FEATURE:
High from the Rocket’s Tail
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush and the Trio Bulgarka
Kate Bush and the Wonders of the Trio Bulgarka
___________
WHEN talking about Kate Bush and her music…
I do not often mention artists and musicians who appear on her songs. If there is a well-known collaboration, then that will come to my attention - there are other voices and players that are not as well known that I have not mentioned. I have written before about the vocals in Kate Bush’s work and how she layered her own voice, delivered accents and used other singers. Up until The Sensual World in 1989, there were not many people outside of Bush’s band/musicians providing backing vocals. Apart from Roy Harper singing backing on Breathing (from Never for Ever) and a few other examples, most of the vocals were handled by Bush. The Red Shoes (1993) is especially full when it comes to other voices, and whilst some do not work and sound out of place, there are some that really stick in the mind. Kate Bush has always been experimental and open-minded when it came to incorporating other sounds and nationalities into her work. Through her career, she has taken us on a musical tour of the world; many people might not even be aware of all the different instruments and tones that are going into the blend! Her brother, Paddy, was pretty key when it came to giving his sister inspiration and new sounds. The Trio Bulgarka are, to me, one of the most important aspects of The Sensual World, and The Red Shoes.
Before exploring some of the songs they appeared on, here is an illustrative article from the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia that explains who the Trio Bulgarka are – and an interview where Kate Bush mentioned them:
“Trio Bulgarka (also known as 'Three Golden Coins', previously known as 'Bulgarka Folk Trio') is a Bulgarian vocal ensemble, consisting of Stoyanka Boneva, Yanka Rupkina and Eva Georgieva. Their diversity of regional backgrounds - they came from three different Bulgarian regions - enabled them to create a unique sound to their music. They signed to record labels Bulgaria Balkanton and Hannibal in 1987. In 1988 their debut album 'The Forest Is Crying' was released.
Kate Bush apparently heard this album - and its predecessor 'Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares', which the Trio contributed to and which was released in the UK in 1986 - and wanted to use the trio on recordings for her 1989 album The Sensual World. They sang on three tracks: Deeper Understanding, Never Be Mine and Rocket's Tail. In 1993, they also appeared on the songs The Song Of Solomon, Why Should I Love You and You're The One on the album The Red Shoes”.
“Suddenly, there I was working with these three ladies from a completely different culture. I've never worked with women on such an intense creative level, and it was something strange to feel this very strong female energy in the studio. It was interesting to see the way the men in the studio reacted to this. Instead of just one female, there was a very strong female presence. (Terry Atkinson, The Baffling, Alluring World of Kate Bush, Los Angeles Times, 28 January 1990.)”.
I think the three songs that the Trio Bulgarka appear on are some of the best from The Sensual World. Even though Bush re-recorded Deeper Understanding, and Never Be Mine for 2011’s Director’s Cut, I don’t think that is an indication regarding her feelings about the Trio’s performances. They are sublime and add something incredible to the songs, but I think Bush wanted to strip the songs out and approach them from a different angle. Rocket’s Tail is a song the Trio Bulgarka recorded on The Sensual World that has not been revised. The Sensual World is quite a busy album in terms of the instruments and compositions, but there are not that many backing vocals. I think the weight and power of the Trio Bulgarka on three songs really does not need embellishment. Even though the Trio Bulgarka spoke very little English, there was a clear and easy bond between them and Bush where there was no need for an interpreter. Even though their translation of Bush’s words was not always accurate (sometimes intentional), they held a lot of affection for her. Borimira Nedeva (who worked as a facilitator during The Sensual World) said, of the sessions where the Trio worked with her, that her gentleness was infectious – how they could not help falling in love with her. Bush first heard of the Trio Bulgarka in 1985 during the sessions for Hounds of Love. With the force of Yanka Rupkina (who provides a solo vocal on Deeper Understanding, and Rocket’s Tail), Eva Georgieva, and Stoyanka Boneva getting into Bush’s heart and mind, it was love at first sight (or listen?). There was a bit of influence from Bulgarian music in the West, but there were not a lot of artists tuning into the prowess and beauty of this amazing nation’s music.
When Paddy Bush introduced the music to his sister, she was blown away. The Trio used diaphonic stylings – the lead sings a melody as the others hold a single drone note -, and there is o much new technique and magic in their style and delivery that was foreign to many ears in the West. Bush delayed approaching the Trio Bulgarka as she was not sure whether Bulgarian Folk would fit on a more transitional Pop album and whether they would want to do it. Bush made a call to producer Joe Boyd – who had worked with the Trio in 1986 -, and she found herself traveling to Sofia (the Bulgarian capital) in October 1988. This was quite bold for her, as she had not travelled a huge amount in recent years; Bulgaria was a very different culture and backdrop to what she was used to! She spent a weekend in Sofia, and they all returned to London a week later to work on the three songs from The Sensual World. Bush was looking for inspiration and direction after Hounds of Love, and it was not until 1987 when she had that push (thanks to Graeme Thomson’s Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush for this information). Not to say that the Trio Bulgarka transformed Kate Bush’s music and define The Sensual World, but it was a clear spark that took her music to a different plain.
