FEATURE:
Expanding the Work of a Genius:
Kate Bush and the Cassette Market
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MAYBE this is a little tenuous…
but I have been thinking about Kate Bush’s work and how it is great her albums are on vinyl. There was a time when one could not get everything from her on vinyl. Maybe because of lower demand or production, that was remedied in 2018. On her Fish People label, fans could enjoy the studio albums on their true form. I am not against digital at all, but the sound quality is definitely not as good on this form. Some may debate that claim, though there is a sensational and tangible excitement you get when listening to vinyl. Bush’s albums are on CD - but I think fewer people are buying them compared to vinyl. One of the great things about Bush’s music is how it can go wherever you do. There is this aspect and quality that gets her music into the blood. I think portability of music is an important thing, and Kate Bush’s music definitely takes on new relevance and resonance when you listen on the go. Again, streaming and the digital allows this, but I think that people tend to skip through tracks or do not investigate entire albums. Over the years, devices like the Sony Discman and Walkman have fallen out of favour somewhat. That said, the cassette is making a real comeback. So many new artists put out their albums on tape. Rathe than it being a nostalgic thing, this is the artist using the relevance of physical music to connect with fans. I keep saying how there needs to be a new Walkman to accommodate the rise of cassette sales and the fact so many artists are releasing them.
Maybe, if an artist like Bush released her catalogue on cassette, it might promote the invention of a portable device for cassettes. There is definitely a market for Bush’s albums on cassette. I have her albums on CD and vinyl. But CDs are for the car, and vinyl is for the home. I yearn to hear Bush’s music on the move and in a variety of locations, without having to stream her music. A slightly warmer sound comes from the physical. The fact, too, that you cannot skip tracks and have to listen to albums through means that there is something special about cassettes. One can buy some of her albums on cassette, yet they are not widely available. It makes me think about record shops in general. Whilst CDs and vinyl sit alongside one another, cassettes are not stocked at all. Maybe second-hand record shops have them in, although it is rare. Whereas artists now are selling cassettes mainly online, there should be a move to bring them to shops. Coming back to Kate Bush, and I would love to see her albums put onto cassette. Whereas she remastered and re-released her studio albums on vinyl in 2018, 2022 or next year would be a perfect time to consider it. Some may argue that, in general, the demand for cassette is much lower than vinyl, so that it would be a gamble to put albums out on cassette. I would disagree. It would not only be Kate Bush fans that would buy the cassettes.
Having all ten studios on cassette would be a treasure for fans, but it would also bring new ears in. I would especially love The Kick Inside on cassette; Hounds of Love would be awesome too! In fact, each album would. The compact nature of a cassette means that it is very handy and portable. There is something about them that makes the artwork shine. It is hard to explain, but it would complete the physical set. Aside from the ones you can get on sites like Discogs, having a range available on other websites and in chains like HMV would be great. In terms of retail price, they can be stocked for under £10 each - making them more affordable than CDs and vinyl. A couple drawbacks with cassettes relate to their fragility. They can become unspooled and they are a bit more delicate than vinyl. If they are treated well, they can be listened to and enjoyed decades from now! Kate Bush is one of the most treasured artists ever…and having each of her studio albums on cassette in a new series would seem like completion. It would, let’s hope, encourage the manufacturing on a modern-day Sony Walkman. Kate Bush still records to tape (in addition to digital), so it is only fitting that a music queen gets acknowledged this way! The new releases would definitely get her…
SEAL of approval.