FEATURE: Spotlight: Revisited: Antony Szmierek

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight: Revisited

PHOTO CREDIT: Charlie Cummings

 

Antony Szmierek

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ONE of the most remarkable…

PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Miles for DIY

and distinct artists of his generation, this Spotlight: Revisited is all about the one and only Antony Szmierek. I featured Szmierek not too long ago and I have also interviewed him. This was before his debut album, Service Station at the End of the Universe, was released. That came out on Friday (28th February). I would urge everyone to buy the album. Antony Szmierek is also on tour at the moment and is performing across the U.K. I think that his debut album is going to be in the mix when it comes to the Mercury Prize shortlist later this year. I am going to predict the artists who will be included in a month or two – an early temperature check. Now, I want to focus on an artist who is so original and compelling. This incredible poet that mixes incredible scenes with intoxicating sonic palettes. I love how he delivers his lines and what gravitas he brings to his songs. Prior to getting to a couple of reviews for Service Station at the End of the Universe, there are a couple of recent interviews that are worth addressing. I am so pleased Antony Szmierek is getting press attention and being given the opportunity to speak about his music. I want to start out with this new interview from DIY. Spotlighting a witty and must-hear voice in music, they explore Szmierek’s starry debut album. One that takes us through the cosmos:

“While the idea of his debut finally being shared with the world might yet feel abstract, it is, in fact, just a few short weeks until his ambitious but brilliant first full-length hits the shelves. Named as a nod to Douglas Adams’ Restaurant At The End Of The Universe – the sequel to British sci-fi classic The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, and a constant source of inspiration for Antony – it’s an album that personifies his approach as a musician, digging deep to find the beauty and joy in life’s mundanity, all while casting it through an otherworldly lens.

“I read it when I was like 11 or 12, on a caravan holiday in Wales. I was so taken by it,” he explains, on how Hitchhiker’s Guide… would become both his entry point to science fiction, and a building block for his own writing. “It’s so funny thinking back on it as a narrative point of origin. [I’m] nowhere near the level of Douglas Adams, but when you know that that’s when I started trying to write my own stuff, you can kind of see it… The first page of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and that bit at the beginning, the way it’s grand – talking about the dissolution of the universe, [asking] ‘are we real or are we not?’ – but in a really comedic way, almost with this sardonic, British, wry humour? I think that’s just what all of the songs are!” he laughs. “Even now that I try not to write like that, it must just be a concrete block at the bottom of the wall that I can’t get rid of. Reading that was big.”

A far cry from the slick, showy takes on the genre in American culture, it’s actually the likes of Doctor Who and ‘90s cult comedy show Red Dwarf (“Imagine me meeting fucking Craig Charles when all this was first going on!”) that he cites as real inspirations. “All that stuff where it looks like you could push a wall down and it’s not real,” he grins. “The stuff that’s actually quite shit; that kitsch nature of it, and the sort of underdog thing that we have as British people – not quite the gloss of Americans. It seems to just naturally tie in with where I was brought up and this underdog nature of being from the North. I think it says a lot about British life; it’s like we’re always reaching for something that’s slightly bigger than ourselves and we never quite get there, then we laugh about it.”

While the backdrop to the record is, as its title offers, an intergalactic service station dotted with the kind of evocative details that would give The Jetsons a run for their money (take the self-titled opener’s “mid life crisis convertible star cruiser” or the kid riding a “coin operated meteorite”), the album’s heart is still very much about its cast. Built from his idea of the record “being an anthology, with these characters coming in and out”, each track acts as a detailed but universal vignette of life and love, doubt and loss, that just happens to take place in a galaxy far, far away.

“I think you don’t want it to be elitist,” Antony notes, on his candid approach to lyricism, that comes partly inspired by his own musical heroes – and fellow Northerners – Jarvis Cocker and Alex Turner. “I’ve got out of the habit of wanting to say clever words and trying to make it all seem grandiose, or that I’m dead smart because I know all these big words and everything. You’re trying to distil huge concepts that are probably quite wanky, but in a way where everyone can get on board. That’s teaching, I guess,” he nods. “I think I wouldn’t have been immune to doing that if I’d done this earlier on. [When you’re younger] you’re slightly more insecure, and a bit like, ‘this song needs to be clever or it needs to feel like I’m well-read’,” he adds, nodding to the positives of being in your mid-30s. “I think if you step away from that, you’re gonna make better stuff. I’m not averse to throwing in a huge word every now and again, but I’ll still talk about Twixes.”

It’s true that with Antony, what you see is seemingly what you get, which – in a way – makes the album’s focus on its fictional cast all the more intriguing. Dig a little deeper, though, and you will eventually find the narrator’s voice replaced by his own. “The record’s really sincere,” he says, “and that was something I was really, really trying to do. ‘Sincerity Overdrive’ was one of the first titles for it. [See what we did there? – Ed] That was literally the mission statement, a working title almost.

“But then I was like, how can it be this ‘sincerity overdrive’ record if I haven’t said anything?” he says, emphasis on himself. “It isn’t sincere if you’re doing it through characters. I realised I needed to be there,” he nods to the two tracks that are taken from his own personal perspective, “as that would wrap it up; if I admit these things about myself, then I’ve done it. No one will think about it this deeply, but it had to be within the confines of this narrative. I thought it was quite funny – that dry humour of breaking the fourth wall – just suddenly being like, ‘Oh, this one’s me now, I’m also here with all of these people”.

Antony Szmierek’s path is fascinating. A respected and brilliant teacher, he is now this incredible songwriter who is wowing revery audience he plays to. Szmierek has said before how was nervous to play before crowds but, unlike being a teacher, everyone who comes to see him play are there willingly! There is no sense of anyone being at his gigs who does not want to pay attention or participate. DORK spoke with Antony Szmierek last month. It is a brilliant interview I would advise people to read in full. An artist whose songs are filled with profound meaning and connection, the Manchester music resurgence is very much continuing with phenomenal artists like Antony Szmierek:

“The live show is where Antony Szmierek, both as a person and as a musical entity, really sparks into life, blending together rave-inspired hooks with a determination to deal with the big questions. Both of these ideas are placed at the centre of his upcoming debut album, ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’, due out in February 2025.

“I definitely wanted it to be more informed by the live show. I wanted to bring the audience with me because there’s always something different in every show that makes it all worth it. It also meant that I could really make those euphoric moments of people being together shine brighter because there’s a lot of sadness on the record, so it was important to bring in some hopeful energy.”

‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’ transforms a motorway services on Antony’s fantasy motorway, Andromeda Southbound, from a place where dreams go to die into a study of social complexity, following the lives of the different characters that pass through on their way to a yoga class, a wedding, or back home to the one they love.

Introducing characters that in part represent Antony’s beloved North West upbringing, such as “the Patron Saint of Withington” in ‘Rafters’, but also illuminate parts of Antony’s own personality and questions that he himself deals with on a daily basis. Whether it’s accusations of being a class traitor in ‘Yoga Teacher’ or trying to cope with overthinking and existentialism in ‘The Great Pyramid of Stockport’, Antony’s whole self is poured into every aspect of the record, making it as genuine and believable as it could be.

Drawing on his eternal love for ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy’, one that ignited Antony’s passion for language, as well as local landmarks that have become key pillars of his life thus far, every picture is painted with nuance, style, and an observational accuracy that even the most experienced novelists struggle to recreate.

Pulling different literary ideas to the edges of their existence and rewinding threads to fit his huge new universe allowed Antony to create more lyrical layers than is possible on singles and EPs and underscores his immense writing talent.

“I guess in a way writing it was a lot like teaching,” Antony posits, “there’s something for the five kids in the class who really want to listen and pick up hidden meaning, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t also something for people who just want really fun tunes with a good hook. I sort of take on this role of almost an omniscient narrator but also become the characters, it all winds together in the end.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Gunning

This ethos is at the heart of almost every track on the record, taking a seemingly everyday object or idea and elevating it into something with a profound and often existential meaning. The most obvious example of that comes from single ‘The Great Pyramid of Stockport’, which sees Antony take a local landmark and draw threads to the Pyramids of Giza, using two structures built centuries apart to explore legacy in a world that values speed and innovation.

“I was really surprised that nobody had written a song about it before; I was certain that Blossoms were gonna mention it on their album! On the surface, it just sounds like a song about this insurance company’s office in Stockport, but there’s a lot on there about getting older and time never stopping. There’s also a line about me cancelling plans because nothing feels real and I’m in tears in my bedroom, which sounds mad to have in a song about a big blue pyramid. I basically use observations as a way of projecting quite a complex idea, so the Stockport Pyramid actually ends up representing the question: ‘What’s the point in any of this?’”

Taking his cues from goth giants The Cure, Antony tried to be as sneaky as possible with his introspection, peppering super vulnerable lines into songs that you can only pick up on after a few listens. In this way, the album is able to bring together complex trauma responses and deep-rooted existential anxiety without ever getting weighed down by heavy topics.

PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Gunning

“I definitely consider the album to have a Side A and Side B, and it is a spiral; everyone’s meeting at this service station before they go off and do whatever it is they do to make this meaningless existence worthwhile, like falling in love or going to a yoga lesson, and then it’s like ‘fuck, what if none of this means anything?’”

This hitman-like style of hiding his vulnerabilities comes to a head in ‘Restless Leg Syndrome’, a stream of consciousness that acts as the end of the album’s spiral, representing rock bottom before the album bounces back to peace, love, and joy. It’s fair to say that it’s the song on the album that is likely to become a fan favourite thanks to its brave open-heartedness, but also the one that Antony struggles with the most.

“I just worry it’s a bit much,” Antony states, “I’m proud of it, and I’m glad it’s on the record, but it’s the only one where I didn’t hide any lyrics, and it’s a bit scary. We’ve had to play it back to management, and the label and stuff, and people seem to like it, but I have to cover my ears and look away. I’m dreading playing it live the first time because I can’t get through it without crying at the moment.”

He continues: “I still wanted the record to be optimism bottled, though, and that’s why it ends on ‘Angie’s Wedding’. I guess it’s an allegory for heaven, it’s not elitist, everyone can go, it’s a celebration. I just needed to resolve it and say, ‘It’s all going to be ok in the end’, instead of ending on ‘Restless Leg Syndrome’ or ‘Crashing Up’, which is about getting older and having eczema; what a nightmare life is!”

Sonically, the record is as rooted in Antony’s personal and local past as the lyrical subject matter, clearly marked by Forton Service Station’s Pennine Tower adorning the album cover. Initially, though, re-establishing these close ties to the historically well-documented Manchester music scene was something that Antony pushed back against.

“I looked away from Manchester at first because I was trying to subvert my own expectations and second-guess what might come later, but it reached a point where I was like, ‘Nobody knows who you are yet; you’ve got to stick to who you are and what you do”.

I am going to end with a couple of positive reviews for Service Station at the End of the Universe. I am starting out with NME’s take on one of the best debut album I have heard in years. This arresting Pop poet might have been relatively unknown a couple of years ago. Now, Antony Szmierek is being tipped as a name to watch closely:

“For Szmierek, an author, poet, former high school English teacher and now full-time songwriter, ‘Service Station…’ is comfortably his most complete work to date. Showcasing the mastery with which he can envision a fully-fledged concept, he populates the record’s service station with a colourful cast of characters. Among them are bride-to-be Angie in the title track, the “patron saint of Withington” chatting up “a pound shop Geri Horner” in ‘Rafters’, and the hitchhiker travelling in search of some escapism (“You’re a galaxy / Take me away”).

Zooming in and out from this focal point, the record treads the line between fact and fiction, nodding to Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and posing existential questions of what ancient Egyptians might accomplish in present-day Greater Manchester on ‘The Great Pyramid Of Stockport’ (“The possibilities are endless.”). Meanwhile, ‘Yoga Teacher’ makes for a woozy, calming highlight, doing exactly what it’s supposed to say on the tin (“Breathe in, release”). It also briefly explores Szmierek’s tendency to overthink, something he explores further on ‘Restless Leg Syndrome’, where his more calculated poetry spirals into momentary overdrive.

In amongst the zingers and vivid picture-painting, the record excels in its forays into mild electroclash (‘Big Light’) and house (‘Rafters’, ‘Take Me There’), unlocking another dimension to the rave-led element Szmierek has teased in the past. Here, his distinct monotone is at no risk of becoming a gimmick, when lyrics that plenty of post-punk bands would dream of penning are backed up by chameleonic, club-tastic soundscapes. ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’ isn’t the mark of an artist finding his sound, but a confident, authentic trailblazer who knows his craft inside out”.

I am going to end with a review from DIY. In a five-star assessment, they proclaimed an album that sounds British and local but also has this universal appeal. Quite appropriate when you consider the album’s title! I do think that this is an album that is going to be ranked alongside the very best of this year. If you have not heard Antony Szmierek then do go and follow him:

“To understand Antony Szmierek look no further than the title of his 2023 EP, ‘Poems To Dance To’, an apt depiction of the ex-English teacher’s rising blend of rhythmic spoken word and dancefloor ready production laying the backdrop for musings ranging from personal relationships to obscure places, and a poignant balance of fantasy and heavy realism. The sci-fi inspired title, a nod to Antony’s childhood favourite ‘A Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy’ that also spurned his breakthrough track, lays the path for references to home city landmarks, from the looming Stockport pyramid to the North West’s right-of-passage pub crawl, the Didsbury Dozen. It’s indicative of his outlook on his surroundings, an ever-blurred line between the tangible and the intangible, and one that will draw inevitable and not unjustified comparisons to the work of Mike Skinner. It’s prominent in the interlude’s respite found in the service station, a transient place that provides much needed consistency to the protagonist. His understanding of place grounds the otherwise lofty musings, not least the stunning stream of consciousness rising out of highlight ‘Restless Leg Syndrome’. It’s this stark contrast between the emotive and the physical that underpins much of his writing, mirrored further in the record’s pairing of poetry and inherently British genres ranging from acid house to garage and beyond. ‘Service Station…’ glides through this constant push and pull, a timeless portrayal of both the physical and emotional connection to people and place; fundamentally British yet beautifully universal”.

I would also recommend people see Antony Szmierek live if they can. Someone who is going to have a very long career, it has been a pleasure revisiting his music. He has been championed by the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music. Lauren Laverne is a particularly ardent and passionate fan of his work. I hope I can interview him again soon. Someone who is burning bright right now, this awesome songwriter deserves…

EVERY success.

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Follow Antony Szmierek

FEATURE: It Looks Lightest Before the Dawn: The Famous Names Who Attended Kate Bush’s 2014 Residency

FEATURE:

 

 

It Looks Lightest Before the Dawn

PHOTO CREDIT: Ken McKay/Rex 

 

The Famous Names Who Attended Kate Bush’s 2014 Residency

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BACK on 24th March, 2014…

Kate Bush provided her fans with a real treat. She announced that she would be on the stage at London’s Eventim Apollo for her Before the Dawn residency. Performing twenty-two sold-out dates between 26th August and 1st October, this was one of the most unexpected announcement of Kate Bush’s career. Look around now and there are a whole host of high-profile names that are Kate Bush fans. From artists to those in the media and beyond, there are some incredible and acclaimed people that cite Bush as an influence. There is renewed interest in her now considering the popularity and attention her music has garnered in the past few years. Back in 2014, one would imagine that the residency dates would be populated by regular fans. Of course, they are the majority of her fanbase and they travelled from around the world to see her. There is no hierarchy when it comes to her following. I have just published a feature marking forty-six years of The Tour of Life. Bush’s only tour, that happened in 1979. There might have been some big names in attendance at a few of the dates though, for the most part, they were your average, loyal and loving fans. Fast forward thirty-five years and the demographic had widened and expanded. Especially on that first date of 26th August, 2014, there were some huge names to show their love for Kate Bush. I will do some anniversary features for Before the Dawn closer to August. For this feature, I want to talk about the array of incredible names that paid tribute to Kate Bush back in 2014 for this stage triumph.

As Graeme Thomson notes in his biography, Under the Ivy: The Life and Music of Kate Bush, the side effect of the success and brilliance of Before the Dawn and Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) being featured on Stranger Things n 2022, was how many constituencies she speaks to. World of comedy, literature, screen and queer discourse. We can look at the sphere of music and representatives who were there. Among the people who had this rare opportunity to show their support of Kate Bush was Lily Alen, PJ Harvey, Florence Welch, Anna Calvi, Grace Jones, Kylie Minogue, Annie Lennox, Adele and Alison Goldfrapp. In years since, artists like St Vincent, Olivia Rodrigo, Lana Del Rey, Lorde and Joanna Newsom have talked about Kate Bush or highlighted her as an influence. There is this whole other feature about just how far and wide her influence extends. All these different disciplines and corners of the map. Big Boi remains one of Kate Bush’s biggest fans. An event like Before the Dawn brought together such an array of artists. Representatives from Pet Shop Boys, Orbital, Prefab Sprout, Suede and Killing Joke were there. I believe Paul McCartney, Elton John,  David Gilmour and Peter Gabriel were in attendance. Decades-lasting artists that knew how hard it was to remain active and relevant after so many years. It was this glorious outpouring of love from music’s alumni. Artists who could identify with Kate Bush. Some she had worked with and called friends. Others whom she had never met but wanted to express their gratitude and fandom.

IN THIS PHOTO: Paul McCartney/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

Outside of music, there were plenty of other big names in attendance. The world of film and theatre was well represented. Ian McKellen, Keira Knightley, Miranda Richardson, Jude Law, Gemma Arterton and Rachel Weisz. Directors Steve McQueen, Danny Boyle and Paul Greengrass. No doubt influenced by her music. Something they bring to their films. I wonder if we will see Bush’s music appear in future films from these directors. Throw into the mix the likes of Terry Jones, Tim McInnerney, Terry Gilliam, Noel Fielding, Dawn French, Frank Skinner, Jo Brand Lenny Henry. Those from the world of fashion were there. Stella McCartney and Kate Moss were at the concerts. Authors such as Jeanette Winterson, David Mitchell and Phillip Pulman were there. Winterson wrote about Kate Bush in an article praising her talent. Micthell wrote an introduction for Kate Bush’s lyrics book, How to Be Invisible (he also wrote some of Before the Dawn alongside Kate Bush). Although some rumoured megastars such as David Bowie and Madonna (and Prince) did not go to Before the Dawn, it is no surprising seeing the faces that went. Regular fans are brilliant and valuable, though celebrities and high-profile names how just how far her influence has spread. Its real impact. These names that saw Bush were not doing it to be seen or fashionable. They recognise that there was no Kate Bush before Kate Bush. That her catalogue goes deep and transcends boundaries, genres and time periods. The openness of her expression and singularity of her vision (thanks to Graeme Thomson for his words). David Bowie, Stanley Kubrick and Björk come to mind as comparisons. Individuals and mavericks. Futuristic and fearless. Those that mix humour, dark imagination and humour. Björk was among those who was at Before the Dawn. So too were Lauren Laverne and a galaxy of respected names from across the arts. Standing delighted and raptured with other fans.

After 2022, when Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) was propelled back into public consciousness, there was once again this widespread outpouring of collective love. However, Before the Dawn offered something else. A physical base. This location where fans from so many different countries were stood close to some well-known fans. I have written before about the celebrities who were at Before the Dawn. Instead, here, it is worth noting why they were there. I guess a few were there because it was a big ticket and they were not huge fans. However, it was this shared salute that moves me. How authors, film actors, directors, musicians and writers alike joined together to see Kate Bush perform. Not only to see her perform. Because they are influenced by her. Because her music has made an impact on their life. Different generations all affected by Kate Bush in different ways. In August 2014, the BBC broadcast a documentary about Kate Bush to coincide with Before the Dawn. Some famous fans who were at Before the Dawn contributed (including Elton John, Big Boi and David Gilmour), alongside Tori Amos and St Vincent. I do wonder whether another live event might be announced in years to come. Kate Bush has not ruled it out entirely. Just think about who might be in attendance. Since 2014, a whole new generation of artists count Kate Bush as an influence. Rather than she Before the Dawn as a final live chapter, it might be the middle of a trilogy. One that started in 1979 and might end shortly. One of the most important aspect of Before the Dawn was seeing just how far Bush’s music had spread. Kate Bush might have been nervous when she stepped onto the stage for that first night of the residence on 26th August, 2014. However, alongside her ordinary and loving fans was this wave of high-profile and acclaimed people who were so keen to pay respect to this incredible artist. In 2014, during a very special run of concerts, the Evetim Apollo in Hammersmith was…  

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush during the filming of the video for And Dream of Sheep; a song that is part of her suite, The Ninth Wave/PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton

FILLED with love.

FEATURE: It All Led Up to This… Kate Bush’s The Tour of Life at Forty-Six

FEATURE:

 

 

It All Led Up to This…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush performs Wuthering Heights during The Tour of Life in 1979

 

Kate Bush’s The Tour of Life at Forty-Six

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BEFORE getting down to things…

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

people will call the tour different things. Originally called the Kate Bush Tour or Lionheart Tour, it was later renamed Tour of Life. I call it The Tour of Life, as I include the ‘The’. Everyone will have their own name or preference. In any case, there are some facts which are irrefutable. The Tour of Life had its warm-up gig on 2nd April, 1979 at Arts Centre, Poole and it ended on 14th May, 1979 in the Hammersmith Odeon. The set consisted of twenty-four songs. Tracks mostly taken from her first two albums, 1978’s The Kick Inside and Lionheart. A couple of new tracks, Egypt and Violin, would appear on Bush’s third studio album, Never for Ever. I am going to move on in a minute. First, the Kate Bush Encyclopedia provide some information when it comes to the rehearsals, the band and also an unexpected tragedy that occurred at the end of the warm-up gig in Poole:

“Rehearsals

The tour was to become not only a concert, but also incorporating dance, poetry, mime, burlesque, magic and theatre. The dance element was co-ordinated by Bush in conjunction with Anthony Van Laast – who later choreographed the Mamma Mia! movie and several West End smashes – and two young dancers, Stewart Avon Arnold and Gary Hurst. They held morning rehearsals for the tour at The Place in Euston, after which Bush spent afternoons in Greenwich drilling her band. Off stage, she was calling the shots on everything from the set design to the programme art.

Band

The band playing with Kate Bush on stage consisted of Preston Heyman (drums), Paddy Bush (mandolin. various strange instruments and vocal harmonies), Del Palmer (bass), Brian Bath (electric guitar, acoustic mandolin and vocal harmonies), Kevin McAlea (piano, keyboards, saxophone, 12 string guitar), Ben Barson (synthesizer and acoustic guitar), Al Murphy (electric guitar and whistles) and backing vocalists Liz Pearson and Glenys Groves.

Tragedy

The tour started on April 2 with a tragedy. The highly experienced lighting director Bill Duffield fell through an open panel high on the lighting gallery. He would die of his injuries a week later. Despite this, the tour still went on. A fundraising benefit concert was added to the schedule, taking place on 12 May 1979 to raise money for Bill’s family and featured Peter Gabriel and Steve Harley, for whom Duffield had also worked”.

 IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush pictured in Liverpool shortly before her The Tour of Life date at the city’s Empire Theatre on 3rd April, 1979

Even though 1979 was the year after Kate Bush released two studio albums, there seemed to be a longer history. Everything leading up to this. When Bush was playing in pubs and clubs in and around London in 1977 with the KT Bush Band. Even before then. Perhaps seeing David Bowie perform his final gig as Ziggy Stardust in 1973. There was something in Kate Bush from when she was a child and teenager. That desire to express her music in a huge and ambitious way. One of the reasons why I love The Tour of Life is that there was some unhappiness around her first two albums. At least a feeling that she was being guided rather than leading things herself. 1979 was mostly dedicated to this tour and her working on a third studio album. One she would co-produce. There are not that many features dedicated to The Tour of Life. It is good to get other people’s perspectives about this incredible event. Even though Bush put a lot of her own money into it and it actually lost money, the experience was a magical one. A chance for fans around the U.K. and Europe to see Bush on stage delivering this groundbreaking show. I have said before how the invention of the wireless head mic was a revelation. One that impacted live performance ever since. I am going to pop in some words from Dreams of Orgonon about The Tour of Life:

“Rather than feeding on nostalgia (a hard feat for a recent artist to pull off), Bush used her existing work as a diving board for her live shows. For all the strengths of The Kick Inside and Lionheart as albums, the live versions of a few of their songs are superior: the revamped band bring the songs a power the original recordings sometimes lacked. “Coffee Homeground” sounds tighter, and even the unimpeachable “Wuthering Heights” improves slightly when Alan Murphy improvises bits of the track’s guitar solo. There are plenty of odd musical choices throughout the shows: there’s an electronica-inflected rendition of Satie’s Gymnopedies leading into “Feel It,” and “James and the Cold Gun” becomes the 10-minute prog jam its album counterpart was itching to be. This doesn’t suggest that Bush has been constrained by the studio — in fact, it’s likely she works better outside of the traditional rock band format. But in many ways she’s liberated by her chance to do musical theater, showing off what her songs look like and pushing some aspects of their sound a bit further.

