FEATURE:
December Will Be Magic Again
The Kate Bush Christmas Gift Guide
_________
I might…
keep this title when I do a Kate Bush Christmas gift guide next year. Really, as I cannot think of what else to call it! Here, I will recommend items which are good to get the Kate Bush fan in your life. I will cover books, albums, merchandise and some rarities. A lot of these people might know about and already own. As there have been some new releases and reissues this year, it is worth revisiting this subject. Let’s start out with the amazing books out there. For the new fan of diehard, these four books are essential purchases. They should definitely be on your bookshelf! Perhaps the most essential Kate Bush book is Graeme Thomson’s Under the Ivy: The Life and Music of Kate Bush. It was updated for 2024, so you can get a copy here. It is great that this book has been updated because new things have happened. Since it was published (in June), Bush announced that she is open to a new album. I wonder whether Thomson will update his book once again! If you need some more details, then here is why you need to buy this brilliant biography;
“The critically acclaimed definitive biography of Kate Bush, revised and updated for 2024, with a new foreword by Sinead Gleeson.
Detailing everything from Bush's upbringing to her early exposition of talent, to her subsequent evolution into a stunningly creative and endlessly fascinating visual and musical artist, Under The Ivy is the story of one woman's life in music. Written with great detail, accuracy and admiration for her work, this is in equal parts an in-depth biography and an immersive analysis of Kate Bush's art.
Focusing on her unique working methods, her studio techniques, her timeless albums and inescapable influence, Under The Ivy is an eminently readable and insightful exploration of one of the world's most unique and gifted artists.
The text has been updated to include coverage of Bush's return to the top of the charts in 2022 following the extraordinary resurgence of 'Running Up That Hill.' An eye-opening journey of discovery for anyone unfamiliar with the breadth of Bush's work, Under The Ivy also rewards the long-term fan with new insights and fresh analysis”.
There are quite a few Kate Bush books around. Ones that are a more general overview and those that focus on specific albums. The next one I want to highlight is about Hounds of Love. Published recently, Leah Kardos’s 33 1/3 book is a great read. An album that is always relevant and remains Bush’s most popular, it provides an accessible investigation and spotlight of the 1985 masterpiece. However, it also goes quite deep. We get to look back at the years before the album was released and how Bush’s career changed. It is a complete story that adds new dimensions and layers to Hounds of Love. If you have not bought the book yet, this great stocking filler can be purchased here:
“Hounds Of Love invites you to not only listen, but to cross the boundaries of sensory experience into realms of imagination and possibility. Side A spawned four Top 40 hit singles in the UK, 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)', 'Cloudbusting', 'Hounds of Love' and 'The Big Sky', some of the best-loved and most enduring compositions in Bush's catalogue. On side B, a hallucinatory seven-part song cycle called The Ninth Wave broke away from the pop conventions of the era by using strange and vivid production techniques that plunge the listener into the psychological centre of a near-death experience. Poised and accessible, yet still experimental and complex, with Hounds Of Love Bush mastered the art of her studio-based songcraft, finally achieving full control of her creative process. When it came out in 1985, she was only 27 years old.
This book charts the emergence of Kate Bush in the early-to-mid-1980s as a courageous experimentalist, a singularly expressive recording artist and a visionary music producer. Track-by-track commentaries focus on the experience of the album from the listener's point of view, drawing attention to the art and craft of Bush's songwriting, production and sound design. It considers the vast impact and influence that Hounds Of Love has had on music cultures and creative practices through the years, underlining the artist's importance as a barrier-smashing, template-defying, business-smart, record-breaking, never-compromising role model for artists everywhere”.
I think that we will see a lot of new magazine articles and special magazine editions dedicated to the amazing Kate Bush. I am not sure whether any new books will come, though you never know! It would be awesome if another book came along, yet one wonders what the angle would be. In terms of biography, I think everything has been covered. One that I would recommend is Tom Doyle’s excellent Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush. It is unique in the sense it is a Kate Bush biography that is not strictly chronological. Various chapters (fifty in total) that take us to different points in her career. It is a fascinating read. I would recommend all Kate Bush fans buy this book. You can find it here:
“A Times Book of the Year
An Uncut Magazine Book of the Year
A Waterstones Music Book of the Year
A Virgin Radio Book of the Year
A Louder Book of the Year
'Probably the best Bush book to date.' - Record Collector
Kate Bush: the subject of murmured legend and one of the most idiosyncratic musicians of the modern era. Comprising fifty chapters or 'visions', Running Up That Hill is a multi-faceted biography of this famously elusive figure, viewing her life and work from fresh and illuminating angles.
