interviews

from april 1978

The following is from the Kate Bush club. Questions were submitted by letter, and Kate has given the answers.

Q: When were you born, and where?

KB: Lots of people want to know this, and there's bee a lot of dispute about whether it is the same date as Emily Bronte, who wrote Wuthering heights. I was born in a Nursing Home in Erith, Kent, while my parents were living where they are now, in welling. The date was July 30th, 1958.

Q: Is that you singing with the female vocalists at the end of Dave Gilmour's 'There's no way out of here'?

KB: I can see how this question came up, as I'm so indebted and grateful to Dave Gilmour for everything he's done for me, but the answer is no, it isn't me, though I'd love to work with him some day.

Q: In Strange phenomena, what do the words 'Om mani padme hum' mean?

KB: Club member, Matthew Toreson, has sent in an explanation, which he found in an encyclopaedia. It is a form of adoration of the Buddha, and means 'Oh, the jewel in the lotus'. Thanks Matthew.

Q: Is your single Wuthering heights issued in a picture bag?

KB: Yes it is.

Q: Is it true you are a vegetarian?

KB: Yes, and I have been for some time now, and I feel a lot better for it.

Q: What do the initials K.T. stand for in the K.T. Bush Band?

KB: It's a sound thing really. If you speak the initials you get Katy, my name.

Q: What does 'OD'd' mean on 'Don't push your foot on the heartbrake' and '2D' in 'Kite'?

KB: O'D.'d means 'overdosed' in the sense of someone taking a drug overdose, and 2-D means two-dimensional, in the way that the kite appears to be.

Q: Is the child in the picture sleeve of 'The man with the child in his eyes' you when you were younger?

KB: Yes it is, and the photo was taken by my brother John, at the same time as the picture of me and 'someone' in this issue's competition.

Q: Did you use the first of Eric Satie's 'Trois Gymnopedies' to lead you into 'Symphony in blue' in your concerts, and if so, why?

KB: It's really marvellous that people have recognised this, and it is so. And the time some of us were really into the piece, and Paddy and the band were working on a version of it. We all really liked it, and as it seemed a good way of leading into the song I decided to use it. I'm glad you liked it. Funnily enough, at the same time the band were working on it, several other versions were coming out, so it seems a lot of people were discovering him at the same time.

Q: Do you watch the chart positions of your albums and singles? Do you know their positions before they are broadcast or do you have to wait and listen to the radio?

KB: Yes I suppose I do keep an eye on the charts to a certain extent but I don't know the chart positions until the day you hear them on the radio. I usually hear via a telephone call from the record company and they don't know them until that morning.

Q: Have you ever sung in any foreign language other than French?

KB: Yes, but only once when I was in Japan at a Japanese business conference. I sang a well-known song of their country in their language.

Q: Who is Tamlain mentioned in 'The Empty Bullring'?

KB: Tamlain is a girl in a traditional fairy story who is locked up in an ivory tower

Q: Do you actually read up and research for your songs or is it information already in your head, especially 'Breathing'?

KB: This really depends on the subject matter of the individual song but in the case of 'Breathing' most of the information came from a documentary about a man who had been following up the negative results of nuclear products.

Q: On 'Never For Ever' and 'The Dreaming' you are credited as playing a CS80, what is this?

KB: The CS80 is a synthesiser made by Yamaha. It has been a particularly favourite synth of mine as it is one of the few that has a touch sensitive keyboard.

Q: Do you ever go to concerts, if so who?

KB: I very rarely go to gigs as I don't really have much free time but it's always nice to go and see artists whose music I enjoy, especially when the shows are as spectacular as 'The Wall'.

Q: Who is the man on the cover of 'The Dreaming'?

KB: Why, Houdini of course.

Q: Were the brightly coloured trousers with the zips and the ties that you wore for the Virgin P.A. last year and for a number of photos specially made for you or did you buy them?

KB: Quite a few people have assumed that they were specially made, however, I did buy the trousers - from a boutique called Splash.

Q: Do you know of any records available featuring whale music?

KB: I think if you look around there have been quite a few but I understand that some, including 'The Song of The Humpback Whale' have been deleted so you would probably only find them in second-hand record shops.

Q: How old were you when you began to play the piano and who taught you?