In theory Bush was doing the Lionheart Tour, as it was her most recent album. Yet in practice, it was equally the Kick Inside Tour. All the songs from both albums were performed barring “Oh To Be In Love” (perhaps justifiably — it’s the Bush album track which most feels like a holdover from the Phoenix years), plus a couple of new songs called “Violin” and “Egypt,” the latter of which we’ll return to next week. It’s a well-organized setlist, as Kick and Lionheart are both preoccupied with the sort of adolescent world-storming the tour is. Bush’s concert setlists show off this interplay of albums well: Act One is constructed around the lighter songs of The Kick Inside like “Them Heavy People” and “L’Amour Looks Something Like You” with the two new songs, while Act Two centers the anxiety-ridden bulk of Lionheart plus “Strange Phenomena,” and Act Three provides the show with a theatrical climax of “Coffee Homeground” and “Kite” before the encore of “Oh England My Lionheart,” and finally “Wuthering Heights.” Setlists can be unruly things: while touring for albums, you’ll want to intersperse the newer material with the hits. Bush keeps this in mind while also remembering she’s doing a stage show with act breaks and thematic resonances. It’s a strong act, one that’s bolstered by its setlist.

The artistic precision of the concert belies what occurred behind the scenes. Bush was exhausted by the shows and the preparation for them, with her essentially all-day rehearsal schedule giving her little-to-no time off. The scale of the shows and the extensive travel involved (Bush is famously afraid of traveling by plane) are likely a contributing factor to Bush’s decision to never tour again. A likely further cause is the tragic first night of the tour. During a warm-up concert at Poole, lighting director Bill Duffield fell through an open panel around the stage and landed on a concrete floor 17 feet below. After a week on life support, Duffield died. It was a traumatic moment for everyone involved in the tour, and gave the group pause about whether to continue. When they inevitably did, it was as much as because of the effort put into the shows as it was for Bill himself.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush performing at the Falkoner Teateret in Copenhagen, Denmark during The Tour of Life in April 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Jorgen Angel

Bush didn’t forget Duffield, keeping tabs as she did on everyone she worked with. The first date of the final London stretch of the tour was a benefit concert for Duffield’s family. The night saw a drastic departure from Bush’s other concerts in many respects: the setlist was significantly different, as Bush wasn’t the only singer performing that night. Two other artists who’d worked with Duffield were present: Steve Harley and Peter Gabriel. Bush had previously worked with established names (e.g. Geoff Emerick), but appearing onstage with established British rock stars was a step forward for her. Harley had scored a #1 single with his glam band Cockney Rebel in 1975 when they released “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me),” and didn’t fall out of the albums charts for the next few years. While in 1979 he was hardly the big name he had previously been, with his attempt to go solo beginning with a critically savaged and commercially disappointing album, he had hardly been forgotten by listeners of British pop. Peter Gabriel, however, was at the top of his game. Unlike Harley, Gabriel was confidently traversing through the early years of his post-Genesis career, with the first two of a quartet of self-titled albums under his belt, both of which had made the top 10, and a major solo tour under his belt. The classic “Solsbury Hill” had climbed to #13, and Gabriel was good to go. At the Duffield concert he performed the effervescent “I Don’t Remember,” a wild ballad of the kind of formalist mountain-climbing and despair Gabriel had made his bread and butter while in Genesis. A wailing Kate Bush joins him on backing vocals, and sounds like her larynx is about to combust under the weight of the song’s Frippertonics. Much easier on Bush is a traditional cover of “Let It Be,” a song she’d sung before but still hadn’t made her way into (this would change — wait until this blog hits the late Eighties). Conversely, Gabriel seems to struggle with the song, as Paul McCartney’s gentler songwriting chafed with the new modes of composition he’d been exploring on his own albums and tour. A duo was established, however: Bush and Gabriel would sing together again.

It was a wild time for Bush. “It’s like I’m seeing God, man!” she said enthusiastically. When she’s onstage in a black-and-gold bodysuit and blasting her bandmates with a golden, it’s easy to believe she made that comment while looking in a mirror. It takes a shot of the divine (or perhaps a deal with it?) to stage a tour of this magnitude and success while dealing with such severe drama behind the scenes? It’s no wonder Bush stayed in the studio after this, recording closer to home all the time until she set up a studio in her backyard. Even when she finally returned to the stage thirty-five years later, she made sure her venue was in nearby London. 1979 was a different time. A Labour government was feasible, and Kate Bush was regularly on TV. She plays things close to the chest now, never retiring from music but often looking infuriatingly close to it. In a way, she retired in 1979. Kate Bush the media sensation was a spectacle of the Seventies. She cordoned herself off afterwards, becoming Kate Bush the Artist. Next week we’ll look at Never for Ever, the first post-tour Kate Bush album where she unleashes a flood of ideas into the world. What does one do after the Tour of Life? In Bush’s words: “everything”.

In 2020, Prog wrote about The Tour of Life. I have said how everything led up to The Tour of Life. It was a chance for Kate Bush to asset some independence and create a project very much in her own vision. It was a big undertaking. Throwing so much into it, Bush’s reputation was on the line:

“But in many other respects, the tour was utterly grounded in reality. The singer spent six months beforehand working herself to the bone as she attempted to forge a brand new model of what a live show could be, then another two months doing the same as she took it around Britain and Europe. And it was hit by tragedy when lighting engineer Bill Duffield was killed in an accident after a warm-up show, his death almost bringing the whole juggernaut to a halt before it had even started.

But all that was in the future when the idea for the tour was conceived. Ironically, Bush herself was the first to admit that there was no need for her to do it. “There’s no pressure,” she said in 1979. “But I do feel that I owe people a chance to see me in the flesh. It’s the only opportunity they have without media obstruction.”

“Kate was never at ease in the public eye,” says Brian Southall, who was Artist Development at Bush’s label, EMI, and had worked with the singer since she was signed. “Whether that was performing on Top Of The Pops or doing interviews. She was very reserved, very wary, I think by nature shy. So this spotlight on her was new.”

The singer was fully aware that anything she did would have to raise the bar on everything that came before. But even then, she was trying to manage expectations – not least her own. “If you look at it, it’s my reputation,” she said 1979. “And yes, I hope that it’ll be something special.”

EMI were unsure what the show would involve, so the costs were reportedly split between the label and Bush herself. In return, they got an artist who threw everything into her biggest endeavour so far.

“She was very determined about how her music was presented and performed – that was pretty obvious from her first album,” says Southall. “So no one saw any reason to step in and stop it. The rock’n’roll story was that you put singles out, you put albums out, you went on Top Of The Pops, you toured. But she wasn’t prepared to do the conventional thing.”

In fact no one realised just how unconventional it would be – with its choreography, dancers, props, multiple costume changes, poetry and in-house magician, there was no precedent with which it could be compared.

Rehearsals began in late 1978. Bush had already trained with experimental dancer/mime artist Lindsay Kemp, one-time mentor of David Bowie. But this tour would entail a new level of aptitude entirely, and the stamina to simultaneously dance and sing for more than two hours every night.

Dance teacher Anthony Van Laast was brought in from the London School Of Contemporary Dance to choreograph the shows and help hone Bush’s abilities. Van Laast brought with him two protégés, dancers Stewart Avon Arnold and Gary Hurst. Van Laast put the singer through the equivalent of boot camp at The Place studio in Euston, working with her for two hours each morning. Bush’s own input was crucial to the developing routines.

“Kate knew what she wanted, she had very specific ideas,” says Stewart Avon Arnold today. “What she wanted was in her head, and she wanted people around her who could help her put it into movement. She had so many hats on at that point – artistic, creative, musical.”

If the mornings were for the dance aspect of the slowly coalescing show, then the afternoons were for the music. As soon as she was done with Van Laast, Bush would make the eight mile journey to Wood Wharf Studio in Greenwich, south London, where she would meet up with a band that included Del Palmer, guitarists Brian Bath and Alan Murphy and her multi-instrumentalist brother, Paddy Bush. Also present was her other brother, John Carder Bush, who would perform poetry (and whose wife would provide vegetarian food for the tour). It was hard work for everyone involved and as the show neared, Bush would work 14 hours a day, six days a week”.

Rather than repeat what I wrote in previous anniversary features, the angle I want to bring in here is that balance between the risk and gamble Bush took and how necessary The Tour of Life was. As a popular artist, she was expected to tour. However, it was the sheer scale of the production that was unexpected. Not just an ordinary Pop tour. Despite some flawed moments and some mixed reviews, there was a lot of ecstasy and celebration for The Tour of Life. I think it gave Kate Bush the confidence to record a third studio album more ambitious than her first two. It also remains this oddity: Bush’s one and only tour.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rex

On 2nd April, it will be forty-six years since the first performance. In terms of the risks, there was a lot on the line. Kate Bush’s reputation. She said that and must have been terrified. The fatigue and hassle of travelling. Going in cars, buses and planes to various destinations. Not having much time to rehearse when she was in various towns and cities. There was also the sense of expectation. Bush’s expectation and that of critics. The need to blow everyone away and prove herself. Also, the financial burden. Bush and the label both putting money in. Expectations EMI had in terms of its profitability and success. There was also how Bush would follow it. Whether she would tour again. Fans hungry to see her play. The upsides outweighed the risks. The realisation of an ambition. The huge critical acclaim. The energy and skills Bush took from The Tour of Life to producing and writing her next album. The legacy The Tour of Life has. A female artist merging theatre, mine, poetry and music. That headless mic invention. Going beyond the boundaries of a traditional Pop concert. That has impacted artists today. I have also said how there needs to be a 4K/HD version of The Tour of Life. A special that has the 1979 Nationwide documentary and then a set from The Tour of Life afterwards. We are still talking about the tour all these years later. Whether the Lionheart Tour, Kate Bush Tour or The Tour of Life, it is a spectacle that fans of Kate Bush adore. I would have loved to have been at one of the shows! Bush has spoken about it in years since and recalls how she really enjoyed the experience. I think it is a part of her career that deserves more attention. On 2nd April, when Kate Bush walked onto the stage at Arts Centre, Poole, that the first steps of this incredible tour would…

GO down in music history.

FEATURE: International Women’s Day 2025: Queens That Opened My Eyes to the Power of Music

FEATURE:

 

 

International Women’s Day 2025

 

Queens That Opened My Eyes to the Power of Music

_________

IN the second feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: Björk in 1995/PHOTO CREDIT: Corbis

ahead of International Women’s Day on 8th March, I wanted to talk about the queens of music that expanded my horizons. I grew up in the 1990s when the music industry was hugely dominated by men. There was a definite bias towards them. A toxicity in the press and a misogyny that must have been incredibly hard. This rolled into the 2000s. The way so many young women were projected in the media. Over-sexualised. I was probably too young to realise how bad it was for women. Although a lot of my music tastes were male artists and bands, it was women in music that truly opened my eyes to its power and possibility. I have said before how Madonna was one of the first artists I really fell for and admired. I heard her music all through my childhood and loved her albums of the 1980s. However, when Ray of Light arrived in 1998, it awoke something in me. I had not really bonded with Electronic or Dance music. Ray of Light not only confirmed the fact Madonna was peerless. It also compelled me to delve into genres I had not really investigated before The fact Madonna kept reinventing herself. Ray of Light scored some of my best moments at high school. Some really happy times. It is obvious how much of an impression Kate Bush made on me. If Madonna and artists like Björk arrest my senses because of their music diversity and how incredibly strong individual and original they were, Kate Bush opened the senses. Albums like The Kick Inside and Hounds of Love revealed this artist with a singular voice. Even as a teenager I knew how rare it was for a female artist to produce her own album. Something not encouraged in the 1990s perhaps. Or not common. Bush’s incredible work in the 1980s no doubt inspired so many women coming through a decade later. Although I was very into Britpop, I found that a lot of incredible women releasing amazing work were perhaps not giving the same amount of oxygen and respect. Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette was an album that was so different to anything from the Britpop crowd.

Artists like Alanis Morissette and bands like Republica, Sleeper and Elastica definitely provided something fresh and exciting. One of the biggest music loves of my teenage years was R&B and girl groups. I was never a huge fan of the Pop mainstream and found a lot of commercial Pop uninspiring. Groups such as TLC, En Vogue, Spice Girls and All Saints were fond loves of mine. The chemistry in the groups and their incredible dynamics. The fact they could have this Pop core but there was grit, swagger, passion and elements of R&B and so many other genres in the mix. Because of this, I explored R&B an Soul. Going off in different directions. Phenomenal artists like Lauryn Hill. Making me not only more connected with music and the emotions expressed. Compelled by wider and important issues. Not to say male artists were insignificant or not discussing important things. However, a lot of the Hip-Hop and Rap queens of the 1990s and 2000s made me a lot more conscientious and politically-minded. I am not sure exactly when it happened. I had been into groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A. However, there was something amazing and empowering women in the genes that spoke to me more. Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Gwen Stefani and so many other women whose music and phenomenal talent changed me in different ways. The Pop music of Kylie Minogue in my childhood was addictive. Albums like Light Years (2000) and Fever (2001) helped me through some tough times when I started out at university. I think back at my musical education through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. So much admiration to incredible women. Releasing music in an industry that didn’t always have their best interests at heart. The sort of barriers and obstacles in front of them.

Looking around the music scene of the past decade or so, things have changed but not improved enough. Year in and year out, women are producing the finest music. There are too many names to mention, but this domination hopefully will see bigger strides towards equality. Less discrimination. You only have to look around and see Pop icons like Charli xcx and Billie Elish. Taylor Swift setting recordings and inspiring so many other women. Maybe I cannot articulate it as well as I should. Women changed how I looked at music. Their music still with me now. As I look at the new wave of artists coming through, there is so much to be excited about. I think about the future and how it is different to when I grew up. There are more platforms and opportunities for women. Even though festivals and radio playlists are not equal and need to shift, media attitudes have changed. Not as toxic and sexist as past decades, I want to show my love and respect to queens past and present who have impacted me. On International Women’s Day, I will be listening to playlists of songs from women who were instrumental and important in my childhood. Those who followed me through adulthood and are slaying today. From the artists who led me to new genres, scored wonderful memories, got me through tough times and showed me a whole world of possibilities, it is only right I salute the women who…

CHANGED my life.

FEATURE: International Women’s Day 2025: The Best Singles and Songs from the Best Albums By Women This Year

FEATURE:

 

 

International Women’s Day 2025

IN THIS PHOTO: Victoria Canal/PHOTO CREDIT: Martina Matencio/Rolling Stone UK

 

The Best Singles and Songs from the Best Albums By Women This Year

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FOR my first feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: FKA Twigs

around International Woman’s Day 2025 (which takes place on 8th March), I thought it would be a good opportunity to compile a playlist of songs from terrific albums this year. The very best singles. Saluting some amazing queens across different genres, it will go to show what an incredible contribution women are adding to the modern music scene. Without doubt producing the best music of our time, I do hope this year is one where we will start to see more of a move towards gender parity across all areas of music. How there will be greater recognition of women’s rights and quality. That there is greater action taken with regards the rise of sexual assault and abuse. That an overdue music #MeToo movement arises or takes some shape. That, above all, women feel truly safe and valued. I don’t think this is the case at the moment. This year is quite new, though we have already seen some truly astonishing albums and singles from amazing women. Before getting to the mixtape, this feature from the United Nations talks about the themes and objectives of this International Women‘s Day:

“On 8 March 2025, join us to celebrate International Women’s Day under the theme, “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

This year’s theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind. Central to this vision is empowering the next generation—youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls—as catalysts for lasting change.

Besides, the year 2025 is a pivotal moment as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This document is the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide that transformed the women’s rights agenda in terms of legal protection, access to services, youth engagement, and change in social norms, stereotypes and ideas stuck in the past.

Engage media, corporate leaders, governments, community leaders, civil society and youth, and others with influence to take action in your communities. Ask leaders to take action and invest in promoting women’s rights and gender equality. Share International Women’s Day stories and messages on digital platforms, using the hashtag #ForAllWomenAndGirls to spark dialogue and inspire action”.

In the next feature around International Women’s Day, I will talk more about the need for parity and improvement through the industry but also salute some of the brilliant women who are truly inspiring. For now, I have assembled a collection of songs from sisters in music who have crafted gold this year. It does underline and emphasise my point that women in music are…

IN THIS PHOTO: Doechii

RULING and in charge.

FEATURE: Generation Alpha: Feminism’s Next Wave, A Need for Hope and a Positive Men’s Movement

FEATURE:

 

 

Generation Alpha

PHOTO CREDIT: Thaís Sarmento/Pexels

 

Feminism’s Next Wave, A Need for Hope and a Positive Men’s Movement

_________

IF you…

 IN THIS PHOTO: Caitlin Moran/PHOTO CREDIT: Jay Brooks/The Guardian

forward to the 1:56:35 section of the video embedded below, you will see The Trouble Club’s Ellie Newton talking with Caitlin Moran. You can see her preparing for the interview. That would have been quite intimidating. One of the biggest and best guests The Trouble Club has hosted, Moran was speaking from Manchester Central Exchange Auditorium on Saturday, 15th February. I was not able to get there myself, though I did watch it online. A lot struck me. I am going to include another interview with Caitlin Moran and also a bit about her most recent book, What About Men?, from 2023. It was subjected to some harsh reviews, but also some really nice ones. You can buy it here:

“3. It makes peace in the gender war

Moran’s honesty and humility offers us a model of how to transcend the culture wars without avoiding the difficult conversations. Her book suggests that men and women can bring the best out of each other by celebrating our differences. Moran shows us that we don’t live a zero-sum game:  in order for women to win men don’t have to lose and vice-a-versa. She offers a vision of a different way for men and women to relate to each other. As a firm believer in the power, possibility and pursuit of peace whether in the Russia-Ukraine war or the politically-driven culture war or the subtleties of gender war, I sincerely appreciated her efforts.

4. It celebrates good masculinity

Moran believes our society will be happier and healthier if men and women find ways to celebrate and appreciate one another.  It was this line in her book that struck me as a vital perspective:

“There should be no shame in being a man. Being made to feel shame for how you are born is something every other progressive movement is trying to remove and trying to impose it on the one group that didn't until recently feel shame; straight white men, benefits no one.”

5. It is hopeful

It’s been a long time since I have read something about gender which was as full of hope as this book is. Sadly, many books in this field are written in a bid to fight one’s corner, including those coming from the church. Moran’s posture offers us a much-needed challenge. If an outspoken feminist, who claims to have only stepped inside a church once in her life, (apparently for Rev Richard Coles’ last service in his parish) has no fear of showing support to men and their rights, or of promoting a Christian sexual ethic of commitment before sex, or of seeking to find a peaceful resolution to the gender wars, how much more should Christians be willing to do the same?

My one and only issue with the book was when it tended to lapse into stereotypes. Being the sort of man who doesn’t like to fix things (I wish I did and I could), and who doesn’t find it hard to express emotions (have I overshared already?) and who does care about my appearance (check out my latest charity shop find!) I sometimes felt a little misunderstood. Or even worse, unintentionally pigeonholed as not really being Caitlin’s idea of what a man is. This is one of the biggest challenges of anyone writing about gender, how to do so without either reinforcing stereotypes or ignoring genuine difference”.

Caitlin Moran is known best for writing about women and her perspectives. Celebrated books like 2011’s How to Be a Woman and 2020’s More Than a Woman. Cailtin Moran noted, when speaking for The Trouble Club, how there were no books out there about positive masculinity or one that tried to create this positive men’s movement. No men were writing about it so she thought that she could. However, from liberal and right-wing men alike, they attacked her because they felt like she was trying to tell them (men) they were not in touch with their emotions. Jokingly calling the book a waste of f*cking time, there was this frustration I felt. How a book with really good intentions that wanted to create conversations and changes, instead, led to criticism and abuse online. Moran said how she had to deactivate – or take herself off – Twitter/X for a month. She told Ellie Newton how there is a rise in extreme violence and abuse from men. How the majority of the prison population are men. The majority of the homeless population. How also the leading cause of death for men under fifty is suicide. There is a rise in right-wing attitudes, incels and men looking to vile and poisonous influencers like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson. With women becoming perhaps more liberal, Moran asked whether we will have marriages a decade from now if men and women are moving in different directions politically and ideologically. How there is not a positive men’s movement. One that addresses issues and worrying trends and discusses it. How there is this sense of progression and interactions that can help to tackle this rise in violence and abuse from men but also address the high suicide rates and what can be done. A lot of work to be done, it seems extraordinary that no positive men’s movement exists in 2025! No wonder Caitlin Moran felt she could and should write a book like What About Men? Too bad the people she was writing it for felt it was an excuse to vilify her!

PHOTO CREDIT: Anh Nguyen/Pexels

I look around society now and observe when moving through London how much low-level aggression and toxicity there is from men. Always a sense of danger and violence. How insanely scary it must be for women. Margaret Atwood’s quote of “Men are afraid women will laugh at them, women are afraid men will kill them” still sounds so relevant today. With this move to the right and young men especially being mobilised by incels and misogynists, there is a definite desire for collective action. Men talking to other men about changes and addressing something hugely troubling. What resonates with me too was what Caitlin Moran was saying about women. How she learned – when discussing her daughter’s eating disorder and severe mental health issues – to listen and not constantly try to fix things. How women come to men with a problem or crisis and men try to ‘fix’ it, rather than listen. I think that discipline that many women naturally possess is a reason why perhaps men are far less receptive of a positive men’s movement or engaging in feminism in a productive and useful way. That may seem all-encompassing but Moran left the audience with something wonderful. She has shelved (for now) a planned book and instead wanted to get out a series of love letters in book form. At such a dark and violent time, there is a need for serotonin and hope. She quoted Nick Cave who said, “hope is optimism with a broken heart”. At a time when it is hard to be optimistic, can we offer each other hope? I think the book is going to be How to Be Hopeful, though it might just have been her thinking of a placeholder. I will end with the main reason for this feature. The reason Moran wrote What About Men? is, as she explores in this feature (with regards to male problems and issues), “no sense of these all being folded in together, under the subject “How things needs to change for boys, and men” in the way they have in feminism”.

In 2020, when revisiting How to Be a Woman, Caitlin Moran noted how she looks back at the book and realises some of the things that she got wrong. Some women in the audience up in Manchester on 15th February thanked Moran for that book and what it meant to them. However, in her thirties when it was written, Moran is just shy of being fifty now. She sees it with different eyes. She did in 2020:

“In the decade since writing that book, the world has come to look very different. Now, happily, feminism makes constant, worldwide news. Beyoncé makes albums that feature Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie explaining what a feminist is. Dior does shows with the word “FEMINIST” emblazoned over the catwalk. Topshop sells “This is what a feminist looks like” T-shirts. #timesup, #MeToo, the Bechdel test, emotional labour, slut-shaming, free-bleeding, the pay gap, gaslighting, intersectionality, trans rights – it’s a fertile age for feminist consciousness-raising and lexical expansion. Whatever aspect of feminism you are most interested in, you can go online and find thousands, if not millions, of others who feel just like you. 

Social media has reminded us of the most intriguing yet exhilarating fact about feminism: there is no feminist bible. Feminism isn’t a science. It’s just an idea; a completely freelance, voluntary, crowd-sourced and brilliant idea, in which women and, yes, sometimes men, go about identifying, then trying to solve the problems of girls and women. And, one of the things I feel we sometimes forget , celebrating their brilliance. Although it might occasionally feel like it, being a woman isn’t just a set of difficult questions. The female population of the Earth is also a set of answers. It’s a billion seeds of potential. It is a field of blossom, just waiting.

