In November 1983, over two years before the Pet Shop Boys became famous, a Smash Hits journalist called Neil Tennant interviewed Madonna. The story behind how the interview came about goes like this: Neil was in New York, helping to set up an American version of Smash Hits called Star Hits. One day – possibly because A Flock Of Seagulls weren’t available – Neil decided to interview a new singer called Madonna. At that time she wasn’t particularly famous either; she’d had a couple of singles out, but so far only her song “Holiday” had been much of a success. All the same Neil reckoned she was well worth a piece in the new magazine. Now, of course, they’re both fans of each other (the other day Neil even dropped along to have a chat with her at her birthday party) but at the time of the interview Neil didn’t know her at all. He set off to meet her in a New York cafe, tape recorder in hand, and then spent the next hour drinking cappucinos and listening to an enthusiastic torrent of...