KB: I was about 11 and taught myself, my father having shown me the scale of C major. It was a very gradual learning process and solely concerned with the accompaniment to the songs I was writing.

Q: Have you sung backing vocals on anyone else's records?

KB: Yes, I have - on Peter Gabriel's songs 'Games without Frontiers' and 'No Self Control' and on Roy Harper's song - 'You'. I enjoyed both occasions very much and am proud to have been a small part of two such brilliant albums as 'Peter Gabriel' and 'The Unknown Soldier.'

Q: How and when did the KT sign develop?

KB: The original KT was discovered by my brother, Jay, on the door of an old church in deepest darkest Wales. The commercially used KT symbol was designed by Del Palmer to be used on the first album and it has been with us ever since.

Q: Dou you have a favourite Album or Song?

KB: I still hold 'Magical Mystery Tour' as one of my favourite albums, along with Eberhard Weber's 'Fluid Rustle.' My all time favourite song is 'Number 9 Dream.'

Q: I have read that you are a strict vegetarian but in one newspaper interview it quotes you as eating fish - what do you and don't you eat?

KB: I do not eat meat or fish but I do eat dairy products, like milk, eggs, cheese etc.

Q: Why are you a vegetarian - is it because you believe it is healthier or because you feel that eating animals is wrong?

KB: I feel that it is wrong to buy packets of meat without relating to them to the animal you are eating. If I could kill or even handle gutting and skinning the animal, I think I would feel more worthy of eating it. However, I could not do that and I would rather it lived than died for me when I eat other things instead.

Q: Do you see Pink Floyds 'The Wall' as having a relevant message for everyone, and if so do you agree with using lyrics to put forward a point of view?

KB: I see 'The Wall' as being a superb accomplishment as a concept - both musically and lyrically stimulating, nonetheless perhaps a negative statement about someone who feels he has been made unhappy by the circumstances and relationships in his life. So perhaps it isn't relevant for everyone - except for them to not allow this to happen to them. I think any important statement, whether political or social, is a good thing - especially if it is done well.

Q: What is the 'Eeyore' at the end of 'Get Out Of My House' and what relation has it to the song?

KB: The 'Eeyore' is the representation of the next physical change of the person. If you take a look at the lyrics it says, 'I change into the mule...Eeyore.' I know, it's weird - but then I like musical weirdness.

Q: It says on 'Leave It Open' - 'My door was never shut, until one day a trigger came cocking' - does this refer to a specific incident or is it a general comment?

KB: It does concern me that a couple of people have taken this reference as an autobiographical one, although of course many people always assume that the singer sings of himself. A lot of people have also made references to John Lennon in connection with this line. However, it was purely meant to signify the changes with time - not that many years ago, people used to be able to leave doors open - the house was open to all - even at night they didn't need to lock up. Today some shops in the rougher parts of London even lock their doors during the day, opening them only to customers who look safe - 2 or 3 men in a group and they won't let them in - and this is London, not New York

Q: Is Kate your real name? - I have heard a number of variations ranging from Catherine to Kathleen?

KB: My full name is Catherine.

Q: What is gaffa? What does 'Suspended in Gaffa ' mean?

KB: 'Gaffa' is Gaffa Tape. It is thick industrial tape mainly used for taping down and tiding up the millions of leads and particularly useful in concert situations. 'Suspended in Gaffa' is trying to simulate being trapped in some kind of web, everything is in slow motion and the person feels like they're tied up, they can't move.

Q: Many of your songs contain references to the occult and esoteric philosophy is this a particular interest of yours or are you just widely read?

KB: I don't think I'm particularly interested in the Occult but I do have an interest in the human mind and the unusual situations that occur to human beings in extreme religious or spiritual states but surely we all have a curiosity for things that we know little about.

Q: How do you manage to do the guitar, bass and drum arrangements, as you don't play those instruments? Do you hear in your head what you want and if so, how do you communicate it to session musicians?

KB: Mostly I have a strong idea of what I want to hear - the sound aspect I would explain to the engineer but musically I would suggest the mood or any piano lines I wanted picked up but usually I leave musical content to the musician and they always understand the atmosphere you want to create. With the drummer, we're now working a lot with drum machines - I originally explain the type of rhythm I want to Del who then programmes the Linn. I demo the song using the rhythm and then ask the drummer to replace the feel adding his own 'subtle' human adornments.