Once every few years, as an act of self-lacerating nostalgia for my younger self, I reread How To Be A Woman and marvel not over what I got right, but what I got wrong. I was in my early 30s, had two small kids, and was convinced that, in a small way, I knew everything. I figured that the most difficult part of parenting was over; after all, I’d had two human beings bobsled out of my vagina. It couldn’t get worse, right? Hahaha – oh, how I underestimated the teenage years. Potty training is a mere bagatelle compared to negotiating a 15-year-old accusing you of “slut-shaming” her when you suggest a backless dress might not work for school and that she should, perhaps, consider a cardie, instead. And if your family has to help a child with a serious illness – in our case, a four-year eating disorder – it is something that will, over and over, have you absolutely on your knees, believing this might not be something you can deal with, after all. That, despite all your feminism, you are useless to your daughters”.

It is difficult to say which wave of feminism has just passed. Maybe the fourth and fifth have happened. Caitlin Moran said that the fourth has passed. Some articles like this argue a fifth wave of feminism is loosely defined, confused or might not have happened. What are its objectives and what does it stand for? This article states how a fifth wave might be about embracing male tenderness and trying to reverse or at least counteract a lot of the toxicity that has been bubbling up. This article dates back to 2019 (others are a little newer) and writes how “The fifth wave looks more like the second wave, and so we recognize it as “feminism,” whereas the fourth wave—which avoided the vocabulary of “opposition” and “fighting” in favor of identificatory feelings and personal stories—didn’t feel like a noticeable shift, even though it radically transformed the way women articulated their experiences”. Maybe now we are looking to a sixth wave. A lot has happened in the past few years that authors and feminists like Caitlin Moran are talking about. She wants a new wave to be about positivity, serotonin and joy. Women feeling safer; not being so-self-critical. Changes that everyone can do. There is no one fit for a feminist. The lexicon needs to be as broad as possible. Maybe the COVID-19 pandemic (which started just over five years ago) accelerated a fifth wave. Maybe a sixth has (or should be) accelerated by the new rise in male violence, sexual abuse, incels and the unflinching darkness we are seeing in the world.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ivan Samkov/Pexels

The fact that now more than ever men and women are shifting in opposite directions and it might be impossible for there to be common ground and any sense of harmony makes the next wave of feminism urgent yet challenging. Whether someone specific would herald that in or whether it would naturally bloom. One of the most notable and worrying aspects of writing about feminism is the lack of men who celebrate it and want to be part of it. I have not actually seen anyone online write about a positive men’s movement but, even more blatantly, I am not sure whether there has ever been an article from a male writer about feminism and a new movement - or reacting to the previous one. How and why men should play more of a part; discussing their role. Considering tens of millions of men around the world have access to the Internet, can it be the case that literally none of them have ever published a feature, thought-piece or Substack about men’s need to be a part of their conversation?! Positivity about feminism and celebration of the incredible and inspiration women in the world? I have done a cursory Google, though the vast majority – bar possibly a single/double-digit tally – of the pieces are by women. Men do not need to be ‘qualified’ to be a feminist or write about it. There is no entry exam! When Caitlin Moran was talking about all the great things we can do and how things are so hard for women, I wondered why men have not reacted to this with proactivity and incentive. Determined to make things better, to be a big part of the next wave of feminism and also construct and build a positive men’s movement that can run in conjunction with a sixth/next feminist movement. As a journalist in his forties, maybe my perspective and words are not as relevant or affecting as younger and older women who are calling for change, action and the manifesto/mandate for the next feminist movement.

IN THIS PHOTO: Michaela Coel/PHOTO CREDIT: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

When looking out to the music industry for example, there are incredible and empowering women who are creating this sense of strength and togetherness. In terms of the effort from men – who I am not bashing but saying need to do more -, very few are boosting women, talking about the rise in violence and sexual abuse or using their platform to spotlight women and their brilliance. Not that zero men in music do that but the numbers are very low. When it comes to anything akin to a new feminist movement, you do not hear them talk about it or include anything in their songs. Maybe a harder task than if you are a journalist, though they can and should do a lot more. For last year’s International Women’s Day – 8th March – Glamour recognised brilliant modern-day feminists; so too did ELLE (including Michaela Coel, Angelina Jolie and Tarana Burke). In almost no features or articles do we see men listed. It seems staggering that there are pretty much no/few men raising their voices and showing their support. It is not the case that you can only be a meaningful feminist if you are a woman and have shared experiences of discrimination and inequality. Maybe men feel that they are not qualified or genuine. Not to focus purely on Caitlin Moran but, quoting from The Guardian article she wrote in 2020: “I feel I should croakingly remind everyone, once more, about the most crucial, brilliant, sometimes frustrating thing about feminism: it’s really not a science. It has no rules. It’s still just an idea, created by millions, over centuries, and it can only survive if the next generation feels able to kick ideas around, ask questions, make mistakes and reinvent the concept over and over, so we can build the next wave of feminism. And the next. And the next”. Caitlin Moran, when speaking with Ellie Newton, saying the next wave of feminism needs to be about joy and serotonin and hope – because we need that right now! I was so compelled by her words. How there needs to be a positive men’s movement but also, related, there need to be more men actively joining a new feminist movement and showing their solidarity and time. Not to boast but to dispel and trying to counteract the fact there is not only no progressive centrist men’s movement, but also show their (minor and lacking) support of women. On Saturday, 8th March, it is International Women’s Day. I have been thinking about Caitlin Moran’s recent talk, her books, wider discussions around a progressive men’s movement and when a new wave of feminism will rise - and what form it will take. I have been so motivated to do something, learn more and to do better myself. I really do think  change and progression can happen. That desire (with regards the next wave of feminism) for there to be joy, hope and optimism is a…

PHOTO CREDIT: RF._.studio/Pexels

WONDERFUL thing to hope for.

FEATURE: Kate Bush: The Tour of Life: In My Garden: Photographing the Young Prodigy

FEATURE:

 

 

Kate Bush: The Tour of Life

ALL PHOTO: John Carder Bush

  

In My Garden: Photographing the Young Prodigy

_________

I have recognised…

the importance of the Cathy book from John Carder Bush. Kate Bush’s brother published photos he took of his sister when she was a child. Originally published in 1986 in a limited run, there was a reprint in 2014. You can get it on Amazon, though it retails for a lot of money! It shows Kate Bush (or Cathy/Catherine as she would have been known) captured during her childhood. In the garden of East Wickham Farm and around the property. I would hope a new run would be published that is more affordable for fans as it is a treasure trove. These incredible black-and-white photos with accompanying text from John Carder Bush. It is great that we have these photos. It was only natural that John Carder Bush would photograph his sister. As a photographer, he saw an intriguing subject. However, did he know even then – in the 1960s – that she would be a star?! It seems like she was born to be this incredible talent. You can see her in the photos and you can tell she has this gravitas even then. Some special quality! He would continue to photograph his sister right up until 2011 for Director’s Cut (though I always thought he took images of her for 50 Words for Snow too). I wonder whether he will take promotional photos if Bush releases another album. Amazing to think they have had this collaboration that has lasted six decades or more. I think 1966 was the first year when we get shots of the young Catherine/Cathy. In interviews since, John Carder Bush recalled how willing his sister was. How she would cooperate. Sure, there are photos of her looking sad or grumpy, though this was natural for a child. She would always have the time, even if school work or something else demanded more of her precious time. I wanted to return to this part of her life because it was crucial in terms of her career.

The fact Bush was photographed heavily in 1978. After her debut, The Kick Inside, came out, she was already used to be photographed. The experience she got from posing for her brother in part prepared her for a professional career of being photographed. There was this protectiveness from her brother. Making sure that his sister was not being exploited or made to do anything too risqué or inadvisable. Sometimes it was the case a photographer would fool her into something overly-sexual or suggestive. However, it was expected John Carder Bush would be wary of photographers and what their objectives were. I think her brother’s photos are among the most natural and memorable. Getting the best from his sister. As Tom Doyle wrote in his book, Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush, John Carder Bush has recalled how his sister was very quiet but not withdrawn. She was a sweet companion but needed to be pushed forward. Someone who was this extraordinary photographic subject. John Carder Bush was inspired by the pre-Raphaelite children’s book illustrators and the “pen-and-ink Peter Pan fantasias of Arthur Rackham”. John Carder Bush noted those Rackham’s Peter Pan illustrations has something menacing or dark in the background. Rather than capture something cutesy or innocent, her brother was trying to lure something odd and eerie from his shots. Bush wanted something sinister to come through. Tom Doyle writes how John Carder Bush shot his sister using a 35mm camera that allowed two shots for every frame. A thirty-six exposure roll would produce seventy-two shots. John Carder Bush was attracted to the camera as it was cheap. He said it diminished the “potential end quality”. Limited potential for blowing up these images. However, for such a cheap tool, the image quality was really strong! Taken when Kate Bush was aged between eight and twelve (around 1966-1970), these shots show her otherness and otherworldliness. Whether she was whirling or in a dancer’s arched-back pose with a poncho on, there was this incredible fascination. The hippie influences from her brothers (John and Paddy).

One particular standout shot sees her sat on the bonnet of a car with her head in her hands (above). A sort of sullen look but one that projects this incredible sense of star quality. Something radiating from that shot! There  are poses of her scruffy or impish. So many different sides to his sister. John Carder Bush said how he was not instantly aware of his sister’s innate musical gifts and ambitions. He was photographing her because he wanted to document her life. He said how his sister would come back from school but wouldn’t chat for hours about it. She has to be coxed to an extent. In 1986, five-hundred copies were printed and mail order-sold. He did not know there was this fixation and demand when he limited the run. John Carder Bush was annoyed that the books came from the printers in this tight yellow slipcase. It was too late to do anything, because some people could not take the book from its slipcase. That was rectified in 2014 for the new run I believe. When it was reissued in 2014, copies of the original were selling for over £1,000. It stunned him! Still amazed that people would want to see these photos. Tom Doyle notes how the collaboration lasted to 2011 for Director’s Cut, though I believe John Carder Bush also photographed her for 50 Words for Snow (but I may be mistaken). Like the Cathy photos, when John Carder Bush shot his sister for album covers – most notably for Hounds of Love in 1985 – it was always at one of their houses. Not a professional studio. He would just have to move all his kids’ toys out of the way first! There was this relaxed bond because they were so used to one another. You can feel her relaxed and trusting in these shots. There was no commercial pressure too. They could take their time shooting a cover and getting the mood right. The images would also not be sold or find their way into the tabloids because John Carder Bush would never do that. Being able to trust the photographer was so important.

When John Carder Bush spoke about Cathy and the reissue, he noted how nothing had changed. Sure, Bush was a lot older than when he first photographed her, but the eyes and smile were still the same. The most prominent focal points of a photo are the eyes and smile. When you get older, they are unchanged really. The eyes for sure but also the shape of your mouth. In many ways, you can feel similarities between those very early photos and the ones he shot in 2011. “As soon as I look through the lens, she’s back, through all the photos I’ve taken of her over the years”. I am also revisiting this subject because I hope that we a) get another run of Cathy and it is less limited and it retails for somewhere between £50-£100. B, I know that there will be other shots of Kate Bush from throughout the years that I hope will be published. Surely there is another book in him. John Carder Bush did produce the incredible KATE: Inside the Rainbow that was originally published in 2015 and then reprinted in 2021. I love that book and will source from it for future features. I also wanted to go back to Cathy and those incredible photos when Bush was a girl. I wonder if Kate Bush recalls those photos and what she was thinking at the time. It is no wonder fans want to see these photos. They are so evocative and stunning! Imagining what the atmosphere was like at East Wickham Farm. Being able to own a copy of Cathy and leaf through these wonderful pages. Let’s hope another run does come out at an affordable price. That would be good to see that…

ONE day soon.

FEATURE: Coral Rooms: The Homes of Kate Bush

FEATURE:

 

 

Coral Rooms

 

The Homes of Kate Bush

_________

I may do this for another feature…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush standing outside of her family home at East Wickham Farm, Welling (in the London borough of Bexley)

where I trace everywhere Kate Bush lived and worked in London. The studios she recorded out of. Where she took dance classes and did rehearsals for 1979’s The Tour of Life. Today, I want to look at Kate Bush’s homes. Rather than this being tabloid clickbait or invading her privacy, it is interesting to highlight as Bush recorded from home. The setting very important in terms of her albums. How she moved from London and but has not strayed too far from the city. The fact she can get to London quickly enough if she needs to. Of course, we need to start out with Bush’s childhood home: the idyllic East Wickham Farm. I am not aware of any Kate Bush tours but, if you wanted to chart her life and see where she lived, you would start out with East Wickham Farm. Such a Signiant part of her young life and career, I wonder whether Bush has gone back in years since. It must have been this restful paradise for her. So settled and beautiful. This feature from 2015 highlights the magnificent East Wickham Farm:

“The large farmhouse where Kate Bush was raised is almost impossible to see through impenetrable undergrowth and is situated in a surprisingly built-up area on Wickham Street, Welling, on the fringes of South-East London.

East Wickham Farm was the family home where Kate lived with her doctor father, mother and two older brothers, John and Paddy. Her inbuilt wonder and love of music and outpouring of songs, written when a schoolgirl, all began here, surrounded by her family.

Famously ‘discovered’ and encouraged by Dave Gilmour and signed to EMI as a songwriting prodigy, the teenage Kate Bush also formed the KT Bush Band with brother Paddy and three friends, playing South London pubs. The family’s secluded 350-year-old farmhouse home offered a base for an idyllic childhood and subsequently a secure and private environment for her work. Kate, who shares a birthday with Wuthering Heights author Emily Brontë, wrote her ‘version’ at East Wickham Farm.

The conversion of one of the barns into a 24-track studio in 1983 was significant. It gave Kate, who now had four Top 10 albums to her credit, a financial and creative independence to take as long as she wanted over future projects”.

London was important to Kate Bush. In terms of opportunities and recording facilities. She recorded out of AIR Studios, Oxford Street in 1977 and she would record at London studios for much of her career. She spent a lot of her young years there attending dance and mime classes. I did not know that Bush wrote Wuthering Heights away from East Wickham Farm. I always had it in my head that she was there until The Kick Inside was released in 1978 and she moved away. I know that she lived at 44 Wickham Road, Brockley. Situated in quite a quiet and nice part of South London, you can see the property on Google. I wonder how much the property has changed since Bush wrote there in 1977. To go to that property and look up and imagine Kate Bush looking out into the night on 5th March, 1977 and seeing a full moon. This song coming to her. This article from My London talks about that. How Bush did not move too from East Wickham Farm (about seven miles):

“It was a song inspired by the romantic novel of the same title by Emily Bronte and sung from the perspective of the character Catherine Earnshaw who is pleading to be let into Heathcliff's house and be with him.

Kate is believed to have penned the lyrics to the song in only a few hours and did so from her flat in South London.

Kate, who was born in Bexleyheath, never strayed too far from the south of the capital and when she was emerging as a groundbreaking talent she lived in a flat in Wickham Road in Brockley.

The flat Kate lived in was the middle flat of a three flat building and her two brothers were believed to have lived above and below her.

Kate credits her brothers for getting her into music in the first place and through them had her first live performance at the since closed Rose of Lee pub in Lewisham, as well as the Royal Albert in New Cross Road”.

It must have been quite convenient living in Brockley. It meant that Bush was situated not too far from family and she could get to the centre of the city easily. However, as she was dating Del Palmer in the 1970s and the two got serious, they did move out of London. Bush did come back to East Wickham Farm to record Hounds of Love. Bush and Palmer lived in a 17th-century farmhouse in Kent in the 1980s. The farmhouse was near Sevenoaks. Again, not too far from East Wickham Farm, I believe they moved out there in 1983. Bush had a quieter life and could garden and did not have the stress and smog of the city. 1983 was a year for recharge and rebuild. Setting down roots with Del Palmer and moving to a gorgeous property. I am not sure of the exact address, though it was a step up from the flat she had in Brockley. Bush requiring more space and a better environment to create work. I don’t think the London exile lasted too long. Again, not too far from East Wickham Farm (about four miles), Bush resided in Eltham from 1985. This article explains more:

“Bush lived in the Eltham, South East London property between 1985-2003 with the current owners placing it on the market for £3m, reports The Telegraph.

The current owner, Jackie O’Reilly, has paid homage to Bush with a wrought-iron gate at the entrance to the house which has the words ‘Wuthering Heights’ on it in reference to Bush’s 1978 single. “The house was already called that in the title deeds, so we decided to put that in as a homage to Kate,” said O’Reilly.

“I grew up in Eltham, and we always knew it as Kate Bush’s house, and caught odd glimpses of her,” O’Reilly said. “But she clearly valued her privacy. The house is surrounded by large trees, to keep out prying eyes.”

“Kate has long since moved out of the area, but we catch sight of her from time to time,” she added. “Her brother still lives next door, and there is a gate between the two gardens”.

IN THGIS PHOTO: Kate Bush’s former home in Eltham, London

I do love how there was this family connection. Bush living so close to her brothers and near her parents. She did not want to stray too far. That connection with London lasting until 2003. It was clear by then, when she already had a young son (Bertie would have been five or so in 2003), that she needed to relocate and perhaps get away from London. I hear that Bush still has a flat in London, somewhere around South Kensington or Chelsea. Maybe as a base or somewhere to stay if she needs to. However, since 2003, she has lived in larger properties not too far from Greater London. There might be a slight gap in my timeline. I know that Bush moved down to Devon in 2005. Whether she was living somewhere else from 2003-2005, there is this two-gap I am curious about that period. I wonder whether writers like Graeme Thomson or Tom Doyle would have more information about the years 2003-2005. It is crucial as 2005 was the year when Bush released her seventh studio album, Aerial. She would have wanted to move somewhere where there was less press intrusion. As her son was at school and he would have wanted to have a more settled life, it seemed like a good move. Located close to the sea, I think it was a tactical move. The inspiration she could have got from that setting. Though she was privy to ramblers and people walking past the property, I think there was more space and privacy for her there. However, as NME reported in 2014, the property was in danger of falling into the sea:

“Kate Bush‘s Devon cliff top home is in danger of falling into the sea, according to reports.

Council officials have warned the singer that she needs to invest in re-enforcements to prevent the five-bed property, which Bush bought in 2005 for £2.5 million, from toppling into the ocean.

In 2013, a landslip caused a section of the coast near Kingsbridge to fall into the sea. According to the Exeter Express And Echo, the home belonging to Bush’s neighbour is now inches away from the 88-foot drop and the singer’s own property is next in line.

“If you live there you can either accept it and let your house fall into the sea, or you can take action to prevent further damage, although that can cost hundreds of thousands,” said Devon County Council’s Steve Gardner.

“You can attach netting to the cliff face, or another option is spraying it with concrete, although these are very expensive and not something the council would pay for”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush’s Devon mansion/PHOTO CREDIT: SWNS

After Aerial came out, it may have seemed like a sensible idea to move closer to London again. I hear interviews from 2005 where Bush was interviewed at home. I wonder whether that was in Devon or a property down in London perhaps. I can’t imagine journalists schlepping down to Devon. Doing a bit more digging, it seemed that Bush was based near Theale, Berkshire for a long period. She lived there with her husband Danny (or Dan) McIntosh until 2011. It might have been the case that she did promotion for Aerial there. Significant that she moved out in 2011. That was a year when Bush (remarkably) released two new albums – Director’s Cut (May) and 50 Words for Snow (November). I am fascinated by the properties Kate Bush has lived in. I can see why Bush wanted to move into a gorgeous Georgian mansion with Danny McIntosh. This feature from last year from The Standard spotlighted the property and how it has changed since Bush and McIntosh lived there:

“This house is full of my mess/ This house is full of mistakes/ This house is full of madness / This house is full of fight,” sang Kate Bush in “Get Out of My House”. Now, this house is for sale: the singer’s former Berkshire home has been listed with Strutt & Parker for £11.5 million.

Bush bought the Grade II-listed Georgian mansion in the mid-1990s when she was pregnant with her son, Bertie, and lived there with her husband, the guitarist Danny McIntosh, until 2011.

Located on the river Kennet, near the village of Theale, the property was built around 1800 as a miller’s house for the nearby water mill. Standing in 22.54 acres of grounds, Shenfield Mill, as it is known, offered Bush the privacy she was looking for. “I’m really quite a quiet, private person,” she said in an interview for her biography, written by Rob Jovanovic. “It’s quite a surprise to me to think I’m a famous person.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush’s former recording studio has now been converted into a three-bedroom bungalow/PHOTO CREDIT: Strutt & Parker

After moving in, Bush converted two of the property’s outbuildings into a dance and recording studio. It was here that she wrote and recorded Aerial — her first album in 12 years when it was released in 2005 — and 50 Words for Snow. At the time, Bush said that she recorded birdsong from her garden at the house, which she reinterpreted in her voice and used in Aerial. The cover depicts the soundwave of a blackbird song.

“I’ve always been very lucky because I’ve got a lot of creative freedom when I’m working in the studio. The albums don’t cost a lot of money. It’s a very small process,” Bush told the BBC in 2011. “I’ve put a packet of bonemeal on my piano. It seems to be helping the blossoming of the songs.”

Bush sold the property to its current owners, Mike and Fran Taylor, in 2011. “Mike is a very keen fisherman,” says agent Tom Shuttleworth. “You’ve got the river Kennet and the Avon Canal, but when he saw the weir pool, he said: ‘I’ve got to have it.’”

The Taylors undertook a four-year renovation of the house and grounds, which included reroofing and repointing the Georgian property, refurbishing the windows – and almost doubling the house’s footprint by adding a glass extension. Measuring nearly 1,200 square feet, the glass-walled extension —or orangery— overlooks the garden and river, and is connected to the house via a glass link.

“The owners literally took the home back to brick internally,” says Shuttleworth. “It was a real labour of love.”

Now, the Georgian main house measures a total of 7,384 square feet with four bedrooms, the largest of which is almost 500 square feet alone. Bush’s former dance studio has been turned into a two-storey, self-contained cottage with two further bedrooms, while her recording studio is now a three-bedroom bungalow.

Outside, the couple reshaped the property’s gardens, reinstating the eroding riverbanks and creating a walled garden from the historic mill, which had been damaged by a fire in the late 1800s. “They enabled the water to flow through the mill once again, which helps the river Kennet to flow smoothly through the grounds,” says Shuttleworth. “What you’ve got now is a nice combination of order and nature”.

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 2005/PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Leighton

Having moved from Sulhamstead in Berkshire, Bush now resides in Oxfordshire. Clifton Hampden Manor is a splendid and grand property in a quiet part of the world. Again, convenient enough to get down to London, Bush resides in a staggering property. I know that she will have recording facilities somewhere. That was the case when she lived near Theale. I can imagine there is a recording studio down the garden or in a separate building. Before finishing off, this article talks about Bush’s new life:

“Singer-songwriter Kate Bush ordinarily enjoys a very quiet life in South Oxfordshire. With her 1985 song Running Up That Hill topping charts this week thanks to its inclusion in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, she has been thrust into the spotlight once again as a whole new generation enjoys the song - 37 years after its original release.

So will her Victorian manor house near Abingdon be the location of intense celebrations? Probably not...

Kate enjoys a low-key lifestyle in Oxfordshire and recently spoken about how she has swapped her dancing shoes for gardening gloves and can't get enough of getting her hands dirty with her new therapeutic hobby.

Kate Bush previously lived in Theale in west Berkshire, but purchased a large manor house in the south of the county where she moved in 2017 with her son Bertie McIntosh, who attended a private school in Oxford”.

Even though it almost common knowledge that we know where Bush lives, fans like me would never violate her privacy by sending her a letter. I guess some people do though, as she wants her privacy and she would be inundated, everything has to go through her management. Bush has remained in England for her whole life. I don’t think that will change. From London to Devon to Berkshire to Oxfordshire, these are all parts of the country that offered Kate Bush something new. I feel she may stay in Oxfordshire. When a new album does arrive, I guess journalists will be invited to Clifton Hampden Manor. Quite an extraordinary and overwhelming setting to conduct an interview! I think back to Bush’s early life when she moved out of East Wickham Farm and was in Brockley. Would she know what course her life would take and where she would end up?! I said I would do a feature about Kate Bush’s London and the areas she visited, worked in and frequented whether it was for her music or dance classes. That feature should be with you…

VERY soon.

