Madonna;the Anti-Kate?

[katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)]

Chris here,

Loren Petrich wrote:
>>
>>There is a whole newsgroup, rec.music.gaffa, devoted to Kate Bush and
>>related subjects, and I think that Madonna and Kate Bush have a heck
>>of a lot in common. I have long suspected that Kate Bush is the
>>Madonna of the alternative-rock set; if you think that comparison is
>>unwarranted, please explain why in reasoned, non-flaming words.

and Jon Drukman replied:
>
> eh.  there was an article in _homeground_ (Kate fan mag, for you
> non-gaffans) of all places, a while ago, comparing Kate to Madonna (in
> flattering terms, even.) the main thesis in the article was that
> they're both "originals" and "uncompromising." Point sort of taken,
> but the main difference is that Madonna's uncompromising originality
> goes into her image whereas Kate's goes into her music.

 At the risk of drawing fire, I'd like to suggest that Siouxsie Sioux would
be a better alternative-rock equivilent to Madonna. I've never seen a Kate
"wanna-be", but black coifed, black clad, pale skinned Siouxsie-wanna-be's
litter the streets of this fair city. I love Siouxsie and the Banshees'
music, but have little love for the way it is consumed. Kate has managed
to avoid becoming an "image product" in the way that Siouxsie, and to a 
far greater extent, Madonna, have become. Oddly enough, it was jsd's 
frothing-at-the-mouth, and claiming that Madonna was the "Anti-Kate"
that caused me to seriously re-consider Ms. Ciccione's music. I share
enough musicial taste with Jon to take some of what he says seriously,
but believe his more obnoxious qualities and tastes are a result of
believing what he reads in the British music papers. So, figuring that
any seriously deranged opinions from him may be lifted directly from
the pages of NME, I've had to use some of "his/NME's" statements as a
reverse barometer. Not that this is very reliable mind you. But if he
claims Madonna is the spawn of Hell, she may be quite good. I picked up
"Like a Prayer" and listened to it on a Walkman, free of radio over-
exposure and MTV BS. Taken on it's own merits it is very good. The
Anti-Kate would not have put "Act of Contrition" on this album. Fact
is only one song on this album is even slightly concerned with sex.
The "Madonna/Whore" syndrome is definitely at work here (no dumb joke
intended). The worst reviews of _The Sensual World_ resulted from the
reviewers apparent belief that any woman singing about sex must be 
an airhead. This seems to be deeply ingrained in American society.
Kate recieved a lot of attention following _The Kick Inside_ that had
nothing to do with her music and a much to do with her breasts. She
didn't like it then, and probably still dosen't. As a mental exercise,
imagine that Kate dressed like Madonna and acted like Madonna but still
made the same music. Would you have been able to get past the image?
Are you able to deal with a woman as a sexual _and_ intellectual being?

   I'll confess that when I first discovered Kate's music on TKI I
fantasized about her, but as I grew older and (hopefully) matured, I
discovered that it was an isometric exercise; it's a strain and it gets
you nowhere. That adolesent attachment faded and was replaced by a more
profound and lasting respect based on the music, as well as admiring
her as a beautiful woman. Forming relationships with real live women
helped too.

                                 Chris Williams of
                                      Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago
                                            katefans@world.std.com