Zwort Finkle interview with Kate Bush, conclusion

[IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu]

Here is the conclusion of the Zwort Finkle interview with Kate,
re-printed from the latest issue of the Kate Bush Club Newsletter.
L-Hs will recall that when last we left Kate and Zwort, she had
been offered coffee by her "American cousin", even though he's her
guest.

Katie: Can I have tea?

Zwort: Yeah, sure -- you English and your tea. It's so quaint!
Can we have scones and I'll have tea too?

Katie: Sorry, haven't got any, but there's some fig rolls...

<ten minutes later...>

Zwort: Okay -- teabreak over.

Katie: Right, back to your question. I think it works on the basis of:
if it moves you, it could move others. Hitchcock was talking about his
films and saying the best subjects for his films that were frightening
were things that frightened him -- like "Vertigo". Apparently he was
terrified of heights. It seems logical, doesn't it?

Zwort: Yeah, sure. Hitchcock was brilliant.

Katie: Yes, I agree, a genius. An engineer we were working with picked
out the line in "And Dream of Sheep" that says "Come here with me now."
I asked him why he liked it so much. He said, "I don't know, I just
love it. It's so moving and comforting." I don't think he even knew
what was being said exactly, but the song is about someone going to
sleep in the water, where they're alone and frightened. And they
want to go to sleep, to get away from the situation. But at the same
time it's dangerous to go to sleep in water, you could drown. When I
was little, and I'd had a bad dream, I'd go into my parents' bedroom
round to my mother's side of the bed. She'd be asleep, and I wouldn't
want to wake her, so I'd stand there and waid for her to sense my
presence and wake up. She always did, within minutes; and sometimes
I'd frighten her -- standing there still, in the darkness in my
nightdress. I'd say, "I've had a bad dream," and she'd lift up the
bedclothes and say something like "Come here with me now." It's
my mother saying this line in the track, and I briefed her on the
ideas behind it before she said it. And I think it's the motherly
comfort that this engineer picked up on. In fact, he said this was his
favourite part of the album. "Cloudbusting" is, again,
lyrically very obscure. I think the idea is easy to grasp, but the
story behind it is very involved, and in a way the video that
accompanies it is equally so, but I've spoken to several people
who have felt very moved by the song or the video or both, and they
all say they feel this really personal relationship between the
child and his father, how real it seems, how sad it is. For me, that
is wonderful -- the book that originally inspired the song and video
moved me so much! It's so sad, and it's also a true story, and somehow
even if people don't understand the story, they pick up on the feelings,
the emotions -- this is a very rewarding experience for me.

Zwort: did the writer of the book get to hear the song and see the
video?

Katie: Yes. These were worrying moments for me -- what if he didn't
like it? If I'd got it wrong? But he said he found them very emotional
and that I'd captured the situation. This was the ultimate reward for me.

Zwort: Do you stay in contact?

Katie: Yes, we write to each other, and I enjoy the contact very
much. Many people have tried to get this book <A Book of Dreams,
by Peter Reich>, many have read it since and adore it. The trouble
is, the book is out of print, and I think it's such a shame that it's
unavailable for those that would love to read it. It's very difficult
to find copies of it, though I understand that some libraries still
carry it.

Zwort: How do you feel about "The Whole Story"? Were you against the
release of a compilation album?

Katie: Yes, I was at first. I was concerned that it would be like a
"K-Tel" record, a cheapo-compo with little thought behind it. It was
the record company's decision, and I didn't mind as long as it was well
put together. We put a lot of work into the packaging, trying to
make it look tasteful, and carefully thought out the the running order.
And the response has been phenomenal -- I'm amazed!

Zwort: Careful, there's that word!

Katie: Surely I can say it once or twice. Everybody else does,
and gets away with it -- Zzzwort!!

Zwort: Only teasing. How do you feel about the video compilation?

Katie: Again, I was worried initially, because of the release of
"The Single File" and "Hair of the Hound", but with the opportunity
of getting "Experiment IV" on it, and the record company being sure
there was a market, I felt it could be a good idea. We spent a lot
of work on "Experiment IV", and because of it almost being an
"adult" video, we were sure we'd have trouble getting it shown on
TV.

