Discovering rare memorabilia isn’t something that happens in every auction, and many people who are buying up lots of items aren’t expecting to find something- even if they are hopeful.
In fact, most people who are in the rare memorabilia business spend their entire careers searching for what one man had land into his lap.
Trevor Morris purchased a lot of records in a recent auction to stock his record shop. Soon, he noticed some impressive pieces, including a 12-inch copy of The Pet Shop Boys’ hit “West End Girls.” Cool, right? We’ll keep going.
It was the treasure inside that sleeve that left him surprised.
A type-written letter from Neil Tennant to Janice Long was inside the promotional copy of the single. Inside the letter, Tennant thanks Long for her early support of the group he formed with Chris Lowe.
Imagine finding that kind of thing. If you’re a music buff, it’s impressive – and frame-worthy.
“I met the disco producer Bobby ‘O’ in New York last summer when I was over there doing a feature on The Police. I played Bobby a cassette of the songs myself and Chris Lowe had written, and he immediately suggested we recorded with him. We’ve now recorded half an album and are due to go back to New York quite soon to finish it. Anyway, hope you like the 12″ I’ve enclosed, and thanks for playing West End Girls on Thursday. As far as I’m concerned, you’re now an honorary Pet Shop Girl!”
A letter like this is incredibly important because it pre-dates the premature success of the group. After “West End Girls” only hit 113 on the UK charts, they were dropped by their label, and it was only after the song soared on the European chats that the group was signed to a new label where they re-recorded the song.
The only thing left to figure out is if Morris is going to keep this for himself or get it onto an auction block for some financial gain.