It is clear that there is a lot of new-found female energy on The Sensual World, and I feel the Trio Bulgarka are a big part of that. I can’t think whether Bush had used any female singers on her albums prior to 1989 – I don’t think so -, so it was clear she was stepping in a new direction. There is pain and loss on The Sensual World, but there is also warmth and sensuality; a lot of the new passion and beauty that radiates from the album is from the Trio Bulgarka. Despite some important and notable sonic changes between Hounds of Love, and The Sensual World, the big role of the Trio Bulgarka is the most obvious and resonant change. Rocket’s Tail is a song that Bush could not rework for Director’s Cut, as it is so much about the Trio Bulgarka and their unique gift. Even though the song is (partly) about one of Bush’s new kittens (after the passing of her beloved Zoodle in 1987), Rocket’s Tail is more about risk-taking and living in the moment. Bush flew to Sofia with Joe Boyd in October 1988 to meet the Trio Bulgarka. It was an eventful few days. One of the biggest problems was translation and adapting Bush’s music. The Trio and Bush spent two days in a small room; she had a beat box and they worked on how to melt their vocals and get the song down.
Not a lot was achieved that weekend but, when they moved to Angel Studios in London, work recommenced. Bush put the Trio around a single microphone and, in these long sessions, things started to come together. There was this great bond between them so, with that trust, Yanka Rupkina improvised an incredible solo (based on a translated suggestion from Bush) and this incredible rocket-like noise and explosion was created. The Trio were not able to communicate in English, so there was a lot of improvisation in the studio. I will move on, but I just want to bring in another article from the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia where the song is discussed (through interview archives of Bush):
“I wrote this for the trio, really, musically, in that I wanted a song that could really show them off. The other two songs that they appear on were already structured and in a way they had to very much fit around the song's structure to become a part of it, but this song they were there en masse, really, the whole song was based around them. And I wrote it on a synthesizer with a choir sound and just sang along. We put John's on and I had no idea if their voices were going to work on it at all, really, so the whole thing hung on the fact of whether when we went out to Bulgaria, whether it worked or not. And the arranger we worked with out there was such a brilliant man.
In some ways, I think that the fact that we didn't speak the same language made our communication much easier because he seemed to know exactly what I wanted, and, really, just after a few hours he was coming up with the most incredible tunes, and I just had to say "Oh yes, I like that one", "Er, no, not too keen on that one," "Umm, that's lovely!" and just go away and write it out. It was incredible, I've never worked like that before, so quickly with someone I've never met before. It was really exciting to find that kind of chemistry. (...)
Rocket is one of my cats, and he was the inspiration for the subject matter for the song, because he's dead cute [laughs]. And it's very strange subject matter because the song isn't exactly about Rocket, it's kind of inspired by him and for him, but the song, it's about anything. I guess it's saying there's nothing wrong with being right here at this moment, and just enjoying this moment to its absolute fullest, and if that's it, that's ok, you know. And it's kind of using the idea of a rocket that's so exciting for maybe 3 seconds and then it's gone, you know that's it, but so what, it had 3 seconds of absolutely wonderful... [laughs] (Roger Scott, BBC Radio 1 (UK), 14 October 1989)
For a couple of friends this song was very phallic. I was so concerned I tried to change the "it was the biggest rocket I could find" line but "the most expensive rocket I've ever seen" wasn't quite the same. It's just the idea a rocket is only there for three seconds but those three seconds are lived fully and totally. ('Love, Trust and Hitler'. Tracks, November 1989)
It was a vehicle to get their voices on a track in as dominant a way as possible. So I put this down with a DX7 choir sound so it had this kind of vocal feel. Then we got a drummer in and got this big Rock 'n' Roll thing going. Then I got some friends in to hear what it would sound like with big block vocals singing behind my voice, and although they were English people that sing completely differently, it still gave me a sense of vocal intensity. So these two friends must have spent all day trying to sing like Bulgarians. But it was so useful, because there were so many things I immediately understood we couldn't do, and lots of things it felt like we could do.
So we took it to Bulgaria and started working with this arranger. I told him what I wanted, and he just went off and said "what about this?" and they were great. He kept giving me all these things to choose from, and we worked so well together. It was so good that we decided to hold the drum kit - it was originally starting much earlier in the song. Then we let Dave Gilmour rip on it, so we'd have this really extreme change from just vocals to this hopefully big Rock 'n' Roll kit, with bass, and guitar solos. (Tony Horkins, 'What Katie Did Next'. International Musician, December 1989)”.
Many have noted how the Trio Bulgarka’s contributions on The Sensual World transform the record and really stand out. There was this connection and trust between them and Bush, and one feels shivers and electricity when they sing.
Although the Trio played a smaller role on The Red Shoes, it was no less an important contribution. Bush has worked with different singers before, but it was rare that she would invite them back for another album – I am referring to those outside her band and singers brought in especially. Although The Red Shoes features Lenny Henry and Prince (on Why Should I Love You?), it is the Trio Bulgarka’a performances (arranged by Dimitar Penev; he arranged them for The Sensual World) on The Song of Solomon, Why Should I Love You?, and You’re the One that, once more, stand out! Maybe they are less at the forefront then before – The Red Shoes is a denser and more layered album - but they definitely make an impact. I think they are best on You’re the One but, provided with less remarkable material than on The Sensual World, they couldn’t soar and high and proudly. I would recommend this great podcast for more story and background to Kate Bush and the Trio Bulgarka forming this wonderful partnership. I have not gone into amazing depth regarding the Trio Bulgarka and Kate Bush and their time together, but I wanted to mention these extraordinary singers who helped turn The Sensual World into a masterpiece. On songs such as Rocket’s Tail, they lit a fuse and took the music…
TO a different world.