Cloudbusting -- Kate Bush In Her Own Words

1989

Probably [ the sensual world is out of touch with the current pop scene] because it's got a slightly ethnic feel, founded on kate's use of irish and bulgarian musics and musicians in the creative process. Perhaps because she's been free from pop for so long. Maybe because she's crossed the threshold of 30?

God! Yes. I'm sure it's all tied in with it, SHE LAUGHS. I think it's a very important time: from 28 to 32-ish, where there's some kind of turning point. Someone said that in your teens you get the physical puberty, and between 28 and 32 mental puberty. Let's face it, you've got to start growing up when you're 30, it does make you feel differently. I feel very positive having gone through the last couple of years. (1989, NME)

Well, hello. After such a long wait I just hope you won't be disappointed with the album. Thank you all for your notes and the kind words you sent during the making of the album - they all helped a lot. I've tried to sit down and write about the tracks and found it extremely difficult - I guess I've said it all in the songs - and for your interest we've printed an interview I did with Roger Scott. It talks about the songs in a way I could not write down. I think this interview is the most in-depth I've done, in some ways. Roger is a lovely person, and he presents questions in such a way that I'm happy to talk about things that with other people I might not want to touch on. I also feel Roger did one of the best interviews I've been asked to do - it was around the time of The Dreaming album.

This album is my most personal, and I feel my most female so far. It was very difficult to write the material, but some of the work on this album has touched me more deeply - working with the Trio Bulgarka, meeting people in Bulgaria who let us in to their homes and hearts, our work in Ireland, feeling the tracks coming together through old friends like Pad, Stuart, Charlie, Al, Dave Gilmour, and new friends like Nigel Kennedy and Davey Spillane. Many difficult moments in my head with these songs, but so many warm feelings, and my memories of all the people involved in this project are of us laughing. A huge thank you to Del - what a long and intense project it was for us. I couldn't have done it without him! It means a lot to me - he is my favourite engineer.

Because of the intimacy with just Del and myself working so closely, I feel this is the most direct communication I've had with the music in my head and the music that comes back from tape. Also many thanks to Kevin Killen, who became a close member of our small group. Kevin was wonderful to work with. Sometimes it is hard to bring someone in to such a personal set-up, but Kevin was so sensitive and enthusiastic and such a good mixing engineer. I really couldn't have wished for nicer people to work with on all the stages of this album.

I can't tell you how relieved I am that this album is finished - there were times when I think we all wondered...?

And I'm so happy to let it go now - thanks again to all of you for your kind words, birthday presents and patience.

I hope you like the album - and a big thanks and best wishes to you all. (1989, KBC 23)

I've almost been me for the last couple of years, but, in the last two weeks, I've been aware of people treating me as what seems to be a very famous person. It's totally surreal, going into an isolated way of working, three or four years at a time, then coming out and having everyone look at you as if they know you.

It's healthier for me not to indulge in being a famous person. It's ridiculous. There's absolutely no reason why I should be at all, other than that I make records.

I find it extraordinary that people should want to write about me when I do so little. I just pop out and do an album and go away again. (1989, NME)

But bush will have to make some changes following the death of long-time guitarist alan murphy. He had played with long john baldry, level 42 and go west. His textures provided the dark undercurrent and pointed punctuation on so many bush songs since 1979. He died shortly after the sensual world was completed.

He was a guitarist who I felt used his instrument like a voice, SAYS BUSH SOLEMNLY. But also like a chameleon, I guess. He could just change it into anything. ``Al, I want you to be a racing car.'' Fine, he'd become a racing car. ``Al, could you be this big panther creeping through the jungle?'' You could throw any imagery at him and he would never balk, he would just be with you, you know. Making albums will never be the same again for me without Alan. I'll miss him terribly. I already do, as a person as well as a musician. (1990, Musician)

Now that the album is completed, what are you going to do? Just sort of wind down?

Well, definitely my philosophy is to take things step by step. And having finished the album, which I'm so relieved about, I'm kind of going through the promotional work. And I guess a lot depends on how the album is received. If it's received really warmly, then maybe [Long pause]... Well, maybe I'll be absolutely thrilled. I should be so lucky. (1989, Greater London)

Gaffaweb / Cloudbusting / Story / 1989