The Big Sky video was filmed 40 years ago today!

Thursday 6th March 1986. We get the ’phone call from John Carder Bush: “Can you arrange about a hundred fans to be in a video?” “Yeah, no problem. Where is it?” “We’re not sure.” “Er… when is it?” “We’re not sure of that either. Sometime next week, very early in the morning in London.” “Ok, fine.” I put the phone down − PANIC!

– Dave Cross (HomeGround Magazine, 1986)

The making of the music video for The Big Sky, 40 years ago today (!), was a unique event in that Kate asked the editors of HomeGround magazine to help organise over a hundred lucky fans to take part in the filming! On a side note (from Seán here) I’m always so proud of my HomeGround pals for doing things like this at the height of Kate’s early career – and, not that I’m the jealous type, but our own Peter, Krys and Dave would also go on to star in the Experiment IV music video later that same year! Amazing.

Dave Cross wrote an account of organising the fans for the shoot in the pages of HomeGround. After a frantic postal mail-out and dozens of replies from eager fans via phone call, the day finally arrived. Dave writes: “The big day turned out to be Wednesday 19th March (Kate had done all her solo filming work on the Tuesday.) Two coaches were waiting to take everyone from Manchester Square…once at the Thorn EMI Studios in Elstree, we had to get into costume and have make-up put on. By the time the coaches had arrived and Peter came hurtling into the dressing rooms, Lionel (Sharon) and I had been transformed into the Wright Brothers…walking around the dressing room was quite an experience; one moment you were chatting to an astronaut, the next moment a German officer doing impersonations of the ‘Young Ones’ (“And now, the Aviators!”) Then you might be asking Amy Johnson where the tea was or showing Superman where the loo was…”

“We were supposed to start our first bit of filming at 8.00 am, which later turned out to be nearer 11.00. After that I reminded everyone that there were two coach-loads of cold bored Kate Bush fans still waiting out in the car park, so Paddy came outside with me. He looked pretty nifty in his green jumpsuit, but everyone thought my Victorian outfit complete with ‘tash’ hysterical. Finally, at around 11.45 everyone was ready for the first scene with the audience. This take involved Kate, and the guitarists Kevin McAlea and Al Murphy walking up the runway between two rows of aviators. We did this shot about about five times during which time Kate made them stay at one point, because she was worried about some of the fans getting burnt on the arc lamps at either side of the stage. Once the shot was completed it was time for lunch and we spent the time chatting and munching.”

The first shot of the afternoon was the biggest scene involving everyone. This was the climax of the video where we all rush forward, including the giraffes. We rehearsed a few times before bringing in the audience. During one rehearsal we missed the cue and no-one ran forward and Kate got caught up in her flying suit. The proper takes with the audience were without doubt the most exciting moments of the shoot. The genuine applause from the audience at the end of each take was thrilling and I’ll never forget Kate asking us aviators “Are you all boogieing?”

We then had tea (yippee!) and went on to the final shoot of the day. This was another audience shot involving the dancers and some complicated camera angles. After about four takes, Kate had to make a quick exit from the stage feeling a little icky. She was okay, but as usual had been over-doing it and just needed some sleep…Wednesday ended with two coaches full of tired but happy people heading back to town and three HomeGrounders (including Krys Fitzgerald-Morris) trying to persuade Lionel’s car to start.”

On the Thursday there was another big scene: the moon, the jet bit and the opening scene, which meant filling the whole studio with smoke and some closeups. When I left at about 7.30 pm Kate was still working putting finishing touches on the moon shot. I really don’t know where she gets the energy from. Watching the finished film it seems impossible that it took so long to film, it all runs so quickly. After all that hard work The Big Sky has turned out to be Kate’s most lively and colourful production to date and of course we all had a great time helping to make it. Thanks Kate!”

Kate wrote about the shoot in her fan club newsletter in 1986: “It’s such a good feeling to work with a big group of people….besides a large number of performers to fill a stage and give the effect of a live concert, we needed an avenue of people, from the Wright brothers to two astronauts, to simulate aviation history. The Wright brothers looked remarkably like Dave Cross and Peter FitzGerald-Morris, and one of the astronauts looked so like Jay…We also needed a large, enthusiastic crowd, so we asked Dave Cross to organise some members of the Club, and two hundred beautifully behaved people arrived on the day of the shoot. It was very moving, they filled us all up with energy – It made it feel like a real concert.“

Thanks to HomeGround, Paul Thomas and more for all the photos! Fantastic memories.

Count yourself lucky if you own one of these beauties! These The Big Sky promotional lighters were handed out to the fans who turned up to take part in The Big Sky video shoot crowd scenes on Wednesday, March 19th 1986. You can see the lighters in action best in the overhead shots surrounding the circular spotlight silhouette. Kate wrote in the Kate Bush Club newsletter in 1986: “All the film crew remarked on how incredible everyone was. They had been terrified with past experiences of invited audiences, but I told them they hadn’t met the right ones. Everyone left just as beautifully – nearly everyone with a burnt thumb from being a star in the sky holding up lighters and waving. I’d never been in the same room with so many stars before.”