An alternate of the main publicity shot Kate took for the Aerial album has surfaced online, by photographer Trevor Leighton. How’s your lockdown hair game this morning? Mine…not quite as lustrous as Kate’s, I’m afraid!
Category: Kate Bush news Page 1 of 64
December Will Be 40! Seán introduces another Christmas special from Bush Telegraph, covering all things ‘December Will Be Magic Again’, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month. Paul and Darrell, chatting transatlantically, reminisce about the first time they heard and saw Kate perform this song on TV as a guest on the ‘Showtime Special’ in December 1979. This version (fondly known as the ‘Bongo Version’) was recorded at Abbey Road in November of that year. Its official release came a year later with a new arrangement and vocal. On this podcast we get to hear the first version, as well as a live version from the ‘Kate Show’ in 1979. The lads also reminisce about rushing out after school to get the single, and they discuss reviews and chart stats. There is also a great cover of this song on the podcast. For a Christmas ‘bonus’, we also get to hear the two jingles Kate sang for Capital One and Radio 1.
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.
The Instagram account of Abbey Road Studios has shared a snowy animation of the December Will Be Magic Again single cover along with one of the original recording sheets from the session! The song was recorded in 1979 but released for Christmas 1980. Fascinating to see the booked recording times for the track that day (from 2.30 in the afternoon to 10pm) and that the final mixing of this iconic Christmas tune carried on well into the early hours of the morning. (With thanks to Brian Cloughley for letting us know)
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One of the joys of working on this unique Kate Bush special edition magazine from Record Collector magazine was the fact that they agreed to donate the fee from the work done on selected collectable articles to a charity of our choice. The work on those beautiful illustrated features, involved the collected efforts of many fans around the world, and was a joy for me to manage and facilitate. I am so happy that we can instantly send £650 (much-needed funding) to the same charity that Kate Bush selected to be the pre-Christmas beneficiaries of her amazing Remastered Pop-Up Shop initiative in December 2018. Please consider also making a donation this Christmas to Crisis UK here if you’ve enjoyed reading this wonderful, fantastic fan-focused Kate Bush magazine! – Seán Twomey, with special thanks to the Record Collector Special editor Jamie Atkins from all us fans
Kate has worked with famed British photographer, Trevor Leighton, on a couple of occasions, most recently in 2014 to announce her Before the Dawn concerts with a memorable shot. Today on his instagram account he has posted a gorgeous backlight studio photo that looks to us like one from the 2005 Aerial sessions, based on Kate’s outfit. UPDATE: Trevor has confirmed to a fan that the photo was taken in 2005 as part of the Aerial sessions (thanks James). Suitably wintry for this time of year, thanks Trevor!
Well, we told you it was going to be a feast! Here’s just the barest sneak glimpse at some of the pages from the Record Collector full colour special devoted to Kate Bush. It hits the shops next week on December 3rd. Personally I’ve really enjoyed helping the editor to put this magazine together over the last few months – a LOT of hard work from a bigger team of genuine fans than you might have expected. Once again, this one is for us fans. This really is just a tiny fraction of the pages and pages of fully illustrated collector features as well as a comprehensive UK discography, in-depth guides to collectables and memorabilia, all of her studio albums revisited by some of RC’s finest writers, fans and musicians on what Kate means to them, unpublished photographs, the story of HomeGround the Kate Bush fan magazine, an evocative piece on her remarkable live comeback, and so much more. I even wrote an article in it! PRE-ORDER YOUR ISSUE HERE!
Something we’ve never seen before – an ENTIRE full colour issue of the legendary Record Collector magazine devoted to Kate Bush. It hits the shops December 3rd. This magazine has always taken Kate very seriously over the years as an artist who also happens to have a highly collectible body of work. As such they always put Kate’s fans front and centre. This “bookazine” is no exception, pages upon pages of content here illuminate just what Kate means to fans AND for the very first time is rich with illustrated features about collecting the music that we love – and there has been significant input from Kate’s fans to make this very special indeed. We’re excited. Do not miss! PRE-ORDER YOUR ISSUE HERE!
Here’s what Record Collector says: “This latest RC special gives fans the definitive guide to collecting one of the most extraordinary musicians of our times with a comprehensive UK discography, in-depth guides to collectables and memorabilia, all of her studio albums revisited by some of RC’s finest writers, fans and musicians on what Kate means to them, unpublished photographs, an evocative piece on her remarkable live comeback, and so much more. Available for pre-order: 5 November. Release date: 3 December – Note: Due to lockdown, there may be a slight delay with dispatch of your order.”
