Re: Kate's Studio and EMI

[Robb McCaffree <nsrjm@nursepo.medctr.ucla.edu>]

Len Bullard wrote:

(Kate's studio/Abbey Road discussion snipped)

> 
> Yes, she has consistently plotted a downward
> course in sales. 

Actually, her sales curve for the first six
albums (including TWS) dipped in the middle.
I don't know how TSW or TRS (my god, too many
S's, W's and T's!) did commercially -- and I
won't guess, because my guess for the first
four albums was wrong across the board.

I really posted the paragraphs from the Iron
Maiden interview for their content on Kate's
relationship with EMI. The sales figures
included therein were not my point, but having
included them, I should have gone on to say
that she attained great success again with HoL
and TWS, both of which sold approximately a
million copies each in the UK.

I don't care whether or not Kate sells a great
number of albums - except that success affords
her the ability to record her next album the
way she wants to. I doubt that TD or HoL would
have come about at all if it weren't for the
success of the first albums. Had TKI, Lionheart
and NfE not done well, I suspect she would not
have had the power to get TD released.

That said, I was surprised to learn that NfE
experienced a drop in sales from Lionheart.
It's just trivia, really, but with NfE's three
successful singles vs. Lionheart's one (Hammer
Horror did not chart well), I had thought that
NfE was the more commercially successful.

> She does not now nor has she ever worked the
> approved "next thing" which believe it or not,
> is planned years (at least three) in advance
> by record executives and producers just as
> fashions are chosen.

Yes, what separates Kate from just about every-
one else is that she does not bend to meet the
current trend in music. Rather, she challenges
the listener to bend to her very individual and
stunning ideas and musical whims.
 
> Kate Bush could be a helluva lot richer,
> but considering, I doubt she could be
> any more successful.

I think success to Kate is measured by response
to her work. She seems genuinely touched (and
surprised) to receive accolades for her efforts.
Sure, the number of albums sold plays into this,
but the distinction here is that she wants her
music heard...and the financial gain is perhaps
just icing on the cake.

PLAY IT LOUD! she said.

Robb