One of the highlights of the new 180-page special 40th Anniversary Issue of HomeGround – The Kate Bush Magazine is a beautifully evocative and thought-provoking piece by HomeGround’s own Krys Fitzgerald-Morris which explores not just her own fan memories of decades immersed in Kate’s music but also how Kate’s legacy might be cherished and maintained for future generations… “the pleasure of walking through memories.” I think any Kate Bush fan reading this would find themselves moved, but also a little proud, excited and perhaps a little wistful too – I experienced a whole mix of emotions reading this. Entitled “Through Leaves”, Krys firstly writes about the excitement of the early days of HomeGround Magazine; visiting Kate’s wonderful parents, Robert and Hannah, at East Wickham Farm, organising fan events and conventions (all those fans in The Big Sky video shoot!) and actually starring as an extra in the video for Experiment IV along with Peter and Dave from HomeGround. She shares many personal memories, all so treasured.

Krys writes: “Growing older brings things up sharp and close, like what happens to these special things of ours once we’re no longer here. For me it is these treasured cards and letters from Kate, and cards from her parents. Not only these but the letters, cards and manuscripts of prose and poetry from John (Carder Bush). These things have to be preserved for the future.”

To illustrate just how important this will become for Kate’s legacy and to future generations, Krys recounts her own deep dive over the years into the life and work of Vita Sackville-West (1892-1962), the English novelist, poet and journalist who is remembered for the celebrated garden at Sissinghurst created with her husband, Sir Harold Nicolson. Noting that many of Vita’s letters and manuscripts are housed in archives in the UK and USA, Krys describes a very memorable visit she made to Sissinghurst where she was given special access to Vita’s Writing Room (preserved as she left it after her death in 1962) – filled with treasures and mementos from the writer’s life and work. And so, inspired by this, Krys takes the reader on a visit to her imagined Kate Bush Museum, housed at East Wickham Farm, one hundred years from now in 2122. It’s quite something to read. Like I said, a whole mix of emotions for any fan!

Read Krys’s article, and many many others (including contributions from Paddy Bush and John Carder Bush) by getting your FREE download copy of the epic, new 134-page issue of HomeGround Magazine here! 

The HomeGround/KateBushNews team are very pleased to be able to make available the Special 40th Anniversary Issue of HomeGround, The Kate Bush Magazine which has been bringing all the best from the Kate-speaking world since 1982.

Over 134 colour pages this special issue reviews the decade since the last print HomeGround in 2012, and brings the story up to date to these astonishing times for Kate fans, with special contributions from Kate’s brothers John Carder Bush and Paddy Bush, and some very special artwork from longtime principal HomeGround artist Debi Bowes, and also from Andrew Fry, Neil Sherriff, Madeleine Mitchell Rishton, and Sam Burton. Our special thanks to them.

The issue includes a major section on Kate’s Before the Dawn live shows in 2014, with appreciations of the shows from those who were there, and curious tales around the whole event.

Michael Mayell of Cloudbusting and Sue & Ian Crowther look at the growing area of Kate tribute bands and Dave interviews Sarah-Louise Young of the highly succesful West End Show An Evening Without Kate Bush. Seán and award-winning novelist Paul Burston cover that other important anniversary, 40 Years of Kate’s transcendental fourth album The Dreaming

There are special features on Kate’s lyric book How to be Invisible, and John Carder Bush’s essential Kate: Inside the Rainbow. Michael Byrne writes about how the beautiful Finding Kate came to be and Antonello Saeli tells us about his new novel, Aerie. Finally, we have a new substantial Kate Bibliography in which we try to cover all known Kate related publications.

Thomas Dunning writes about the new tracks and artists on the recent expansion of his classic Kate covers album I Wanna be Kate. Sharon, who veteran HomeGround readers will recall, and more recent fans share their Kate experiences, and some bring their creations. And there are paper dolls, poems, letters and a Kate Mastermind Quiz to test your Kate-related brain.

We must say thanks to everyone who sent in contributions. As is usual our problem was not finding material to put in, but what ultimately what to leave out. Perhaps, if everyone likes the idea there will another download HomeGround before too long and what we couldn’t use this time will find a place.

How do I get my free copy of HomeGround 80?

Option 1) PDF download! You can download this special issue of HomeGround HERE – this is a PDF document file that you can read on your computer, print out at home if you wish (check your colour ink supplies!) and it also has the added advantage of having clickable links (they’re in dark blue text or sometimes they are images you can click on in the margins) – these link out to websites, articles and videos etc – very handy!

Option 2) View online! You can read this special issue of HomeGround on any browser/device below as a flipbook. This is quite handy and we think you’ll only have to click away one pesky ad before enjoying your read. This version doesn’t have the active links that the PDF version above has. NB: We recommend that you view it FULLSCREEN. To open in Fullscreen click on the three dots on the top menu and select the Fullscreen option from the dropdown. You may need to close one brief advertisement when the magazine first opens. For iPads/tablets it may be better to use this direct link to view the magazine online. Rotating your device from portrait to landscape orientation will display the magazine in the recommended two page spread. Enjoy!

In 1982, in the months leading up to the release of The Dreaming single, we first had the idea of making a Kate Bush fanzine. Over the following 30 years we put out 79 issues, full of news and information about Kate and her music and associated subjects, providing a platform for review and discussion of Kate’s work on a worldwide basis. On the way we also organised, with the official Kate Bush Club, the 1985, 1990, and 1994 fan Conventions, the 1986 Video Party, all of which Kate attended. We also organised the fan contribution to the video shoot for The Big Sky. We were asked to provide the chronology and discographies for the 1987 Kate Bush Complete music and lyric book from EMI Music Publishing, and the sleeve note for the 1997 EMI 100 remastered CD of Hounds of Love.

