FEATURE:
Sat in Our Laps
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1981 in a promotional photo for her single, Sat in Your Lap
Thinking About a New Kate Bush Reference Book and Highlighting the Great Literature Already Out There
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SOMETHING I wanted to…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1993
explore and expand on, I have been recently talking about more Kate Bush albums being brought to life through books. I do think that there should be more done when it comes to her albums and discussing them. With very little written in the way of articles, there is this real gap that could be filled. I have said the same about photobooks. It has been a while since there has been a new volume. I can only imagine how many rare, unseen as great photos there are of Kate Bush waiting to be explored and spotlighted. What would be great is a more general reference book. A Kate Bush encyclopaedia that charts her album, the chart positions of her sings, gives interview snippets, timelines and quotes. A real coffee table book that takes us back to her life before The Kick Inside in 1978 and bring it up to date. There have been Kate Bush biographies but, to this point, nothing comprehensive in the way of a compendium. A great starting point for new fans. One reason why I wanted to circle back to this point is because there has been a lot of new activity. When it comes to the success she has garnered since 2022 and the Stranger Things/Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) and explosion. Bush ahs indicated that she wants to work on new music. As someone who researches Kate Bush and has to go to a lot of different websites and reference several books, it would be handy to have something to hand that would bring it all together. I know it might not be practical to have a book that covers every aspect of her career. There would need to be a cut-off point.
I am not the one who could put this book together. I am good at researching and planning what would be inside. However, when it comes to the facts, figures, dates, photos and every other quote and bit of information, it would take people more informed and smarter to make sure everything was correct and included. There is this generation of new fans that perhaps do not read up about Kate Bush. Articles about her appearing infrequently. There is the odd bit of news about her. Like when she recently contributed to a ‘silent’ album in protest at the role of A.I. and the potential damage it could do to artists’ rights. Apart from that, there is the odd flicker of news. I guess every year or two sees a new Kate Bush book. Every biography we will see has been published. A larger and new book would not need to rehash too much of what has already come out. However, a new angle or approach could be taken. Known and seen photos alongside some new ones. A pictorial or graphic breakdown of Kate Bush’s albums, chart success and highlights. Some useful interview extracts. Maybe a new spin. Some fan letters. There is definitely possibility and I am sure quite a big demand as well. Rather than repeat what I have written before, I wanted to ask why more is not written about Kate Bush. It is clear that she has an enormous fanbase that spans through generations and across the world. One of the most influential and important artists of her generation, aside from some magazine articles, there is not that much out there. Articles not really an ongoing thing. I don’t know how much is going to be published going forward. For someone so incredible and loved, there does need to be more.
A wider questions remains around the absence of literature around Kate Bush. Sure, there has been a few biographies, a new Hounds of Love book and some focus on other albums. In terms of a reference book or something that draws together all the information and facts you would need about this artist, there has not been an attempt. I don’t think you can say that there is a saturation or too much. Kate Bush herself would not really object to books about her. Bringing her music and career to life in an interesting and engaging way. A lot of great interviews from the archives. One also has to think how best to get people as yet uninitiated or overly-familiar with Kate Bush to engage with the great books already out there. We can share posts and write about them. However, like her albums, it is quite hard to get as many people to check them out as you’d like. So much treasure that has not been discovered. Even if people are listening to her music, I do feel there is more to be done. New books and work can help things. Making sure we discuss and share the brilliant Kate Bush books out there. In terms of her music, there is a lot of online conversation. It is great when her music appears in film and T.V. shows, though there is quite a narrow focus in terms of the albums featured. There are definite opportunities to write about Kate Bush. Whilst I still feel a new photobook would be great, perhaps something more general and expansive. We definitely need to discuss the literature already out there. An encyclopaedia, reference book or volume that brings everything Kate Bush-related together would be…
A great thing to own.