What's all this negativity?

[Julian Shaw <julian@dragonfire.demon.co.uk>]

[From thread: "Unidentified subject!"]

Hmmm. Seems to be a lot of negativity suddenly flying around in Kate's
direction.

Grant wrote:
>>         Kate is still young I think, but didn't anyone else get the scarry
>> feeling from the Red Shoes that it just might be her last? That was
>> almost four years ago. 

Nope. I am not at all surprised to hear that she is recording again this
year. Three and four year gaps between original album releases are
(sadly) not unusual, and don't forget that she has been working on other
projects in between.

>>You figure if even she is working in her home studio now, we probably
>>can't expect a release for at least another year or year and a half. 

This is entirely possible, given that Kate has demonstrated before that
she strives for perfection with each release. That's just the way it is,
and I would not expect her to compromise her artistic integrity by doing
otherwise.

>>I too feel a little disappointment that there is not at least some
>>gesture that tells us 'I'm alright' and that 'that little light is
>>still alive'. KB fans are probably the nicest, most thoughtful,
>>and devoted music fans any musician could ever want. Why does that not
>>inspire her to KreaTe and Commune I Kate lately? (it's pretty sad to
>>put it that way, isn it?) All the love you should have given. . . We
>>are them heavy people; what happened to her soft spot?

Your comments above tie in with another posting complaining about her
lack of (original) recorded output and expecting her to put out
something "for her fans" because they "deserve" it and it is their
"right". Richard Bensam addressed this point most eloquently and, at the
risk of merely repeating what he said, I have to say that no artist owes
his/her/their fans anything. Nobody forces you to buy her music, and if
you do so it is presumably because you derive enjoyment and pleasure
from listening to it. She has already provided you with something
special, and if she should choose never to do so again that is entirely
her decision. 

Similarly, I too would also like to know that she is alright, but given
that she is, by all accounts, a very private person can you blame her if
she wants to keep out of the public eye for one reason or another? This
is particularly so when the gutter press in the UK insist on making up
garbage stories about her because they have got nothing better to do.
(Remember the "Kate Has Gone Potty" item?) I don't blame her for not
wanting to talk to the press if they are going to write that kind of
tripe about her. 

Did you ever stop to consider that there might be some extremely good
reason for her remaining "silent" for so long? (Notwithstanding the
Convention, the filming of TLTC&TC, the Common Ground track, the
sculpture, etc.) Her mother died in 1992 and such a loss can have a
devastating impact on anyone. I don't know if this _has_ had a profound
and/or detrimental effect on her, but it would be no surprise if it had.
A lot of people prefer to retreat away from the world when something
like this happens, except that in her case it's a lot harder because she
is someone in the public eye. Despite her musical genius she is still a
human being, and subject to the same emotions and feelings as everyone
else. According to other postings, her relationship with Del also ended
at around the same time (although whether this is true or not, I don't
know - does anyone have accurate information about this?). If it _is_
true then I can well imagine that she would have been devastated,
particularly after being with him for so long. It may be 5 years later,
but I know from personal experience that some emotional traumas can,
indeed, take years to come to terms with. Remember the line: "I feel
that life has blown a great big hole through me..." ("Lily", 1993)?

(BTW, I _do_ agree with your comments about Kate fans being among the
best around, judging by what is (usually) written in this newsgroup
about her.)

Horace wrote:
>
>How long have you been a Kate fan? The wait is part of the territory,
>Bucko. I would rather she took TEN years and gave us something incredible,
>rather than take two and give us drivel. (Look at Lionheart. Don't listen
>to it,just look at it. But there's my point.) 

Dear, oh dear, here we go again. The usual "Lionheart" slagging-off is
doing the rounds. This kind of remark really makes my blood boil. What
is it with some Kate fans that makes them refer to this album as
"drivel"? A maladjustment of the taste buds, or temporary loss of the
proverbial marbles? Maybe you've just been playing it backwards? It does
tend to alter one's perception. I hope that everybody completely
disregards Horace's suggestion, and listens to it intently. There is a
lot more going on than may at first appear to the casual listener.

OK, "Lionheart" would not be my personal choice as Kate's "best" album
(although that is always a subjective opinion) but it certainly does
contain some excellant songs. To mention a few: "Symphony in Blue" is a
beautifully constructed song and very appealing; "Wow" is superb,
whatever interpretation one puts on the lyrics; "In the Warm Room" and
"Oh England My Lionheart" are gorgeous, being, as they are, virtually
Kate singing only accompanied by piano (similar to the vocal/piano demos
beloved by most on this group); and "In Search of Peter Pan" is the most
delightfully childlike (not child_ish_) song that she has ever done, to
my ears. Very nostalgic, tender, and moving. 

Please don't refer to something as "drivel" simply because it doesn't
appeal to your personal taste. 