Featuring details from the author's one-to-one conversations with Kate, as well as vignettes of her key songs, albums, videos and concerts, this artful, candid and often brutally funny portrait introduces the reader to the refreshingly real Kate Bush.
Along the way, the narrative also includes vivid reconstructions of transformative moments in her career and insights from the friends and collaborators closest to Kate, including her photographer brother John Carder Bush and fellow artists David Gilmour, John Lydon and Youth.
Running Up That Hill is a vibrant and comprehensive re-examination of Kate Bush and her many creative landmarks”.
PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush
The final book I want to highlight is John Carder Bush’s KATE: Inside the Rainbow. This is a wonderful photobook from her brother. Shots of Kate Bush taking through her career together with some commentary and notes about the photos. Even though it costs £50, it is well worth the investment. I do think that there are not enough photobooks about Kate Bush. Plenty of photos and collections that could be brought together. I do wonder if we will see anything like this in 2025. These books offer new perspectives and sides to Kate Bush:
“A MUST-HAVE COLLECTION OF RARE AND UNSEEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF KATE BUSH.
WITH ESSAYS BY HER BROTHER, JOHN CARDER BUSH, ABOUT KATE'S LIFE AND CAREER.
Stunning and unique images from throughout Kate Bush's career including:
Outtakes from classic album shoots and never-before-seen photographs from The Dreamingand Hounds of Love sessions
Rare candid studio shots and behind-the-scenes stills from video sets, including 'Army Dreamers' and 'Running Up that Hill'
Includes original essays from Kate's brother:
From Cathy to Kate: Describes in vibrant detail their shared childhood and the whirlwind days of Kate's career
Chasing the Shot: A vivid evocation of John's experience of photographing his sister
'For me, each of these images forms part of a golden thread that shoots through the visual tapestry of Kate's remarkable career. Storytelling has always been the heartbeat of Kate's body of work, and it has been a privilege to capture these photographic illustrations that accompany those magical tales' John Carder Bush”.
Moving onto music, it is hard to know what to suggest to people. I cannot say to Kate Bush fans to buy all of her music on vinyl, as that would be a huge expense! What I would say is have a listen to her music on a platform like Spotify so that you get a good idea of what they are about. Which ones take your fancy. You can get Bush’s albums on C.D. For instance, if you wanted to buy The Red Shoes on C.D., you can do so here. I would advise shopping around, as it is quite expensive at over £20. However, as the new Kate Bush fan might be buying one or two of her albums, it will not cost that much. In terms of vinyl, there are three albums I would recommend. Bush reissued her albums this year for independent record shops. You get these new vinyl designs. Bush giving each album its own colour and feel. In terms of C.D.s, you might be best to visit Rough Trade. One that you can get on C.D. is The Kick Inside. You can also get the new U.S. import of the album. Bush’s incredible debut album, I would recommend all fans start with this. If you do not know much about it, then here is some information:
“Kicking things off with a whimper, not a bang, Kate Bush quietly released her 1978 debut, The Kick Inside and that disc still to this day affects an incredible number people. There are so many elements that make this disc unique - Kate's soaring soprano, her warm piano playing - but the one thing that perhaps sticks out most is how different her sounds were from anything else circulating at that time. Ten years before 'Alternative' hit the forefront, this music was neither easy nor palatable, truly an alternative from the other styles out there. Among the more legendary tracks, search out The Man With The Child in His Eyes and her timeless classic Wuthering Heights”.
Hounds of Love is interesting, as you can get the vinyl, C.D. or reissue of the original cassette version. In this new Raspberry Beret colour, it is a treat that you need to add your collection. You can buy it from Kate Bush’s website, or you can go to Rough Trade again:
“Though not the most prolific of album artists, Bush's works make up in impact what they lack in frequency. Her style and material has always been unique, eccentric even, but Hounds of Love is probably the strongest mix of controlled musical experimentation and lyrical expression. It deals with big issues - childhood fantasy and trauma, conflict, sexuality - but rarely lapses into pretension. The intense arrangements are perfectly matched to the subjects: "Running Up That Hill" climactically erotic, "Cloudbusting" broodingly triumphant... and it's all her own work”.