FEATURE: Man We Was Lonely: McCartney at Fifty-Five

FEATURE:

 

 

Man We Was Lonely

 

McCartney at Fifty-Five

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THIS is a significant anniversary…

PHOTO CREDIT: Linda McCartney

as some say that Paul McCartney announcing the release of his first solo album was the reason The Beatles split up. I do not think that was the case. I feel the band broke up in 1970 because it had come to an end. Even if McCartney made an announcement in 1970 that he was not working with the group anymore, the breakup of the band was not formalised until 1974. On 17th April, 1970, McCartney was released. This brilliant album was recorded it in secrecy, with McCartney using basic home-recording equipment at his house in St John's Wood, London. There are contributions from his wife Linda but, for the most part, this was Paul McCartney performing on his own and recording to four-track. Very different to the sheen and polish of Beatles albums like Abbey Road (1969) and Let It Be (1970), this was something a lor more basic. There was some critical backlash in 1970 as they felt this album and McCartney had split up The Beatles. Ahead of the fifty-fifth anniversary of McCartney, I want to get to some praise. Give some background to the album. The album was a big commercial success. However, match that to the critical negativity and vilification Paul McCartney received, it is only in subsequent years that McCartney has been heralded by some. However, there are those who feel the album is ragged, underdeveloped and mediocre. I think that is short-sighted. It is sad that there are no retrospective features that herald the album and note its quality. Although Paul McCartney would release better albums, I think that his first eponymous album – McCartney II arrived in 1980; McCartney III in 2020 -, is a really important document. At a time when his band were breaking up, it is an insight into his mind and personal life. There are some incredible tracks on the album.

It seems that most reviews for the album come with a note of caution or disappointment. The fact that many might see it as responsible for killing The Beatles rather than judging it on its own merits. It was obviously important for Paul McCartney to release a solo album. Rather than it being this rushed release that confirmed he was no longer with the band, this is music he felt he could not release with The Beatles. I don’t think it is fair it got the criticism it did. I want to move to a review from the BBC from 2011:

“In 1970 Paul McCartney left The Beatles and set about sloughing off seven years’ worth of extravagant wardrobes and philosophies that no longer fitted or suited him, and embarked upon a solo career that would reveal ‘the real’ Thumbs Aloft. Obviously, being one of an equal partnership in the world’s biggest/most important rock/pop group meant that his aesthetic had been asserted plenty of times before, in most recent memory during the back-to-basics Let It Be sessions. But this time he was going to give us more than just a glimpse of the boy-next-door millionaire idol.

He played everything on this album. We were left in no doubt that his claim that Ringo wasn’t even the best drummer in The Beatles, while snide, wasn’t entirely rash. Everything about this album says, "This is organic – this is me freed from John’s pretension and artifice". McCartney’s homely, almost idiot-savant, gift for songwriting seemed to be undiminished now that he was on his own. Opening track The Lovely Linda, although barely more than a sketch, was written in order to try out a new 4-track. Macca was back to being the guy who couldn't make a cup of tea without it inspiring a top 40 hit. His creative wellspring had been topped up by spending more time with his kin. This was revealed by the design for the album, compiled from Linda’s (excellent) holiday snaps. The iconic image of cherries left on a seaside wall for birds to feed on has slowly usurped the actual cover art of Macca with cherubic baby Stella peeking out of the lining of his sheepskin.

This said, it hadn't been an entirely clean break. Some of the tunes were left over from the Fab Four endgame. Junk was originally written in the Maharishi’s camp and Teddy Boy was a Let It Be reject. But even some of the songs that seemed to have an exotic nature were deceptively domestic. Kreen-Akrore may well have been about rainforest tribesmen, but McCartney’s information came directly from a TV documentary he watched with his family. And, really, this is what this album is: written and recorded by a victor, someone who has successfully negotiated his retreat from being one of the most famous people on the face of the planet to blissful semi-retirement to the homestead. He would go on greater things – including McCartney II, released a decade later – but this debut album represents a necessary start to the most consistently pleasing solo career of all The Beatles”.

That review was published to coincide with the reissue of McCartney. If this album was released after Let It Be, I don’t think it would have received quite the same level of attack. Released a month before that album in 1970, it was perceived as McCartney breaking up the band. I will mark Let It Be at fifty-five closer to its anniversary in May. Before getting to a 1970 interview from Paul McCartney, I want to bring in a passage from The Paul McCartney Project:

“Released in 1970, a month before The Beatles’ swansong Let It Be, McCartney was Paul’s first solo album. Notable for the fact that he performed all instruments and vocals himself, aside from some backing vocals performed by Linda, it’s an album rich in experimentation, and the original home of ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’. “The McCartney album was good fun,” Paul remembers, “because I got a machine from EMI, only a four-track, and I just had it in my living room where I lived in London at the time. I’d just go in for the day like Monsieur Magritte. Go in and do a little bit of stuff and make something up, and knock off in the evenings. It was very interesting to do and it had a certain kind of rawness, because I was breaking loose after The Beatles, we all got a feeling of that, I think. During the Beatles period I’d said to John, ‘I think I should do an album called Paul McCartney Goes Too Far”. He said, ‘That’s a great idea man, you should do it.’ Of course, I never really did. It was just, Well, I’ll do it one day”.

The interview I want to bring in is from a press release for Apple Records in 1970. Published on 9th April, 1970, there are some interesting questions and exchanges. I wonder how Paul McCartney feels about the album fifty-five years later. It must have been such a strange and stressful time for him:

“Q: Why did you decide to make a solo album?

A: Because I got a Studer 4-track recording machine at home – practised on it (playing all instruments) – like the results and decided to make it into an album.

Q: Were you influenced by John’s adventures with the Plastic Ono Band, and Ringo’s solo LP?

A: Sort of, but not really.

Q: Are all the songs by Paul McCartney alone?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Will they be so credited: McCartney?

A: It’s a bit daft for them to be Lennon-McCartney-credited, so ‘McCartney’ it is.

Q: Did you enjoy working as a solo?

A: Very much. I only had me to ask for a decision, and I agreed with me. Remember Linda’s on it too, so it’s really a double act.

Q: What is Linda’s contribution?

A: Strictly speaking she harmonises, but of course it’s more than that because she is a shoulder to lean on, a second opinion, and a photographer of renown. More than all this, she believes in me – constantly.

Q: Where was the album recorded?

A: At home, at EMI (No. 2 studio) and at Morgan studios (Willesden!).

Q: What is your home equipment (in some detail)?

A: Studer 4-track machine. I only had, however, one mike, and, as Mr Pender, Mr Sweatham and others only managed to take six months or so (slight delay), I worked without VU meters or a mixer, which meant that everything had to be listened to first (for distortion, etc…) then recorded. So the answer – Studer, one mike and nerve.

Q: Why did you choose to work in the studios you chose?

A: They were available. EMI is technically good, and Morgan is cosy.

Q: The album was not known about until it was nearly completed. Was this deliberate?

A: Yes, because normally an album is old before it comes out. (aside) Witness ‘Get Back’.

Q: Why?

A: I’ve always wanted to buy a Beatles album like ‘people’ do and be as surprised as they must be. So this was the next best thing. Linda and I are the only two who will be sick of it by the release date. We love it really.

Q: Are you able to describe the texture or the feel of the theme of the album in a few words?

A: Home, Family, Love.

Q: How long did it take to complete – from when to when?

A: From just before (I think) Xmas, until now. The Lovely Linda was the first thing I recorded at home, and was originally to test the equipment. That was around Xmas.

Q: Assuming all the songs are new to the public, how new are they to you? Are they recent?

A: One was 1959 (‘Hot As Sun’), two from India (‘Junk’, ‘Teddy Boy’), and the rest are pretty recent. ‘Valentine Day’, ‘Momma Miss America’, and ‘OO you’ were ad-libbed on the spot.

Q: Which instruments have you played on the album?

A: Bass, drums, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, piano and organ-Mellotron, toy xylophone, bow and arrow.

Q: Have you played all these instruments on earlier recordings?

A: Yes – drums being the one that I would normally do.

Q: Why did you do all the instruments yourself?

A: I think I’m pretty good.

Q: Will Linda be heard on all future recordings?

A: Could be; we love singing together, and have plenty of opportunity for practice.

Q: Will Paul and Linda become a John and Yoko?

A: No, they will become a Paul and Linda.

Q: Are you pleased with your work?

A: Yes.

Q: Will the other Beatles receive the first copies?

A: Wait and see.

Q: What has recording alone taught you?

A: That to make your own decisions about what you do is easy and playing with yourself is difficult but satisfying”.

“Q: "Why did you decide to make a solo album?"

Paul: "Because I got a Studer four-track recording machine at home, practiced on it, liked the results, and decided to make an album."

Q: "Were you influenced by John's adventures with the Plastic Ono Band?"

Paul: "Sort of, but not really."

Q: "Are all songs by Paul McCartney alone?"

Paul: "Yes, sir."

Q: "Will they be so credited?"

Paul: "It's a bit daft for them to be Lennon/McCartney-credited, so 'McCartney' it is."

Q: "Did you enjoy working as a solo artist?"

Paul: "Very much, as I only had me to ask for a decision, and I generally agreed with myself! Remember, Linda's on it too, so it's really a double act."

Q: "What is Linda's contribution?"

Paul: "Strictly speaking, she harmonizes, but of course it's more than that, because she's a shoulder to lean on, a second opinion, and a photographer of renown. More than all this, she believes in me constantly."

Q: "Where was the album recorded?"

Paul: "At home, at EMI, and at Morgan Studios."

Q: "What is your home equipment - in some detail?"

Paul: "Studer four-track machine. I only had, however, one mike, and I worked without VU meters or a mixer, which meant that everything had to be listened to first for distortion, etc, then recorded. So the answer - Studer, one mike, and nerve."

Q: "Why did you choose to work in the studios you chose?"

Paul: "They were available. EMI is technically very good and Morgan is cozy."

Q: "The album was not known about until it was nearly completed. Was this deliberate?"

Paul: "Yes, because normally an album is old before it even comes out. Witness 'Let It Be.'"

Q: "Why?"

Paul: "I've always wanted to buy a Beatles album like people do and be as surprised as they must be. So this was the next best thing. Linda and I are the only two who will be sick of it by the release date. But we love it really."

Q: "Are you able to describe the texture or feel of the album?"

Paul: "Home, family, love."

Q: "How long did it take to complete?"

Paul: "From just before Christmas, until now. 'The Lovely Linda' was the first thing I recorded at home and was originally to test the equipment. That was around Christmas."

Q: "Assuming all the songs are new to the public, how new are they to you?"

Paul: "One was from 1959 - 'Hot As Sun.' Two are from India - 'Junk' and 'Teddy Boy.' and the rest are pretty recent. 'Valentine Day,' 'Momma Miss America' and 'Oo You' were ad-libbed on the spot."

Q: "Which instruments have you played on the record?"

Paul: "Bass, drums, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, piano, organ, mellotron, toy xylophone, bow and arrow."

Q: "Why did you play all the instruments yourself?"

Paul: "I think I'm pretty good."

Q: "Will Linda be heard on all future records?"

Paul: "Could be. We love singing together and have plenty of opportunity for practice."

Q: "Will Paul and Linda become a John and Yoko?"

Paul: "No, they will become a Paul and Linda."

Q: "What has recording alone taught you?"

Paul: "That to make your own decisions about what you do is easy, and playing with yourself is very difficult but satisfying."

Q: "Is it true that neither Allen Klein nor ABKCO have been nor will be in any way involved with the production, manufacturing, or promotion of this new album?"

Paul: "Not if I can help it."

Q: "Did you miss the other Beatles and George Martin? Was there a moment when you thought, 'I wish Ringo were here for this break?'"

Paul: "No!"

Q: "Assuming this is a very big hit album, will you do another?"

Paul: "Even if it isn't, I will continue to do what I want, when I want."

Q: "Are you planning a new album or single with the Beatles?"

Paul: "No."

Q: "Is this album a rest away from the Beatles or the start of a solo career?"

Paul: "Time will tell. Being a solo means it's 'the start of a solo career...' and not being done with the Beatles means it's just a rest. So it's both really."

Q: "Is your break with the Beatles temporary or permanent, due to personal differences or musical ones?"

Paul: "Personal differences, business differences, musical differences, but most of all because I have a better time with my family. Temporary or permanent? I don't really know."

Q: "Do you foresee a time when Lennon/McCartney becomes an active songwriting partnership again?"

Paul: "No."

Q: "What do you feel about John's peace efforts? The Plastic Ono Band? Giving back his MBE? Yoko's influence?"

Paul: "I love John and respect what he does, but it doesn't really give me any pleasure."

Q: "Were any of the songs on the album originally written with the Beatles in mind?"

Paul: "The older ones were. 'Junk' was intended for 'Abbey Road,' but something happened. 'Teddy Boy' was for 'Let It Be,' but something happened again."

Q: "Were you pleased with 'Abbey Road'? Was it musically restricting?"

Paul: "It was a good album... number one for a long time”.

I think I might wrap up with one more review. It is useful having those words from Paul McCartney about his first solo album. Released at a time when The Beatles were still together, it has never received the love it deserved because of the timing. Also based around the 2011 reissue, Consequence shared their thoughts on McCartney. If seen as inferior to work he would go on to make, I think few McCartney solo albums are as important as his debut:

“When The Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney certainly didn’t waste any time before launching his solo album McCartney. Wanting a distraction from the break-up of the band, McCartney decided to release McCartney three weeks before The Beatles’ last album Let it Be and only one week after he publicly announced his split from the band. The decision created an even greater rift between him and his former bandmates and angered a lot of loyal Beatles fans who thought McCartney should have delayed the release of his solo debut out of respect for them.

Despite the bad (or good, depending how you looked at it) timing, and even though McCartney produced many chart-topping all-time favorites, such as the timeless “Maybe I’m Amazed”, the album was universally panned by critics at the time. They found McCartney’s rock/pop effort to be lightweight, especially in comparison to John Lennon’s more “daring” solo project. Even Lennon and George Harrison didn’t have many kind words about it, Lennon especially noting the album’s “lack of quality.”  The public though, didn’t take long to warm up to it and 31 years later, McCartney, now a double-disc, will be winning over new fans with its sharp remastering and nostalgic journey through the many vibrant emotions on the album. McCartney started writing songs for it as early as 1969 and, though it doesn’t sound groundbreaking in this day and age, he ended up playing every single instrument on the album from the Mellotron to the “bow and arrow” (with backing vocals supplied by his wife Linda) and the entire LP was originally recorded in his house.

Mixed by the Abbey Road team who did the reissued Beatles catalog, and last year’s Band on the Run, the reissued McCartney probably sounds fresher than it did in 1970. All the favorites are still present but in a much sharper tone. The aforementioned and heartbreakingly sincere “Maybe I’m Amazed”, the bluesy rumble of “That Would Be Something” and the involving “Teddy Boy” are joined by a few new surprises. There are outtakes and demos like “Suicide” (a song he wrote when he was 14) and “Woman Kind”, an extra version of “Junk” that turns the song’s minimalism on its head by making it into a swaying instrumental version, “Don’t Cry” (another instrumental re-imagining, this one of “Oo You”), plus a range of live recordings done in Glasgow in 1979 .

McCartney might still sound “lightweight” to some, but it’s an album brimming with the emotional possibilities of love, the realism of depression, and the seductive cries of the unknown. McCartney was such a strong, driving part of The Beatles that it was impossible for his talent and progress to not come through on this album. Yes, the bonus tracks weren’t a necessary addition here, but there’s no denying that McCartney is a near-perfect presentation of the well-crafted rock/pop songs that he was (and still is) famous for, and the rare emotional sincerity that shines through. This album finally allowed McCartney to break free from the constraints that at least he felt was holding him back in the Beatles and gave him permission to explore his musical pathways. The result is retrospective and introspective at the same time. A look back – and a look into – the man he was”.

I am going to leave things there. On 17th April, it will be fifty-five years since the release of the brilliant McCartney. Neil Young is a fan of the album. He said as much when inducting Paul McCartney into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. McCartney himself had great fun making it and says it may have invented Indie music. That idea of knocking about and the D.I.Y. approach. Look at the artists since who have created homemade albums and you can trace that back to 1970’s McCartney. For that reason alone, we need to show it more love. With some beautiful and timeless songs, this album is worthy of celebration. I still think it sound amazing, inspiring and fresh….

IN 2025.

FEATURE: The Digital Mixtape: Some Golden B-Sides

FEATURE:

 

 

The Digital Mixtape

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo By: Kaboompics.com/Pexels

 

Some Golden B-Sides

_________

THOUGH I might have…

PHOTO CREDIT: Beyzaa Yurtkuran/Pexels

put out a playlist years back highlighting great B-sides, I wanted to revisit it. The reason is because the B-side is a thing of the past. We are sort of robbed of these kind of tracks. Maybe not deemed album or single-worthy, they would otherwise have been disposed of. Although artists do reissue albums with outtakes and unreleased songs, I do miss the B-side. When you would buy a C.D. single and there was this interesting B-side. On some occasions, the B-side was actually better than the A-side! We can all name some amazing B-sides. Maybe The Beatles’ Rain (the B-side of 1966’s Paperback Writer) is my favourite. There are some classic examples. I do long to see a day when we might get physical singles again and B-sides. For now, in digital form, I have compiled some of the very best B-sides from throughout the year. Many people consider B-sides to be irrelevant or weak tracks that were not good enough to go on albums. I argue that the examples below are…

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay/Pexels

STRONGER than that.

FEATURE: Don't Salute Me I'm Only the Piano Player: Kate Bush and the Lack of Piano Idols in Her Formative Years

FEATURE:

 

 

Don't Salute Me I'm Only the Piano Player

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush performing at the Falkoner Teateret in Copenhagen, Denmark on The Tour of Life (or The Lionheart Tour) in April 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Jorgen Angel

 

Kate Bush and the Lack of Piano Idols in Her Formative Years

_________

THIS is a subject…

IN THIS PHOTO: Elton John in 1975/PHOTO CREDIT: Terry O’Neill/Iconic Images

that I have alluded to in previous features. When I wrote about Kate Bush’s music pin-ups when she was a child, I did mention one particular artist who was an inspiration. That drew her to the piano. Think about aspiring artists and their childhood and teen years. These are the times when they are forming opinions about music and being compelled by various different sounds. Look at any legendary artist and you can trace their influences. Depending on the genre, you can usually find musical comfort. What happens when you are not a conventional artist and there are very few idols and those you can identify with? Thinking about Kate Bush, I have mentioned some of her music influences before. Whether that is Donavon, Roxy Music or Captain Beefheart, most of these artists were backed by guitars, bass and drums. Kate Bush’s music, or at least her earliest work, had the piano at the forefront. Apart from Classical music and very niche work, there were not many artists in the mainstream at least that Bush could find strength from. No familiar faces in that sense. It must have been quite isolating. Even though Bush learnt piano from her father and there was that connection, it was not like she could put on the T.V. and find many artists playing piano. Or at least using that as their primary influence. The same with the radio. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, most of the commercial music Bush would have heard was from artists where perhaps guitar was at the forefront. Elton John was a bit of a revelation. An artist who then and now is synonymous with piano, this must have been a revelation and lifeline for Bush. It is concerning how Elton John was almost unique in that sense. Someone very much inspired by the piano, there is no doubt his music was a big source of influence for Kate Bush starting out. Throughout her career.

Granted, Bush’s family first drew her to the piano. For many artists, they pick up an instrument because an artist they admire plays it. I think a lot of the music Bush was exposed to as a child would have been quite varied. There was Folk and Classical music. She would have discovered music through her brothers and some of the more experimental or unorthodox artists. Very few of them were piano-based. Without many out there giving her some sort of guidance, it almost fell to Elton John alone to propel and motivate her. At a point in Bush’s career, the piano was still very much in the mix but she adopted electronic technology and widened her palette. However, you only need to listen to an album like 50 Words for Snow – where Elton John appeared on Snowed in at Wheeler Street – to see this wonderful full circle moment. The final track on the album, Among Angels, is just Bush and the piano. I am trying to think of any other tracks of her where she is alone at the piano and we get such a naked and unadorned performance. I think that is significant. Earlier in her career, Bush was mixing the piano with a band by her side. There would be additional layers. Very few moments where the piano was out front and on its own. Even some of the best piano moments from The Kick Inside (her 1978 debut album), such as Wuthering Heights, James and the Cold Gun and The Kick Inside had other elements in the blend. However, Among Angels is a song where there is this clear and incredible intimacy. Bush and the piano. I often speculate what another album might sound like. I think it will feature piano heavily. Perhaps not quite as layered as Aerial (2005) or her earlier work. It made me think about modern music.

IN THIS PHOTO: Tori Amos in San Francisco for Keyboard magazine in 1992/PHOTO CREDIT: Jay Blakesberg

I think Kate Bush helped open the door for other artists. You can look at Tori Amos and similarities. Even though many compare Bush and Amos, they are their own artists. However, it is evident that Bush was influential to Tori Amos. Her first couple of albums – 1992’s Little Earthquakes and 1994’s Under the Pink – very much has piano at its heart. Tori Amos inspiring a whole generation of artists. I look around music today and there are not many artists who are synonymous with the piano. Not that many in the mainstream at least. I know artists such as Nils Frahm that spring to mind. However, think about a child or teen now who is thinking of taking up a career in music. If they love the piano, are there any artists succeeding and popular that they can aspire to be? I wonder what it is about the piano. Maybe people think it is a limited instrument when it comes to scope and impact. This cliché stereotype that it is quite a boring or Classic instrument that cannot be adapted and cross into multiple genres. That is not the case. Maybe Joni Mitchell was another musician that Bush could look up to but there were not many others. Today, I do worry that a potential innovator like Kate Bush might be demotivated or feel alone because of a lack of modern-day piano-based artists.

I know EMI’s Bob Mercer recommended Pink Floyd manager Steve O’Rourke to the family; paid for piano lessons so that she could refine her technique. I do love this recent feature from Prog, who explored and discuss The Kick Inside on its forty-seventh anniversary:

“Outside of the band, Kate had enrolled in dance classes in Covent Garden led by Lindsay Kemp, mime artist Adam Darius and jazz dancer Robin Kovac. Back in her flat, in the company of kittens Zoodle and Pye, she applied herself to improving her vocals and playing her piano.

“I’d get up in the morning, practise scales at my piano, go off dancing, and then in the evening I’d come back and play the piano all night,” she told VH1, recalling the remarkably hot summer of 1976. “I had all the windows open and I used to write until four in the morning. I got a letter of complaint from a neighbour who was basically saying, ‘Shut up!’ They got up at five to do shift work and my voice carried the length of the street”.

Kate Bush obviously has inspired so many artists. She will do for years to come. I think that her piano playing and how important that is when we discuss her music will give voice and strength to those who feel there are very few artists out there promulgating this wonderful instrument. How Bush in the 1970s and even 1980s would not have seen too many other artists whose primary instrument was the piano. I know Bush learned the violin as a child but it is the piano that spoke to her in a way nothing else did. We can thank Elton John, this little light in an ocean of guitars, drums and other instruments, for showing that you could be a major artist and play the piano (even though John’s songs bring in many other instruments). There are many things to admire about Kate Bush. One of them is the fact that she is undoubtably…

A piano icon.

FEATURE: Pretty and Blue: Kate Bush: The Orchestral and Epic

FEATURE:

 

 

Pretty and Blue

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1985/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari

 

Kate Bush: The Orchestral and Epic

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I am sort of going to…

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional photo for 2011’s 50 Words for Snow

briefly nod back to The Man with the Child in His Eyes from 1975. That song was recorded almost fifty years ago now. One of Kate Bush’s earliest professionally recorded songs, I think its beauty is heightened and defined by its strings. Bush recalling how nervous she was having an orchestra behind her. Even though those string parts were recorded at AIR Studios, London, I always associate Bush’s orchestral and epic moments with Abbey Road Studios. It does not need to be strings and an orchestra. Look at songs from Never for Ever (1980) and The Dreaming (1982). I think the history, grandeur and reputation of that studio enforced some of the most ambitious and big moments from those albums. Think about the rush and drama of Babooshka; the scale and epicness of Breathing (from Never for Ever). Hear The Dreaming and songs Sat in Your Lap, Houidini and Get Out of My House. Even though most of the tracks were not recorded out of Abbey Road Studios, I do think that the studios have this sort of pull that compelled Bush to think in a Classical sense. Maybe more akin to film or a production, I have often wondered what it would sound like if Kate Bush ever did another gig and was backed by an orchestra. Hearing some of these iconic songs paired with some wonderful strings. Houidini is another example of strings featuring and not being too overt. If there was a romance and sense of longing when it came to The Man with the Child in His Eyes and the orchestration, there is something darker when it comes to Houdini. With string arrangement by Dave Lawson and Andrew Powell (who produced Bush’s first two albums), there is something sweeping, sombre, haunted and also sensual. Maybe a slightly different palette to The Man with the Child in His Eyes.

