Cloudbusting -- Kate Bush In Her Own Words

Perfectionism

But, I suppose that if the day ever came when I was 100 per cent satisfied, that would be the day that I stopped growing and changing - my deatch knell. (1982, Company)

To her the most important thing is, to feel that I am progressing with my own life and my work. I also desperately want to feel some kind of happiness in what I am creating. Not contentment, she pauses, but pleasure.

I always feel that I can try harder. I always feel that there isn't enough time in this life to achieve all the things that I want. (1982, Company)

Are there any things that you've done so far which you look back on and you cringe at?

Yes, lots of things. [Laughs]

Like?

Too many to mention, and I think most people do tend to look at themselves very critically. I think it's quite productive to be like that, though, or perhaps you don't feel nervous enough about what you're doing next!

Are you a perfectionist, then?

I don't know if that's a word that is a real word, if you know what I mean, because you can never make anything perfect. You can strive for it, but I think if you continue to strive for it you would never get anywhere. I think you have to recognize a point where things are as good as they can be, within the limitations, before they start going off again. It's definitely a peak and then it can go off. So I think you just hopefully have to recognize where more effort will make it better, but when to stop.

Who do you use as your person to tell you when to stop, or is it just something you know within yourself?

It's almost like the music itself dictates it. When a track is sounding right, when it's ready, it is, you can just feel it. And then you mix it. That's when you sort of play with all the little raw edges, but you just know when everything's finished recording. (1985, Picture Disk)

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