Newsbits: The press release for The Futureheads single Hounds of Love is here: “The Futureheads cover ‘Hounds of Love’ is a showstopper, beginning with Ross and Jaff’s a capella call and response yelps, the songs explodes into euphoric life with Barry’s feverish delivery of Kate’s once sensual words and a riot of overdriven guitars and search and destroy drumming courtesy of the coolest incumbent of a drumstool, Mr Dave Hyde.” (thanks to PDFM)…The Jan 5th edition of Time Out London magazine looks forward to the year in music: “The reclusive banshee of Olde Albion has confirmed that her first album since 1993 will be released” In the same issue there is a people of 2005 page which along with Johnny Depp and Kylie includes Kate. (thanks Monty and Ben)…The 17th January edition of the Daily Mail has a full page feature on Kate which manages to rehash tired old tabloid nonsense with the headline “As she plots her comeback a tantalising glimpse into the bizarre world of Kate Bush.” The article quotes from a supposed interview with Kate’s father also. (thanks to hatbar)

TV presenter Davina McCall reveals that her favourite song from the last 25 years not on the Brits25 list is Jig of Life in this interview…the February editon of Burn magazine includes Kate in a list of “the post punk classics that shaped the sound of now”. The Sensual World is at number 9. Kate is described as having been a “posh teen with immense talent” who’s “shy self belief morphed from pin-up to near recluse.” The vibe of the track is described as “sex and romance in the most mellifluous way. Bush’s intention was sensuality through sound. It works. Hear it in Goldfrapp” (thanks ben)…More mentions of Kate by Erasure in the Belfast Telegraph this time here. “Kate Bush has done an album that’s been ready for two years, but she’s a real perfectionist and if there’s one little thing wrong, she won’t release it until it’s right.”…BBC Radio 2 are continuing to gear up for a new Kate release, playing Babooshka and Wuthering Heights last week…Kent On Sunday had an article on Kate in their 16th Jan edition entitled “Visionary Kate Still Hitting the Heights” celebrating her placing in the Brit Song shortlist. (thanks to crowroad)…singer Daniel Bedingfield was asked by Cat Deely what he thought of this years Brits on CD:UK on 15th Jan. He said that he was thrilled to see Kate nominated for Wuthering Heights which he called “a classic song”. (thanks to Ben)…Corrine from Swing Out Sister was on Jazz FM on Jan 12th praising Kate and her past achievements. She mentioned she loves the Lionheart and The Sensual World albums and is looking forward to the new work. She also talked about the “whole industry” being wild with news of a new album. (thanks to binny binny)…Running Up That Hill appears on a new US compilation “Left of the Dial – Dispatches from the 80s Underground”, a 4-CD set from Warner/Rhino. (thanks to Jon Thomas)…and finally Krys from Homeground Magazine tells us that they are aiming to get issue 75 out by early March, possibly sooner, leaving issue 76 to hopefully be the album issue(!). “This is going to be a great year!” We all agree – best of luck with the mag Krys, more info as ever at the Homeground pages…(additional thanks this update to Kyla & Russ Thomas)