If Houdini is exceptional because of Bush’s production and vocal performance, we get this new level with the orchestra. Seemingly more raw and gothic than ever before, this would perhaps inspire Bush to use orchestration in some of the best moments from albums such as Hounds of Love (1985) and Aerial (2005). I don’t think enough people have discussed the orchestration in some of Bush’s songs. I want to separate the orchestral and epic. There are plenty of these huge moments where strings were not involved. Bush was always ambitious but you can notice her songs becoming more cinematic and larger in terms of their scope and sound - especially from 1982 onwards. Before moving through her catalogue, it is worth noting that Cloudbusting, the Paradox Orchestra, and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra have paid tribute to Kate Bush and her music. Back in 2018, the Gothenburg Symphony and guest artists Jennie Abrahamson and Malin Dahlström performed an unmissable concert. I will end with Kate Bush’s most recent studio album, 50 Words for Snow, and its use of orchestration and that Classic sound - in a different way to previous albums. How each album where strings and orchestra are involved is a bit different. In November, Kate Bush tribute act, Cloudbusting, will be performing with the West London Sinfonia. On 19th July, the Paradox Orchestra are presenting a groundbreaking adaptation of Kate Bush’s work for orchestra and live vocalists. There is this appreciation of her music and how there is a transition and translation. Pop and Art Rock songs now fusing with Classical elements. Bringing these epic embers and creating this beautiful fire. I do love how Abbey Road Studios has been used by Bush for years now for recording orchestral parts. You can really feel the studio and its sense of space and gravitas in those recordings.

It is appropriate that Cloudbusting are staging an orchestral tribute to Kate Bush. That song, from Hounds of Love, is a case of tasteful orchestration creating something stirring and romantic. That word (romantic) is one that is common to all songs of Bush’s featuring strings. Dave Lawson and Kate Bush arranged and produced The Medici String Sextet. If strings (whether real or electronic) are perfectly used on songs like Hounds of Love and Under Ice, it is when Bush uses The Medici String Sextet that we get the biggest rush. Her creating something truly cinematic. The best example is Hounds of Love’s penultimate track, Hello Earth. Bush was inspired by Neil Armstrong’s lunar epiphany. How he said that the “tiny pea” (Earth) was “pretty and blue”. This speck viewed from space, you get this sense of the heroine’s ghost looking down at the sea from above. The Ninth Wave is about a woman lost at sea after falling into the water. She needed to create something orchestral for a pivotal moment. On the song’s second verse, Bush is watching a storm break over America. Revelation from Bush as to how she ended up in the ocean. This emotional and big moment on Hounds of Love. Michael Kamen was drafted to arrange. Having worked on film scores, he brought some of that experience to Hello Earth. Moving the strings within and around the story, he approached it very much like scoring a movie scene. Also included were the Richard Hickox Singers. They were directed by Richard Hickox and arranged for voices by Michael Berkeley. The vocal section is inspired by a Georgian folk song called Zinzkaro (By the Spring). Bush commented on two black holes in the master tape arrangement for the song. When the drums drop out, there was this gap. Inspired by the male choir in Werner Herzog’s 1979 film, Nosferatu the Vampyre, and the soundtrack by Popol Vuh, Bush approached Herzog and Vuh’s Florian Fricke. On a couple of moments on Aerial, we hear the London Metropolitan Orchestra. They appear on Prologue. On 50 Words for Snow, there are orchestral arrangements by Jonathan Tunick (he conducted too). The orchestra sessions were recorded at Abbey Road Studios. From her first professional recordings to her most recent studio album, Bush has mixed the orchestral and epic. Whether recorded at Abbey Road Studios or elsewhere, I was intrigued to dissect and explore songs and albums where strings and orchestration play a big role. I maybe have missed some example. It was important to write about this as not many people have. Revelling in the moments where Kate Bush’s music was…

CINEMATIC and widescreen.

FEATURE: The Girl That’s Driving Me Mad: The Beatles' Ticket to Ride at Sixty

FEATURE:

 

 

The Girl That’s Driving Me Mad

  

The Beatles' Ticket to Ride at Sixty

_________

RECORDED on 15th February, 1965…

and released on 9th April, I want to look ahead to the sixtieth anniversary of The Beatles’ Ticket to Ride. The first single from their fifth studio album, Help!, it became The Beatles' seventh consecutive number one in the U.K. and their third consecutive number one hit (and eighth in total) in the U.S. Viewed as psychological deeper than anything the band released to that point. Ticket to Ride was primarily written by John Lennon but credited to Lennon-McCartney. One of The Beatles’ best-loved and acclaimed singles, I am going to come to some background about the song and usual information. I am going to start with some critical reaction to Ticket to Ride:

“In his contemporary review of the single, Derek Johnson of the NME admired the "depth of sound" and "tremendous drive" of the recording. Music critics Richie Unterberger of AllMusic and Ian MacDonald both feel that "Ticket to Ride" is an important milestone in the evolution of the musical style of the Beatles. Unterberger said, "the rhythm parts on 'Ticket to Ride' were harder and heavier than they had been on any previous Beatles outing, particularly in Ringo Starr's stormy stutters and rolls." MacDonald describes it as "psychologically deeper than anything the Beatles had recorded before ... extraordinary for its time – massive with chiming electric guitars, weighty rhythm, and rumbling floor tom-toms", and he views the production as a signal of the band's next major change of musical direction, with "Tomorrow Never Knows" in April 1966. MacDonald also comments that, while the Kinks' "See My Friends" has been identified as the inspiration for the Beatles' use of Indian instrumentation later in 1965, the subtle drone in "Ticket to Ride" could equally have influenced the Kinks when they recorded "See My Friends".

Writing for Mojo in 2002, musician and journalist Bob Stanley said the track was "where moptop Beatlemania ends and [the Beatles]' weightless, ageless legend begins". In his song review for Blender, Johnny Black similarly described it as a "watershed" recording and attributed its relatively poor US sales to the song's "weird soup of hypnotically chiming, droning guitars, stuttering drums and contrasting vocal textures that, in the context of the 1965 charts, was far ahead of its time". Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph sees a darker edge to Lennon's lyric writing during the Help! period and he cites "the drone of riffing, proto-heavy-rock song Ticket to Ride" as an example of the band's more sophisticated sound, and of how the album "contains some of their greatest early songs". Writing for Rough Guides, Chris Ingham similarly views the track as "magnificently brooding" and "the most intense music The Beatles had yet recorded". In his review of Help! for BBC Music, David Quantick includes "Ticket to Ride" among the album's "flashes of brilliance" and describes it as "the song that saw The Beatles take on The Kinks, the Stones and The Who at their own, more rocky game".

Prior to finishing off with a feature from Stereogum, I want to get to this interesting feature from the Beatles Bible. Although it has been disputed whether John Lennon wrote most of the song, it was an even split between him and Paul McCartney or McCartney deserves more credit, it is clear that this was a revelation and revolution from a band who had developed so quickly. One of their most accomplished songs to that point. It remains this masterpiece that hinted at what would follow. The Help! album was released in August 1965:

‘Ticket To Ride’ was the first song to be released from Help!, The Beatles’ fifth album. The band’s performance of the song, filmed on the ski slopes in Austria, was one of the highlights of the Help! film.

The song was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, although the precise nature of their contributions has been disputed. In one of his final interviews, Lennon claimed it as mainly his work.

That was one of the earliest heavy-metal records made. Paul’s contribution was the way Ringo played the drums.

John Lennon
All We Are Saying, David Sheff

In his authorised biography, published in 1994, McCartney claimed ‘Ticket To Ride’ to have been a more collaborative effort.

We wrote the melody together; you can hear on the record, John’s taking the melody and I’m singing harmony with it. We’d often work those out as we wrote them. Because John sang it, you might have to give him 60 per cent of it. It was pretty much a work job that turned out quite well…

John just didn’t take the time to explain that we sat down together and worked on that song for a full three-hour songwriting session, and at the end of it all we had all the words, we had the harmonies, and we had all the little bits.

Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

McCartney also explained how he was particularly proud of the double-time coda in ‘Ticket To Ride’:

I think the interesting thing was a crazy ending: instead of ending like the previous verse, we changed the tempo. We picked up one of the lines, ‘My baby don’t care’, but completely altered the melody. We almost invented the idea of a new bit of a song on the fade-out with this song; it was something specially written for the fade-out, which was very effective but it was quite cheeky and we did a fast ending. It was quite radical at the time.

Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

The first Beatles single to be longer than three minutes, ‘Ticket To Ride’ was heralded by the music press upon its release as a departure from the group’s familiar territory. Certainly its unusual drum patterns and downbeat lyrics were a departure from The Beatles’ usual upbeat optimism.

‘Ticket To Ride’ was slightly a new sound at the time. It was pretty f*****g heavy for then, if you go and look in the charts for what other music people were making. You hear it now and it doesn’t sound too bad; but it’d make me cringe. If you give me the A track and I remix it, I’ll show you what it is really, but you can hear it there. It’s a heavy record and the drums are heavy too. That’s why I like it.

John Lennon, 1970
Anthology

The song’s meaning has been subject to a number of interpretations over the years. While ostensibly about a liberated girl choosing her own path in life, a pair of incidents in The Beatles’ past may have inspired the song in part.

McCartney’s cousin Bett and her husband Mike Robbins owned a pub on Union Street in Ryde, on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. In the early 1960s Lennon and McCartney hitch-hiked to stay with them, and several years later the journey inspired a pun on the phrase ‘ticket to Ryde’ in the song.

I remember talking about Ryde but it was John’s thing.

Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

McCartney was more forthcoming about the Ryde connection in his 2021 book The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present:

John and I always liked wordplay. So, the phrase ‘She’s got a ticket to ride’ of course referred to riding on a bus or train, but – if you really want to know – it also referred to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, where my cousin Betty and her husband Mike were running a pub. That’s what they did; they ran pubs. He ended up as an entertainment manager at a Butlin’s holiday resort. Betty and Mike were very showbiz. It was great fun to visit them, so John and I hitchhiked down to Ryde, and when we wrote the song we were referring to the memory of this trip. It’s very cute now to think of me and John in a little single bed, top and tail, and Betty and Mike coming to tuck us in.

Paul McCartney
The Lyrics: 1956 To The Present”

I am going to end with Stereogum. As part of their feature series that looks at iconic number one singles (in the U.S.), they shared their opinions on The Beatles’ Ticket to Ride in 2018. Although it only stayed at number one for a week in the U.S., it made a huge impact around the world:

“Of all the Beatles songs that made it to #1 in the US — and there were so, so many of them — “Ticket To Ride” is, for my money, the best. It’s the one where it suddenly became obvious, to anyone paying attention, that being world-dominating pop stars wasn’t enough for this band. It’s the moment it became obvious that they were going to use their position as world-dominating pop stars to bend and twist and pull the sounds on the radio, translating them into something new, something wild. It’s a transitional moment for the Beatles. And it’s the transitional moment where everything that was ever great about them — the melodic fire, the excitement, the wandering-spirit restlessness — came together into something beautiful.

John Lennon wrote most of “Ticket To Ride,” though Paul McCartney has taken credit for a decent chunk of it. And Lennon once called “Ticket To Ride” “one of the earliest heavy metal records made.” He was wrong, and he was wrong for interesting reasons. The real early heavy metal bands — including Vanilla Fudge, who released their cover of “Ticket To Ride” two years after the Beatles’ original came out — turned blues progressions into something leaden and overwhelming. That music was heavy because it dragged you down into its sodden, wrathful headspace. But what makes “Ticket To Ride” sing is its lightness — the way it’s always dancing away from you.

There are sounds on “Ticket To Ride” that had never made it anywhere near the top of the charts before. There’s George Harrison’s glistening Rickenbacher riff — a starry-eyed jangle that helped make the world safe for the Byrds and for the psychedelic folk-rock hordes that would follow. There’s the low-end drone of the bass, which foreshadowed the Beatles’ interest in Indian ragas. There’s Ringo Starr’s awkwardly perfect stop-start drumming, which sends electric shocks pulsing all through the song.

These things should’ve made brains explode when the Beatles suddenly brought them to the radio. Maybe they did; I wasn’t around to tell. But the Beatles didn’t hit #1 just by indulging their most experimental impulses. “Ticket To Ride” resonated the way it did because the band figured out how to plug these impulses into one hell of a pop song.

“Ticket To Ride” is a song about heartbreak. Lennon opens it up by wailing, “I think I’m gonna be sad / I think it’s todaaaaaay.” At the beginning of that line, he’s calm, sober, almost matter-of-fact. But by the time McCartney joins in on harmony, he’s wailing at the heavens. Throughout the song, Lennon tries to reconcile the idea that the girl is leaving, that there’s nothing he can do. And it sounds grown-up and mature, in ways that no previous Beatles song had done. Lennon is not singing about teenage heartbreak. There’s a line — “she said that living with me was bringing her down” — that suggests cohabitation. Lennon is contemplating an uncertain future, and the sounds that he’s bringing are adult, as well.

But they’re not too adult. As the song ends, the band lurches suddenly into a double-time rave-up — as if to prove that they can still supercharge your soul, or to mentally force themselves out of the song’s depression-fog. It sounds like the acid-rock wig-outs that would show up atop the charts soon enough, but it also sounds like a honky-tonk throwdown. (“Ticket To Ride” did, after all, appear on the same album where the Beatles covered Buck Owens.) “Ticket To Ride” was the first Beatles single that broke the three-minute mark — but it only broke it by 10 seconds. It’s a toe-dip, a dabble, in the waters of the infinite. It’s the sound of a band starting to bend pop music, not quite ready to break it yet. They’d break it soon enough. But on the songs where they did break it — at least on the ones that hit #1 — I don’t think they ever sounded quite this great”.

On 9th April, it will be sixty years since the release of Ticket to Ride. It is among my favourite Beatles songs. When ranking The Beatles’ single/songs. Ticket to Ride scores pretty well. I am going to end with a few articles where that is true.

I want to start with this feature from Rolling Stone. In 2020, they ranked The Beatles’ best one-hundred songs. Ticket to Ride came in seventeenth:

“Lennon once claimed that “Ticket to Ride” — the first track the Beatles recorded for the soundtrack to their second feature film, Help!, on February 15th, 1965 — was “one of the earliest heavy-metal records.”

“It was [a] slightly new sound at the time, because it was pretty fuckin’ heavy for then,” Lennon told Rolling Stone in 1970. “If you go and look in the charts for what other music people were making, and you hear it now, it doesn’t sound too bad. It’s all happening, it’s a heavy record. And the drums are heavy, too. That’s why I like it.”

After playing mostly acoustic guitar on A Hard Day’s Night and Beatles for Sale, Lennon had picked up his electric guitar for “Ticket to Ride.” A chiming 12-string riff kicks off the song with a jangly psychedelic flourish, and the guitars strut and crunch through the verses over Starr’s grinding groove. The sound was probably inspired by bands such as the Rolling Stones, the Who and the Kinks, who were all exploding out of Great Britain at the time. But the Beatles were still ahead of the competition.

“Ticket to Ride” was the first Beatles recording to break the three-minute mark, and Lennon packed the track with wild mood swings. His singing and lyrics teeter between ambivalence and despair in the verses. The bridge is a powerful double-time burst of indignation (“She oughta think right/She oughta do right/By me”). Another surprise came in the fade, an entirely different melody and rhythm with the repeated line “My baby don’t care,” sung by Lennon at the upper, stressed top of his range. “We almost invented the idea of a new bit of a song on the fade-out,” said McCartney, who also played the spiraling lead-guitar part in the coda. “It was quite radical at the time.”

The Beatles now saw making records as a goal in itself — rather than just a document of a song — and were changing their approach to recording as they got more comfortable with the possibilities of the studio. Instead of taping songs as they would play them live, picking the best take and then overdubbing harmonies or solos, the band now usually began with a rhythm track and slowly built an arrangement around it. Considering that, “Ticket to Ride” took almost no time to record: The entire track, including the overdubs, was finished in just over three hours. “It was pretty much a work job that turned out quite well,” said McCartney. “Ticket to Ride” effectively became their new theme song: The title of their final BBC radio special was changed to “The Beatles (Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride).”

Lennon always maintained that McCartney’s role in writing the song was minimal — “Paul’s contribution was the way Ringo played the drums” — while McCartney contended that “we sat down and wrote it together” in a three-hour session at Lennon’s Weybridge home. That might account for the different stories on where the title came from: An obvious explanation is that it refers to a train ticket. (When the Beatles belatedly filmed a promotional clip for the song in November 1965, they lip-synced the song against a backdrop of gigantic transportation passes). But Don Short, a British newspaper journalist who traveled with the Beatles, claimed that it dated back to the band’s days in the red-light district of Hamburg, Germany. “The girls who worked the streets in Hamburg had to have a clean bill of health, and so the medical authorities would give them a card saying that they didn’t have a dose of anything,” he said. “John told me he coined the phrase ‘a ticket to ride’ to describe those cards.” McCartney had a more innocent explanation: He said that it was a play on the name of the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. One other possibility: On the day the Beatles recorded “Ticket to Ride,” Lennon passed his driver’s test”.

In 2023, NME placed Ticket to Ride sixtieth in their ranking. In 2019, The Guardian listed The Beatles’ singles in order of greatness. Ticket to Ride came in fourth. Last year, Time Out wrote how Ticket to Ride was the sixteenth-best song from the band. There is no doubting what a phenomenal and iconic song Ticket to Ride is. I discovered it as a small child and it still has this great power. One of the band’s catchiest choruses, it is a song I will always love. I wonder if Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney will mark its sixtieth anniversary somehow. On 9th April, we mark six decades of…

A work of genius.

FEATURE: American Grammar: Is It Possible to Realise An Album Dream?

FEATURE:

 

 

American Grammar

IN THIS PHOTO: A view of New York/PHOTO CREDIT: Craig Adderley

 

Is It Possible to Realise An Album Dream?

_________

I have written about this before…

PHOTO CREDIT: Blaz Erzetic/Pexels

but wanted to return to the subject. Rather than this being a vanity feature or something specifically personal, it is something bigger than that. There are those out there who are not musicians who have songs in them but you wonder whether they will ever realise that. There is technology that can help a bit with composition and realising songs. For me, I am very much about the lyrics. I can hear compositions but not truly realise them. I really do not have a desire to sing the songs at all. I have these tracks in my mind that have titles. The album, American Grammar, is not taken. I have searched for that title to see if another artist has taken it. It does not look like it. I would love to see an album come together at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. That would be a dream. Rather than this being some idle thought or excuse to write a feature, it has been an ambition for a while now. One of the main reasons why I want to see an album realised is because of my love of Steely Dan. The pairing of Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker – and their cast of musicians – are a big influence. There has not really been anyone like them since they stopped recording together. Donald Fagen is still recording music but, as he is in his seventies, he will not put too many more albums out. In terms of their influence, there is not really anything like Steely Dan around. Maybe an attitude or essence though, when you think about the rich musicianship and these phenomenal compositions, nothing like that exists today. The same lyrical perspectives too. These intriguing and often sarcastic and odd characters standing alongside one another.

IN THIS PHOTO: Electric Lady Studios, New York City/.PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy Liebman

Maybe one reason why a group such as Steely Dan have not been emulated or replicated is the cost of musicians. Fagen and Becker worked tirelessly in search of a perfect take. Musicians being almost drilled to get that sound. That would cost quite a lot in any studio setting, let alone Electric Ladyland. I don’t think anyone would need to be as precise and excessive. It is possible to strike a balance between carrying on a band’s sound and doing something that will not break the bank. I use Steely Dan as an example because they clearly speak to a lot of people yet musicians seem hesitant to even attempt to get close to that sound. There is a major gulf that I hope is addressed. The songs I have been writing about very much has Steely Dan in mind when it comes to compositions. Multiple guitar players and drummers. Lush and incredible brass players and this incredible production sound. Maybe not exactly the same kind of lyrics, there would be a mix of Steely Dan in there. When it comes to character-led songs and the worlds they create. For me, an album is also a chance to address themes that not many artists are discussing. Talking about gender inequality in music, discrimination against the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community, sexual assault and women’s rights. In addition to perhaps ‘lighter’ themes. Romance, yearning and dreams combining with these songs that are perhaps a bit more serious.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo By: Kaboompics.com/Pexels

It is a shame when you cannot realise a dream or ambition. For me, I can imagine songs in part. The lyrics at least and some of the melodies. However, it would be a case of collaborating with someone else. Musicians-wise, perhaps American players. I am not sure about vocals and whether it would be one person or multiple. I like the idea of that title, American Grammar, and what it could represent. A title track that is political. Reacting to what is happening in America now and comparing that to the past. Ideals of thew American dream and something classic together with modern-day America. Though the ideas are not concrete, I do think they are more than a passing fancy. There are guides regarding how to make an album. Of course, there is always that fight between ambition and budget. If you have a range of musicians recording out of a big studio, that can run into perhaps tens of thousands of pounds. You then have to factor that against the profitability of an album. Whether physical copies will sell enough to justify its existence. Maybe it would be a one-off project, however, I have been pretty hooked on this idea of an album. Not just to fill a gap that other artists are not taking advantage of. Ideas and themes not being spoke about enough. A chance to combine some legendary session musicians and some young talent on the same album. Maybe it will never happen, though I wonder how easy it will be.

PHOTO CREDIT: Daniel Semenov/Pexels

Alongside this is the very present threat of A.I. Artists like Elton John speaking out to protect their work by being stolen and used by A.I. Of course, if making a new album, there is always that tantalising treat of using samples. It can be expensive to clear songs, though A.I. makes it easier to do that. To also replicate artists’ sounds. I would never do that, though A.I. can be useful when it comes to helping with compositions. Easier to make demos that are almost studio-quality and realised. It is complex and challenging right now with A.I. possessing this threat. I want to do things naturally and not use A.I. at all. From the album cover shoot through to the recording of the songs, there would be something traditional and classic. That would mean quite an expense, so how realistic is it to make an album that is quite ambitious and full? Also, if you are not a musician and it will take longer to complete songs, is it pie in the sky? I would like to think there is a chance for people like me. Maybe crowdfunding an album and reaching out to composers and musicians. I am not sure whether Donald Fagen is contactable, though it would be great to ask his permission to do something similar to Steely Dan. Thinking about vocal collaborators that could be on the album. Song titles I have already including American Grammar, Hipsterlooza, Can’t Buy a Thrill, For Those in the Back Row, Negative Space, and Southside. The playful and humorous alongside tracks that tackle important themes. A great album cover that mixes mystery and suspense with 1950s America and this dead or long-gone dream. The chance to see music recorded out of Electric Lady Studios. Being in the city and drawing from it for ideas and even sounds. I keep wondering whether it is a dream that…

COULD ever be realised.

