FEATURE:
(Inter)National Treasures
Tantalising Kate Bush U.K. Rarities and Desirable Collectibles
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I have just had delivered my copy…
of the new Record Collector Presents Kate Bush. It is a lovely, glossy magazine that I would advise people go and buy. I have been inspired to write a few features off the back of getting the magazine, and one of the best thing was seeing all the great collectables and rare items that I am now salivating over! Not only are these precious and prized items that every Kate Bush fan would love, but I think they are revealing and important to anyone who wants to dig deeper into the work of a musical icon. Starting on page fourteen of the magazine, and this concerns U.K. rarities. I am not going to list all of the items in this section but, among the most attention-grabbing items are the Wuthering Heights/Kite promo with picture sleeve. On the label are the words ‘not for resale’, and the valuation for one in mint condition is £45. I love that the magazine has sifted through the vast array of rarities available out there and, as a big fan of The Kick Inside, having her first single and its B-side on a 7” vinyl would be incredible! The cover for the single is the same as the cover for The Kick Inside and, whilst I am not a fan of those covers, the fact that there are those promo copies of one of the best singles ever available is very exciting.
I also like the On Stage E.P. that takes a few songs from Kate Bush performing during The Tour of Life in 1979. In the same period as The Kick Inside/Wuthering Heights, there is a promo copy – at £50 for a mint copy - that features songs such as Them Heavy People, James and the Cold Gun, and L’Amour Looks Something Like You. There are a few more that I want to select before I get to the Collectables section of Record Collector’s feature. If you are a fan of Never for Ever (1980), then there are some promo 7” flexis that come in multiple formats - ranging in price from £5-£100. These flexis contain exerts of Delius, Blow Away, and Egypt, and I really like the different-coloured flexis and they are a very cool things to own! From the Hounds of Love period, one can find a promo L.P. package where there is some biography, three photos, and a tracklist sheet. Although it is estimated at £100 for a mint copy, I would snap this up, as one gets a new look at one of the greatest albums ever released. There are four more items that I will name as especially standout and wonderful. This Woman’s Work: Anthology 1978-1990 was released in 1990, and there are a few different boxsets available. The one that really grabs me is the nine-L.P. set that included sic studio albums, extra B-side material, 12” mixes and live E.P. tracks – not to mention a photo booklet and sheets of stickers.
This is one of the ultimate rarities and something that every Kate Bush fan would love. Even though you can get the studio albums in the boxset for a lot less than the boxset price of £410, having an original in mint condition with all these extras is a real bonanza! Actually, I want to include a few more beautiful rarities that I did not know existed! A great The Sensual World package is out there. Featuring a promo 7 ½” x 7” PVC box with wraparound insert that contains the C.D. album, cassette single, oversize glossy lyrics booklet and a two-fold paper biography looks amazing, and it would be something you’d want to keep! With an estimate of £70 for a mint set, this is one that I am going to go looking for! There is a nice bundle relating to The Red Shoes (1993). A lovely 10” x 6” card ‘ballet shoes’ box contains the C.D. album, promo VHS, slide photo, fountain pen and string-tied parchment…this is another simply gorgeous and rare item that stood out to me! I love the Live at Hammersmith Odeon release from 1994 and, for only £20, one can get a VHS and C.D. package. I think any Kate Bush live-related produce is insightful and must-own, but this set is particularly fine. I will name two more great rarities. The first pressing of Aerial (2005) is a real gem! For around £110, one can own this remarkable album in a very collectable form. Having a first pressing of any album is wonderful, but Aerial is a double album – and a very crucial and excellent one - and I feel £110 is good value! The final rarity that struck my eye is the Lake Tahoe/Among Angels Record Store Day limited edition picture disc that has a £95 tag. Taken from her 2011 album, 50 Words for Snow, the 10” looks sublime, and this another really desirable collectable that makes for a very memorable and incredible purchase.
Moving onto the Collectables section, and Record Collector ran down forty items that all Kate Bush fans would want but, alas, they are harder to find than many of the rarities I just mentioned. I wanted to highlight a few of the collectables that are especially arresting and fascinating. There are two from The Kick Inside era that I want to bring in (if one has the magazine then go to page forty-six). Titled Kate Bush Radio Special/Self Portrait/The Kick Inside, if you manage to find this collectable then you might haver to fork out £400. It is a promotional interview L.P. in white paper band with cue sheets. It looks really interesting and it would provide new light and character of my favourite album. The other wonderful collectable is the Special DJ Copy that is being listed for £850. Whereas the previous item was a U.S. release, this one is a Japanese release and it is a picture sleeve gatefold promo with the first pressing ‘Seiko’ sleeve. I really love Kate Bush work and output prior to her debut album, and there is a listed collectable that is entitled The Early Years. It was produced in East Germany in 1982 and it is a withdrawn L.P. Containing select 1973 demos of songs like Need Your Loving, The Gay Farewell, and Atlantis, this is a really sought-after insight into Bush several years before she was in the studio recording her debut album.
That L.P. is estimated to be £4,000 and, in terms of another big-money collectible, I was struck by a U.K. test pressing of 1982’s The Dreaming. This was pressed for an intended 12” commercial release; Bush herself mentioned the pressing, saying she wasn’t happy with the sound. One might never play the L.P. – through fear of damaging or scratching it -, but the fact that it is nearly forty years old and is so rare means that it would be really intriguing listening to it - in order to compare it with the released version of The Dreaming. There are three more alluring collectables that I – and many others – would especially love to own. Not to go back to The Kick Inside too much, but there are various Czechoslovakian-released editions from 1991. Depending on how rare the different colours are, you can pay between £25 and £275. The strawberry version for £200 looks awesome, as does the purple/blue splattered one for £275. King of the Mountain – the single from Aerial – has a picture disc edition pressed using paper labels that Bush herself signed. Only ten copies were made, so the chances of getting one are rare. If you do, one can expect to pay £600. The final valuable I will bring in is a wonderful 2019 pressing of The Sensual World. This Unicef blue vinyl edition was limited to fifty copies and, at £950, it is on the pricey side…but I really love it! There are a further ten rarities that Record Collector mention that are interesting. Among the best is a ‘finished product’ L.P. picture disc of Lionheart for £3,500; an Eat the Music/Big Stripey Lie pressing from 1993 that is a withdrawn test pressing. Only five exist - and one would have to pay £2,5000. There is a section relating to International Rarities that I might include in a future piece but, having got the Record Collector special of Kate Bush, I was struck by all the rare and exclusive items that most people do not even know about. They can be quite expensive but, as I say, they are gold dust and so desirable! I shall leave it there but, if you are a fan of Kate Bush and want to own a collectable or rare item, then I think the investment…
IS well worth it.