There are expanded editions of Hounds of Love. You can get The Boxes of Lost at Sea. Perhaps more for the diehard fan, it will cost a bit more money, but it is a real collector’s item. You have a few different options when it comes to Hounds of Love. Depending on your budget, you can have the album as it is or you can have one of the other releases. I do hope the album gets reissued with some B-sides and extra material at some point:
“Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (The Boxes of Lost at Sea)
This special presentation consists of two wall-mountable art boxes, each containing one side of the Hounds of Love album pressed on white vinyl and UV printed with an illustration by Timorous Beasties. The LED, which pulses gently, is powered by a hidden AAA battery
“The idea was to create a hybrid of an album and a piece of artwork you could hang on the wall. They’re based on something I designed for an auction for the charity War Child ”
A donation will be made to War Child with each box that's bought.
They can be bought separately, or as a set. There are also braille versions of the boxes, with the brass plaque text encoded in braille.
The Boxes of Lost at Sea are wall-mountable art boxes”.
Lost at Sea - Box A contains a UV printed single-sided white vinyl LP, side A of the album:
Lost at Sea - Box B contains a UV printed single-sided white vinyl LP, side B of the album:
The braille versions of Lost at Sea have the brass plaque text encoded in braille”.
You can also purchase the beautiful Baskerville Edition. One might feel it is quite expensive but, again, these are very special items that you can play and keep for years. Owning a piece of Kate Bush history. The fact that she is very proud of the album and has spent a lot of time with these new editions. The final album I would recommend people investigate is 50 Words for Snow. Her most recent album, it was released in 2011. “50 Words For Snow her tenth album, was released six months after her last LP, Director's Cut. The record is released on her own label Fish People. Unlike Director's Cut, which saw Bush reinterpreting tracks from her back catalogue, 50 Words for Snow consists entirely of new material. There are seven tracks on the album, which has a running time of 65 minutes. the tracks are 'Set Against a Background of Falling Snow”. You can get the album from Rough Trade or Kate Bush’s website . Whether you fancy the C.D. or vinyl version, this is an essential album that remains underrated. A gorgeous and accomplished album that I cannot recommend highly enough. Also reissued as the Polar Edition, there are beautiful illustrations and extras. Not in terms of material but design. It is a beautiful album that does not cost too much either. Complete with a special Christmas card, you can get it at Rough Trade.:
“The third in the series of illustrated reissues. Double 180 Gram vinyl housed in gatefold sleeve with belly band. Illustrated by Timorous Beasties. 50 Words For Snow her tenth album, was released six months after her last LP, Director's Cut. The record is released on her own label Fish People. Unlike Director's Cut, which saw Bush reinterpreting tracks from her back catalogue, 50 Words for Snow consists entirely of new material. There are seven tracks on the album, which has a running time of 65 minutes. the tracks are 'Set Against a Background of Falling Snow”.
I will end with some merchandise recommendation. Think about the Kate Bush Christmas plan. You could buy that Kate Bush fan a book or two. Have one like the 33 1/3 on Hounds of Love book and then, say, Under the Ivy: The Life and Music of Kate Bush under the tree. Perhaps a special treat of John Carder Bush’s photobook for that ‘big present’. It is a treat getting vinyl as a present, so I imagine people wrapping up Hounds of Love or The Kick Inside for that new Kate Bush fan. Maybe one of the Hounds of Love special editions for that big Kate Bush fan. Perhaps the Hounds of Love cassette and a C.D. version of one of Bush’s other albums. So many choices! If you want to top it off with some Kate Bush merchandise, there are plenty of options. Take a look inside the Kate Bush Shop. As it is coming up to Christmas, how about the Polar Edition Christmas cards. Five cards for £10, you get five cards and five decorated envelopes. It would be a real treat getting a Kate Bush Christmas card. The final date for Christmas delivery is 13th December, so order as soon as possible! There are a number of prints available on her website. Ones you can put on the wall. My personal favourite is the one for Top of the City. In terms of clothing, I do hope more comes out next. The Never for Ever T-shirt that was sold at her pop-up in 2018. We do need another pop-up shop with goodies in! The Little Shrew T-shirt is one that I would recommend people get. To go alongside the T-shirt, and to keep warm, go and order a Fish People hoodie. To keep your new Kate Bush presents in, you could get the Fish People tote. I have provided some recommendations. Of course, there is a whole world of Kate Bush goods out there. Whether you buy one vinyl album for a new Kate Bush fan or you have a bundle of a book, bit of merchandise and vinyl, I have provided some guidance. It is an exciting time to be a Kate Bush fan. With potential new music coming soon, it is a perfect moment to read up about her. Listen to those amazing albums. Make sure that you bring a bit of Kate Bush…
HOME for Christmas.