First image has surfaced of an amazing new Prog Magazine cover – a feature on Never For Ever – nice work, guys, that’s a framer…thanks to Prog Magazine for the cover image. The new issue is on sale on Wednesday 28th October. Celebrating 40 years of Never For Ever with an in-depth making of the album cover feature.
The issue also features: Hawkwind, Kevin Goldey, Eddie Jobson, Jacqui McShee of Pentangle, Dyble Longdon, Tears For Fears, Jakko Jakszyk, John Petrucci, Gazpacho, Enslaved, Aphrodite’s Child, Motorpsycho, Galahad. Ordering details will be available at the Prog site here: https://www.loudersound.com/prog
It’s surreal to think that this box set is actually 30 years old. Released a year after The Sensual World while Kate was in the thick of recording what would become The Red Shoes, it was the first time she had officially gathered together a lot of the “odds and sods”, B-sides and 12″ mixes from her then 12-year career. The box sets contained all 6 of Kate’s studio albums released up to that point. Expensive sets at the time for fans, especially those just wanting those extra tracks, they are just as sought after today on the collector market. In fact the huge 9 vinyl disc LP version of the set (8 CD and 8 cassette versions were also released) can sometimes fetch eye-watering prices now, depending on condition and the inclusion of those all important KT stickers! The box set even contains some tracks that didn’t make it to The Other Sides remastered rarities collection from 2018, including The Empty Bullring, Not This Time, Ken (from the Comic Strip film “GLC”) and the four Live on Stage EP tracks. At the time it almost felt like Kate was looking back on a long career in music and that this was gathering up her life’s work…here’s the note she included in the accompanying booklet of photographs:
Has it really been twelve years already?… Is this how it was Rip Van Winkle? Looking through these photos I haven’t seen for years, and listening to B-sides of singles I’d forgotten about, has been an interesting exercise for me.
I think my music and I have changed a lot, and when I was making the first album, which at that time was my greatest goal. I never imagined that a box-set of my work would be out in 1990 and I would still be making albums. That’s a nice feeling.Whoever you are – thank you for listening and please be kind to my mistakes…. because I’m not.
Many, many thanks to EVERYONE involved in making these albums, and to the photographers whose work appears here: – Gered Mankowitz, Terry Walker, Brian Griffin, Guido Harari and especially John Carder Bush
I would like to dedicate this special edition to the special memory of Alan Murphy and Gary Hurst.
With love,
Kate Bush
xx
Kate Bush, 1990
Beautiful photo by John Carder Bush on the cover there from the sessions for The Ninth Wave! The editor has sent us a press release: MOJO The Collectors’ Series: KATE BUSH DIRECTOR’S CUT 1958-2020. MOJO is delighted to present its finest writing on Kate Bush in a collectable single deluxe volume.
As one of the most original and extraordinary figures in music, Kate Bush deserves to be saluted in style – and that’s exactly what this sumptuous 132-page magazine does. Drawing on MOJO’s many exclusive interviews with the singer down the years, plus a wealth of archive features and rare and iconic images, DIRECTOR’S CUT 1958-2020 traces Kate’s remarkable story from her pre-fame days recording demos with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and breakthrough success with Wuthering Heights and The Kick Inside album, right through to the creation of the mid-’80s masterpiece Hounds Of Love and on to her millennial return to live performance with 2014’s breathtaking Before The Dawn shows.
Among the other wow-some treasures you’ll find within its covers are an unguarded 1980 Sounds interview conducted by writer Phil Sutcliffe, Tom Doyle’s epic four-hour encounter with the singer after she returned from a decade’s hiatus with 2005’s Aerial album, a run-down of Kate’s 50 greatest songs and guide to all her key albums. Plus much more besides. Unbelievable indeed!
KATE BUSH DIRECTOR’S CUT 1958-2020 is available in shops and to buy online at www.greatmagazines.co.uk/mojo-specials from October 1, 2020.
BBC Radio 6 Music DJ Mark Radcliffe has posted several tweets recently of a trip he made to Haworth in Yorkshire, to make a film about Kate and the song that started it all, Wuthering Heights. The documentary should be aired sometime around Christmas. Mark has been a vocal supporter of Kate ever since creating the “Bushometer” on his radio show in the early 2000s before Aerial was released, counting down to his dream of interviewing Kate, which he has now since done more than once!
Fantastic news! We are so delighted for Kate to receive this honour today and to hear so many of her peers in the music industry singing her praises. Congratulations, Kate!