The last printed HomeGround magazine was published at the end of 2011 and rapidly sold out. It was followed in March 2014 by the hugely successful two-volume HomeGround Anthology, containing over 1,200 pages of material from all 79 issues.

In May 2022 it will be 40 years since the first issue of HomeGround, and we felt we should mark the occasion with a very special issue – issue 80. Our intention is to make this available as a free downloadable PDF enabling us to use full colour.

Just as no previous issue of HomeGround could have happened without contributions from Kate Bush fans around the globe this special issue cannot happen without your help.

We will be producing the familiar news and a special retrospective summary of the last ten years in the Kate Speaking world. What we need are other features, artwork, poetry, short “Letters to the Editor” and even For Sale, Wanted, and Personal Message ads, just as we always did.

Here are some ideas for articles: there’s the work Kate has done since 2012, the 2014 Before the Dawn live performances, the 2015 live album, the 2018 re-masters and The Other Sides, and the Record Shop Day specials. 40 years of The Dreaming. Last words on 50 Words for Snow and the animations. Tribute Bands and tribute gigs, cover versions and Kate songs on TV talent shows. Inspired fictional stories. Reviews and reactions to the many and various Kate related books now available. The trials and tribulations of collecting Kate material. Charts and facts. That day you met Kate. The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, tales of fan conventions and other Kate fan meet ups. The wider KateSphere – Paddy and John Carder Bush, Beck Sian, Sarah Daly, Raven Bush …

But generally, whatever might have a connection to Kate’s music. Before now we have run material as diverse as the appropriate whisky to drink with each album, to an analysis of the Red Shoes myth. We are looking forward to your contributions. Have a go!

Our aim is to have the issue ready by 18th May 2022, the official HomeGround birthday, so four months.

Please send submissions to and otherwise contact us at

hgtowers@btinternet.com

HomeGround and KateBushNews.com are thrilled to confirm the details of the 2017 party:

 

 This year’s event takes place on Friday 22nd September and once again, will be at the award-winning Royal Vauxhall Tavern in Vauxhall, London, SE1.

This will be the 5th year at this much loved club and cabaret venue which last year was awarded listed status. This annual party is a mix of live music and DJ sets and is guaranteed to be all Kate, all night.

The night will feature a special live set by

Mandy Watson, Michael Mayell and Dave Roberts

from the UK’s finest KB tribute band Cloudbusting.

There will also be performances from top cabaret star Rose Garden and exciting new tribute act A Sky of Honey.

Returning to the RVT will be DJs Phil Marriott, Paul Thomas and HomeGround’s Dave Cross.

Each year Kate fans from all over the UK and beyond travel to London for this much anticipated night, which is a unique mix of social event, live music and club night, all set to a soundtrack of Kate Bush music from Wuthering Heights to Before the Dawn.

Advance tickets are no longer available.

There will be a limited number of tickets on sale on the night.

HOMEGROUND AND KATEBUSHNEWS.COM

Present

A SONG OF SUMMER – A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF KATE BUSH

FRIDAY 8TH JULY, 9PM – 3AM

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, Vauxhall, London SE11, UK

Featuring live performances by

MANDY AND MICHAEL FROM CLOUDBUSTING

ROSE GARDEN

and

A SKY OF HONEY

Plus DJs

PHIL MARRIOTT, DAVE CROSS AND PAUL THOMAS

ALL KATE, ALL NIGHT!

HomeGround, the international Kate Bush Magazine and it’s sister website KateBushNews.com are pleased to confirm that they are returning to the legendary Royal Vauxhall Tavern on Friday 8th July for their annual party celebrating the music of Kate Bush!

The party will be ‘All Kate, all night’ with live performers and DJs playing the best selection of Kate’s music you are ever likely hear. Mandy and Michael from the top Kate tribute band Cloudbusting will be playing a very special set, featuring Mandy on vocals and Michael on keyboards. Their set will include some of Kate’s biggest hits but also a selection of genuine fan favourites. We are not going to give away any details of the actual set, but it will include some of her most beautiful songs.

Also performing is brand new tribute act A Sky Of Honey, who many fans know as long term fan Sky Boswell. We will also enjoy a performance by one of the gay scene’s top cabaret acts, Rose Garden who is a life long Kate fan. DJs on the night will include Phil Marriott, Dave Cross and Paul Thomas. This will be fourth year that the HomeGround team have held their annual party at the legendary RVT and the previous three have been brilliant and very busy! Don’t miss it.

About the venue: The RVT is in Vauxhall, South London, just over the Thames from the West End and is a two minute walk from Vauxhall Underground, main line and bus stations and is two tube stops from the Victoria railway terminus. The RVT is home to award-winning club night Duckie as well as  many other top music and cabaret events and performances.

NOTE: The advance tickets link is now closed, but there will be a limited number of single tickets at £10 available to be bought on the door on the night.

Songs Of Praise, Saturday 6th September, 10.30pm – 6am
M.O.ments Of Pleasure

Next Saturday night Dave Cross from HomeGround and Phil Marriott, who also DJ’d at the last 2 HG parties will be playing Songs Of Praise at East Bloc, City Road, EC1, nearest tube Old Street.

Songs of Praise is a gay club that specialises in the very best pop music. There’s three rooms and next Saturday one of the rooms will be 100% Kate. In the other rooms it’s pop all the way and DJs include Neil Prince, Sugalow Boys and David Oh there’s also a live PA from new girl band M.O

If you mention HomeGround on the door the entry cost is just £5 before 11.30pm, otherwise it is £10.

Plus there a limited set of Kate Post cards featuring Aerial, King Of The Mountain and The Man I Love for the 1st 20 people that ask on the door.

More about the event at this Facebook page here.