"A Lioness At Heart"

[bq214@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Ken Saintjohn)]

 In case ya didn't know Bakersfield Calif.  IS the great cultural
waste land of the west coast hands down.  Thus when something like
lets say a new record store opens up I feel it my duty as a self
proclaimed Gaffaien to immediately run in and start looking for and
promoting KaTe Bush.  This combined with the fact that the owner of
"WORLD RECORDS" was also the only guy in town who had ever heard of
"Tori Amos" and actually had her CD in stock 4 weeks ago sealed my
fate so off to abuse the old MasterCard we go...
 
 While picking up my Tori CD I mention to the owner Pat something
along the lines of "I'm always looking for KaTe Bush stuff, if ya come
across anything interesting give me a call".  Pat accrues me he would.
Having heard this a number of times before and very little ever
comeing from it I pretty much put it out of my mind and go home to
enjoy my new Tori CD.  Two weeks later I find a message on my
answering machine from Pat telling me he has picked up something
especially for me he knows I'm going to want, it's called "A Lioness
At Heart", it's limited to 1000 copies and it's going to cost me
$75.00...
 
       SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS!!!  GREAT GOBS OF GREEN VILE !!!!
 
Just what I need!  Another copy of "Lionheart"!  Lets see, I have the
UK vinyl, the US vinyl and the CD that came in the "TWW" box set so
what in the world do I need another "Lionheart" CD for?  But hell I
did tell him to keep his eyes open, he special ordered it and he is a
real nice guy trying to make it in Bakerspatch with an record store
that has a cool selection of alternative stuff.  Yup, I'm going to be
spending $75.00
 
 I walk into Pat's little record shop gritting my teeth thinking to
myself "Oh boy, another Lionheart CD", he hands me this slightly
larger then 12x12 inch box about 2 inches thick.  I look at it, my
teeth stop gritting and my jaw falls slack.  The cover reads:
 
                                Kate Bush
                            A Lioness At Heart
                           --------------------
                        Contains a limited edition
                        48 page book of photographs
                            by Gered Mankowitz
                          plus "Lionheart" on CD.
 
On the front of the box is one of the most stunning photos of KaTe I
have _ever_ seen!  It's a familiar shot, she is wareing a two piece
green leotard with her thumbs tucked into a purple belt type thing
around her waist.  The colour and clarity of this 12x12 box top photo
is amazing.  This glossy heavy cardboard packaging puts the packaging
for the 'TWW" box set to shame!  Inside the box I found:
 
    1 postcard (a repeat of the box top cover).
    1 T-shirt (white, with KaTes standard "Much Love" autograph
      silk-screen onto it).
    1 "Lionheart CD (ya knew that was comeing).
    1 24x16 pink tone poster (think this is the same pink leotard
      photo found on the "TKI" import, I would have to look to be
      sure).
    1 11-1/2x11-1/2 48 page b&w and colour book.
 
 Forget everything else, this colectors item is all about the 48 page
book!  Gered Mankowitz is one drop dead fine photographer and here are
at least 35 smashing photos of KaTe to prove it!  And I do mean
smashing!  In addition to some smaller b&w crystal clear photos there
are 25 11x11 b&w photos and 6 11x11 colour photos that together just
have to be one the finest "studio art" photographic representing of
KaTe Bush ever compiled!  This book _definitely_ rivals the
microscopic booklet of fine photographs that came with the "TWW" box
set, (about 98% of which are Mankowitz photos I believe) this book
also has a KaTe Bush biography of sorts in addition to some reprints
of the "Tour of Life" program.  This is the packaging and book that
_should_ have been wrapped around the CDs in KaTes CD box set!
 
 Is it worth $75?  That all depends on how nuts ya are :-) The book is
a killer, if you ever have the opportunity to pick one up at a price
you can live with do it!  It definitely rates 3 thumbs up (I just
watched "The Dark Backwards":)" and 4 big BIG stars!
 
   ........................  // ..........................
   .                  Saint\X/ohn (Ken)                  .
   . <ken@bsbbs.UUCP><{n8emr|nstar}!bluemoon!bsbbs!ken>  .
   .         The Big Sky BBS (+1 614 864 1198)           .
   ."I think quotes are very dangerous things!" KaTe Bush.
   .......................................................