RTE | Music Week | The Irish News | Hot Press | Music Musings |
From the press release:
British songwriter Kate Bush has been made a Fellow of The Ivors Academy, in recognition of her peerless and enduring achievements in music. The announcement was made today, 23 September, and is the highest honour that The Ivors Academy bestows. The Academy exists to represent and champion music creators in the UK and Ireland.
Fellowship of the Academy recognises excellence and impact in the art and craft of music creation. This is only the twentieth Fellowship that the Academy has awarded in its 76-year history. Kate Bush joins a roster of songwriter greats including Annie Lennox OBE, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John. The most recent music creator to receive Fellowship before Kate Bush was Joan Armatrading MBE.
As well as life-time membership of the Academy, Kate Bush receives a dedicated Ivor Novello Award, depicting Euterpe, the ancient Greek Muse of lyric poetry.
“I feel really honoured to be given this fellowship by The Ivors Academy. It means so very much to me. Thank you to all my family and friends and to everyone who has been there for me over the years. I’ll treasure this statue of Euterpe always and ask her to sit on my shoulder while I work.”
Kate Bush
Commenting on Kate’s honour, Annie Lennox, who was made a Fellow of the Academy in 2015, said, “I’m delighted beyond words that Kate Bush is being recognised and honoured with an Ivors Academy Fellowship. I cannot think of anyone more deserving than the uniquely innovative singer songwriter, performer, producer and remarkable artist that she is. She is visionary and iconic and has made her own magical stamp upon the zeitgeist of the British cultural landscape.”
Long-term Kate Bush fan Big Boi said, “Creative wise, she has been an influence on my life and my music. The depths of the production and lyricism of her music are unmatched, and I am very proud to be able to consider her to be my buddy. Love her!”
Joan Armatrading said, “Kate Bush is undoubtedly one of Britain’s best loved legendary singer/songwriters, an inspiration to many and deserving of the Fellowship. This is the highest award The Ivors Academy can bestow on any artist. I’m delighted that she takes her place of recognition and I send my hearty congratulations.”
Elton John, who became a Fellow of The Ivors Academy in 2004, described Kate Bush as “A truly inspirational, innovative British songwriter and artist. A legacy full of classic works.”
Fellow of the Academy David Arnold said, “I’ve not met an artist in the 30 years of working in music who doesn’t love Kate Bush. Since she emerged, seemingly fully formed as an artist in the 1970s, she immediately claimed a place in the arts as a true original with a raw, pure, visionary talent. A writer who pushed the boundaries of what songwriting could be, a producer showing us how exciting and challenging the sound of a record could be and a performer who mesmerised, enchanted and drew her audience in to the worlds she had so beautifully and fully created. The fact she is still such an influence on so many established and emerging artists tells you all you need to know about how very precious and appreciated she is. I am thankful for her work and her kindness and it’s very right and proper that she has been named as a Fellow of our Academy, we are lucky to have her.”
Crispin Hunt, Chair of The Ivors Academy, said, “As a music creator it is unnerving when you know that your words will fall short, but this is one of those times. Kate’s talent is incalculable, her achievements are peerless and artistry leaves you breathless. Countless songwriters and composers have referenced how Kate has informed their musical development. On behalf of all songwriters and composers, The Ivors Academy is giving Kate the highest honour we can bestow as a heartfelt expression of our love and admiration.”
Kate Bush’s extraordinary contribution to music is both impossible to pigeonhole and capture. Kate has created a truly unique career based around retaining creative autonomy and demonstrating mastery of the music production process, powerful vocals and captivating performances. She has forged her own path ever since her debut single Wuthering Heights was the first time a woman achieved a number one with a self-written song.
Kate Bush has influenced generations of music creators and has been nominated six times for an Ivor Novello Award. She won her first Ivor in 1979 for Outstanding British Lyric of The Man With The Child In His Eyes and she was awarded her second Ivor Novello in 2002 becoming the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to British Music award.
Archive audio recordings for the years 1982 and 1983, The Dreaming and After have now been added, and can be accessed via the index page HERE. 
There will be no page for 1984, because we do not have any audio recordings for that year. However 1985, the year of the Hounds of Love album and its various singles, will be available shortly.
Ryan Tubridy hosts the main morning national radio programme on Irish RTE Radio 1 and, having recently discovered and been impressed by Kate’s work on the 1996 track Mná na hÉireann from the Common Ground (Voices of Modern Irish Music) project he asked musician and producer Donal Lunny on air to discuss it. Kate sang the song in the Irish language, and we discovered today for the first time that she actually attended the track recording in the RTE Studios in Dublin with the orchestra present, with Kate singing along with them before refining her final vocal later back in her own studios in England with Del Palmer. You can hear today’s interview below.