FEATURE: The Digital Mixtape: Black Francis at Sixty

FEATURE:

 

 

The Digital Mixtape

PHOTO CREDIT: Travis Shinn 

 

Black Francis at Sixty

_________

WHETHER you refer to him…

as Black Francis or Frank Black, this legendary artist turns sixty on 6th April. You may know him best as the leads of Pixies. To mark his upcoming birthday, I have compiled a playlist of the best Pixies songs and deep cuts, together with Black Francis and Frank Black solo cuts. Before I get to that mixtape, here is some biography about a hugely influential musician:

“Whether performing with Pixies or on his own, as Black Francis or Frank Black, Charles Thompson re-frames rock & roll's past in imaginative ways. On albums such as 1988's Surfer Rosa and 1989's Doolittle, Pixies melded punk and indie guitar rock, classic pop, surf rock, and stadium-sized riffs with fragmented lyrics about space, religion, sex, mutilation, and pop culture, laying the groundwork for the alternative explosion of the early '90s in the process. During his solo years as Frank Black, his music ranged from 1993's eclectic and polished self-titled debut to the back-to-basics garage rock of 1998's Frank Black & the Catholics to the rootsy sounds of 2005's Honeycomb. By the late 2000s, he was back to Black Francis and balancing the raw rock of 2007's Bluefinger with projects like 2010's soundtrack to The Golem and 2011's down-to-earth Paley & Francis. When Pixies resumed recording in the mid-2010s, Francis and company continued the sound of their groundbreaking early work with albums like 2019's Beneath the Eyrie.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Thompson moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was a baby. When he was 12, his mother and stepfather joined an evangelical church, and Thompson attended Bible camp and discovered the music of Christian singer/songwriter Larry Norman, experiences that informed the songs he wrote for Pixies years later. Around this time, he began to play guitar and listen to '60s folk and pop artists along with religious music. His family returned to Massachusetts before his senior year of high school, and Thompson started writing songs in earnest.

Following graduation, Thompson studied anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. It was there that he met future Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago, who became his roommate and introduced him to punk rock and the music of David Bowie. Halfway through his studies, Thompson went to Puerto Rico to study Spanish, and after six months he decided to move back to the U.S. to form a band. He dropped out of school and moved to Boston, persuading Santiago to join him. They formed Pixies in January 1986 and recruited Kim Deal after advertising in a music paper for a bassist who liked "Hüsker Dü and Peter, Paul and Mary." On the advice of Deal, the group brought in drummer David Lovering. Thompson picked the stage name Black Francis and the group named itself Pixies after Santiago randomly flipped through the dictionary.

Pixies signed to 4AD records soon after recording a demo dubbed The Purple Tape in March 1987, and released their debut mini-album Come on Pilgrim on the label that September. It reached number five on the U.K. Indie Albums chart, heralding the acclaim the band would earn for their first full-length, March 1988's Surfer Rosa. Produced by Steve Albini, it became a college radio hit in America (and was ultimately certified gold by the RIAA in 2005) and earned enthusiastic reviews from the weekly music press in the U.K. Pixies' major-label debut, April 1989's Doolittle, propelled them to greater success: "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man" became Top Ten modern rock hits, clearing the way for Doolittle to peak at number 98 on the U.S. charts; meanwhile, it hit number eight on the U.K. Album Chart. Following the tour in support of the album, Pixies took a break, during which Francis went on a brief solo tour.

Pixies' status continued to grow with the release of August 1990's surf-tinged Bossanova, and the band reconvened in early 1991 to make their fourth album, that October's Trompe le Monde, with producer Gil Norton. During the sessions, Francis discussed making a solo album with Norton. The project was originally intended to be a set of covers, but by the time Francis, Norton, and Pere Ubu's Eric Drew Feldman (who also worked on Trompe le Monde) were able to return to the studio in 1992, Francis had enough ideas to record an album of mostly original songs. As he was preparing to release the album in January 1993, he gave an interview on BBC's Radio 5, announcing that Pixies were disbanding. Inverting his stage name to Frank Black, he released his eponymous debut that March. An adventurous sketchbook of pop styles spanning surf rock, heavy metal, Beatlesque pop and new wave, Frank Black spawned the singles "Hang On to Your Ego" and "Los Angeles" and reached number nine on the U.K. Albums chart.

In 1994, Black appeared on former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke's debut album, Pawnshop Guitars, and returned with his second album, Teenager of the Year, that May. Named for an actual award he received, it was a sprawling and diverse album that amplified all the best points of Frank Black. Hitting number 21 on the U.K. Albums chart and number two on the Heatseekers chart in the U.S., it received favorable reviews and had an alternative radio hit with "Headache." Despite this, Black parted ways with Elektra and 4AD in early 1995, signing a new record contract with American in the U.S. and Sony in Europe. That year, he performed on Mike Watt's solo album Ball-Hog or Tugboat? and issued the single "Men in Black," which became a Top 40 hit in the U.K. The song appeared on his first album for American and Sony, January 1996's The Cult of Ray. Named for sci-fi author Ray Bradbury, it was Black's first self-produced album and boasted a stripped-down, hard-rocking sound. That year, he also contributed the song "Man of Steel" to the compilation Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files.

When American closed briefly in early 1997 to straighten out its financial problems, Black was lost in the shuffle. He continued to record with the band that backed him on Cult of Ray (guitarist Lyle Workman, bassist David McCaffrey, and drummer Scott Boutier), dubbing them Frank Black and the Catholics. After signing with Play It Again Sam in England, the label issued May 1998's self-titled debut album, which consisted of garage-y songs recorded live to two-track (SpinART released the album in the U.S. later that year). Also in 1998, Black appeared on the James Brown tribute album James Brown Super Bad @ 65: A James Brown Tribute. Frank Black and the Catholics continued their gritty, minimalist approach with March 1999's Pistolero, which was released by What Are Records? Oddballs, a collection of B-sides from the Teenager of the Year and Cult of Ray era, arrived in 2000, while Black wrote the song "Pray for the Girls" for Heroes & Villains: Music Inspired by The Powerpuff Girls as well as music for the soundtrack to the film Crime & Punishment in Suburbia. For January 2001's Dog in the Sand, Santiago and Feldman joined Frank Black and the Catholics on a more eclectic set of songs that added a rootsy touch to the band's sound. In August 2002, Black issued a pair of albums, the ambitious Black Letter Days and The Devil's Workshop, a more laid-back effort. Show Me Your Tears, which was inspired by Black's therapy sessions, followed a year later. That year, he also contributed to Wig in a Box, a benefit album for the Hetrick-Martin Institute that featured covers of the songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

In 2004, Black returned to prominence when Pixies reunited for U.S. tours, an appearance at that year's Coachella Festival, and gigs in Europe and the U.K., including performances at the T in the Park, Roskilde, Pinkpop, and V Festivals. The band also released two songs, "Bam Thwok" and a cover of Warren Zevon's "Ain't That Pretty at All." Frank Black Francis, a double-disc set of early Pixies demos and reinterpretations of Pixies songs by Black and the Two Pale Boys, arrived that October. As Pixies' reunion tour continued into 2005, in July Black released Honeycomb, a collection of songs recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, featuring performances by session greats such as Spooner Oldham, Reggie Young, Anton Fig, and Steve Cropper that reached number 11 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. He reunited with this crew and added a host of other guest stars for June 2006's sprawling double-album Fast Man Raider Man, which he supported with a string of dates opening for Foo Fighters. Black rounded out the year with a cover of "Road Movie to Berlin" for Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants and that December's Christmass, a collection of unreleased studio tracks and live performances.

With the ferocious rock of September 2007's Bluefinger, a concept album about the life and death of Dutch painter/punk rocker Herman Brood, Black returned to the Black Francis name. The following year, he returned with The Seus EP and the mini-album SVN FNGRS, a set of songs inspired by the Irish legend of Cúchulainn. Also in 2008, Francis produced Art Brut's album Art Brut vs. Satan and formed the project Grand Duchy with his wife Violet Clark. The duo's debut album, Petit Fours, arrived in April 2009. The following March, Francis issued the sexually charged NonStopErotik; that year also saw the release of a five-disc, limited-edition version of his music for the 1920 silent horror movie The Golem, directed by Carl Boese and Paul Wegener. A single-disc version of The Golem followed in March 2011, the same month that the B-sides collection Abbabubba appeared. Paley & Francis, a collaboration with longtime friend Reid Paley with contributions from Muscle Shoals aces Oldham and David Hood, arrived in October. Last but not least, Francis performed the Kinks' "This Is Where I Belong" on Ray Davies' 2011 collaborative album See My Friends. A pair of live albums, Live at the Melkweg and Live in Nijmegen, were released by Bureau B Records in 2012.

In 2013, Francis brought his solo career to an end when Pixies returned to the studio with longtime producer Gil Norton. Though Deal left the band during the sessions (former Fall bassist Simon Archer, aka Dingo, replaced her in the studio; Kim Shattuck and later Paz Lenchantin took over live duties), April 2014's Indie Cindy became the band's highest-charting album in the U.S. to date. For the rest of the decade, Francis balanced touring and recording with Pixies and archival releases from his solo career. In 2015, Frank Black and the Catholics: The Complete Recordings arrived, while Pixies' sixth album, Head Carrier -- the first to feature Lenchantin as a full-fledged member -- came out in September 2016. Its single "Classic Masher" debuted on the Adult Alternative Songs chart at number 30, marking the band's first appearance on a Billboard airplay chart since 1992. After the release of June 2019's Beneath the Eyrie and its deluxe edition in 2020, Francis' solo career retrospective, 07-11, was released in November 2021; it collected remastered versions of his releases from the late 2000s and early 2010s”.

On 6th April, the incredible Black Francis turns sixty. I know there will be a lot of celebration around that birthday. Still going strong with Pixies, I think that we will get music from him for many years to come. I have been a fan since I discovered Pixies as a teenager. This mixtape salutes a…

MUSIC great.

FEATURE: A Pseudonym to Fool Him: Recognising the Growing Number of Kate Bush Tributes

FEATURE:

 

 

A Pseudonym to Fool Him

IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush on 3rd December, 1980 Kate in a promotional photo, wearing the headdress seen in the Babooshka music video/PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick Lichfield

 

Recognising the Growing Number of Kate Bush Tributes

_________

IN a feature published yesterday…

IN THIS PHOTO: Baby Bushka

I asked whether we might get some new Kate Bush conventions or fan clubs. I long to see the day when we have fanzines or new publications about Bush. Given the fact there is a huge number of new fans discovering her music, it is a valid argument to make. How there needs to be something more collective and united. A chance for all the fans to congregate. Maybe something yearly held. It is not only Kate Bush herself and her incredible music that is fuelling this new fandom and interest. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of new tribute acts coming up. A range of events and tributes that not only pay tribute to a wonderful artist. It is a chance to see Kate Bush’s music seen in a whole new light. You might know about established and acclaimed tributes such as An Evening Without Kate Bush. Starring Sarah-Louise Young and made by Young and Russell Lucas, there are a range of international dates. Including a run of shows across Australia. It is amazing that this hugely popular show has international appreciation! I have also mentioned before the incredible Baby Bushka. I love the different iterations and incarnations. How there are these wonderful women bringing Kate Bush’s music to life. Before updating a feature I wrote a while ago about Kate Bush tribute acts, I want to quote from this interview with Baby Bushka from last year:

“When Marie started writing her own songs, many musicians friends suggested she dive into the Kate Bush catalog, and she became a fan. “My boyfriend [also a major Kate Bush fan] and I even managed to go see her perform live at her Before the Dawn residency in London in 2014. I still can’t believe we were able to be there. It was amazing in every way.”

Leah notes that the work “highlights but also transcends our admiration and respect for Kate Bush. Music exists in an intergeneration, intercultural continuum of expression, exploration, mentorship, and learning. Every day I feel grateful, humbled, and excited to have a voice in this realm.” Although she wasn’t a superfan of Kate Bush before she joined, she realizes that “a central aspect of her legacy is her influence on other musicians. There are so many great covers of her music. I actually prefer to call them creative adaptations, because making it your own is key. Her music is characterized by its originality and innovation, so direct imitations would not feel appropriate or interesting to us.”

Lexi thinks many audience members are already Kate Bush fans “who understand the depth of the symbolism and greatness of the grooves and melodies and are there to experience something rich. Our interpretations of the music demonstrate that we have reverence for Kate Bush and her meanings that she dives into, and we hope to create a world of that and to highlight her stories. I like to imagine people are also passionate about our jumpsuits”.

Later in the year, there is a Classical Kate Bush tribute. Cloudbusting are the longest-running Kate Bush tribute act. I have never seen them live myself, though they are wonderful and acclaimed. Mandy Watson leads the band and does great justice to Kate Bush’s music. Never trying to mimic her exactly, Watson lends her own dynamics to the songs.  I would urge any Kate Bush fan to grab their ticket:

“This November, world renowned tribute band Cloudbusting - The Music Of Kate Bush will be joined by over 40 members of West London Sinfonia for three very special concerts.

With a programme spanning material from across Kate's hugely successful catalogue of albums, these select performances will fully realise original arrangements by such luminaries as Michael Kamen, Michael Nyman & Andrew Powell, and breathe new life into other material by employing further sumptuous voices ‘out of the realms of the orchestra’.

Don't miss the chance to experience what will undoubtedly be the ultimate orchestral celebration of 'This Woman's Work”.

On 30th January, Something Good Is Gonna Happen: A Kate Bush Celebration took place for Cabaret vs Cancer. This is how this wonderful event was billed. Raising money for such an incredible cause, it was another case of Kate Bush’s music and brilliance being adopted by other people. Also helping to raise money for charity. I do wonder how Kate Bush herself feels about these events and tribute acts:

“HomeGround and KateBushNews.com are thrilled to be back at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern on Thursday 30th January for another Kate Bush themed celebration, raising money for Cabaret vs Cancer.

The night will be packed with amazing cabaret and drag performers, each giving us their versions of their favourite Kate songs. Heading the bill is the sensational Sooz Kempner, the hilarious stand up comedian, with the most gorgeous voice fresh from her UK tour and hit run at Edinburgh Fringe. We also thrilled to welcome back, the brilliant lipsync star, Ripley, fantastic singer Jenny Scoones, drag legend Rose Garden with Phil Lawrence and, Michael Mayell, ex Cloudbusting. Plus we are thrilled to welcome three amazing acts making their debut at one of our events, the stunning Dosa Cat, the extraordinary Fat Black Duchess and the lovely Ebony Rose Dark, all brining cabaret interpretations of Kate songs, and the whole event is hosted by the cabaret drag sensation that is Michael Twaits… and watch RVT socials for more acts to be announced”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Aitchison

An event that involves fans and is a unique tribute in its own right, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever will be a highlight later in the year. This is going to be something that goes down ten days before Kate Bush’s sixty-seventh birthday. It is another tribute that has a long-running passion. Something that seems to grow bigger by the year. Showing how relevant Kate Bush is today:

“Returning for its fifth year, and fast becoming one of the most recognisable sights in Kent, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever (@mostwutheringheightsdayfolke), will return to Folkestone Harbour Arm on Sunday 20th of July for 2025.

Participants, many in wigs and red playsuits, headed down to the town’s waterfront last year for an experience like no other. Dancers of all abilities paid tribute to Kent-born (Bexleyheath) Kate Bush, with a mass choreographed dance to the 1978 smash hit ‘Wuthering Heights’.

Some history… Started in 2013 by Brighton-based performance group Shambush, The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience was an attempt to set a world record of having the most people dressed as legendary musician Kate Bush in one location.

More than a decade on and the event has stretched across the world, with Kate Bush-themed events popping up in July across cities from Austin in Texas to Sydney in Australia, with many more (Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin and Tel Aviv, to name but a few) between.

But one of the most successful has been one right here in Kent, down in Folkestone, who took to the Harbour Arm for the first time in 2018 with some trepidation. But with hundreds turning up to honour the star, a marker was set down and the attendance was doubled when it was recreated in 2019.

Having had a Covid hiatus, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever returned on July 30th 2023 due to popular demand, and has continued to grow ever since”.

One cannot say that Kate Bush’s influence is minor or dwindling. Even if she has not released new music since 2011, Bush is still active. Engaging with fans and putting work into the world. Her Little Shrew (Snowflake) video from last year. Her charity work and the fact that her music trends on social media. New artists citing her as an influence and exiting mainstream artists definitely channelling Kate Bush. There have been Kate Bush tribute acts for many years now. However, there are more events and tributes emerging. Hardly a shock when you consider the continuing ripples from the Stranger Things effect from 2022.

I am going to wrap up soon. I wanted to salute greats like Cloudbusting, Baby Bushka, An Evening Without Kate Bush and any event, gathering or charity event where Kate Bush is very much at the heart. I think we will see even more new tributes and representations of her work. People showing their affection and love of Kate Bush. I am interested to see how this expands and diversifies through this year. Even though these tribute acts are not like seeing Kate Bush live, it is an accessible way of getting to experience her music live. We might never get another chance to see Kate Bush’s music staged by her. Wonderful tribute acts performing in her style and her songs. A Classical representation later this year. Bush’s music backed by an orchestra. Something I have always longed to see. The grandeur and beauty that can elevate the already brilliant music of Kate Bush. I must confess I have never seen a Kate Bush tribute live. I need to rectify that. Go to the next Cabaret vs Cancer and performers like Sooz Kempner perform. I would love to get involved with The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever next year. I have interviewed Sarah-Louise Young but I have not seen her live. The adulation and applause these incredible acts  Even though the original is very much with us, there are these stunning tributes taking Bush’s legacy and brilliance around the world. It not only gives fans exposure to her music and wonder. We think more deeply about Kate Bush. More than just her music too. More than streaming can do. I would love to see Kate Bush put a post on her official website about some of the tribute acts and events. In spite of the fact there are already quite a few exceptional Kate Bush tributes and tribute acts, I think we will see this taken up a whole new level…

BY the end of the year.

FEATURE: A Supergroup United: USA for Africa’s We Are the World at Forty

FEATURE:

 

 

A Supergroup United

 

USA for Africa’s We Are the World at Forty

_________

THE years 1984…

PHOTO CREDIT: Rex Features 

and 1985 saw huge charity fundraising across the world. Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? was released in late-1984 and raised huge amounts to tackle famine across Africa, especially Ethiopia (and the horrible scenes protected from there). A year later, in July 1985, Live Aid was staged in the U.K. and U.S. A monumental live extravaganza that was viewed by millions, there was another charity endeavour in the U.S. Similar to the U.K.’s Band Aid, the U.S. counterpart, USA for Africa, launched a single in March 1985. In fact, on 7th March, 1985 – four months before Live Aid -, We Are the World was released. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, it was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album, We Are the World. The single was a smash and sold in excess of twenty million physical copies. It was the eighth-best-selling single of all time. Like Band Aid, the single was designed to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was the success and togetherness of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? that inspired Harry Belafonte to act. A host of high-profile musicians were recruited for the project. It was quite a quick and maybe rushed process, with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie finishing the writing of the single the night before the first recording session. In terms of those involved, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Tina Turner were among the invitees. Like Band Aid, there were some notable omissions (Madonna and Prince for example). A number one single around the world in 1985, this, together with Band Aid’s single sucess, has a huge legacy. In years since, there have been a number of charity singles recorded to raised money for important causes and affected people around the world. As We Are the World turns forty on 7th March, I wanted to discuss its legacy and recording.

I know it is controversial and problematic discussing Michael Jackson today in any positive light. However, as it is for a bigger cause and it is not strictly about him, I can proceed (with some caution). I want to start with a future from The Independent that looked inside the making of the biggest-selling charity single ever. It was clearly this wonderful and strange experience for all involved:

“Diana Ross jumped in Bob Dylan’s lap. Billy Joel fawned over Ray Charles. Lindsey Buckingham disturbed Michael Jackson hiding in the bathroom, and Waylon Jennings stormed out when the row got too heated. When you put together, for one night only, the greatest supergroup ever constructed, even with a sign saying “check your egos at the door” at the entrance, sparks are going to fly.

Such were the scenes at A&M Recording Studios in Los Angeles on 28 January 1985, when the biggest musical stars in America – minus Madonna and Prince, plus Dan Aykroyd – convened to record “We Are the World”, the USA’s answer to Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. USA for Africa, as the band would be known, was not short of spotlight hoggers – among its ranks could be found Jackson, Dylan, Charles, Joel, Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Tina Turner. The likes of Fleetwood Mac’s Buckingham, The Jackson Five, Bette Midler and the table-thumping godfather of rock’s mid-Eighties famine relief efforts Bob Geldof were reduced to mere faces in a chorus line of 46 stars.

The song would become America’s greatest moment of musical magnanimity – selling 20 million copies, the single raised more than $63m for aid in the US and Africa, where famine in Ethiopia would claim 1.2 million lives between 1983 and 1985. In the earliest days of the collaborative charity single, “We Are the World” set an unmatchable bar – no greater collection of superstar artists have ever congregated in the same studio since. If many subsequent charity single line-ups were glittering, this one could blind.

“I think it’s pretty timeless,” says Kim Carnes, of “Bette Davis Eyes” fame, one of the 21 soloists on the song. “Wherever I go fans will inevitably say ‘you were a part of “We Are the World”, what was that like?’ People really want to know the details because the song made a huge impact.”

Initially, USA for Africa was the brainchild of songwriter and activist Harry Belafonte. Shocked by the footage of starving children beamed onto NBC, he began recruiting fellow stars in December 1984 for what he envisaged as a benefit concert for the famine relief effort. One of his first calls was to Ken Kragen, manager of around half of the highest-charting US artists in the early Eighties.

“When Belafonte called me, it was just two days before Christmas, at about one or two in the afternoon,” Kragen recalls today. As they spoke, the project morphed into a charity song in the mould of Band Aid instead. “I said, ‘Harry, Geldof showed us the way. We’ve got artists who are bigger worldwide here and I represent a couple of the biggest… let me see if we can put that together’.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

By the time he’d reached his client Lionel Richie’s house that same day Kragen had already recruited Kenny Rogers, and before he’d finished a meeting with producer Dick Clark to discuss Richie’s job hosting the 1985 American Music Awards on 28 January he’d struck on the idea of recording the song after the awards, since the event would be bringing most of America’s biggest music stars to LA. All they needed to do was convince them to swing by a studio rather than an aftershow. Little did they realise they were about to form the biggest and best supergroup of all time.

Kragen envisaged Richie writing the song with Stevie Wonder, and Richie set about trying to track Wonder down. “Lionel kept trying to get in touch with Stevie all night,” Kragen says. “The next morning, [Richie’s] wife Brenda is in a jewellery store, the day before Christmas now, and who walks in looking for gifts? It’s Stevie Wonder. He asked Brenda to help him pick out gifts and Brenda said, ‘Not unless you call my husband back.’” At the same time, Kragen caught producer Quincy Jones as he was about to board a plane to Hawaii for Christmas. “I ask him if he would produce it and he immediately says yes. I said to him, ‘Would you get Michael [Jackson] to perform on the song?’ In 30 minutes or so, Quincy calls me back and says, ‘Michael not only wants to do the song, he wants to write it with Stevie and Lionel.’”

IN THIS PHOTO: Bruce Springsteen/PHOTO CREDIT: Rex Features

Jackson was riding high on the success of Thriller, the album that would seal his place as the biggest artist in the world, so Kragen knew he’d pulled off one of the greatest coups in pop history. “The day after Christmas, or two days after, I get a call from Belafonte. He said, ‘So Ken, have you been thinking about what we talked about?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’ve got a song written by Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones is producing, and Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes and Lindsey Buckingham have all agreed to be on it.’” Happy Christmas, Harry.

With only a month to go until the AMAs, Kragen and his team of 50 set about piecing the line-up together at a furious pace. “I took the Billboard charts and decided I would not go to sleep each night until I had confirmed two artists from the chart,” he says. “I would work my way down the charts. I had the number one artist, Michael Jackson. We thought we would get Prince because Sheila E was a good friend of Lionel’s, Lionel was number three, Kenny was in the top 10, we already had a big hunk of the top 10.”

The key moment was when Bruce Springsteen came on board. “John Landau was managing Bruce Springsteen and I knew John,” says Kragen. “I called John and said, ‘Can we get Bruce?’ and he said, ‘Oh my god, Bruce is finishing up two years on the road, touring constantly.’ I said, ‘John, you personally are going to be able to take credit for saving millions of lives if you get your client to do this.’ The next thing I know, on 15 January, Jon Landau called me and said, ‘Bruce Springsteen is in,’ and from that day I never made another outgoing call. All I did was answer the phone. The floodgates opened and mostly I had to turn people down. I wanted about 20 people, we ended up with 45.”

Kragen remembers Eddie Murphy’s manager rejecting the request and can’t recall Madonna’s excuse, but cites only John Denver and Joan Baez as artists he didn’t book but wished he had. “We really should have had Baez,” he says. “Jeff Bridges and I were driving out to Live Aid together on one of the rehearsal days. Jeff turns to me and says, ‘You know, Ken, I feel like the seeds that were planted by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez and others in the Sixties and lay fallow in the ‘Me’ generation of the Seventies have now, in the Eighties, broken through the ground, blossomed, and are bearing fruit.’”