Q: How do you choose which songs to include when you tour, I know some of them are obvious selections but what about the rest? Have you any idea what songs you will include when you next tour - Any idea when that will be?

KB: I think the most important thing about choosing the songs is that the whole show will sustain, obviously we would try to pick the strongest songs, try to get a variety of moods but build the show up to a climax and the songs must visually adapt well, a show is visual as well as audial so there must hopefully be a good blend of the two. I think we all know about the tour situation by now - it's really a matter of time, but how long? I don't know. This is the truth, so the safest thing to say - once this next album is out I have to promote and do videos, so time is already being eaten up this year - but once the album 'project' is out of the way I do plan to make another tour the next priority. I think also that because there will have been 3 albums since the last tour that we will not include any songs from the first 2 albums. But it's all a long way off at the moment and who can really say what will happen.

Q: Any chance of a Tour for 84?

KB: Let's just say, unlikely, to be on the safe side.

Q': Do you choose all the photos of you that appear in magazines?

KB: No, I don't. It does depend on the magazine but most like to at least take one of their own at the time of the interview and if they have room for more photos we supply them with our favourite shots.

Q: Do you decide what records are going to be released in other countries and what the picture sleeves are going to be?

KB: Apart from the U.S.A. releases, we normally know up front what's happening if there's to be a special release. In the cases of the Irish 'Night Of The Swallow', the U.S. mini L.P., the European 'Suspended In Gaffa' and the French 'Ne T'Enfuis Pas' we designed the bags hoping they would particularly appeal to that market.

Q': Why don't you release any 12' singles?

KB: I'm afraid to say EMI don't find them 'commercially viable propositions'. We very much wanted to release the single 'The Dreaming' on a 12' - we could have got a beautiful sounding cut with that one. I could lend you my 12' if you'd like to hear how good it is!

Q: As the lyrics to Violin are different on ‘Never For Ever' from the tour version could you please tell us the bits of the tour version that are different?

KB: The lyrics on 'Violin' at the beginning of the tour were slightly different from those at the end, the odd word would move here and there and to be honest I don't remember them except I know they weren't that great!

Q': I have just finished reading Shakespeare's Othello. In the scene just before Othello kills Desdemona he says 'Put out the light, then put out the light' - I was wondering if this means the same thing in 'Blow Away'?

KB: You're the first person in 4 years to pick on this - so, thank you.

Q: A couple of years ago I read that you were writing a book - did this ever come out as I've tried everywhere to get it?

KB: It was at one time planned but I could not find the time amongst my album projects and perhaps I am not yet ready to write a book about myself.

Q: You obviously believe in keeping yourself as healthy as you can through exercise and eating the correct foods etc, but it puzzles and others as to why you continue smoke?

KB: I can understand why it should surprise you but unfortunately I am only human.

Q: Have you ever considered doing a version of 'No 9 Dream' by John Lennon (Which I know is your favourite single)?

KB: I think what would be nice if they re-released it; it was well ahead of its time and didn't really get the attention it deserved.

Q: What was your favourite record of 1983?

KB: '101 Damnations' by Scarlet Party.

Q: About a year ago I purchased a U.S. Promo record containing 4 tracks from 'the Dreaming' on the front was a sticker stating 'Not for sale - for promotional purposes only'. Is it illegal to possess such a record -how come I was able to buy it if it's not for sale?

KB: I shouldn't worry, you're not in any trouble buying it but unfortunately whoever sold it to you was making an illegal sale, thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Q: I understand you like Steely Dan - What is your favourite album of theirs?

KB: 'Gaucho'. - For me, each album got better and I wish they hadn't split up.

Q: Has anything ever happened while recording - say a strange sound by mistake which you have decided is worth keeping on the track?

KB: A lot of accidents happen but usually they're re-done for the master recordings. They seem to happen mostly at the demo stage - tracks leaking through, odd voice phrases, a synth that wasn't rubbed off when it should have been - that sort of thing.

Q: Is the single version of 'Sat In Your Lap' mixed differently from the album version - the vocals on the album seem a lot louder than the instruments - any special reason for this?

KB: Yes, the single mix is different from the album, we very much wanted to do another mix, the album has a definite flavour that was confirmed by the mixes so we wanted 'Sat In Your Lap' to be a part of that. The voice was also deliberately lifted because we had quite a lot of feedback about the lead voice being a little quiet on the single version.

