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1981 clip of Kate celebrating 50 years of Abbey Road Studios

Kate and Helen Shapiro 1981

The BBC archive Facebook page has posted a rare clip from 1981 in which the Nationwide programme paid a visit to Abbey Road studios as they celebrated 50 years in the recording business. You can see Kate right near the end helping to cut the massive cake (beside an equally massive moustache!) Singer Helen Shapiro and violinist Yehudi Menuhin are also interviewed. (with thanks to Amanda Greenway Harrold for spotting this!) Note: You can watch the video here if the embed below isn’t working for you. 

 

Kate’s new French language Remastered 12″ out in UK

Kate’s most recent Remastered release, the Ne T’enfuis Pas /Un Baiser D’Enfant 12″ single is now appearing in HMV and Fopp stores in the UK (photo: Philip Lau)

Update Sunday November 17th: The 12″ single has climbed to Number 1 in the UK vinyl singles chart! [Trivia Note: the official chart site is using the same misspelling of the title from the b-sides of the Suspended in Gaffa and There Goes a Tenner 7″ singles from 1982!) 

Kate Bush Fan Podcast – Finding KT!

Finding KT podcast image

And after a few months break we are BACK with Season 3 (!) of the Kate Bush Fan Podcast. In this episode Seán introduces Paul and Darrell (aka Bush Telegraph) discussing the KT symbols and where to find them on every Kate Bush album. Darrell obsesses over a mysterious face only he can see in the “Aerial” cover. There is a discussion about the messages Kate herself inscribed into the vinyls of her earlier releases and what they could be referring to. There is also another song by Ron and Cyril, an early tribute act who take on “Babooshka”, slightly rewritten from the point of view of the husband. This podcast should carry a government geek warning….if there was such a thing.

You can subscribe to the Kate Bush Fan Podcast on iTunes or on any podcast app you happen to use, such as Stitcher or Tunein or listen below on Soundcloud.

Ebay auction reveals unseen early version of Kate’s 1979 “On Stage” EP

On Stage variant cover

An auction on Ebay at the moment features quite an interesting curio. It shows the original artwork for the first, scrapped, version of Kate’s On Stage vinyl EP, eventually released on 31st August 1979.  The EP would be a success, reaching number 10 in the UK charts and featuring 4 tracks recorded live at Kate’s show on May 13th earlier that year. 

What’s interesting about this artwork is the revelation that at one point the record was to have had just three tracks, with James and the Cold Gun as the lead on Side One of the vinyl. This might explain the cover image of Kate on stage (with gun) from that performance. The back cover additionally originally featured an image, unseen till now, from her performance of Wow. The song title Don’t Push Your Foot on the Heartbrake is misspelled as “Heartbreak” on the scrapped artwork. This version of the EP was revised in favour of a four track version which also included L’Amour Looks Something Like You. The lead track for the EP ultimately became Them Heavy People – Kate even made a new promo video to go with it, but interestingly, the image from that song (Kate in fedora and trench coat) was relegated to the back cover…the striking image of a crouched and dangerously armed Kate still won out!

Here’s what the seller has to say about the artwork’s origins in their auction listing:

“From 1977 – 1980 I was the assistant record sleeve production manager of Robert Stace & Co one of the largest record sleeve printers in the UK at the time. I handled all Kate Bush 7″ sleeves from Hammer Horror to Babooshka. One day the artwork for Live on Stage arrived for origination but was put on hold the next day due to design changes.

The artwork remained on a shelf in the production office until a spring clean when it was going to be thrown away but instead i asked to have it and later had it framed with a running sheet for posterity”.

On Stage framed artwork

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin remembers attending Before the Dawn

The fifth anniversary of Kate’s incredible shows have many fans reminiscing on the excitement that was 2014. One of them is Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, who has remembered attending Kate’s show on September 2nd that year. On Instagram he has posted the following:

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

On this day in 2014, I saw Kate Bush at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.⁣ ⁣ @katebushmusic is an artist and writer of some of the most extraordinary material I have had the pleasure to experience. From hearing “Man With A Child In His Eyes” written in her teens and on her debut album I knew this was a unique talent with a depth of profound understanding to all things musical. She continued to grow artistically and released a catalogue of fascinating lyrical music over the years.⁣ ⁣ In 1979 Kate Bush played her last concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. From then on she became quite a successful recluse. When it was announced in 2014 that she was to perform a run of concerts at the Hammersmith Odeon the tickets evaporated. However I was lucky to be given two tickets and went with poet @scarlettzsabet to experience the communion. Kate generated an unparalleled commitment from the audience who attended her shows. It was that they were requested not to record the show that evening and they kept to that. I think there may have been a public lynching awaiting anyone who may disobey.⁣ ⁣ The feeling for love and respect for Kate was tangible. Her show displayed the measure of her genius and vision both past, present and future. Each and every one of us was truly moved by her concert both visually and musically. ⁣ ⁣ Thank you Kate.