> She's never impressed anyone as being an incredibly hard worker. 

On the contrary, I have always considered her extremely dedicated to her
art. Why do you think it takes her so long to record albums - because
she is lazy? No way. It's because she spends _long_ hours trying to get
things just right. Read Del's account (it's on Gaffaweb) of all the time
and effort that went into recording "The Sensual World" and you might
reconsider your opinion. 

>Uhh, wait a minute. Nobody can be expected to produce more than one
>masterpiece in their life. It's nice when they do, but don't stay up late
>waiting. 

I think you'll find that opinion on this group is divided on what
constitutes Kate's "masterpiece". Either "The Dreaming" or "Hounds of
Love". (Oh look - she's already produced TWO masterpieces.)

To those albums I would also add - just my personal opinion, you
understand - "The Kick Inside", which still stands the test of time (and
which I still play) even after nearly 20 years. Check out all the
excellant songs on this album and then remember that she was only 20
when it was released. Then remember that she was actually much younger
than this when she first wrote most of these songs, as illustrated by
the "Cathy Demos" recordings (circa 1976). As an album in it's own
right, it is outstanding. As a debut album it is quite astonishing. As
an album released by someone who has just turned 20 it is quite
remarkable. A masterpiece? You can decide for yourself. It is as far as
I am concerned.

> if there was ever an album that needed a tour to sell albums, it
>was TSW--not one of my faves, fer sure.

It didn't need a tour to sell it, it did perfectly well without one. I
see you are also one of the TSW knockers as well. I'll refrain from
pointing out all the superb tracks on this album, because it would mean
listing nearly all of them. Suffice to mention that "This Woman's Work"
is one of the most moving, spellbinding, and haunting songs that she (or
anyone else) has ever recorded. 

BTW, since when has selling huge quantities of albums been Kate's prime
requisite for making them in the first place? If that was all that
mattered she would release one every year. Personally, I am delighted if
her albums sell to an extent that enables her to live comfortably - I
don't begrudge her any of it.

>> Not that I expect her to tour, because singing a whole concert
>> of her songs spanning all those years I would figure to be extremely
>> difficult, 

Unless her voice has seriously deteriorated in the last few years I
would have to disagree, although many of the songs on "Lionheart" are
sung in a particularly high register and could conceivably pose a
problem. 

Grant:
>I'm sure that if she toured, she'd borrow a thing or two about staging
>from Mick and Keef.

Huh? What makes you think she'd have any desire or reason to do that?
She's one of the most original artists around, with her own ideas and
concepts, she doesn't need to copy anyone else. Certainly not a band
like the Stones, whose stage show is so well known. Plagarism is not, I
feel, a criticism that Kate would wish to be accused of - and she hasn't
been accused of it up to now - so it seems to me more likely that she
would make every effort to avoid it. Is she _did_ look to other music
artists for ideas or inspiration it is more likely to be someone like
Bowie, whom she is known to admire, than the Stones, of whom I have
never heard her make any comment. However, given that she is unlikely to
tour ever again it's not a question that's likely to arise.

Horace:
>> I for one don't want to see too much of that
>> rock-cliche dehumanization or English resignation - too much black
>> clothes, silence, cigarettes, and 'no comments'; why not give a little,
>> listen and share like a human being? 

Who are you to judge her behaviour? She's given us plenty by virtue of
"sharing" her music with us. (Yeah, she's made a living out of it as
well, so what?) Hell, she doesn't owe any one of us a damn thing, and
the sooner people stop bitching about what she should or shouldn't be
doing, or what her fans "expect" of her, the better. 

>I hate to break this to you, but she's always been like this. Again I ask,
>how long have you been a Kate fan?

In view of all your criticisms and apparent lack of patience and
understanding, I think you should ask yourself the same question. 

>Seek out other forms of life and wait till she blooms again.

Or just enjoy what you already have by her. It doesn't fade with the
passage of time, it simply matures like a fine wine.


Look at it this way: we're talking about a woman who makes wonderful and
original music, plays the piano beautifully, has the singing voice of an
angel, and whose work is so appealing that she has sold millions of
records as a result. Despite this, she doesn't affect any airs and
graces; doesn't strut about like a megastar; doesn't seek to impose her
views on anyone else; doesn't fly off into tantrums; is courteous and
polite; is highly regarded by other artists (who also comment on how
nice she is, both to work with and as a person); cares enough about the
world to give her time freely to aid charities and good causes; and who
is self-deprecating and genuinely undervalues her own work. That doesn't
make her God, nor perfect, but it sure makes her one hell of a special
person, and more deserving of consideration and understanding than most. 

Julian

http://www.gryphon.com/gaffa
   Gaffaweb - The best Kate web site on the planet, bar none.