Zwort: Did you have trouble getting it shown?

Katie: Yes. The video took a long time to make, and with having
to write and record the single with the tightest deadlines I've
ever had, the video was needed before we'd finished it. But we
did get a minute clip ready in time to be shown when the single
was charting, but Top of the Pops refused to show it, saying it
was too violent! It's not violent at all, but we expected a response
like this. Pop promos are in a very sensitive area. They're
considered "family viewing", but there are many sexualy ambiguous
videos shown on children's TV -- yet this was considered too extreme.
However, The Tube showed it in its entirety, and it's now showing at
the cinema with a feature film, so we've made a sort of B-film!!
That's quite exciting.

Zwort: I noticed that instead of the "Wow" video you've pieced
together footage from the live shows. Why is this?

Katie: Two reasons, really. Firstly, I really don't like the
promo we did for "Wow". I think it's silly. And also, looking
through the videos I noticed a great absence of "performance"
promos, and the tour was an important part of the story. Also,
it makes it a more interesting item for people who have some of
the other videos. That way it's not just "Experiment IV" that is a
new visual.

Zwort: I understand you directed this clip. How did it go, and why did
you direct it?

Katie: Directing is a new experiment for me -- actually, it was
Experiment III -- and with this track I had such strong visual
ideas while I was writing the song that I wanted to give it another go.
It's the first time the video and song have come together. It was very
hard work, but a lot of fun.

We filmed in an old disused hospital, and the conditions were very cold
and damp, but everyone got very involved and we had a great time.

The cast included Dawn French, Hugh Laurie, Richard Vernon, Peter Vaughan,
Del, Paddy, Jay, Lisa and many friends. It was wonderful to work with
people who I admire so much, and a very exciting experience. Paddy
played the lunatic, and in every take his sounds were just as impressive
as his visuals -- I wish I'd put it onto tape. He literally "threw"
himself into the part, and the crew were so impressed they applauded
him -- a great accolade!

Although this was the most complicated of my directions, it was so
much easier for me because I appeared in it only briefly, so I could
concentrate on being behind the camera, which I really enjoy. And it's
so nice to involve the people I like -- not only are they great performers
but they're good to be with.

There were some wonderful moments, like filming in East London. We
had a field full of "dead bodies" who kept moving about to get more
comfortable, so we had to shout out over a loud-hailer, "Stop
moving -- You're supposed to be dead!" And the music shop that we
created for the shot <"Music for Pleasure"> was so realistic that
passers-by kept popping in wanting to buy some of the instruments.

Zwort: How do you view the changes audially and visually on "The
Whole Story" album and video?

Katie: I really like the idea of the album being available on
video -- I've always wanted to make a form of video album, but I
never thought it would be a compilation!

I see two main changes, although I'm very subjective. Audially,
the important step for me was production, which had led on to our
own studio. The process is so much more personal because of this.
On the first two albums all my arrangements were contained within the
piano arrangement, which was the foundation, but which was then
handed over to Andrew Powell as producer to interpret with his
string arrangements. And the musicians and I worked in my backing
vocals by playing the tapes over and over and singing along. But being
producer I could put a lot less emphasis on the piano arrangement
and interpret the song through other instruments onto tape, even
playing around with the parts after the musicians had gone, and
getting our own studio meant I could build up the song straight onto
tape, keeping bits that worked and building up ideas even before the
musicians came in.

Visually, I see a shift from being inspired by dance (Lindsay Kemp
being a big influence), to filmic imagery (being influenced by
all the films I love so much). I find the combination of film and
music very exciting, and it's very rare for people to concentrate
on both with equal concern -- film-makers don't want the music to
distract, and musicians don't want the visuals to be stronger than
the music. But when it works, it's so powerful! For instance,
"The Wall", "Singing in the Rain", "Amadeus" -- there are definitely
people moving this way more and more. It's great.

Zwort: Wouldn't it be great to attack all the senses at once?
To have film and music, sensurround fitted to the seats, scents
filtered in through the air-conditioning -- Yee-hah!

Katie: Oh, Cousin Rodney -- that's what I love about you:
you're so enthusiastic!

Zwort: It's ZWORT!

END OF INTERVIEW