Meanwhile, according to Kragen, Wonder “disappeared” to Philadelphia, so Richie co-wrote the song over a week in Jackson’s bedroom at his family home in Encino. In his autobiography Moonwalk, Jackson claimed he already had the root of the song. “I used to ask my sister Janet to follow me into a room with interesting acoustics like a closet or the bathroom,” he wrote. “I’d sing to her, just a note, a rhythm of a note ... I’d just hum from the bottom of my throat. I’d say, ‘Janet, what do you see when you hear this sound?’ And this time she said, ‘Dying children in Africa.’ ‘You’re right. That’s what I was dictating from my soul.’”

Richie told Billboard that the pair would listen to national anthems to get a feel for the enormity of the song – when they weren’t being interrupted by unexpected intruders. “I’m on the floor in Michael’s bedroom,” he said. “I don’t think he had a bed – he just slept on the floor. There’s a bunch of albums around the wall ... and I hear over my shoulder, hhhhhhhhhhhh. There was a goddamn f***ing python. A boa constrictor, a python, who cares what the hell it was. It was a big-ass, ugly-ass snake ... I was screaming. And Michael’s saying: ‘There he is, Lionel, we found him. He was hiding behind the albums.’ I said: ‘You’re out of your freaking mind.’ It took me about two hours to calm my ass back down.”

With Jackson enthusiastically rushing out a demo, the song was finished on 21 January, the day before the initial recording session at Kenny Rogers’ Lion Share Recording Studio. Here, Jones, Jackson, Richie, Wonder (“Stevie walked in and he said, ‘OK, I’m here, let’s write the song,’” says Kragen) and a band including Toto’s David Paich laid down a guide take of the song without trying to perfect it. Quincy Jones mailed numbered cassette copies to all of the participants along with a note: “My fellow artists... In the years to come, when your children ask, ‘What did mommy and daddy do for the war against world famine?’, you can say proudly, this was your contribution.”

Meanwhile, every detail of the session was plotted in advance. “Quincy said, ‘we can’t leave anything to chance.’” Kragen remembers. “’You can’t let superstars walk into that room with the slightest uncertainty of what they’re going to do. They will fight over what parts they think are the best, where they’re going to stand. So we’re going to put on the music who sings what when.’”

IN THIS PHOTO: Lionel Richie and Cyndi Lauper (with Tina Turner in the background)/PHOTO CREDIT: Rex Features 

In a bungalow off Sunset Boulevard, Kragen and his production team decided on a location for the session amid the utmost secrecy. “The single most damaging piece of information is where we’re doing this,” he said. “If that shows up anywhere, we’ve got a chaotic situation that could totally destroy the project. The moment a Prince, a Michael Jackson, a Bob Dylan drives up and sees a mob around that studio, he will never come in.“

In fact, it was the age-old battle between pop and rock which almost destroyed the project at the very last minute. “The night before, at the rehearsal for the American Music Awards, I was approached by the manager of one of the rock artists,” Kragen says. “He said, ‘The rockers don’t like the song and they don’t want to stand next to the non-rockers on the stage so we’re leaving.’ He didn’t tell me who, he acted like all the rockers were going to leave. I said to him, ‘Look, we’re recording tomorrow, you’re there or you’re not.’ They went to Bruce and Bruce said, ‘I came out here to save lives and feed people, I’m not going anywhere.’ If The Boss was there, you had to remain. He really saved the day.”

In the event only Prince shunned the session, with Huey Lewis taking his allotted line. Instead, he sent Sheila E as his representative while he partied the night away on Sunset. In Alan Light’s book Let’s Go Crazy, Revolution guitarist Wendy Melvoin would claim he didn’t show “because he thinks he’s a badass and he wanted to look cool, and he felt like the song for ‘We Are the World’ was horrible and he didn’t want to be around ‘all those muthaf***as’.”

IN THIS PHOTO: Tina Turner and Billy Joel/PHOTO CREDIT: Sam Emerson/Polaris

“Prince’s name is actually printed on the music,” Kragen says, “because Quincy had the idea of having the two rivals, Michael and Prince, at the same microphone. It didn’t happen. Sheila E tried her best to get him there. He did call while we were recording, he reached Quincy and said, ‘Can I come over and lay down a [guitar] track?’ and Quincy said, ‘No, we’ve already done the basic tracks.’ One of the reasons Prince didn’t come was he’s used to going into a recording studio and playing all the parts. Not just him and another star, him and nobody else. So the idea of walking into a room full of superstars, plenty of the people that were there were intimidated. He went to a nightclub instead and when he came out his bodyguards beat up some paparazzi, and that made a box in the big article in the LA Times about what we did. So he was really embarrassed by that [Prince later penned B-side “Hello”, claiming paparazzi intrusion had stopped him attending]. When we decided that we were going to put out an album, Prince submitted a song right away for that.”

The rest of the superstar class of ’85 took their AMA limos full of bodyguards straight to A&M studios – except Springsteen. “A crowd had formed around the gates because they saw the limos arriving one after the other,” Kragen laughs. “I’m standing out there greeting the artists as they’re coming out of their cars. All of a sudden, a guy pushes his way through the crowd. He’s in cut-off gloves and a leather jacket. I recognise him immediately, it’s Bruce. He says, ‘Hey man, I got a great parking space across LaBrea...’”

Inside, the mother of all A-list bonding sessions was under way. When Ray Charles arrived, Billy Joel exclaimed, “That’s like the Statue of Liberty walking in,” and was visibly shaking when Quincy Jones introduced him to Charles: “Ray, this is the guy who wrote ‘New York State of Mind’.” When Joel explained the song was a homage to Charles, the pianists struck up a lasting friendship, recording a duet “Baby Grand” within a year. Charles also spent much of the night drinking with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, a knees-up that would eventually result in Farm Aid”.

I want to bring in some detail from an in-depth feature Esquire published in 2020. They chart the chronology of the recording of We Are the World. Forty-five artists combining in these marathon recording sessions. They write about the recording from 30th January (1985) through the following morning. It was this incredible process. I am picking it up from 5 a.m. on 31st January (the first recording session was 28th January, 1985):

“It can be like half singing, half talking.”

Jones was talking to Dylan. The producer was reassuring him that he could do his solo. The unusual nasal sound of Dylan’s voice was what made him Dylan, but in that room of recognizable voices, he appeared nervous and unsure. Even as Jones talked him through his solo, encouraging him, James Ingram, the supersmooth soul voice who was presently wearing a really cool tracksuit, strolled behind them. Warwick, whose vocal cords were made of honey, sat on the risers nearby.

Dylan crinkled his eyes at Jones.

“Did somebody else sing it already, on the track?”

“Huh?”

“So I can hear it?”

Trbovich was filming all of this. And yeah, he says, Dylan was nervous. “But can I tell you something? I swear: Most. People. Do. Get nervous in front of a camera. I don’t care who they are. I remember, the first Academy Awards I did, I was a stage manager. And I remember Katharine Hepburn digging her nails into my hand before she walked out there to this live audience.”

“Tell you what, Bob,” Jones said. “Stevie!”

He and Dylan met Wonder over at a piano, and Wonder played the chords of the song. All three of them tried to sing like Dylan, in unison. Even Wonder was doing his best Dylan impression, right there, to Dylan, to show Dylan how to sing this part like Dylan.

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“There’s a choice wehr makin’, wehr see-vin ah own lives. Iss choo we make a brightah dee, jes yooo and meee.”

Dylan was rocking back and forth by now, singing along with himself. Starting to feel it. Behind this little work session, the other players milled around. Ingram, Jarreau, Joel, Springsteen, Richie. But when it came time for Dylan to record his part, Jones gave a little nod, and the room pretty much cleared. Only Wonder remained, at the piano, as a kind of comfort. And Trbovich, camera ever on his shoulder.

Dylan stood, black leather jacket zipped up, one thumb hooked in a belt loop, holding the sheet music up to his face, and sang it three or four times.

“Is that sorta it? Sorta like that?” Dylan asked, barely looking up.

Jones walked out and embraced him, and for the first time that night Dylan’s face spread into a smile.

He took a deep breath and walked back over to where the risers were. Springsteen stepped forward.

Headphones on, Springsteen moved his hips in a workingman’s dance, hearing the track as he waited to come in with his part. Jones later said Springsteen was “one of the hardest-working cats I’ve ever met before in my life. I kept waiting for him to get tired and sit down and rest. He kept saying, ‘Want me to do it again?’ ”

He sang the words as if a child were dying in his arms right then and there, his sandpaper rasp trailing into something like grief at the end of each line. When he’d finished, he opened his eyes and shuffled away from the mic. His peers broke into applause, especially Diana Ross, sitting cross-legged on the piano bench behind him. Springsteen, a ham, flapped his hands, as if telling the crowd, “More! More!” Then, “Thank you, thank you!”

Jones said, “Well, that takes care of that.”

8:20 AM

“It’s only twenty after eight,” Paul Simon said, laughing, to Jones, who had arranged the strings on his 1973 song “Something So Right.”

People began filing out, reuniting with what few of their family and friends remained. Carnes cracked the door open to catch a ride with a friend of hers who had been there all night. “I just remember being shocked that it was so light outside, that the sun was up,” she says.

Jackson, meanwhile, stood clear across the studio, against the back wall.

He asked Kragen if he could review the video footage before the first bits of it were edited and released to the press in the coming days as a one-minute clip. Sternberg turned to Jackson and said of course, and that she would send it to his home.

“What’s your address?” Sternberg asked.

He looked at her for a second, then said, “I just know how to get there through the back streets.”

In March of this year, Richie was being interviewed about the death of his friend and collaborator Kenny Rogers (who was also managed by Kragen) when he mused briefly about re-creating “We Are the World” to raise money to fight COVID-19. “I must admit,” he said, “every once in a while, God has to do something to get us back on track.”

But he knew organizing something like that was unlikely. Certainly not in the sudden, haphazard, Sure, let’s-do-it, call-Quincy-and-Bruce way they’d done it in 1985. No, it’s a different world.

IN THIS PHOTO: Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Paul Simon/PHOTO CREDIT: Sam Emerson/Polaris

“We came in like little kids on their first day of kindergarten,” Richie says, “and we were all kind of looking at each other, but we didn’t quite—‘Oh my God, there’s that kid over there, and there’s that other kid over there.’ Everyone was kind of freaked out standing next to each other for a brief moment, and then all of a sudden we realized: It’s not about us! We’re actually using our voice and our celebrity to save some people, and it’s about us giving everything we have to save their lives. So I think the brilliance of that evening was, we started out as forty-five artists looking at each other and going, ‘Yeah, I’m famous, and you’re famous . . . .’ We left as a family.”

Sternberg that night had one last concern: phone calls to the press. She had reporters lined up at The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. From among the few people left in Studio A, she asked for volunteers. Richie could barely keep his eyes open. Ross declined.

Steve Perry, who had been the first one to arrive the night before, said, “Okay!” And he and Sternberg rode over to the offices of Kragen and Company in West Hollywood.

Kragen looked around at the empty studio. Cords snaked across the floor. Empty Budweisers and Styrofoam cups and crumpled papers littered tables. He adjusted his big glasses and put on his sport coat over his white usa for africa sweatshirt.
He walked out into the chilly light. It felt almost strange to be outside again, after being in the studio for so many eventful hours. He unlocked the door of his Jaguar and the alarm system began blaring into the otherwise quiet air—and he had no idea how to turn it off.

He got in the car and tried everything—the key, the alarm button, nothing worked. And the engine wouldn’t start unless he left the door open. He lived just a few miles away, in the Holmby Hills neighborhood, way down Sunset. Screw it. He started the engine, put it in gear, and drove the whole way with his door open, the car’s lights flashing, and the alarm blaring”.

Articles like this argue that We Are the World masked the problems it was trying to highlight. That it was a bunch of famous artists getting together who made no real-world impact. Politics and music mixing in a bad way. Even though I am simply sourcing from Wikipedia, they collate some good information about the legacy of We Are the World. Divisive though the song might be, USA for Africa did make a difference:

“In contrast, Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised the phrase "There's a choice we're making, We're saving our own lives". He wrote that the line assumed "an extra emotional dimension when sung by people with superstar mystiques". Holden wrote that the song was "an artistic triumph that transcends its official nature". He noted that unlike Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas", the vocals on "We Are the World" were "artfully interwoven" and emphasized the individuality of each singer. Holden concluded that "We Are the World" was "a simple, eloquent ballad" and a "fully-realized pop statement that would sound outstanding even if it weren't recorded by stars".

The song proved popular with both young and old listeners. People in Columbia, Missouri, reported they bought more than one copy of the single, some buying up to five copies of the record at one time.

According to the music critic and Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh, "We Are the World" was not widely accepted within the rock music community. Marsh said it was dismissed as it was not "a rock record, a critique of the political policies that created the famine, a way of finding out how and why famines occur, an all-inclusive representation of the entire worldwide spectrum of post-Presley popular music". Though Marsh agreed with some of the criticisms, he felt that, despite its sentimentality, "We Are the World" was a large-scale pop event with serious political overtones

"We Are the World" has been recognized as a politically important song, which "affected an international focus on Africa that was simply unprecedented". It has been credited with creating a climate in which musicians from around the world felt inclined to follow. According to The New York Times' Stephen Holden, since the release of "We Are the World", it has been noted that movement has been made within popular music to create songs that address humanitarian concerns. "We Are the World" was also influential in subverting the way music and meaning were produced, showing that musically and racially diverse musicians could work together both productively and creatively. Ebony described the January 28 recording session, in which Quincy Jones brought together a multi-racial group, as being "a major moment in world music that showed we can change the world" “We Are the World", along with Live Aid and Farm Aid, demonstrated that rock music had become more than entertainment, but a political and social movement. Journalist Robert Palmer noted that such songs and events had the ability to reach people around the world, send them a message, and then get results.

Since the release of "We Are the World", and the Band Aid single that influenced it, numerous songs have been recorded in a similar fashion, with the intent to aid disaster victims throughout the world. One such example involved a supergroup of Latin musicians billed as "Hermanos del Tercer Mundo", or "Brothers of the Third World". Among the supergroup of 62 recording artists were Julio Iglesias, José Feliciano, and Sérgio Mendes. Their famine relief song was recorded in the same studio as "We Are the World". Half of the profits raised from the charity single was pledged to USA for Africa. The rest of the money was to be used for impoverished Latin American countries. Other notable examples include the 1989 cover of the Deep Purple song "Smoke on the Water" by a supergroup of hard rock, prog rock, and heavy metal musicians collaborating as Rock Aid Armenia to raise money for victims of the devastating 1988 Armenian earthquake, the 1986 all-star OPM single "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo", which talked about the optimism the Filipinos needed after the People Power Revolution, the 1997 Star Records all-star recording "Sa Araw ng Pasko", the 2003 all-star OPM recording "Biyahe Tayo" which promoted Philippine tourism and its subsequent 2011 remake "Pilipinas, Tara Na!"and the 2009 all-star OPM recordings "Star ng Pasko" and "Kaya Natin Ito!" as a means to provide hope to the survivors of Typhoon Ketsana (locally known as Ondoy). Several GMA Network personalities also recorded another inspirational ballad, "Bangon Kaibigan" in 2013 to provide hope to the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda)”.

As 7th March marks the fortieth anniversary of We Are the World – the first single from the album of the same name -, I wanted to write about it here. There are those who dismiss the single and supergroup. That it was cashing in or exploring famine. It was just a song designed to raise money without really engaging with those affected. Even if it has a complex legacy, forty years later, it is clear that its intentions were good. Making people aware at least of the famine and suffering in Africa. A whole raft of charity singles released since can be traced to We Are the World. For that reason alone, USA for Africa’s 1985 single made…

A big impact.

FEATURE: Spotlight: Cardinals

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

  

Cardinals

_________

A very special band…

PHOTO CREDIT: Kalisha Quinlan

who are already tipped as future legends, I wanted to spend some time with Cardinals. Ireland are producing some incredible artists at the moment. Maybe not a new trend, we are seeing more Irish acts spotlighted and written about. I am going to include a few interviews and features around Cardinals. First, going back to last year, DIY got to know a wonderful band who I feel are going to be festival headliners in years to come:

“Cardinals are, by all accounts, firmly on course to become Ireland’s next great success story. Having been co-signed by the nation’s premiere alt-rock flag-bearer Grian Chatten, the months since their arresting debut single ‘Roseland’ have seen them flourish in earnest; evoking melancholic nostalgia and tentative hope in equal measure, their ambitious sound - set to be crystallised in this summer’s self-titled debut project - draws as much from The Cure and trad folk sensibilities as it does from contemporary shoegaze textures.

A distinct product of their Cork stomping ground, Cardinals are markedly skilled at creating both widescreen drama and understated, poignant emotion - both of which, unsurprisingly, hit hardest when experienced live. To mark the recent announcement of their six-track EP (and its accompanying UK and Ireland tour), we caught up with the band to learn more about the Cork scene, their musical light-bulb moments, and a particularly, er, interesting dinner proposition.

What were the first song(s) you developed an obsession for?

Euan [Manning, guitar and vocals]: ‘Ring Of Fire’ by Johnny Cash; Mum and Dad would put it on in the car. ‘Love is a burning thing’ - what a line.

Aaron [Hurley, bass]: ‘2.45am’, by Elliot Smith. When I discovered that album in the summer of 2021 I was in complete awe. I used to listen to it front to back and back again when I was working in a canteen, it was constantly down my ears. I woke up really early one morning, got the first bus to Cork City and bought my first acoustic guitar. I tried learning ‘2.45am’ with no prior experience and now whenever I hear that opening progression it brings me back to 18 year old me butchering it in my old bedroom.

Finn [Manning, accordion]: The poignancy of the walk-down bass line from Leonard Cohen’s guitar in ‘The Partisan’ is always something that has grabbed me, even from the first time I heard the song. The trill of the higher end notes on the guitar are gallant, and support the sad, yet heroic lyrics regarding the story of a French rebel in Vichy France. What I love about Cohen is his timelessness; stories of resistance to oppression are as important today as ever.

Darragh [Manning, drums]: ‘Archangel’, by Burial. I remember being in a coffee shop with my mam when I was 10 or 11. It’s a coffee shop that we visited frequently that had a vinyl shop over it - they always played good music. I can’t remember what I loved about the track back then since it was over ten years ago, I probably just thought it was catchy. But today I can appreciate how crunchy the drums sound and how gloomy the overall track is. I remember immediately downloading it to my iPod at the time.

Oskar [Gudinovic, guitar]: ‘This Is The Day’, by The The. It provided a feeling of comfort for me during a time of great change. I found it, listened to it excessively, and never got sick of it. It still follows and haunts me, even after my obsession has passed. I generally believe the best pop songs pull equally from euphoria and sorrow, and this song was the first time I realised that.

You hail from Cork - can you tell us a bit more about the music scene there at the moment? Where do Cardinals fit in with the area’s other emerging artists?

Cork’s ethos when it comes to music is very DIY, people put on shows wherever they can. It’s very exciting, some of our favourite artists are here in Cork. We take what we can from the city and are constantly looking for people that are doing new and exciting things. Cork’s small but it has lots of character, and that’s definitely reflected in the scene and its people. I like to think everyone’s hitting off each other and taking inspiration - the idea that people are making great music makes you want to get up and do something yourself: write a song, put on a gig, join a band.

‘Cardinals’, your debut EP, is set to arrive in June. In what ways does it capture or reflect you as a band? And what aspect of the project are you most proud of?

I think the EP captures our feeling as individuals living in Cork city; of course our artistic and musical influences permeate through the record, but it very much comes from our own experiences. It’s a confession really, like getting something off our chests. We’re proud of doing something that’s inherently us - I reckon that’s all you can be proud of when it comes to the songs.
Your sound incorporates ‘80s indie-pop, elements of trad folk, shoegaze and more. As a five-piece, how do you go about negotiating these different influences and creative perspectives?

It comes very naturally now - we spend so much time together that sharing ideas and thoughts is easy and free. We don’t deliberately try to incorporate different influences when writing, we just go for what feels right, constantly pushing each other to try new ideas and go further. The process is invigorating and reaffirming; it helps that we’re so close.

You’ve just announced your debut tour of the UK and Ireland. What’s on your rider, and what three things can people expect from a Cardinals show?

Bottle of Paddy on the rider. I reckon people can expect to dance, to have fun, and to maybe meet the person they love as well (hopefully)”.

I am going to move to a feature from January. CLASH looked back on a breakthrough year for the band. If you do not know about Cardinals then you need to check them out as soon as possible. It is interesting reading CLASH’s words and charting some of the key events from 2024. A band who are very much on the radar now:

“Irish band Cardinals supported New York’s Been Stellar on their UK and Irish tour a few weeks back, and before their Glasgow gig at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut we took the opportunity to talk Aaron Hurley (bass) and brothers Euan Manning (guitar, vocals) and Finn Manning (accordion) about their eventful year.

Catching them in reflective mode as 2024 drew its final breaths, Cardinals looked back on a year that saw them release their self-titled debut EP in June 2024 on So Young Recordings. A myriad of highlights saw the band end their breakout year with two show sin New York. Completed by Darragh Manning (drums) and Oskar Gudinovic (guitar), the Irish group blend indie rock heft with folk-hewn introspection, their poetic songwriting earning comparisons to R.E.M. in the process.

Julia Mason traces their story.

I first saw you at Left of the Dial, Rotterdam in October 2023, and you released the single ‘Roseland’ your first on So Young Recordings the following month. How did working with the label come about?

Aaron: We started talking to So Young in February of 2023 so there was quite a long period between us starting talking to them and then releasing something with them. We recorded the EP in August 2023 and that was just before we went to Left of the Dial. The campaign started then with ‘Roseland’ the month after.

Can you tell me a little about your experience at Left of the Dial, because it’s such an important festival. They managed to capture bands just at the right time.

Aaron: It was great for us, it was the first time going and playing in Europe, so not the UK or Ireland. We had so much fun at it, we got to stay in a hostel together, and we were having great fun. First show was at Perron Small and then every show we played, I suppose a bit of word would get around and we would get more people. We did three shows and the last show was pretty busy, people knew the words from being at the show the day before. Such a cool experience.

Euan: They are so good there. They just take care of everyone so well. We had a nice place to stay and you got good food, and they were just super friendly in. You always get that in Holland, I always love playing in Holland.

So getting onboard with So Young was quite early for you.

Euan: We weren’t necessarily shopping around for labels, it just happened.

Finn: We were kind of gigging for fun, just doing the scene in the city, and I had only joined the band a couple of months before. Did not expect it!  Euan sent me a text one day when I was at work to say we’ve got news to tell you when you get home about labels and managers. We decided to get serious, very exciting. And they’re great, So Young.

With the release of the EP, and this is a compliment, you don’t have necessarily a distinct sound because the songs are quite varied.  Is that fair and is that something that you wanted to embrace and showcase with your debut EP?

Aaron: I think with that EP we were trying to showcase range and the broader aspects of Cardinals, but I do think that we have a sound now that is quite a distinctive sound, and something that we’re pursuing is a specific set of themes and things like that, musically. But I do think that the EP was a broad range.

Euan: I think the EP came about as we were playing mostly in Cork, and we’ve written songs mostly in Cork, and it was just like, these are the songs we have. And that’s a reflection of band in the moment. This is us right now. As we move forward, we’re looking at making more of a statement, maybe something that’s a bit more together thematically and sonically. But at the time that was just us and we were quite happy to put ourselves out there as a group that had come together as friends.

And it’s very natural that you would evolve. Look at the year that you’ve had, that’s going to have an influence I suspect on your music and your view going forward. I know you’ve talked in previous interviews about Cork and how important it is to you, but now you’ve experienced so much more in the last 12 months.  I’m guessing that’s going to seep into your songwriting.

Finn:  We’re writing a lot of new stuff at the moment, and Cork is still clearly very important to what we’re doing. And you can see that pop up in lyrics and how we play. So maybe not moving away from that but taking on the experiences we’ve had because we’ve had a very busy year this year.

You had your first headline UK and Ireland tour in 2024. How was that? Nerve wracking or exciting?

