With the great recent coverage in The Word magazine and the upcoming BBC documentary I couldn’t resist sharing with you that Del Palmer posted on his Myspace last week that he was in the studio with “you-know-who.” Obviously we can’t read tooooo much into this but we’d be kidding ourselves if he didn’t mean Kate was working (as now expected) on follow-up material to her Aerial album. Wonderful news. We are older and wiser now and don’t expect any new music shortly, but can only smile contentedly and send out our wishes that fun is had in the studio yet again.
Kate will be one of the subjects of a major 2-part arts documentary that celebrates Britain’s most admired female singers from the Sixties to present day, currently scheduled to transmit on primetime BBC1 in Spring ’09. Also featured will be Dusty Springfield, Annie Lennox and others. Del Palmer is to be interviewed for the documentary in the coming week and apparently David Gilmour, Tori Amos, Alison Goldfrapp, Mark Radcliffe, Andrew Powell and John Carder Bush have all been approached to talk about Kate. On his Myspace Del reveals that the BBC will ask him about her unique songwriting style, her creativity in the studio and the songs which have inspired so many musicians. With thanks to Del for this news, read more at his Myspace page here. UPDATE: The documentary is expected to air in March 2009.
Hoping you all had a great Christmas and are having a good 2009! We’ve been miserable with chesty coughs and flus around here – ah well. Here’s a bit of Katyness to brighten up your January – Kate is featured on the cover (an old photo) of the new edition of Word Magazine and inside the magazine is a 10 page feature with classic interviews. Word is an always-excellent music and culture magazine, I was wondering when they’d get around to featuring Kate. The February issue is out now. Thanks to Justin P Huntley for the news. Read more at the mags site here.
With their Youtube video clips generating a positive buzz among fans, ‘Hounds of Love’, the tribute band, are to tour the UK over the next few months. This is an opportunity to hear Kate’s music played live by people with a genuine respect and feel for the material. The shows aren’t meant to be a pastiche or cabaret act. A six-piece band fronted by singer Josie Mills from York, they communicate Kate’s songs with impressive passionate sympathy. Their set includes Wow, The Big Sky, Running Up That Hill, Man With The Child In Eyes, Cloudbusting, And So Is Love, Them Heavy People, Babooshka, Hounds Of Love, James and the Cold Gun, Rubberband Girl and Wuthering Heights. Read more about the band, watch and listen to clips and find out more info on the tour dates here: http://www.myspace.com/thehoundsofloveband
Inquirys about the band or venues interested in booking them should email Richard here.
17 Jan 2009 20:00 The Square and Compass Ilminster, Southwest
23 Jan 2009 20:00 The Old Market Brighton & Hove, South
29 Jan 2009 20:00 The Robin Wolverhampton, Midlands
30 Jan 2009 20:00 The Brook Southampton, South
13 Feb 2009 21:00 The Fleece and Firkin Bristol
14 Feb 2009 20:00 The Met Theatre Bury, Northwest
07 Mar 2009 20:00 The Picturedrome Holmfirth, Northeast
13 Mar 2009 20:00 Tavistock Wharf Tavistock, Southwest
14 Mar 2009 20:00 Falmouth Pavilion Falmouth, Southwest
26 Mar 2009 20:00 The Stables Milton Keynes, London and South East
16 Apr 2009 20:00 Memorial Hall Sheffield, Northeast
Here’s a bit of fun for you from Paul Scott’s Corporate Zombie cartoon series! See the full strip here: http://www.corporatezombie.net/?p=43 (thanks Paul)
Very exciting news for absolutely anyone with an interest in Kate’s music and career – it’s time to prepare a space on your bookshelf for something extremely special indeed. HomeGround 1982-2009 – An Anthology of the Best of the Kate Bush Magazine will be published by Crescent Moon Publishing in time for Christmas 2009. This will be an A4 sized hardback book (see dummy cover impression above) of some 600 pages which will feature a selection of the best of the writing, artwork, and photographs that have appeared in HomeGround over 27 years. The HomeGround editors are raring to go and intend to begin preliminary work in the next few weeks, with the principal work being done in the first half of next year, so that the book would be published in time for Christmas 2009. At the moment the publisher anticipates that the price will be about £35, and it will be available from on-line retailers such as Amazon. We’ll keep you updated on this site with all the news as the book takes shape. Whether you’ve subscribed to HomeGround in the past or were always curious what all the fuss was about, now you can look forward to the ULTIMATE anthology of this iconic publication.