Q: Do you actually read any of the letters sent to the club, and how many staff work there?

KB: Yes I do. Lisa runs the club but with the help of 'Family' hands and friends.

Q: What is your response to the poor airplay of your recent single releases?

KB: Disappointing - but it just shows how reliant you are on the people at the radio stations liking the singles, to get the airplay.

Q: Is Paddy Married and if not would he marry my friend?

KB: No, he's not married, but I'll add your friends name to the list (No. 759)

Q: Is the man featured on the Dreaming cover in the Houdini pose, Del Palmer?

KB: That's for me to know and you to find out.

Q: What gave you the idea of doing a song with an Australian background?

KB: The stimulus started years ago when Paddy bought me 'Sun Arise' by Rolf Harris, a unique and wonderful song, and for many years it has greatly disturbed me; the way 'civilised' man has treated ancient tribes such as the Aborigines, Red Indians, Tasmanians and because of the beauty of the Aborigines' music and the way it seems to exude space and the feeling of having great contact with the earth, I felt it was the perfect way to portray this feeling of invasion by the white man.

Q: Is there any reason why you used a real didgeridoo on the 'The Dreaming' as opposed to a synthetic one created by fairlight - is it because there is the ability for greater tonal change with a real didgeridoo?

KB: A fairlight Didgeridoo was used to demo the song but there is no comparison with the real thing especially with an instrument like that when it is played by someone as brilliant as Rolf Harris, he was an absolute dream to work with and so much more fun than a machine.

Q: I was told recently that you appeared on Zaine Griff's album 'Figures' - is this true and what did you do - B.V.s. or Keyboards?

KB: Yes I did, Zaine had written a song for Lindsay Kemp called 'Flowers' and asked me to sing B.V.s. it s a really lovely song Zaine and I met years ago at Lindsay's classes and as Lindsay was such a powerful influence on us both, as he is on anyone who is captured by his strong magic, it was a real pleasure to be a part of something dedicated to him.

Q: Why do you always move your eyes right and left in your videos? It is very pleasant to watch but it intrigues me - what is the idea behind it?

KB: I have to watch out for any demons that might be creeping up on me and the video shoots attract so many of them that I have to keep an extra eye out in case they trip me up while we're going for a take - you've seen what happens to Faith Brown because she doesn't look out for them.

Q': Do you compose your music with traditional written notation or do you rely on entirely on demo tapes; and has your process of composing melodies and harmonies etc. changed since 'The Kick Inside' and 'lionheart'? Are you for example more specific in writing out a bass line now than in 1978 or do you give more leeway to the other musicians during rehearsals than you used to?

KB: My notation is very basic, I just write out the chords and lyrics and I rely mainly on my memory - this does make it a bit difficult when I try to come back to a song after a few years but I can listen to tapes and bash around on the piano rediscovering the past, I used to practice all my songs every day in rotation and kept them totally in my head, but I just don't have the time anymore, so I do rely on the records and tapes to refer to chords, for instance for live performances.

I think the process of recording has changed very much since the first album, perhaps the biggest change being my involvement with the production. The demos on the first album were just piano and vocal, the demos for the second and third albums were a very big influence on the master recordings, the fourth album was completely influenced by demos and the current album is the demos.

When working with musicians I find it totally depends on the individual and the communication between the two of us. I will normally guide the direction to start with but it's up to the musicians to make it really happen.

Q: Have you ever thought of releasing a Live LP?

KB: Yes.

Q: How did the session for the film ‘Magician of Lublin' come about? Did you help Maurice Jarre write the song or it's lyrics?

KB: Maurice Jarre asked me to sing the song, which he had already written. The whole thing was a most enjoyable experience.

Q: What is sung at the end of 'Symphony In Blue'? Is it: - 'No Wonder That I Blew It'?

KB: Yes, but you've spelt it wrong, it's 'Blue it'.

Q: I am fascinated by 'Symphony In Blue' and wonder if I am right in thinking that the musical inspiration was supplied not by Gershwin as the title implies, but rather by Erik Satie and in particular the beautiful Gymnopedies?

KB: Yes, it was inspired by Erik Satie's Gymnopedies (II). It is a very haunting piece of music.

