Sleaford Mods - West End Girls

Rough Trade Records

£12.67

Format: 12" Vinyl
Catalogue No.: RT0462T
Barcode: 0191402046212
Release Date: 15 Dec 2023
Genre: Indie/Alternative

 Sleaford Mods announce the release of their cover of the Pet Shop Boys’ iconic single ‘West End Girls’, with all profits from the track going to the homeless charity Shelter.
 The Nottingham duo created a version of the 1986 classic between tours for their latest album ‘UK GRIM’, and then sought the blessing of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe to put out the track.
 Not only did Sleaford Mods’ ‘West End Girls’ meet with the pair’s approval, but the Pet Shops Boys were inspired to remix the cover, which features as one of the tracks on the single.
 Hifi Sean has also contributed an Acid House meets Hi-NRG remix for the release, while Sleaford Mods’ own Andrew Fearn has added a heady vocoder-led mix under his solo guise of Extnddntwrk.
 Clearly apparent from their own minimal approach to music, the Pet Shop Boys have always been an important influence for Sleaford Mods, with Chris and Neil’s ability to merge sophisticated electronics and rich character often serving as a lodestar for the partnership between producer Andrew Fearn and frontman Jason Williamson.
 This esteem for the Pet Shop Boys can be clearly heard on their take on ‘West End Girls’, although Jason and Andrew have not flinched from creating a version of the song that is truly Sleaford Mods.
 If the original is a sophisticated exposé of the heartlessness of 1980s Thatcherite Britain while also paying tribute to people’s ability to shine despite living in brutal times, then Sleaford Mods’ have skilfully distressed the shimmering classic with sharp synths and scuffed-up vocals, offering a sense of the resilience now required to survive in our disconnected and dysfunctional days.
 “‘West End Girls’ is a song that’s very close to my heart, my coming-of-age track in so many ways,” says Andrew Fearn of the original.
 Jason Williamson continues, “I’ve been listening to the Pet Shop Boys albums ‘Please’ and ‘Actually’ a lot, the music still fits this landscape so well. When Andrew suggested we cover ‘West End Girls’, it was important to honour the track’s brilliance. So when Neil and Chris gave the track their blessing, our tiny minds were blown, and when we received their remix… it was almost too much, it was brilliant!”
 Pet Shop Boys added… “Sleaford Mods have brought East End boys back to the West End streets for a great cause and we love their new version.”

Tracklisting
West End Girls (clean)
West End Girls (dirty)
West End Girls (Pet Shop
Boys Remix)
West End Girls (HiFi Sean Remix)
West End Girls (Extnddntwrk Remix)