This is by Krystyna Boswell “Sky Lady”, a long time fan and HomeGround reader, and our thanks to her.
Inspired by my dear friend Paul Thomas’ open letter to ABBA, here’s one to Kate Bush.
Dear Kate,
I have loved your music since the first time I heard Wuthering Heights. I’m sure it was on Capital Radio; I literally stopped what I was doing I was so blown away. I thought, “This is the music I’ve been waiting to hear all my life.”
I cut out and kept every news clipping about you I could find, I still have them in a scrap book, very old and faded now but treasures to me. I was too late to get a pic bag for the WH single, same for TMWTCIHE but after that I was there the moment the shops opened every time a single was released. Holding each new single, looking for the scratched message in the run off vinyl was pure magic. Waiting for every new Kate music release, every TV appearance, made my life bright.
Memories : the first time I received my KBC membership card (still have it); meeting people through the pen pal ads in the KBC magazine; the first time I met my friend Peter and he showed me his letters from Kate – I was awed. People used to tease me about looking like you; a group of schoolkids would sing Heights to me when they saw me in the street but I was totally delighted. For the first time in my life I felt worthwhile, not insignificant – even if it was because I reminded people of someone else, someone who had a profound effect on my whole life.
All my friends have been made through our mutual love of your music, good people who mean so much to me. We’ve shared great times, met to celebrate your birthday and album releases. Those treks across Haworth Moor; visits to the Farm at birthdays and Christmas and meeting your lovely parents; the Video cafe, the video shoot for The Big Sky – all such special memories.
I spent hours miming your dance routines in the bedroom mirror; I crimped my hair mercilessly to look like your Lionheart photos. You were doing exactly what I wanted to do but was too self conscious to try. It was years before I had the courage to start singing, and then writing music. You were my big inspiration. Now you live your life quietly, but still give us extraordinary music. You have been a part of my life longer than anyone else. And finally I’m ready to sing again, to get a band together. I’m slow to do things, not confident, but I think about you and all you have done and know it is possible. And that you will always be part of my life, along with my wonderful ‘Katy’ friends.
Thank you Kate. Without your music I would not have met some wonderful and extraordinary people who I know will walk with me as I go through life; I would never have realised just how beautiful true creative endeavour can be, and I cannot imagine a world -my world – without your music.
Sky Lady
Mark
Fantastic letter Skylady! Keep posing these, guys!
Jay
Maybe there should be a separate area of the site for this kind of thing so’s to not confuse it with Kate news. I like to drop in and see if there’s anything new with Kate at a glance rather than sifting through fan posts too.
Seán
We’re exploring all kinds of new ways to use the site….thanks!
Peter
One way of reading the sections you want is to use the topic markers on each post, and the topic index in the right hand margin.
Seán
Feel very privileged to hear these words from a real, long-time fan…wonderful 🙂
Dale
What a lovely letter. Kate has moved so many people in so many different ways, but I think most of us would echo what you’ve expressed, Sky Lady.
Sky
Thank you, Dale. Kate is indeed very special – her music creates worlds, paints landscapes, moves us in so many ways. She has been the biggest inspiration in my life.
Rod
That’s lovely SkyLady. I love hearing the stories of those early days because what’s often overlooked is that there’s something quite daring about pinning your colours to a particular performer, especially a new one, as Kate was then, and a female one at that. There were a lot of factions back then, I mean the aggro around music didn’t stop and start with the Mods and Rockers in the 60s, and it could be dangerous in the 70s and 80s being a Bowie fan, or a Punk fan, or a percieved “hippy”, and at the very least it could leave one open to ridicule and bullying, for not being one of the in-crowd or one of the herd or even for being a male who liked a female performer (I know that sounds ridiculous nowadays). Kate Bush herself had a very difficult time at the hands of some of the press back then, and it isn’t hard to imagine the likes of Sky, and others, standing up for their favourite star. I’m more than happy to read these tales and to see the photos from the old video shoots Homegrounders, I look forward to this new development.
Peter
I’m hoping the HG book will fill in a lot of this early background as to what it was like to be a Kate fan in the 1980s and 1990s.
Mark
Can’t wait to read it! It must have been difficult to be a Kate fan in the late 90s….
Sky
That’s so lovely, Rod. The music scene was very mixed in the late 70s, very diverse. I am so glad I discovered Kate at the very beginning – I feel so privileged. I too look forward to reading other people’s thoughts and stories. The spirit of HomeGround will continue to live on.
John V-W
This is a very beautiful and moving letter, lovely to read. Kate’s music also helps to inspire me and helps me emotionally to cope with an often unpleasant and nasty world. Long may she continue to inspire hope and inner peace through her art.
Barbara
There was also a very sweet bit in Rob Brydon’s ‘Small Man In A Book’ where he spoke of his admiration for Kate around his teenage years. There was a girl who was the absolute spit of Kate circa Lionheart – crimped hair and all – who worked in his local branch of Holland & Barrett and he was absolutely gobsmacked by her!
He’d stand by the window and just gaze at her and he couldn’t pluck up the courage to go in and speak to her.
Rob and Steve Coogan have since sung WH in ‘The Trip’, and I’m convinced that Steve wanted to be Kate’s Heathcliff all along!
Nanette
That’s a great letter, Sky Lady. Sounds like you have some great memories.
I’d like it if the site could have a “letters/stories/poetry” section too. Sometimes, I just want news; other times, I feel contemplative, and would like to read “lit’ry” stuff. I’m also afraid that the artists that are promoted here might get lost in the shuffle if everything is posted higgledy-piggledy. Just my opinion, of course.
Peter
As I’ve posted elsewhere, the posting topic, and the topic menu (in the right hand margin) are the easiest way to find postings relating to particular matters.
Del Palmer
A beautiful letter!!..
This is the kind of thing she loves… More than any award…
This is what you do it for, to touch people like this…
Sky
Thank you, Del. And I will soon have news about the new band. 🙂
Millais
What a lovely letter, Krys!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful memories here. It is always such a pleasure to read about other people’s reactions to Kate’s music.
She is such a unique artist, and her music is cherished in so many people’s hearts because of her direct, original, unmistakably personal approach to composition, both lyrically and musically speaking, and for the way she is able to speak the emotion through her voice. The passion and love is still there, after such a long time. May she continue to inspire us all with her work for years and years to come…
Sky
I am sure she will. Look how many creative fans she has, we all feel the same vibe and it is wonderful. xxx
Lisa Oliver
So lovely to read your heartfelt words, Krys. You have expressed so succinctly and beautifully how it feels to be a fan of Kate’s work and that her music is indeed ‘interwoven’ through our lives. Wonderful xoxo
Sky
Thank you Lisa. I know we have both been inspired so much by her work. xx
giulio
Thankyou so much for sharing with us your thoughts and sensations about kate (and your life). So many of us may feel similar things. Kate’s music has always been so
important… And she’s such a wonderful being. 😉
Corxin
Good on you Sky Lady, that makes for a fantastic read. I really identified with our habit of reading the etched messages on the run offs of the 7″ singles. BTW loved Kate’s hair on the Lionheart sleeve and especially the Hammer Horror 7″ sleeve so fair play to you for having a similar look! Happy new year and all the best for 2013. x
Sky
Yes, those wonderful messages in vinyl. One reason I miss the format. Those messages seemed very personal and special.
james s
i completely identify with your Kate love. When my dad came home to find me and my sisters dressed as Kate doing a wuthering heights routine, he put on a brave face.