A post shared by Jimmy Page (@jimmypage) on

New French documentary on Kate to air on ARTE channel

Here’s a clip from a French TV documentary about Kate, directed by Claire Laborey, that is due to air on 13th September at 21.30 on the ARTE channel in France.

Entitled “Kate Bush, la sorcière du son” (which translates as “sorceress of sound”), the 55-minute documentary gets its first showing on Friday, September 13th on ARTE at 21:30. From the press release (roughly translated!):

“Composed of a host of archives and interviews – including musicians who have worked with her – this portrait, without dissipating the halo of mystery that surrounds Kate, allows to discover many facets, and explores the immense musical talent of the one who is nicknamed the sorceress of soundMore at the ARTE site here. The documentary will be available to view online on the ARTE site from Sept 6th.

The French 12″ Ne T’Enfuis Pas / Un Baiser D’Enfant is HERE!

Update: The 12″ single is now being spotted on the shelves of FNAC stores in France. 

Our good friend Tristan in France is possibly the very first fan to get his hands on the new Kate Bush Remastered special release on the French FNAC website – he had ordered it for collection from the store. Thanks for the photos, Tristan!

Both remastered tracks were included in Kate’s collection of rarities, The Other Sides, released in March this year. The cover uses the same photo from the original French Ne T’Enfuis Pas / Un Baiser D’Enfant single from July 1983 but uses the distinctive Kate Bush Remastered font instead. The inner sleeve is a tinted version of the Between Two Worlds artwork which has featured on the Before the Dawn programme and album and also on the 2018 Remastered box sets. Nice touch. 

French 12"French 12" (back)


 

“My Computer” 7 inch single from Prince featuring Kate released in Germany!

The October 2019 issue of German music magazine MUSIKEXPRESS is shipping with a vinyl 7″ edition of the 1996 track My Computer by Prince which features backing vocals from Kate. From the site:

“Exclusively and only available in MUSIKEXPRESS 10/2019: A 7 “vinyl single by PRINCE!

A-side: “My Computer” ft. Kate Bush 
B-side: “Shhh” (x-cerpt) – from the promo tape “The Versace Experience: Prelude 2 Gold” 

This exclusive is delivered from September 12th and can be ordered here. Before you get very excited, Kate’s vocal only occupies a couple of choruses in the middle of the track and can be tricky to distinguish from the same lines being sung by Prince – but it’s undeniably thrilling to hear their two famous voices blend, even for a brief moment. 

My Computer was released on the third disc of his 19th album ‘Emancipation‘, released on 19th November 1996, with Kate’s contribution recorded in the UK and sent to Prince at Paisley Park Studios. The track marked their second collaboration after Prince was featured on the track Why Should I Love You on Kate’s 1993 album, The Red Shoes. When Prince tragically passed away in April 2016, Kate left a heartfelt message about him on her site.

Edinburgh Fringe show, “An evening without Kate Bush” is running now!

Thanks to Kevin Wilson for letting us know about this show. From the press release: “The chaotic cabaret cult, AN EVENING WITHOUT KATE BUSH is here! Enter Strange Phenomena, howl with the The Hounds Of Love and dance on the moors with Wuthering Heights. Kate’s not there, but you are. From the makers of Julie Madly Deeply. But completely different.

Performer Sarah-Louise Young (Cabaret Whore, The Showstoppers, La Soiree) has teamed up with director Russell Lucas (Warped at VAULT Festival) to explore the music and mythology of one of the most influential voices in British music. From releasing Wuthering Heights at the age of 19 to selling out the Hammersmith Apollo nearly 40 years later, Kate Bush has always surprised and confounded her critics. Through it all her fans have stayed strong. Young invites you to celebrate her songs with this unique and mind-blowing show.”

Where? Vodoo Rooms (Ballroom), West Register Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA

When? 3 – 25 August (no show 12 & 19 August) – 16.40pm (1 hour) Free non-ticketed

Website: www.sarah-louise-young.com Twitter: @WithoutKateBush @SlyTheatreMaker

Dave Cross from HomeGround discusses The Big Sky video shoot!

Photo: John Carder Bush from “Kate: Inside The Rainbow”

Cecilee Linke in the US has set herself the impressive task of covering every single Kate Bush song, one per episode, on her Strange Phenomena podcast. She is already on to the Hounds of Love album, and this week is her episode on the song The Big Sky. Among other contibutors she talks to our own Dave Cross of HomeGround Magazine fame. Dave chats about how himself, Peter and Krys helped to organise 150 fans to attend the taping of Kate’s 1986 music video for The Big Sky. Did you know that Dave starred in the video (along with Peter!) and donned a fetching moustache at Kate’s request as one of the Wright brothers?!  You can listen to the episode here

Dave Cross Big Sky

Over 2,000 Canadian children colour a Kate Bush inspired music video!