Aaron: A bit of both. The first show was kind of nerve wracking. We played our first show in Birmingham, and that was like, “Okay, this is a headline tour” but we found a groove pretty quickly. I remember playing in Glasgow and feeling totally at home on tour and thinking “This is great, I’m enjoying this a lot.” It went well, and I think the nerves went away pretty quickly.

Euan: And London really finished it off (at the Windmill Brixton). There were a few familiar faces and a big crowd in a full room”.

I am going to finish with this feature from DORK. Taking in (and conquering) New York to writing their own rulebook, it seems that this band have the ammunition, belief and talent to go so far in the industry. A stunning live band who have a legion of fans around the world, there will be questions as to whether we will get a debut album later this year. It is something that we cannot rule out at the moment:

“Fever-dream esque meetings with heads of state aside, it’s been a busy year for the Cork natives, with their self-titled EP being released in June, and new song ‘Get It’ following in early October. Throw in support slots with Kings of Leon, festival appearances, and their first ever headline tour, and it’s a hell of a schedule for a band right out the gate.

“We’re so busy we don’t have time to think about it,” says Euan. “There’s no time off, but in a nice way. It’s a good build.”

“We’ve no time to dwell on it, so it doesn’t feel momentous in the moment.” agrees bassist Aaron Hurley. “It definitely doesn’t feel like we’re established as a band yet. I don’t know if a band is truly established until they release their debut album – maybe not even then. There’s always something else to achieve, so it’s hard to pick a point and say: ‘we’ve made it’.

A philosophy of taking it moment by moment and constantly reaching the next milestone isn’t unique to the band, but the ease with which they’ve hit new levels one after the other just might be. Since releasing their first single ‘Amsterdam’ just a couple of years ago, they’ve ploughed their own furrow with a sound which sometimes settles near Echo & The Bunnymen, sometimes REM, and sometimes somewhere completely different. Latest single ‘Get It’ is yet another shift, half love-song and half melancholic reflection on peoples’ changing natures, it’s also maybe the poppiest track they’ve released to date. “The reaction’s been class,” says Oskar. “It’s even reached America pretty well.”

“We’re breaking America!” laughs Euan, to grins from his bandmates. “We just wanted to write a pop song, so we did. I think we succeeded in that, or I hope so, anyway.”

This restlessness, coupled with a healthy dose of self-confidence, is at the core of a band who aren’t content to find a sound and stick safely within its boundaries, but instead seem keen to constantly try new things from song to song. Despite this wide range of influences, Euan’s unique vocals and the looming presence of key touchpoints like Cork, the city they’re from, ensure they’ll never be mistaken for another band, no matter how adventurous their next single. “We’re writing the album at the moment, and there is a feeling of making it more thematically and sonically consistent,” acknowledges Euan. “It’s coming together very strongly, and I feel like it’s in a good place. An album is a statement, so it’ll be quite different to the EP in that regard.”

“We look at the EP as a collection of songs,” adds Aaron. “Thematically it isn’t continuous – there’s a lot of experimentation there and we wrote them quite a while ago, so there’s a difference from the album. Those songs from the EP are still evolving though, we make new connections with them every time we play them live.”

Making those connections without slipping into autopilot is what makes Cardinals’ shows such a draw, with every venue we’ve seen them at being packed to the rafters with dedicated fans – something which is even more impressive considered how new they still are. Most gigs abroad are in countries they’re playing for the first time, but fans seem to be waiting expectantly everywhere they go. When we speak to them, they’re gearing up for their first ever transatlantic gigs, playing two shows in The Big Apple before the year is out. “We’ve not played New York before – I don’t think any of us have even been there before!” says Euan. “We’re looking forward to taking in the Christmas feeling, going to Macy’s or skating on an ice rink or something. I dunno, whatever it is they do over there.” He says with a laugh.

Part of the joy for any band is the opportunity to fly thousands of miles away and experience a new country while technically claiming it’s all for work and you’re definitely not only doing it so you can see the Statue of Liberty and take photos of yellow taxicabs (No, just us? – Ed). But distance can also reduce a band down to a few broad strokes in the eyes of wherever they’re going, with a band like Cardinals running the risk of being labelled one-dimensionally as an ‘Irish band’, with none of the nuance that entails. “You can definitely feel the fetishisation of Irish culture, both in the UK and the US, and further afield.” says Euan. “But that doesn’t mean we’re going to throw away or neglect our heritage. We’re quite proud Irish men, and proud Cork men as well. We just take it in our stride. There is a lot to take from our cultural identity, and there’s no point putting that on the backburner just because we’re afraid of people fetishising it.”

This pride in where they’re from can be felt in lyrical references to Cork, sprinkled through Cardinals’ songs, and the inspiration taken from the city’s literary heritage. “We all still live in the city, and we’re reading writers or artists like Kevin Barry and Frank O’Connor, we’re listening to The Frank and Walters, or the Sultans of Ping – Cork is still a huge part of who we are.” Euan says. “But that’s not to say we aren’t pulling from all over the place as well. Nowadays it’s so easy to get your hands on different media, different books, so of course that has an impact on our songs and will do on the album, too”.

I am going to leave things there. I am fairly recent to Cardinals but it is obvious that they are a very special band. After a debut album comes out, no doubt they will be headlining stages and embarking on a world tour. So soon into their career and they have already achieved so much. Ireland is giving us some of the most important talent of the past decade or so. When it comes to this force of nature…

MAKE sure you don’t miss out.

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Follow Cardinals

FEATURE: Spotlight: Bibi Lucille

FEATURE:

 

 

Spotlight

 

Bibi Lucille

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THIS is a feature…

where I will spotlight an artist who I think genuinely has a long future in the music industry. Even though she has not put out too many singles yet, I have been blown away by her sound! Her latest single, To Be Damned, followed 2024’s Addicted. I was lucky enough to interview Bibi Lucille in 2023 about her play, Meat Cute. This is a phenomenal actor, and a creative and fashion activist. Someone who, as an artist, has this distinct voice and sonic world. One I am fascinated in. I want to pull together some interviews with Bibi Lucille. As a relatively new artist, a lot of the content regarded her acting work and fashion activist brand, B.LUCILLE. I am always in awe of everything she does. A hilarious writer who is an exceptional and hugely versatile actor. Somebody that has, in part, influenced me to write comedy, she can portray so many emotions and inhabit so many different characters flawlessly. As an artist, no doubt many of the disciplines and experiences from her acting and writing C.V. feed into her music. I am definitely excited to see where she heads next and how her career blossoms. I would love to see her perform live and I can picture a stunning E.P. that includes Addicted, To Be Damned and a couple of other tracks. I do hope there is a video planned for To Be Damned because, as I listened to the song recently, I was stunned and instantly inhabited the song. So struck by its immediate brilliance, I speculated as to what a video would entail and look like. She is an artist that draws you into songs and gets into the heart and head. In such a competitive scene where it is hard to stand out, Bibi Lucille definitely has a passion, talent and vision that will see her endure for years and stand her aside from many of her peers. As mentioned, I do want to get to some interviews. Recent ones where we get to learn more about this incredible and inspiring (a word I will keep using but is very much accurate when discussing her) human.

To start, I want to source from a 2024 interview published by Voyage LA Magazine. I am going to end up by bringing it back to music. However, it is important that we get some background. The disciplines of acting and music close bedfellows. Discovering more about Bibi Lucille and her craft as an actor also ties into her career as an artist. Someone, as I mentioned, who has a long future ahead. I can see her releasing a series of albums and performing on some big stages around London:

“Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

It feels as though there was no official start date as to when I started acting. It was a thing that, for as long as I can remember, wanted. My parents enrolled me in acting classes at a young age, and at ten years old, my primary school cast me as the ‘Fairy Godmother’ in Cinderella. I was always a shy kid, but the second I climbed into that sparkly pink dress and faced the assembly hall, I transformed. My blanket of social awkwardness fell off and I was able to be outrageous, loud, bolshy – and make people laugh. I think that’s the thing that got me hooked. My career formally began when I left school at nineteen and bagged a lead role in the west end with Noel Coward’s ‘This Was a Man’ at Leicester Square Theatre. I went on to focus on theatre for years (between shifts at the call centre, of course). I bounced from playing Lady Anne at Baron’s Court to a nutty Jane Watson in a ‘Hound of the Baskervilles tour (which ended up on the mayor’s top picks in 2018, alongside Hamilton, no less). Theatre was always home to me, and still is now. But, unfortunately, even with some success, it’s an unsustainable career long term. So, after a few years, I turned to screen. I started with a plethora of short films before gaining some TV roles (‘Trust,’ Amazon Prime, and ‘Purgatory’ on Popstar!TV). But the most joy I found was in the web-series ‘I am Sophie’ that played as an ARG series where audiences on YouTube could get involved with the plot and speculate over the hidden clues and meanings within this complex horror narrative.

When covid hit, work dried up – as it did for most people in the arts. Thanks to my cousin (Anastasia Bunce, founder of Patch Plays Theatre), I started writing. The writing was something I never had any confidence in, but I loved writing short stories, poems, etc., as a hobby and then tucking them away into a folder on my computer labeled ‘PRIVATE.’ Anastasia encouraged me to write a short stand-up piece, which was well-received and was then turned into a full-blown, one-hour play called ‘Meat Cute’. It toured fringe venues and festivals around London in 2021 before being transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023. The playtext was published by Aurora Metro publishers, and from there, I have continued to write and found great joy in creating my own projects.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Venturing down a creative path is never smooth, nor is it linear. I have had many sleepless nights where I’ve found myself digging a hole of doubt and fear as to whether I can sustain this career – if it will go anywhere or if I’ll hit middle age with little money and no concrete plan. Despite this, I love the industry more than I fear it. In recent years, I’ve come to understand that the pure volatility of it all is what makes it so exciting. We love stories that are full of ups and downs, joys and disappointments – if my own life wasn’t brimming with uncertainty, then I would find myself incurably bored. So, embracing the bumpy road and still driving at full speed is what keeps my excitement and passion for life alive, which is so important for every creative.

In my earlier years, I certainly struggled with naivety. You’d think the old adage of male directors telling young actresses that they’ll ‘make them a star’ has long passed, but it unfortunately still manifests itself in many different forms and in many different people. I was privy to several predatory behaviors, which instilled in me a real fear of the industry for a while. When I was about twenty-two, a particular incident of a man pretending to be an agent kicked all my motivation out of me for over half a year. I was terrified I’d keep being taken advantage of and that my spirit would be beaten to a pulp by the time I was in my mid-twenties. Fortunately, with a supportive family and community around me, I was able to pick myself back up and go at it full force, but without the bright eyes and bushy tails this time. As I’ve aged, I’ve found my voice and ensured that any untoward behavior is halted before it’s even started. It’s imperative that any woman entering the industry isn’t afraid to call out inappropriate behavior, as simply ‘dealing with it’ will destroy a love for the arts.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

As of the past few years, I’ve become a writer/performer. I love creating work and projects and opening up interesting roles for women to play that don’t revolve around being ‘the girlfriend’ or ‘the mother.’ I’m particularly drawn to dark comedy at the moment and finding humor in the absurd. I would say I’m best known for playing Lara in ‘I am Sophie’ and for my one-woman show ‘Meat Cute.’ I think a niche that I’ve found is really playing into my passion for animal rights and presenting more activism-based works. I think the elements that really make a story stand out is when it has a message that goes beyond entertainment and a good plot. If there is something to learn or understand, it adds another layer of purpose to the story, which I find really exciting”.

I have to talk about Bibi Lucille’s fashion brand, B.LUCILLE. It is a brand that empowers people to make a positive impact on society. In everything she is involved with and champions, she is empowering and inspiring. This is someone who you need to know about! Before getting to a couple of further interviews, I want to include Rolling Stone UK’s 2024 discussion with Bibi Lucille. I am excited about this expanding and diverse portfolio (and legacy). Make sure you follow Bibi Lucille on social media:

“The “B. Lucille” couture collection pays homage to the timeless beauty of impressionist art, translating iconic masterpieces like Renoir’s “The Swing” and Vermeer’s “The Astronomer” into wearable works of art. Each dress is a careful study in colour, texture, and movement, meticulously crafted to capture the essence of the original paintings. Underscoring our dedication to environmental responsibility and animal welfare, every fabric used in this collection is vegan and sustainably sourced. From the delicate chiffons that billow like clouds to the richly hued velvet accents, each material is carefully selected to minimise our ecological footprint.

“My whole life, I have been an actor. More recently, I have ventured into writing. But I could never have guessed that 2024 will be the year I start my own couture clothing brand. Fashion was something that I took an interest in at an early age but left the hobby dormant in childhood; my last brush with fashion being in textiles at high school, before being whisked away by Literature, French and, of course, Drama for GCSE. I was a painfully shy kid, and in my hazy memories of school can recall burrowing myself in the art block, where I would fumble with sewing machines and shoddily tie dye bits of loose fabric. One of our first assignments was to create an apron (which lived in the back of my wardrobe for many years before I finally found the strength to throw it away). I worked on this apron for many hours and through countless lunch breaks, creating a pink tie dye aesthetic with the word BIBI in bold on the front pocket. When it was finally completed, the teacher proudly mounted it on a mannequin, telling me that I was the first Year 7 to have my work displayed amongst the GCSE students’ fashion projects. As that apron stood proudly on the porcelain, headless doll overlooking the entire classroom, I felt an overwhelmed wash of pride. I was good at something.” Stated Bibi

With B.LUCILLE, Bibi Lucille has created a brand that not only celebrates individuality and style but also empowers individuals to make a positive impact on society. Through her fashion activist brand, she aims to raise awareness about important social issues such as animal cruelty, and inspire others to join the movement. So, when you wear a B.LUCILLE dress, you are not just making a fashion statement, but you are also becoming a part of a larger community that strives for positive impact.

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Scriptwriting and Activism Via Film

Starring in the upcoming short film named ‘The Silver Lining’, through the medium of film, “The Silver Lining” provides a platform to explore these concerns and spark important conversations about the impact of EMFs on our lives. By weaving the issue into a compelling narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, the film engages audiences in a way that traditional educational campaigns cannot. Bibi will also be releasing the film ‘Meat Cute’ which is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed play. ‘Meat Cute’ follows the story of the impassioned vegan activist, Lena, who attempts to turn all her dates vegan as a form of activism. This farcical comedy details the life of a woman desperately seeking to implement change and influence in an indifferent society.

“Acting was the only thing I could remember ever wanting. Even as a kid, I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t glued to some old film on one of those 90s box TVs, watching a VCR and wishing I was Marilyn Monroe. Acting was the only thing that brought me out of my introverted shell and created a space where I could play and forget the world. Ironically, acting is the thing that let me be wholly myself. Veganism was also something I was always intensely passionate about, so fusing acting and activism together felt like some form of paradise. It was great to finally realise that I could do what I loved and make a meaningful change in the process.” Said Bibi

Bibi Lucille’s B.LUCILLE brand is a true testament to her creativity, passion, and commitment to making a difference. By combining exquisite craftsmanship, EMF protective fabrics, and exotic vegan materials, she has created a brand that is not only fashion-forward but also socially conscious. So, if you’re looking for a dress that not only makes you look stunning but also allows you to contribute to a better world, look no further than B.LUCILLE”.

Canvas Rebel met Bibi Lucille last year. There are a couple of questions that caught my eye and I wanted to share them here. The more I know about her, the more impressed and awed I am! I am especially invested in her as a rising artist, though I love everything that has come before. Someone who can balance writing, acting, her fashion brand with a music career:

“We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For any creative, resilience is key. It’s the thing that’s going to get you through the greatest set-backs and is going to help you push through the inevitable self-doubt.

A moment of resilience that really sticks in my mind was when I was auditioning for a role in a film that I really, REALLY wanted. There were four stages in the audition process; I cancelled everything I had on that week, hired an acting coach and threw everything I had into those auditions. I got to the fourth round and really thought I had the role in the bag. A few weeks like, I was on set and received an email from the producer – my heart was racing as I opened it up to an email that said, ‘unfortunately, we have decided to go in a different direction this time.’ My heart broke. I had to hold back tears for the rest of the job and when I finally left the building, I burst into tears. After feeling sorry for myself for a couple of minutes, I told myself that I would allow myself to grieve the loss of this job for five minutes. Five whole minutes, and then I’m done. So I fully let myself feel the rejection and disappointment. Then by the time I had walked to the tube station, I decided that that was it – I was going to just let it go and carry on.

In any creative career, the rejection is going to be the worst part. You’re going to wonder if you even have any talent or anything to offer the industry. Having the gift of resilience is the key to any kind of success – and it’s the thing that’s going to keep digging you out of those pits of disappointment. Run headfirst into rejection – even seek rejection – because the more exposure you have to it, the stronger that resilience will grow.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Something that really drives me is my inner angry feminist and my passion for animal rights and the environment. I know I sound like a real martyr with that trio but it is what it is. My first play, ‘Meat Cute’ is a comedy that follows the story of a woman who attempts to turn all her dates vegan as a form of activism. (Of course, a lot of the time, it goes horribly wrong).

The story was so important to me because it really highlights the horrors of being an activist – of caring deeply for something in an apathetic society. The pursuit of changing the world is an exhausting one, and one that feels incredibly unrewarding. I wanted to give a voice to those people who are desperate to do good in the world and fight for a cause, letting them know that they are seen, heard and important. Because if we don’t have the martyrs of the world, what state will we be left in?

I think feminism is my roman empire. I think for a lot of women, it is, whether it’s conscious or not. So much of our thoughts are consumed with the very act of being a woman; societal pressures, dating, whether we want to be a mother or not, weight, dealing with being a woman in business… it’s a curse that follows us everywhere. I truly feel that the more we talk about it and create rich, interesting characters for women in film and on stage, the closer we can get to just being human rather than focusing on the art of navigating the world as a woman”.

We have heard about Bibi Lucille as an activist, writer and actor. However, how does this link with her career in music? Last week, Nerd Alert spent some time with Bibi Lucille. She talks about the new single, To Be Damned, and what is coming next. The rest of this year are going to be very busy and exciting for her:

“TiShea Wilson: Hi Bibi! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Let’s jump right in! You have quite an impressive resume with writing, acting, and even producing. Please tell us a little bit about your journey and what led you to broaden your horizons into music.

Bibi Lucille: Since I could remember, I always wanted to be an actor. From an early age, I had tunnel vision, and made the decision to throw my all into it. During school, I would attend auditions and the second I was let free into the world, dove straight into any acting work I could get. Of course, it was easier said than done, so I paid my dues by working in a call center for two years before being able to go full time. My music career began at a very early age – the second I could walk, I’m pretty sure my dad handed me a guitar. Bob Salmons aka Robert Hokum was a blues pariah in Ealing where we grew up – he founded the Ealing Blues Festival and became a local celebrity. He would take me to gigs, get me to busk at events and got me a small slot at Barnet Festival when I was 14. When I hit my late teens, I decided to give music a break for a while to focus on acting.

For years, I knew I wanted to return to it, but it never felt like I had the time (or the money). In autumn ‘23, my dad was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. We weren’t sure how long he had left, and so the urgency to pick music back up again took ahold of me. It was always our thing and it was something I didn’t feel I could do without him. I was very fortunate to meet my friend and colleague, Devansh, who massively helped me with the resources and contacts to create an album. I had just about created two songs (that my dad was very proud of) before he passed in October ‘24. I want to keep creating music in honor of him and to carry on the blues legacy, even if I only possess about half his talent.

TW: Your song ‘Addicted’ has a bluesy-pop vibe to it, and it’s quickly become part of my daily playlist. What is the meaning behind the lyrics and what was your inspiration for writing it?

BL: Blues music historically explores the perils of life to an upbeat tune; most blues songs are about losing everything, being lost, being in debt. I wanted to go down that same path with ‘Addicted’ – the lyrics talking about something or someone the listener is addicted to. It could be a person, alcohol, cigarettes… anything that takes the form of the devil when you have too much of it.

The visuals of the song describe a liar turning up to your door (the liar being the thing you’re addicted to, the thing roping you in) and offering you a drink. In a moment of weakness, you take it and accept that you’ve made the decision to break bread with the devil, so to speak. Blues music often talks about selling your soul to the devil, so I wanted to add that with the twist of the devil being the very thing you’re addicted to. In the second verse, the lyrics describe looking in the mirror the next morning and recognizing the fear of what you’ve done – of how you let yourself give in. We’re all only human, and we’ve all given in to something we know isn’t good for us.

TW: What was the process of creating and releasing ‘Addicted’ like for you?

BL: The process felt so smooth and very exciting. I work with Andrew O’Halloran who produces and mixes the songs – I recorded a raw, acoustic version of ‘Addicted’ on my phone and then sent it off to him where he added his own bluesy flair and melodies to make the song full and alive. It’s great to work with someone who so completely understands the style you’re going for and is able to add things to the song I would never have thought of.

TW: What can you tell us about your upcoming song, ‘To Be Damned’?

BL: ‘To Be Damned’ runs with the blues theme again of being damned, and wondering if there’s a way back from your mistakes. I wanted to explore the idea of guilt and damnation, when you wonder if you’ve made a wrong turn in life and if you’re damned to the path you’ve chosen for yourself. I think we can all relate to that – the curiosity of “what if?”. What if I had chosen to take another path ten years ago, where would I be now? Would it be better or would it be worse? It’s the question we will never know the answer to.

The first lyric of ‘climbing into your mind’ is that idea of something completely consuming you. Whether it be a person or a thought – in this case, I wanted to address the yearning for intimacy we (or someone else) has for a person – that they could crave it to the point of wanting to climb into someone’s mind. It could also be interpreted in a way that someone you love could be distracted by someone else and that thing they’re distracted by has climbed into their mind and pushed you away. The lyric ‘a filthy mouth and a soul to match’ touches on those feelings of guilt – addressing that instant regret of saying something we don’t mean and looking inwards at yourself, wondering if you’re a terrible person. If your soul matches your mouth. What I love about the lyrics is that it can all be interpreted. I like to keep everything a little bit vague so people can attach their own feelings and situations to the lyrics so that they can get what they want or need out of the song.

TW: Who would you say are your biggest musical influences and why?

BL: My first, biggest music influence is Hozier. He perfectly married blues and pop together and I will forever be in awe of that. And on top of the perfect music, his lyrics are so poetic – the way he talks about Greek mythology, God, death… All these topics on deity that make his songs feel otherworldly. Also I love the classics – Otis Redding, BB King. Another favourite is a street band in New Orleans called The Dirty Rotten Vipers who are just the epitome of raw talent.

TW: Can you give us a little insight into what the future holds for you? Are there any upcoming projects, musically or otherwise, you can tell us about?

BL: I’m firing a lot of arrows at a lot of targets this year! Some projects that are up and running are: a new dark comedy play called ‘Narcissists’ which will be performing in LA, London and the Edinburgh Fringe this year. I’ll be completing the album this year with about seven tracks overall. I’ve also got a couture dress brand coming out in Spring called ‘B.LUCILLE’ which I’m very excited to share with the world”.

I hope that as many people as possible pick up and hear the music of Bibi Lucille. More than that, there are so many different sides to discover. Someone who should definitely be on your radar. Since I interviewed her in 2023, she has achieved a huge amount. Every year sees something new, exciting and, yes, inspiring from her! Even though we are only in February, I think that this will…

BE her year.

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FEATURE: The Digital Mixtape: A Black History Month 2025 Playlist

FEATURE:

 

 

The Digital Mixtape

IN THIS PHOTO: Doechii/PHOTO CREDIT: El Hardwick

 

A Black History Month 2025 Playlist

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AS it is…

Black History Month, I wanted to put out a special Digital Mixtape. A selection of songs from incredible and inspiring Black artists. The 2025 theme is "African Americans and Labor" with a focus on the various and profound ways that work of all kinds intersects with the collective experiences of Black people. I don’t think enough of the media shine a spotlight on Black History Month. I am a little lax when it comes to writing about it myself. However, as I run a music blog, the least I can do is combine some truly incredible tracks from Black artists through the decade. To modern-day kings and queens to legends of the past, this is a Black History Month 2025 celebration. I would urge other people to make their own playlists. Honouring and celebrating some truly amazing artists. Because we are nearing the end of February, I felt it was important to compile a playlist featuring a small selection of phenomenal Black artists who combine in…

IN THIS PHOTO: Beyoncé in 2013/ PHOTO CREDIT: Alasdair McLellan

AN incredible mix.