Q: Why didn't the single 'December Will Be Magic Again' appear on the 'Single File' Video? Did you make a jingle for radio stations the Christmas before last?

KB: There was no video made for 'December Will Be Magic Again'. Yes I did make a Christmas jingle for Capital Radio and Radio 1, but I never heard it played and I would love to know if any of you did.

Q: Do you enjoy modern art, and if so, who is your favourite artist?

KB: Salvador Dali.

Q: Do you drive?

KB: Yes.

Q: How often do you get your haircut and do you go to a special hairdresser for famous people? I think your hair looks fantastic and often wonder whether you suffer from split ends etc like the rest of us.

KB: I get my hair cut about 6 weeks by Anthony Jacomine. I am really pleased that you think my hair looks good as it's still recovering from all the heated curlers and tongs it was blasted with on various photo sessions.

Q: Is it true that some of the singles in the 'Single File' Boxed Set have been re-mixed and if so which ones?

KB: None of the singles have been remixed but 'Sat In Your Lap' and 'Breathing' are the album mixes and not as the original singles.

Q: What is sung during 'Delius' - after the bit where Delius is dictating to Fenby?

KB: Can't you tell?

Q: Your lyrics have always fascinated me but none more than those for 'The Man With The Child In His Eyes'. I have often wondered whether you found inspiration for this from Emily Bronte's poetry. It is her constant references to eternity which make me wonder - for example 'The Sea of death's eternity' paralleled with your 'Telling me about the sea, all his love till eternity'.

KB: I find your parallel interesting but unfortunately the only Bronte work I have ever read is 'Wuthering Heights'.

Q: What is your feeling about the church and religion?

KB: It is a very powerful, widely influential force that has extreme good and bad effects on people.

Q: What kind of make up do you use?

KB: I don't bother anymore, I use Latex.

Q: The song style on 'The Dreaming' Appears to be more rhythmic in nature than your earlier more melodic material - is this a deliberate change in musical direction?

KB: Since drum machines entered my life on the 3rd album it's never been the same.

Q: Why is 'The Kick Inside' the only available LP on Compact Disc? What do you think of the quality of C.D.'s and would you like to see K.B.5 released on this system?

KB: Maybe you should ask EMI why only 'the Kick Inside' is available on C.D. I would like K.B.5 to be out on this system so that I can tell you what the quality s like coz I haven't heard one yet!

Q: Is the Hammersmith Odeon Video any different from the version shown on TV? How much other footage is not on these versions and why were the other bits excluded?

KB: The version shown on TV is the Hammersmith Odeon video unless it's been edited to fit time slots. There are about another 1½ hours that were shot that. The video version was edited from the complete show which ran for about 2 ½ hours and we had to make it a standard length to fit TV slots.

Q: When you decide to tour again will it be videoed? Do you think the Hammersmith Odeon Video gives a true version on the stage show for those who weren't there?

KB: I dare say it would be videoed if we ever did tour. I don't think the video was a true version at all; you had to be there to see all - in fact most of it is missing, you couldn't even smell the Heather in 'Wuthering Heights'! But for a video to do that, smellovision is yet to be invented.

Q: Who entertained the audience while you changed costumes on your 1979 tour - I have heard it was a magician, is this true? - It is impossible to tell from the video.

KB: There was a fantastic magician in the show - Simon Drake - he made things float, glide and fly, not to mention disappear. However, most costumes changes wee done very quickly over extended fade-outs and extended intros. Into the songs.

Q: As many of the press and album reviewers considered the 'The Dreaming' to be 'Weird' and 'Over Produced' etc. Do you mind if the press label the new album 'Even Weirder'?

KB: I don't mind 'Even Weirder' but I don't like 'Over Produced'.

Q: Who is your favourite band at the moment and what has been your favourite album and single of 1984?

KB: Favourite band - Killing Joke, favourite single '80's ' by Killing Joke. I can't give you my favourite album as I haven't really had time to listen to any this year.

Q: Do birthday and Christmas cards and presents you are sent actually reach you?

KB: All the ones I've received have reached me.

Q: If you had to live in another country, where would you choose?

KB: If I had to, I think it would be Ireland.

Q: Which is your favourite cover version of one of your songs?

KB: Poor Old Flea' by Madame Maria Nanky.

Q: Any New Year resolutions?

KB: To try and go on Holiday.