So this fascinating piece of news has completely caught me napping! For some time it’s been known that songwriter Lionel Azulay (the drummer with ‘Company’, the original band that was later to become the KT Bush Band) was gearing up to release an album of his original work. In the early 1970s Company comprised of Lionel, Del Palmer and Brian Bath and were also occasionally joined live on mandolin by Paddy Bush. Unfortunately, at that time in the 1970s Lionel had a serious road accident and was forced to leave the band, being replaced as drummer by Charlie Morgan, thus missing his chance to play live with Kate. His Myspace page has recently reported that a song called “Wouldn’t Change a Thing” was recorded with Kate on prominent backing vocals but has remained unreleased untill very recently! The song is featured on the new CD “Out of the Ashes”. It was recorded in the 1990s. Lionel says on his site: “The now legendary and hugely all round nice person Kate Bush kindly lent her unique and wonderful voice to one of my songs (Wouldn’t Change a Thing, engineered and produced by Del at The Farm, Welling).” Luckily permission to include this song has been cleared in time for the album release. And we get to hear some previously unheard Kate!
The full song can be heard at Lionel’s Myspace page here. The album is now available to download on iTunes. Special thanks to Dale Stallins at the Kate Bush Tribute page for the care and attention he’s been giving to spreading the Myspace word on Lionel, Del Palmer, Brian Bath and more…outstanding work Dale 🙂
[Myspace and other related links: Company Del Palmer Kate Bush Tribute Page Brian Bath Collin Lloyd Tucker Kylaclayfox]
The very latest news is gathered at our forum’s buzzing Medialog section here.
It’s that time of year again, Kate’s birthday – this time she hits fabulous 50, a full two weeks before the media go crazy reporting the same event happening to a certain Madonna person…makes you feel glad that Kate avoids all the celebrity madness and can peacefully enjoy what we hope will be a great day surrounded by her loved ones. Wishing you a happy birthday Kate, sending you all the very best. Sean
It is with great sadness that the news has reached us of the passing of Kate’s father, Dr Robert Bush. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to John, Paddy and Kate and to all of the Bush family and friends.
From the press release: “Hotly tipped electro-indie four-piece VIVA CITY are releasing ‘Kate Bush‘ – their first UK single, on Monday 23 June, on iTunes for digital download. Mixing dark throbbing baselines with melodic electronica, the Newcastle tunesmiths create a unique sound that leaves fans demanding more. The new single is getting great feedback after airing on BBC 6 Music, with renowned musician and BBC DJ Tom Robinson’s ringing endorsement: “Viva City’s ‘Kate Bush’ is a storming two minute slice of leery swaggering electropop. Sheer genius.” The UK single follows a collaboration with Dutch DJ maestro Don Diablo, who released a remix of Viva City’s track ‘Audio Endlessly’ in Europe in February. Don Diablo commented that Viva City are creating “a new sound for a new era”. Produced by the legendary Kosheen DJs, Viva City’s first UK single marks the band’s official launch. Viva City’s Bruce Tate said: “The track is about old and new, appreciating what has come before, whilst also creating a sound of the future. We want people to sit up and listen – the dirty sirens at the start signal the mayhem kicking off and us launching ourselves onto the music scene.” Hear the single at the Viva City myspace page here.
