Another new KT book

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

     IED reports the arrival of still another new book about Kate
Bush. This one, a British hardcover biography by Kerry Juby, is
unquestionably the best biography to be published so far. IED is still
in the midst of reading it (it's about 160 pages), but already it
easily outstrips in accuracy and insight its predecessors, the two
"biographies" by Fred Vermorel and the one book by Paul Kerton.
     Juby's new book is called "Kate Bush: The Whole Story", and cost
IED $30.00. It looks like a mainstream hardcover biography, rather
than a pop music fanbook. Juby is described on the fly-leaf as an
independent radio producer specializing in interviews. The slipcase is
white with black lettering, and a b&w shot of Kate on the front and
back.
     The text is as literate as can be expected, which is to say it's
a major improvement over earlier books. Considerable care is evident
in the discography at the back of the book, and the large majority of
the facts in the biography itself--especially after the author gets
past Kate's youth, which is still sketched in from hearsay by former
school-chums--appear to IED on first check to be accurate.
     The book begins with a preface designed to repudiate the smarmy,
exploitative and hostile messages inherent in the Vermorel books. The
word "normal" is used to describe Kate's character and childhood no
fewer than five times in the first five pages of the book. Excessive
(not to say unconvincing), perhaps, but understandable given the kind
of character damage that the earlier books and articles have done to
Kate over the years--that's a hard stereotype to knock down, and one
way to do it is to set up an alternative stereotype.
     In the acknowledgements Juby lists the KBC, Kate Bush,
"Homeground" and--most importantly, as it turns out--a number of
people who have worked with Kate in the past, including Anthony Van
Laast, Jon Kelly, Andrew Powell (who unwittingly exposes his own
artistic weaknesses in his explanation of his problems with Kate
during the recording of "Lionheart") and Lindsay Kemp.
     In addition to all these people's recollections, Juby managed to
acquire the confidence of Frances Byrne, a school friend of Kate's who
shared a personal letter she received from KT shortly _before_ "The
Kick Inside" was recorded. This letter is a fascinating study, even
though reading it makes IED feel a little like he's rummaging through
Kate's garbage cans. She comes off as so bright, modest, considerate
and creatively literate, that IED couldn't resist re-printing it here.
Remember, this is Kate Bush, age 16/17, writing:

Dear Fran,
    Thanks for your letter -- it was really, really nice to hear from
you, but not a total surprise -- it was strange because you appeared
for a split second in my dream last night and your letter was at my
parents' this morning. It's good to hear you're so well and coping
with your life -- Well Done -- it gets _really_ hard sometimes, dun
it?
     I gather you hear I've left school? Well, I left during last
year's summer holidays -- before they all went back for the Autumn
Term. I've only been back once since, and that was an extremely brief
visit, but that's how it goes...! I now go to an open dance college in
London. It's called the Dance Centre, and it's OK. It _is_ expensive
and my life is, at the moment, revolving around the money that's left
over from the lessons, but that's enough for me to have fun and buy
cigarettes. (I am afraid to say that I'm smoking quite a lot but I
think I've got it under control?)
     I haven't heard from you for so long that it's difficult to know
where to start. I guess you know that I have set myself a definite
ambition as a career. I want to sing, write songs and mime. I've got a
contract actually being drawn up by a record company at last, but it
has taken 4 years (approximately) to get this far -- but I think it is
going to get more progressive -- I hope so. I'm working quite hard on
my voice and on songs (and dancing too I suppose) but I seem to spend
most of my time waiting for it all to happen. Last summer I took mime
lessons with Lindsay Kemp.  He is an _amazing_ person and I met a lot
of nice friends through the classes. The more people I meet now, the
older and stranger they seem to get -- it's funny...
     I've had my two front teeth straightened at the dentist. The
appointment was 2 1/2 hours long and he's put temporary crowns in at
the moment, but they're nice -- it's just that I'm a bit paranoid
about the fact that they're held in by glue -- I really hope they
don't fall out! I also failed my driving test in March, but I'll take
it again in August.
     I've got your phone number. It would be really nice to see you
again...one night, for old times' sake, huh? I'm in Lewisham now in a
very beautiful flat, above my brothers -- I'm very free and very
happy. Anyway, Fran, I'll give you a ring in the next month or two (I
say that far away because I know how inefficient I am at getting
things like that together, but this, I will, eventually, honest).
     Lots of love
     Kate.
     PS No, I don't really see people from school much, but I find it
_so_ strange when I do -- I feel so, so, different, very far away from
them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
     It's pretty certain that Kate did not have anything to do with
this book. Nearly all of the quotations of Kate herself come from
published interviews, and many little inaccuracies pepper the text,
most of which would probably have been corrected by the Bush family if
they had been given a chance to edit it before publication. At times,
Juby echoes Peter FitzGerald-Morris's own writings on Kate so closely
that his reliance on the series of _Homeground_ columns called "Five
Years Ago" frequently becomes glaringly obvious.  Despite these flaws,
the book is so loyal to Kate, and at the same time sufficiently
informative and accurate, that IED would be surprised if the Bush or
_Homeground_ camps commented negatively about it.
     IED should add that the book does also include twelve colour and
fifteen black-and-white photographs, fully half of which he had never
seen before. And the quality of the reproductions is pretty high. All
in all, despite many small errors of fact and typos, despite a
frequently over-protective tone and despite a slight tendency to pad
with redundant commentary and description, this book is a winner. IED
will have more to say when he has finished it, but it's already clear
to him that Juby's book can be recommended without hesitation to any
and all Kate Bush fans.
     The book is published by Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd., 1 Tavistock
Chambers, Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SG, for anyone who wants to
find out how to get a copy. Price: 12 Pounds 95 Pence.

-- Andrew Marvick