FEATURE:
Passing Through Air
PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton
Two Radio Shows That Many Fans Would Love to Hear Kate Bush On
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WHEN it comes to Kate Bush and her radio exposure…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 2005/PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton
it has largely consisted of interviews to promote her albums. I am not sure how common radio promotion was in the early years – where she was giving T.V. interviews -, but Aerial (2005), Director’s Cut (2011), and 50 Words for Snow (2011) were met with quite a few interviews. I do know that, in a few interviews, Bush was asked to pick a song that she wanted to spin; she was asked about various artists that inspire her. I recently wrote a feature outlining various artists that Bush loves and she cites as influences. David Bowie and Elton John are big names that she loves; she has also listed Captain Beefheart, Roxy Music, The Beatles, Steely Dan, Roy Harper and David Bowie as artists she admires. In an interview in 1980, Bush named ten albums that she enjoys listening to. It is nice getting an insight into musicians in regards who moves them. When it comes to Kate Bush, we know of the artists that are influenced by her – but discovering the sort of music that she digs is insightful and really interesting. In an interview of 2011 - it was with John Wilson of BBC Radio 4 -, Bush said that she had recently bought a Gorillaz album and The Union by Elton John and Leon Russell. I think that we associate Bush as being unique and not really listening to other music. Maybe we feel that, as it is hard to think of other artists when we hear her music, that means she doesn’t listen to music other music.
IN THIS PHOTO: Matt Everitt (who presents the BBC Radio 6 Music series, The First Time with…)
Maybe Bush does not listen to a lot of modern music but, from her childhood, her house was awash with all kinds of artists and sounds. From Irish Folk to Rock music of the 1970s, she was exposed to so much varied music! It sort of brings me to a thought that I have had recently. There are two great radio shows that Bush would be perfect for. The First is The First Time with…, hosted by Matt Everitt for BBC Radio 6 Music, is one. It would realistically need to happen after we are through the worst of the pandemic, but I think this is a show that Kate Bush would be wonderful on. She and Matt Everitt have spoken before – when she was promoting the live album of her residency, Before the Dawn, in 2016 -, and there is an affection and chemistry between them. On the series, guests talk about their ‘firsts’ – whether that is gigs, records they bought or something else. Rather than it being a routine and predictable interview format, we get to hear artists discuss things beyond their current album. It is a series I love and have followed for a while, and I feel there are a lot of stories and revelations that Bush could offer that people do not know about. I would like to know what Bush’s first gig experience is. I know she saw David Bowie perform as Ziggy Stardust in 1973 (she must have been around fourteen or fifteen)…and that would be a good tale to recount.
Everitt is a great interviewer who can naturally put guests at ease and, as such, you get some great information. I know Bush does not often do a lot of interviews outside of promoting albums but, if there is a new album coming out next year, then it would be a perfect opportunity to tie the two together. I think Bush is more comfortable giving radio interviews to people she has already spoken with so, in this case, one could envisage few hesitation. It would be wonderful to get finer detail regarding her musical firsts and loves. I am not sure whether there are any plans regarding new material, so we may have to wait a while. When things start to get back to normal, so many fans of Kate Bush would relish her appearing on The First Time with… Maybe she is not even aware of the show so, if there is an album coming along in the future, I hope that Matt Everitt’s series is considered. I always love when Bush gives radio interviews, as she is so accommodating and warm. You get to hear her quite playful and relaxed so, if there was ever another chance for her and Everitt to hook up, I think she would provide a hugely listenable appearance on The First Time with…
IMAGE CREDIT: BBC
The other radio show that is begging for a Kate Bush appearance is Desert Island Discs. It is hosted by Matt Everitt’s BBC Radio 6 Music colleague, Lauren Laverne. I am guessing Bush has been approached to appear on the long-running series; she must be one of the biggest names never to have appeared that so many would love to hear! Simply, the ‘castaways’ choose eight discs that they would take to a theoretical desert island – they also choose a book they would like to bring, in addition to a luxury. Having just given you an idea as to some of the artists and albums that have inspired Kate Bush, maybe one can guess a few of the songs she would select. I know she loves Elton John’s live album, 17-11-70, and I reckon she might choose a track from that. As Bush’s musical tastes are pretty broad and she likes the unconventional, it would be fascinating hearing which discs she wants to take to the desert island. Like Matt Everitt, Bush has spoken with Lauren Laverne before (when promoting 50 Words for Snow in 2011), and I know she would jump at the chance to speak with Bush again. As it is radio, Bush could do the interview remotely, though I think you get something extra and more harmonious (and smooth) when the guests are in the same room.
IN THIS PHOTO: Desert Island Discs host Lauren Laverne
A lot of Kate Bush’s musical heroes have appeared on Desert Island Discs (as has her own music) and, again, her appearance could be linked to album promotion – though, it is not the type of format where guests can plug their latest work much. When we dream of castaways we’d love to include on Desert Island Discs, there is that speculation as to what luxury they would take with them. One has to feel a piano would be Bush’s choice. But what about her selected book?! In the same way The First Time with… allows the guest to reveal things that they would not normally impart in regular interviews, Desert Island Discs is much more open and less predictable. Laverne asks her guests about various events in their life and then punctuates those answers with selected songs. There have been no radio interviews from Kate Bush for over four years now and it would be wonderful to hear from her. Maybe she will not want to do anything of that sort outside of album promotion but, after such a strange 2020, perhaps her opinions have changed. I know there would be intense excitement if she were to appear on either/both shows, and it would afford us all the opportunity to find out things about Kate Bush that we might not have otherwise known. I realise that it is unlikely that she will do these excellent radio shows. However, we all know that one…
CAN never say never.