FEATURE:
Celebrating the Amazing Kate Bush
PHOTO CREDIT: Clive Arrowsmith
Why a Personal Ambition Has Become Particularly Important to Me Now
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IT is always hard to say…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush with Del Palmer in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Hogan/Getty Images
in any fan community who the ‘expert’ is. That writer, journalist or fan that knows more about the artist than anyone else. It is always a matter of debate. For The Beatles and their music, there is no doubt that is Mark Lewisohn is the man to come to. He is established as the world’s leading expert. For any other major artist, whether that is Prince. Madonna or Taylor Swift, there is no way of telling who the authority is. I guess it doesn’t matter. It does mean that, if people want to find out more about an artist, they can go to that source and find out what they need. In terms of Kate Bush, I think there are a number of people who might be that go-to. Someone who might not be the longest-service fan, though they are considered expert or a particular authority. Seán Twomey of Kate Bush News is the person I consider to the biggest expert. The don of the Kate Bush world. Definitely someone who has been a fan for years and dedicated so many years to bringing us the happenings and news around Kate Bush. There are also Kate Bush fanzines like HomeGround – which ran until 2011 -, with founders working for Kate Bush News. There is also the Kate Bush biographer Graeme Thomson. He has revised and added to his excellent book, Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush. It is being reissued in July. You can pre-order it. There are other writers like Laura Shenton and Tom Doyle. Between them, they have this huge knowledge of Kate Bush. Tom Doyle has interviewed Kate Bush and written his own biography, Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush.
COMPOSITE CREDIT: Kate Bush News
Also, there are fans across broadcasting and journalism that have written so much about her. Again, it does not matter who that one essential resource is. I just feel it is great that, at a time when there is a lot of activity around her (as she is Ambassador for Record Store Day and recently reissued her studio albums), that there is also so much to discover. An incredible artist who has been making brilliant music for decades. In fact, the past week alone, there have been some announcements of new writing about Kate Bush that has pushed me too. Leah Kardos’ book about Hounds of Love is out in November. It can be pre-ordered now. Tom Doyle, who I have mentioned already, writes an eleven-page feature for MOJO about Kate Bush’s early years for their June edition. This is something you need to get. Graeme Thomson has written twelve pages for Kate Bush’s 2005 album, Aerial, for a future edition of Disco Pogo. Authors whose new work will increase their total word count, in edition to inspiring and compelling journalists like me.
I am not sure how many features I have written about Kate Bush. It is in the hundreds, I know that. Rather than using this opportunity for self-promotion and any sort of bragging rights, I instead wanted to explore a personal aim. I know I will never be the absolute biggest Kate Bush fan. I am forty now. There are people who have been fans for so many more years than me. I publish a few Kate Bush features a week. I have done now for years. I am aware that this is quite a lot, though one of my music and life ambitions is to write more about Kate Bush then anyone who has ever lived. It would not make me the world authority, though I feel it is my love letter and tribute to this icon. I am not sure how close I am to achieving that feat already. I suppose the hundreds of features I have published through the years amounts to a fair few hundred-thousand words. If you look at books like Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush, maybe it is sneaking ahead in terms of word count. I can’t think of any journalist who have written more features. Given the Internet is relatively new and we can easily search for authors and blogs and do the maths, I suppose it is a case of me going on and keeping up the pace. I will never wrote a book or anything like that. Features through my blog are my way of showing affection and respect for Kate Bush. I have put in countless hours of research and dedication. In terms of social media attention, Kate Bush features are the ones that bring in the most. There is a loyal group of people who share my features and provide feedback. I really like and appreciate that. I love nothing more than writing about Kate Bush and exploring new things!
My journalism dream is to write more words about Kate Bush than anyone else. It is not about that moment to brag or highlight that fact. Instead, it is the realisation of a passion that has been inside me since I was a child. I first heard Kate Bush’s music. I think, in 1988. It has been a very long time. Not only does writing about Kate Bush means I can get knowledge and this information out to people. I am learning new things all of the time. Every feature, whether it about a song, album or period of her career, leads me to these fresh discoveries and revelations. I always like it when people tell me they have learned something from a feature, or it has made them aware about an important anniversary for example. I love reacting to the latest news and going back and diving deep into Kate Bush’s wonderful songs and albums. Exploring further afield and having this connection with a hugely important and influential artist. I can see no end in sight when it comes to writing about Kate Bush.
I intend to write a few features a week for years. Maybe decades. In a loving and very dedicated fan community, it is always inspiring to see the devotion. To see how much knowledge there is out there! I always learn something from those who know Bush’s work better than me. I also feel like there is so much to learn and find out. I feel it is especially important to me now to keep up the pace when it comes to Kate Bush. See is more relevant and known now than ever. Maybe there are signs and feelings she will announce a new studio album. Her reissued albums are reaching new fans. It is an exciting time to be a Kate Bush fan, so it is vital and a pleasure to share my passion for her. I will never meet her. Writing these features is the closest I will ever get. I do want to get to that point where I have write more words and features than anyone ever. It will not mean I am more of a fan than anyone else! We are a community that supports one another and learns from one another. To me, every feature I publish about Kate Bush seems more important than the last. Knowing that these words are reaching people far afield. Bringing the music of Kate Bush to fresh ears. It is reason alone to continue writing about her as much as possible. I am not sure what the word count is of the person who has written the most about her. I want to get there myself! To surpass that. For many reasons, I want to hit that peak…
ONE day soon.