West End Girls are a Swedish tribute synthpop band performing cover versions of songs by English electronic/pop music act the Pet Shop Boys. Hailing from Stockholm, the duo originally consisted of Isabelle Erkendal and Rosanna Jirebeck, but Rosanna left the group in 2008 and was replaced by Isabelle's cousin Emmeli Erkendal. Isabelle Erkendal provides main vocals for the band and is the "Neil Tennant" figure, whilst Jirebeck was behind her as "Chris Lowe", a capacity filled by Emmeli Erkendal now. West End Girls has been performing since 2003.
Unlike other cover bands, their style emulates the Pet Shop Boys rather than providing direct facsimiles. Their videos and photography echo elements seen in the Pet Shop Boys' own projects, such as industrial architecture, hats, dogs, costumes, gestures, etc., as well as techniques such as colourful lighting and mixing live action with computer graphics.
Famous quotes containing the words west and/or girls:
“There is no human failure greater than to launch a profoundly important endeavour and then leave it half done. This is what the West has done with its colonial system. It shook all the societies in the world loose from their old moorings. But it seems indifferent whether or not they reach safe harbour in the end.”
—Barbara Ward (19141981)
“I lie and wait for morning, and the birds,
The first steps going down the unswept street,
Voices of girls with scarves around their heads.”
—Philip Larkin (19221986)