Yet another KT fanzine is out

[IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]

     Actually the revival of an old KT fanzine which had been reported
as defunct in _Homeground_ and elsewhere.  IED is speaking of _Under
the Ivy_, a British-based Kate publication for fans who must have
anything to do with Kate no matter how exploitive or shoddy.
Love-Hounds may remember reports of the first five issues of _UtI_,
the last one of which was published over nine months ago.  Now there
is _Kate_,_An_Under_the_Ivy_Publication_(Issue Number 6)_.
     No reason is given for the change of title, but the motivation is
clear: _Under_the_Ivy_ was too obscure a title to attract the poor,
fledgling Kate fan who is this group's prime prey. Also, no date
appears anywhere in this twenty-odd-page b&w "glossy" magazine, but it
was probably printed up very recently since IED's arrived via air
mail.
     Unfortunately this doesn't mean that there is any up-to-date info
in the thing. Far from it. The single column of "news" flashes
consists entirely of minor miscellany culled and regurgitated from
other fanzines, including _Homeground_ and
_The_Kate_Bush_Club_Newsletter_. In fact, the text of the entire issue
was originally written at least three months ago, judging from
references to now-long-past events and release-dates.  (For example,
_KBVI_ is confidently expected in early Spring 1988!)
     Beyond that, the fanzine contains un-proofread copy, mostly
dot-matrixed in something like 16 or 20 point type size (fills up the
page with a minimum of words and effort). An "exclusive" interview
with Kate, post-The_Whole_Story_, conducted by Harry Doherty, is
actually taken from _Hurricane_, and is so poorly transcribed that
whole paragraphs and sentences seem to have been omitted through sheer
haste and incompetence. There is a ridiculous comparison of Thomas
Dolby to Kate Bush (in which _Dolby_ seems to come out "on top"), and
a two-page listing of "a Kate Bush fan's" (read the publishers of
_Under_the_Ivy_!) record collection for sale -- nothing particularly
interesting or rare, with all prices absurdly inflated. And a
hopelessly incomplete list of Kate's TV appearances.
     Altogether this is a despicable piece of manipulative
bootlegger-mentality drivel for Kate fanatics only. So if you see a
fanzine called _Kate_ in your import shop anytime soon, _avoid_ it.

-- Andrew Marvick