This is absolutely brilliant. For her cover of Running up that Hill, Los Angeles artist Meg Myers decided to make a music video that would bring the song into Crayola colour. With the help of 2,130 school children from Edmonton, the video’s director created a moving colouring book. Every frame in the 12-frame-per-second animation, features a page coloured by a different child. 

Meg Myers

The video has more than 500,000 views since it launched last month.

“It’s quite intense with all the colours changing,” music video director Jo Roy told CBC Edmonton’s Radio Active on Wednesday. “But [it’s meant to] feel like a very colourful experience, with the narrative of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.” The animation was created using illustrations based on film footage of Meg Myers dancing. There are other added flourishes as she morphs into a human-butterfly and flies through space. Read more about the project at this article here which includes an audio interview with director Jo Roy. Meg Myers official site is here: https://www.megmyers.com/

Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy) talks to HMV podcast about his inspiration: Kate Bush

Neil Hannon HMV podcast

My Inspiration is a new podcast series from HMV in which they give musicians, actors, filmmakers and producers the chance to take a welcome break from talking about themselves and instead talk about their greatest inspiration. For their first episode, they welcome Neil Hannon, the creative force behind The Divine Comedy, who opened up about his life-long love of Kate Bush.

HMV writes: “During the podcast, Hannon spoke about how he discovered the eccentric songstress, how she inspired the theatricality in his songwriting and stagecraft and which LP he considers to be her ultimate masterpiece. You can listen to the podcast below and make sure you check back on hmv.com for more episodes of My Inspiration…”

Cloudbusting bring their full acclaimed show to Ireland in September!

CLOUDBUSTING ON STAGE

Following their successful Songbook shows in Ireland with Del Palmer in 2018, Cloudbusting are taking the whole band across the Irish Sea for the first time this September:

CLOUDBUSTING 2019 IRISH TOUR DATES

We’ve said it many times: before you bristle at the thought of a Kate Bush “tribute” act (and I certainly have in the past), you really should check out some of them for yourself. The quality really is very high indeed these days, in many ways Kate’s music just demands that. It’s a special thrill to hear these songs played in a live setting, feels a bit like getting a hug from an old friend! At the very top of the stack is of course Cloudbusting. Fronted by singer Mandy Watson, these superb musicians play to sold out shows and to huge demand all over the UK.

Their winning formula is fairly simple; they focus on the delivery of the music and the vocals without attempts at parody or mimicry. Their set really is the stuff of fans dreams; featuring not just all the well known singles, but unexpected album cuts and rarer songs too. To give you an example of what Cloudbusting bring to the table – read my review of their stunning 4oth Anniversary of The Kick Inside show. You can watch a clip from that show above where Kate’s choreography consultant and dance partner, Stewart Avon Arnold, joined them and performed a dance to complement The Man With The Child In His Eyes, along with his dance partner Tori Wood-Ives. Stewart had always wanted to create something for this song, one of the few he didn’t dance to on the 1979 Lionheart tour. 

“Throughout, singer Mandy Watson brought a searing authenticity to her vocals, never attempting to parody Kate’s voice. The result is a performance from her that is consistently sensational. Mandy always addresses the audience as herself, a singer, never pretending to be Kate, just a genuine fan of this music wanting to do it justice. She deserves special praise for taking on the sheer array of Kate’s most elaborate songs which the band had woven into this show, and making it seem effortless.” 

Irish fans – do not miss!

CLOUDBUSTING 2019 IRISH TOUR DATES

Happy Birthday, Kate!

Kate Bush

Wishing Kate a fantastic birthday today, filled with all the things she loves! Seán, Peter, Krys & Dave xx

Update: A nice birthday wish was posted by BBC Radio 6 Music on their social media pages: 

BBC 6 Music Cake Bush

Kate releasing French exclusive 12″ of Ne T’Enfuis Pas / Un Baiser D’Enfant in September!

12"

Eagle-eyed French fans (thanks Tristan!) spotted the latest Kate Bush Remastered special release on the French FNAC website: 

https://www.fnac.com/a13674158/Kate-Bush-Ne-t-enfuis-pas-Exclusivite-Fnac-Edition-Limitee-Maxi-vinyle

Here’s the brief description: “Maxi Vinyl Kate Bush. Inclus deux titres rares chantés en français: Ne t’enfuis pas et Un baiser d’enfant.”

Both remastered tracks were included in Kate’s collection of rarities, The Other Sides, released in March this year. The cover uses the same photo from the original French Ne T’Enfuis Pas / Un Baiser D’Enfant single from July 1983 (shown below) but uses the distinctive Kate Bush Remastered font instead. Released on September 3rd, unlike Cloudbusting, there is no mention of a picture disc, so we may be looking at a regular double sided 12″ single here, which would be the first in that format since the rare Italian Rubberband Girl vinyl 12″ in 1993.

The disc is exclusively available in France (it seems) from the FNAC website, and, presumably in their stores around France come September. The vinyl disc is listed as a limited edition, but we don’t know how many there will be….quelle belle surprise!

1983 single

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