KT NEWS

[IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]

     Nothing momentous, although IED supposes that depends on one's
point of view/degree of sanity. The following tidbits come from the
latest (32nd) issue of "Homeground".

     1.) According to "HG", EMI are now _actively_ seeking advice
_from_fans_ regarding the possibility of releasing KATE'S B-SIDES ON
CD! "HG"'s report says, "EMI have asked 'HG' to ask its readers to
write to them stating which package they prefer and indeed with any
other ideas for this release." The hypothetical packages they refer to
are: a.) a _boxed_set_ of CD _singles_, "which would naturally include
the now unobtainable B-sides"; and b.) a compilation CD containing the
non-album tracks only. "HG" suggest that the "best" way to express
your opinions is to send them to "HG" which will forward them to EMI
themselves. IED wonders whether a direct letter to EMI wouldn't be
just as or more effective. Anyway, it's nice to hear that the company
went to the trouble to contact "HG" and ask for advice.
         As for which package is preferable, the boxed set idea, while
attractive for artistic reasons (keeping all the cover art, preserving
the integrity of each single, etc.), sounds terribly impractical from
a consumer's point of view, since a box of singles would certainly
cost far more than one or two compilation CDs, and since it would
inevitably repeat many tracks already available on CD, and finally
since it would be a terribly wasteful way of using up CD space. On the
other hand, a compilation CD is a more problematic _project_ for
someone (other than Kate) to undertake: IED has calculated that some
tracks would necessarily have to be omitted from such a collection,
assuming it were to occupy only one CD, and especially if one didn't
want to omit the various instrumental-mixes, single-mixes, video-mixes
and extended re-mixes. One thing's for sure, and that is that no
matter what EMI decide to do, they'll fail to satisfy the diehard
fans. The catalogue of CD-unreleased Kate material consists of more
than 80 "tracks" now, if one includes the various live performances.
Even if the complete "official" b-sides were included, what of the
unreleased "Maybe"? or Maurice Jarre's "The Magician"? or "Be Kind to
My Mistakes"? or "Brazil"? And the list goes on and on...No, the only
thing to do is prepare for disappointment. But that doesn't mean
Love-Hounds shouldn't take the time to write EMI and let them know of
our concern.
     2.) There are no plans to release Midge Ure's duet with Kate,
"Sister and Brother", as a single. (By the way, the album, "Answers to
Nothing", bombed royally, if the first three weeks' UK chart listings
are anything to go by. Same with the lead-off single.)
     3.) There is no truth to rumours about a title for KBVI. So far
as "HG" knows (or is letting on), no title has been chosen yet.
Furthermore, "HG" is maintaining that the album has not yet been
completed, quoting (as usual without identifying the obviously inside
source) someone as saying that it is "progressing very positively,"
whatever that means. IED is personally convinced that this is just a
big smokescreen, that the album was finished quite a while ago, and
that Kate is busy filming videos and working up a live show.
         Anyway, the release is now hoped for sometime in the spring.
     4.) The tribute album to honor the songwriting duo of Elton John
and Bernie Taupin (whom IED met the other day, incidentally, and found
to be a very nice chap) has been _scrapped_. The record labels
couldn't get together on royalties, apparently. This means that Kate's
proposed cover version of "Rocket Man" will _not_ see the light of
day, and quite possibly was never even recorded.
     5.) A new book about Kate (newer than the "scrapbook" called
"Kate Bush With Love", which IED reported on in detail earlier), is
due in "late autumn" in the UK. It's to be called "Kate Bush--A Visual
Documentary", and "HG" say: "Although we have not yet seen a copy of
the book we do know that the authors have put in much time and effort
to make it as positive and accurate as possible." This sounds to IED
as though it's going to be something of a whitewash, a bit like Peter
F-M's own chronology. Why should it be made as "positive" as possible?
And how can one make it "positive" _and_ "accurate" at the same time?
The two desires are mutually exclusive.  To slant the facts in favour
of some misconceived notion of the artist's reputation is not the way
to assure accuracy. (Yeah, yeah, IED's one to talk!)  Ah, well, we'll
have to wait and see what it's like when it arrives.
         IED doesn't know for sure, but it seems that this book is the
same one which he earlier reported as being called "Kate Bush--The
Whole Story", a title which was given to import record retailers. This
confusion will soon be resolved, however.
         The report in "HG" once again makes vague allusions to some
inside source, possibly the Bush family themselves; and as usual, the
source's anonymity is scrupulously maintained.  IED is frankly a
little annoyed by these veiled references to unnamed sources. "HG"
continues to insist (on its back page) that it is run "completely
independently of any official fan organisation," yet they also
continue to report news which time and again proves that they are
privy to information which could only have come from an "official"
source, and probably the Bush family itself. If the sources are not
secret, why are they never identified? If they are, why can't they at
least admit that they are? And above all, why can't they have the
candor to admit when they're holding something back about their
information and/or sources?
     5.) Nigel Kennedy, the young English violin virtuoso about whom
IED recently wrote in Love-Hounds, has performed a cover version of
one of Kate's songs in concert. The identity of the song is not known,
but Kennedy subtitled it "Marilyn Monroe meets the Mugger" (which "HG"
notes suggests "Hammer Horror").
         Kennedy also had "much to say about Kate" on a UK radio
programme recently.
     6.) The new Italian Kate fanzine, which was earlier identified as
"Wow" both in "HG" and in Love-Hounds, is actually called "The First
and Last Forever". The address is the same as earlier reported: Via de
Gasperi 4C, 34072 Gradisca D'sonzo, Gorizia, Italy.
     7.) There is _still_another_ new Kate Bush fanzine. This one
brings the total to _eighteen_! It's called "The Big Sky Forum" and is
based in the U.S., coming out of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. There have
already been three issues.
     8.) From "HG"'s "Medialog": Laurie Brown of Canada's "MuchMusic"
broadcast a television review of John Carder Bush's book of
photographs, "Cathy". A UK television programme covering the AIDS
charity project "Shop Assistance", about which more has already been
said in Love-Hounds, included a shot or two of Kate. And there was
another UK TV clip with Kate, on a BBC2 programme called "Rough Guide
to Europe", in which Kate apparently makes a few comments about
London.

     That's all as far as "HG"'s KT news goes. The rest of the new
issue consists mainly of increasingly skilled but still slavish and
cloyingly commercial tracings from photos of Kate by ubiquitous KT
artist Debi Bowes, Krys, and J. Leak; and a large amount of
Kate-inspired "poetry" and fantasy prose...
     Lastly, among the ever-expanding list of "personals" that appear
at the end of the fanzine is a cryptic note:

          GG -- Roll on 28th Sept. If they make me
          wait any longer, I'll cry and our lovely
          little friend will sulk & knock like mad.
          Love you. JCB.

     Any ideas, |>oug?

-- Andrew Marvick