Sleaford Mods have shared a cover of the Pet Shop Boys‘ synth-pop classic ‘West End Girls’. It’s a charity single with all proceeds going to the UK housing justice organisation Shelter. In a press statement, Sleaford Mods instrumentalist and producer Andrew Fearn explained that covering ‘West End Girls’ was his idea. “‘West End Girls’ is a song that’s very close to my heart, my coming-of-age track in so many ways,” he said.
Sleaford Mods frontperson Jason Williamson said that it was “important to honour the track’s brilliance.” “I’ve been listening to the Pet Shop Boys’ albums Please and Actually a lot, [and] the music still fits this landscape so well,” Williamson said.
Sleaford Mods – ‘West End Girls’
The Pet Shop Boys themselves approved of the cover, and even provided a remix of the Mods’ version as its B-side. “When Neil [Tennant] and Chris [Lowe] gave the track their blessing our tiny minds were blown, and when we received their remix… it was almost too much,” Williamson said. “It was brilliant.”
‘West End Girls’ was released as the Pet Shop Boys’ debut single in 1984. It was later re-recorded for their debut album, 1986’s Please, with the new version released as the album’s lead single in October 1985. The song was a worldwide success, reaching number one in the UK, the US, Canada, Finland, New Zealand and Norway. It also reached the top ten in a further 11 countries.
Sleaford Mods released their latest album, UK Grim, in March 2023. The band’s 12th studio album includes the singles ‘So Trendy’ (featuring Jane’s Addiction‘s Perry Ferrell) and ‘Force 10 From Navarone’ (featuring Dry Cleaning‘s Florence Shaw). A follow-up EP, More UK Grim, was released last month.
Further Reading
Sleaford Mods Remix RVG’s ‘Nothing Really Changes’
Members of Sleaford Mods and Portishead Weigh in on Metal Musician’s Right-Wing Tirade
Pet Shop Boys Accuse Drake of Borrowing ‘West End Girls’ Chorus Without Permission
