A True Story

[JWALKER.ENG-MAIL@SMTP.INTECOM.COM (Walker, John)]

Hi all -
    Since it seems to be the time for confessionals, I guess it's
appropriate to relate my "how I found Kate" story:

CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER METALHEAD:
The first time I saw Kate was when TKI came out, in Hit Parader
and Circus and the other poor excuses for music rags of the
late 70's.  They ran a lot of ads for her and talked about her
4 octave range and how great she was.  I distinctly remember
her in a trenchcoat in the ads.  Anyway, being 13 and seriously
into KISS and Ted Nugent, I was not motivated to investigate
further.

Jump ahead to 1981.  At the senior talent show, I was asked to
play guitar for one of the girls who was graduating that year.
She wanted to do "Wuthering Heights" off of Pat Benatar's
Crimes of Passion album.  "Uh, heh heh heh, OK, but like, uh
Pat Benatar's a wuss, or something," I replied.  I dutifully
learned Pat's version, but took note that it was not credited to
Pat, but to K. Bush.  "I wonder if that's the girl in the trenchcoat?"
I asked.  I then went home and cranked up my Black Sabbath
Heaven and Hell album, and promptly forgot all about it.

Jump to 1985.  In college, my roommate was a DJ for the college
radio station.  His best friend was a keyboard player, who subscribed
to Contemporary Keyboard.  The Kate Bush issue was laying around,
so I read it.  "Is that the girl in the trenchcoat?" I wondered.  I then 
cranked
up my Iron Maiden record and forgot all about it.  My roommate came home
raving about this new artist he had discovered, who had put out this 
album
that was actually two completely different albums with 2 titles.  Side 1 
was
called Hounds of Love, and side 2 The Ninth Wave.  "That's nice," I said,
"but so what?  Is it heavy?"  He replied, "well, no, not really."  I 
said, "uh,
heh heh heh, turn it off, dude, that sucks.  Was that the girl in 
Keyboard?"

Finally: Jump to 1988.  After completing school and moving to Dallas, I
was working as an engineer by day to support my true vocation:
guitarist extraordinaire.  One day I went to the record store and 
said, "Impress me.  I'm bored."  The guy recommended Steve
Morse and HoL.  I bought a Black Sabbath album as a back up 8-)
I went home, turned it on, and went "Whoa.  This is different."
The next week, I bought The Greatest Album That Has Ever
Been Recorded, Period: The Dreaming.  I had an unusual reaction:
I got into it immediately.  I guess I needed a few years writing and
recording my own songs to recognize just how great Kate is.
The Dreaming did it for me: I was hooked.  I immediately acquired
all of her catalog, and the videos.  HoL and TD are still my favorite
Kate albums. The other ones don't seem as powerful to me, although
they're all excellent.  I even blew off work the day TSW was released
and drove all over Dallas to find a store that had it.  Kate is just 
SOOOOO
amazing (but we know that, right?)

So, is there life after metal?  Yes, I say, yes.  I even like
Tori Amos  8-)
Any other ex-headbangers out there have similar experiences?

Sorry for the length-
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|  John Walker		|
|  Email:   jwalker@intecom.com	|
|  Voice:  (214) 447-8321	|
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