Cloudbusting -- Kate Bush In Her Own Words

Roy Harper

Now we'll be playing some of your favourite popular songs. Let's begin straight away with roy harper's ``another day."

[The recording is heard. Kate had already recorded at least two versions of this song as a duet with peter gabriel by this time. The first version was recorded for kate's own bbc television special, which aired in december of 1979; The second was undertaken several months later in the studios with the hope of a single release. A b-side co-written by kate and gabriel was even recorded to this end, but the project was unfortunately abandoned. Kate also contributed vocals on a song from roy harper's 1980 album the unknown soldier. - ied]

Roy harper, and a song called another day. kate, if I were asked to choose a quintessentially english track, I would choose a roy harper one: ``when an old cricketer leaves the crease.'' and I'm wondering if you consider him a typically english artist.

Yes, I think that's a very good point. I think he is a very English poet. I mean, I think Roy is a poet, I really do. And that one particular song is classic. It's funny you should mention ``Cricketer Leaves the Crease,'' because for me that's the other all-time classic, and it was a matter of choosing between the two, for me. This track is incredible. In fact, I asked Roy what he wrote the song about, and he said the whole thing is true. It's a completely true story about a lady he'd met, and who he really loved, and he was after her. And she kept putting her nose in the air and running away from him. Then he met her a few years later, and suddenly realised that she was chasing him, and he saw the irony of the situation, and wrote this song about the rooms that they'd been in together. It's a very personal song, and I think that's why it works so strongly. It's a very emotional, intimate song.

If I may ask a crass question after such an intimate song: An artist like yourself has enjoyed success in a commercial sense quite early in her career. How do you relate to an artist like roy, who has the respect of his peers but who has never really broken through commercially?

I think it's tragic, I really do. One of the main reasons that I've chosen these tracks, and the ones from last night, is that I'm choosing people - deliberately - not like Bowie, Pink Floyd, who are people I love very much. All the big, famous artists, I really love a lot of them. I deliberately chose people who I think are very underestimated, who aren't really recognised as the great talent that they are. And for me, Roy is one of the greatest English songwriters we've had, and people just don't realise it. And I really think that when they do we're going to have another top songwriter up there. He's brilliant. (1980, BBC)

No, kate, I haven't heard the [New roy harper] album. You should. Adrian boot took it, took the sleeve photograph. Actually says kate sweetly, I didn't like the sleeve. Adrian looks hurt. The photograph was great, I just didn't like the sleeve she reassures him. (1980, oct 10, Melody Maker)

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