Chris from the band has posted the lyrics of the song on our forum: “Kate Bush, Keep your little hounds of love Kate, Your shoes are in the $$%!#%! lake, and how am I going to get home today? Yeah, in action how like an angel, In apprehension how like a God, You’re the greatest beauty of the world, la la la la {CHORUS} Thus, Bad begins, And I’m letting it in, To fear love is to fear life, To fear love is to fear life, In all truth I attend to their sugared words, I attend to the things absurd, I never was to deter, So take a bow, I dote on her every absence, I cherish every spoken word, I idolise the treasured girls, la la la la, {CHORUS} Thus, Bad begins, And I’m letting it in, To fear love is to fear life, To fear love is to fear life..”
Just to let you know about an Irish Kate Bush fan gathering happening in Dublin on June 14th. The Sensual Walk celebrates Kate, Molly Bloom and James Joyce on beautiful Howth Head with live music, a cliff walk and an evening of merry-making. I’m organising it for the second year running and all KB fans from Ireland and abroad are very welcome. Please drop me an email if you’re thinking of coming and want to know more. Two other great gatherings happening in the UK this year include the annual Glastonbury gathering on July 27th (more here) and the Wuthering Hike up in Haworth on the Yorkshire moors on November 1st (more here).
Dance act Utah Saints are back again with a hugely popular 2008 remix of their smash 1992 UK #4 hit ‘Something Good’ (which samples Kate’s Cloudbusting) and all signs are that it is taking the dancefloors of Europe by storm. The great (we love it) new video can be seen on Youtube here. Here’s the blurb for the single from the band: “Utah Saints’ ‘Something Good 08’ (Van She Tech Remix) is the biggest dance record of 2008 so far… Already receiving heavy daytime plays on Radio 1 from the likes of Jo Whiley, Annie Mac, Chris Moyles, Scott Mills, and more, it’s also been a staple for the likes of Zane Lowe and Pete Tong, who’ve made it a Hottest Record In The World and Essential New Tune respectively. Displaying the crossover traits that made the Utah Saints such a formidable force, ‘Something Good 08’, is also picking up huge support at stations ranging from Kiss to XFM, and ILRs across the land. A former No.1 in both the Cool Cuts and Buzz Charts, this release is set to send everyone’s favourite dance band rocketing back to the top of the UK singles charts.”
So, we’ve tried (reluctantly) to keep this a secret but, Del Palmer has released an exclusive recording of his take on “Watching You Without Me” on his MySpace page here. Please check it out soon as it is not going to be on his Myspace page for long. Great stuff…and adds to our excitement and celebration in this momentous year for Kate. Cheers Del!
An amazing milestone – we can celebrate 30 years of Kate’s music today asWuthering Heights was released on this day all the way back in 1978. It’s incredible to think of that much time having passed. I was just four years old but I do remember seeing a crazy lady (I thought she was a witch!) on the Multi-Coloured Swap Shop on the BBC and being baffled as to what all the arm-waving and shrieking was about. Granted at the time I was more interested in guessing the flavour of the frog’s milkshake on Bod, or figuring out which neighbour’s garden was best for catching bees, but she had entered my consciousness for the first time. This extraordinary song was the first the world would hear of an artist who has become one of the most highly acclaimed and influential figures in music. So, to celebrate be sure to listen to the classic song that started it all today – make sure you play it loud to annoy the neighbours (who will in turn have their own special nostalgia trip!). To mark today’s landmark occasion I asked members of our forum (in finest Q Magazine-esque fashion) to add their own personal take on ‘30 Reason’s Why We Love Kate’s Music‘. Thanks to all who took part – enjoy the answers below. [Also today marks ten years of me running this website, thanks so much to you all for your support and interest!]
30 Reasons Why We Love Kate’s Music…
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I’d like to wish all our site visitors and forum members a very merry Christmas, and all the very best for a wise and healthy 2008! Thanks for all your support this year – a year which unexpectedly ended with Kate singing the theme song to a film that has hit No.1 in the box office on both sides of the Atlantic – great stuff. We especially wish Kate and her family all the very best for the Christmas season and a bright and happy new year. 2008 sees a number of landmarks in Kate Bush fandom, not least the 30th Anniversary of Kate’s first record, Wuthering Heights, and her debut album, The Kick Inside. We’ll even be celebrating 10 years of this website – any excuse for a party eh? Best wishes – Sean.