby O, before its re-release in 1985 when it went on to become a global smash hit. David said he couldn’t get his credit card out 'quick enough' when he saw the star's signature inked on the bottom of the letter and realised it was genuine.
He said: "To me, it was an amazing artefact, and I hope that others could recognise its significance as well. Because of my knowledge of the band – and I loved Janice Long as well – I instantly got it.
"I was just so pleased to have got this real bona fide piece of pop memorabilia that I will be framing and putting on my wall."
David, who edits magazine Altrincham Today, said he had gone to Dead Cloud Records, in the town's centre at the end of January where owner Trevor Morris had shown him the vinyl. He said: "I had gone along to interview the owner of this new record shop in Altrincham.
"He'd just named the actual shop, so he'd technically been opened but nobody knew. Literally, just as