Old interview/ref. "SIYL"

[PBMANCHESTER@ccmail.sunysb.edu]

	The recent thoughtful attention to "Sat in Your Lap" by 
Jon, Doug, and IED brought to mind some incidental information 
about the video for that song that comes up in an interview Kate 
did on some British children's TV program, at the time it was 
being made, that I happen to have on tape.  Probably this was 
posted years ago and reposes in the archives; but just in 
case....

	I call this the "Snow White" interview, because Kate looks 
like a refugee from a Disney set.  Her hair is dyed much darker 
than usual--colored and cut as it appears in the video.  She is 
wearing a low-cut red dance leotard, a print skirt, low-heeled 
rope wedgy slipons.  She hits exactly the mix of sexy and demure 
of a Disney maiden.

	The set is simple; three rows of children sit on Kate's and 
the interviewer's left and right.  They look to be 10, 11; what I 
would call 4th graders, whatever Form that corresponds to in 
England.  Behind them is a large rainbow painted on a wall.  The 
interviewer is a sandy-haired young woman whose name is not used 
on my tape; on that tape the show begins with the video for 
"Babooshka" already in progress, coming to the end.  
(I.=Interviewer)

	*	*	*       *       *       *       *


I.	A really amazing video there by a really amazing lady--Kate 
Bush!  (Children holler "yea!" and clap).  Well, we're really 
obviously pleased to have you here, Kate.

KB	Great.

I.	Actually, when you perform this song, there's none of this 
sort of standing up in front of the mike and just belting it out, 
it really is quite a work of art.  When you're writing songs, 
Kate, do you think, always, in the back of your mind, how is this 
going to look on a video?

KB	ummm... Not always, at the writing stage.  There is a lot 
of visual ideas because when you're writing a song you've got to 
think of the character who's singing the song, who often isn't 
yourself.  And that character will be in a particular situation, 
either an unhappy one, or in a certain room, with a certain 
person.  And I think all these things, you actually mentally push 
yourself into it, to write the song so that you'll be closest to 
that atmosphere.  And when you make a video often you can't afford 
to visually do what you have in your mind, so often we'll change 
it slightly, make it a bit more abstract, rather than go for the 
full thing.

I.	I think Dave has a question.  (Boy in front row to Kate's 
left speaks.)

D.	How do you make your videos, Kate?

KB	Well, umm, it's quite a long process, it depends on the 
song.  The song really dictates what you have to do with it.  Some 
songs are very simple, and other songs almost become little epics, 
where you've got to section lots of things together.  And if 
you're using other people in the video, then you have to get 
choreography for them and make sure that they look right and they 
do the right things and, uh...it really is a lot of fun, actually. 
For me it's almost like making a film, and I think of it as 
something very special.

I.	Now, you've brought some story boards along today, haven't 
you?

KB	Yes, I have (reaches behind her chair and brings up a large 
bound portfolio).  Something that I do for the videos just 
recently is, umm (opens folio), in order to let the people that 
are working on the video know--like the cameramen and all that--I 
draw these little pictures.  I don't know if you can see (holds up 
first story sheet for "Army Dreamers"); the video starts off with 
an eye, blinking, in time to the music.

I.	It's very rough drawings (cut to the video itself, the eye, 
blinking).

KB	(Over the corresponding part of the video) And the camera 
moves out.  And as the camera moves out you see a little baby boy 
on my lap.  And this is really step by step, almost like a cartoon 
(picture cuts back to Kate speaking; audio from the song continues 
in background).

Girl	What other interests do you have apart from singing and 
dancing?

KB	Well, in many ways, before all these things started 
happening to me, they were my interests.  Like when I got home 
from school, I used to want to play the piano and that sort of 
thing.  And, um, I'm very lucky because my interests are my work. 
And in so many ways, any interests that I have can become part of 
my work.  Like a few months ago I bought a pair of skates and just 
fancied learning how to rollerskate.  And we're going to have a 
rollerskating section in the video.  I think in a way that's the 
wonderful thing about art, like music, dancing, that sort of 
thing.  Everything you do can then become your work.  You know, 
like if you're cleaning up one night, you might suddenly realize 
what a great routine it'd make, with the broom, you know.  It's 
just keeping your mind open for all these things.  And it's really 
fun.  Life becomes work.

I.	What about your training, though, in the early days, Kate? 
Tell us about that.

KB	Well, when I left school, I wanted to do something that 
would help my music and I didn't want to be sat around all day 
doing nothing, though I knew that I wanted to push myself into my 
music, and I thought that one of the best things I could do would 
be to learn to dance, because they're very close arts.  Music and 
dance are meant to go together.  And I went to see an incredible 
performance, by someone called Lindsay Kemp.  And I suddenly 
realized that this is what I was looking for--this sort of 
movement combined with music.  So I took some classes with him, 
and went on to the Dance Centre, which is still existing, and took 
lessons with a wonderful lady called Robin Carvac <?? can't make 
out last name; not in Kerton or Cann/Mayes>, and a lot of other 
teachers, and I've been going ever since, really--on and off.

I.	One of my favorites is "The Man With the Child in His 
Eyes."

KB	Yes, that probably was the simplest one we've ever done.  
Again, the song dictated it.  It was a very intimate song, about a 
young girl almost voicing her inner thoughts, not really to 
anyone, but rather to herself.  And it just started off, I just 
sat down on the floor cross-legged and ready to work out some 
ideas (cut to the video) to the routine, with the music on.  And 
my brother Jay came in and saw me sitting there and said, why 
don't you just keep it like that (video continues briefly, then 
cut back).

I.	How do you keep up with costumes, and especially your hair, 
during touring?
 
KB	Well, on tour we had a lady who looked after all the 
costumes, 'cause it wasn't just me that was wearing costumes, and 
all the band had clothes, and the dancers, and the musician--the 
magician, I mean.  And she had to keep repairing them every night 
and getting them dry-cleaned.  And my hair, I really just 
tried...I had to have one perm before the tour and that tried to 
hold it for the rest...it didn't do very well, but...yeah.

I.	You've brought some costumes with you today.

KB	Yes, I have brought...(reaches behind again to bring out 
the dunce cap from "Sat in Your Lap").  The video that we're doing 
at the moment is some characters featuring that background, so--
that's fine (sets the cap on the head of a boy to her right, pulls 
the elastic over his chin).  Welcome to dunce!  (Children laugh.)

I.	That's Jacobin--we want to know who it is.

KB	The song's all about the search for knowledge.  So... 
(pulls out one of the three-pronged red and yellow fool 
headdresses).

I.	This is your new song, is it?  The search for knowledge.

KB	(Hands headdress to a boy on her left, who studies it for a 
bit, figures out it goes on your head, and puts it on.)  Seemed 
like a good idea to have some figures that epitomized looking for 
knowledge.  And uh (pulls out one of the bull caps) this is a 
bull.  And what Pammy did here...this was originally a cow's mask, 
and it was a very pretty cow, and it was pink, and had big 
eyelashes.  And she managed to cut it down and completely changed 
it; she put these horns on, on top of what was there, and turned 
it into a bull.  Incredible.

I.	Let's give that to Marie, shall we?  (Kate sets it on the 
head of the girl who asked the earlier question.)  What about your 
costumes for this video, Kate?

KB	(Reaches behind and pulls out her costume).  Well, we tried 
to base it on a sort of ballerina's costume.  Obviously I've got a 
lot of interesting dance to do.  But also, the flavor of the song, 
everyone kept commenting on how Spanish it was.  And this was one 
of the reasons for the bull image here, everyone thought it was 
very Spanish and bullringy.  So we tried to keep this looking like 
a ballet tutu, but at the same time making the skirt slightly 
Spanish, so that I'd be able to pick it up and wave it around (the 
video for "Sat in Your Lap" starts).  And Pammy based this on a 
ballet tutu.

(Complete video for "Sat in Your Lap" is shown.)

KB	(Reprise)  It really is a lot of fun, actually.  For me 
it's almost like making a film.  And I think of it as something 
very special.  (Children holler yea, applaud.)

			END


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pmanchester@ccmail.sunysb.edu     >                             
    pmanchester@sbccma.bitnet    <     "C'MON, WE ALL SING"     
             Peter Manchester     >      --Not This Time