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Date: Fri, 09 Jun 89 11:40 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Demo news
In the May '89 issue of the Dutch Kate Bush fanzine Kate, co-editor (and longtime penpal of IED's) Theo Haast writes about the 22 demos. As far as IED could make out (the fanzine's text is in Dutch), Theo recently visited the U.S., and while there he obtained a copy of the 22 demos on a cassette. Apparently his copy was from an earlier generation, or at least a different source, because his version came with a listing of titles. Some of his titles are definitely wrong, but others are so apt that they suggest the possibility that some of the titles were Kate's original ones. No way to know for sure.
But the bigger news is that Theo's tape contained, in addition to the 22 demos (identified as dating from 1976, quite plausibly), an additional 6 demos "from 1977". Of these, however, only one is a song that fans have never heard before. Note: IED does not have these six demos, and it may be quite some time (if ever) before he finds a copy. Anyway, here are the titles, as Theo lists them:
The first 22 songs:
The Kick Inside
Hammer Horror
Kashka From Baghdad
Oh To Be in Love
Violin
It Hurts Me (IED's title: Feeling Like a Waltz )
Stranded at Moonbase (IED's title: Keeping Me Waiting )
Surrender into the Roses (IED's title: Camilla )
Rinfy the Gypsy (IED's title: Playing Canasta in Cold Rooms )
On Fire Inside a Snowball (IED's titles: Hot in the Ice, Set In the Snow )
Dali (IED's title: Ferry Me Over )
Where Are the Lionhearts? (IED's title: On the Rocks )
The Craft of Love (IED's correct title: The Craft of Life )
The Gay Farewell (IED's title: Eddie the Queen )
Something Like a Song
Frightened Eyes
The Disbelieving Angel
Nevertheless, You'll Do
Come Closer to Me, Babe (IED's title: Who is Sylvia? )
So Soft (IED's title: You're Soft )
The Rare Flower (IED's title: Pick the Rare Flower )
While Davey Dozed (IED's title: Davy )
And the six other demos:
Moving
Don't Push Your Foot on the Heartbrake
Kite
L'Amour Looks Something Like You
Strange Phenomena
Scares Me Silly (the "new" song)
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 89 16:27 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: The origin
> Back to the obsKuriTies topic, just HOW do people get their hands on these rare demos? Steal them from record company archives? From Kate? Obviously, Kate doesn't give them to people! Have these bootleggers had them for 14 years? Anyone know anything about this? Well, that's enough for today.
A good question. IED doesn't know any details (probably no-one but the bootleggers themselves do), but he was told by an apparently knowledgeable source that the tapes originated from someone in the Manchester Square, London offices of EMI--someone "high up" in the corporate hierarchy. Who knows? The six demos from 1977 which IED mentioned yesterday (but which he has never heard himself, and cannot offer to Love-Hounds) would seem to support the idea of a leak at EMI itself, since presumably those tapes were made after Kate had definitely signed to EMI. This is also probably true of the 22 demos that are now becoming generally available, although it is still possible that those recordings were made prior to Kate's signing, and therefore might be among some of the tapes which Kate submitted to other labels.
IED thinks it very unlikely that whoever got these tapes to the bootleggers had had them for fourteen years (or whatever). Remember, these are not the same as the "Early Years" demos, which have been known about (though never heard) for at least four years now. Those recordings may have been in bootleggers' hands for years, but the 22 demos in the Cathy Demos collection had never been heard of by fans prior to the appearance of the Volume One EP two months ago. It goes without saying that all these demos came out against Kate's wishes--very much so. IED has heard that she's very upset about this leak. He just hopes Kate can forgive L-Hs for their non-profit distribution project...
-- IED
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1989 21:46:17 LCL
From: SCC%NERVM.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu (Scott C. Crumpton)
Subject: The Kate demos are unbelievable!!!
I just finished listening to a copy of the demo tape (the same one that IED has) that I received from another source.
GET THIS TAPE!!! Yes, there's hiss. Yes, the sound is a bit rough. Yes, the songs are fantastic. No, they're unbelievable. The Kick Inside should have been a double album!
What more can I say?
---Scott.
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 89 00:40 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: the letter
To: Love-Hounds
From: Andrew Marvick (IED)
Subject: _obsKuriTies_2_: a KuesTion of eThiKs?
> From: tim@toad.com (Tim Maroney)
>Subject: Re: IED's continued fulminations against the heretic
>Has it ever occurred to Monsieur Marvick that perhaps the reason
some
>of us do not rush to buy his illegal bootlegs is out of respect
for Ms. Bush
> and a consequent reluctance to steal from her? Were she
consulted about
> the project, I am quite sure her feelings would be anything but
positive.
> He is fortunate to escape prosecution for his scheme, in my
opinion.
>-- Tim Maroney, Mac Software Consultant, sun!hoptoad!tim,
tim@toad.com
>From: Pete Hartman <bradley!bucc2!pwh@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu>
>Subject: obsKuriTies 1 and sound quality
>...Then again, maybe I just have a more forgiving ear
>after the FANTASTIC songs from the Demo sessions....
> Thank you SO much for bringing this music to light IED! <
>-- Pete Hartman ......noao <!bradley!bucc2!pwh>
The two attitudes reprinted above--as different from each other as two attitudes could be--demonstrate the complexity of the ethical dilemma which these demos create. IED does not in the least deny the power of Tim Maroney's argument. On the contrary, IED feels its righteousness only too strongly, even as he continues on the tenebrous moral path to which he committed himself two weeks ago. He hopes that Mr. Maroney, and any others on this group who may share Mr. Maroney's indignation, will take the time to consider the delicacy of this problem before condemning either IED himself or the many Love-Hounds who have decided to join him (albeit as recipients rather than as co-distributors) in the current project.
IED obtained a cassette containing a collection of previously unknown and certainly unreleased early songs written and recorded by Kate Bush. He was given a chance to listen to a bit of this music before buying, and though aware of the transgression which his act constituted, he could not resist buying the music from the unscrupulous merchant who had offered it.
Now, owning these recordings, IED's feeling of guilt at having obtained them in the first place--bad enough by itself--was compounded by a new feeling of guilt at enjoying the music _in_exclusivity_. Granted that it was not "right" for him to own and listen to the songs at all, was it not less right still for him to listen to them, to enjoy them, to be enraptured by them--and not to _share_ them with other fans as appreciative of and devoted to Kate's work as himself?
A difficult question to answer. For although in depriving other fans of these recordings he might possibly (and this is only a possibility, by _no_ means a certainty) be seen by Kate to be worsening, rather than in some measure expiating, his original crime, he would also be acting in a mean and petty way by refusing to allow other fans to hear his tape. Furthermore, by failing to make the music available to other sincerely interested lovers of Kate's work, he would also be condoning--even conspiring in--the activities of the merchant from whom he had obtained his original copy (at an outrageously inflated price, need it be said). For what else but conspiracy could be called the decision to keep to himself his copy of the music, knowing full well that by doing so he would be helping profiteers to swell their purses from the illegal sale of the same recordings? Having done the first foul deed (buying the merchant's copy of the tape), would it not have been fouler still _not_ to have found a way of sharing the music in the least expensive way, making certain to exclude all profit motives from the operation?
IED doesn't know how many readers of this group share Mr. Maroney's sentiments--that IED should be prosecuted for this crime-- but perhaps there are a substantial number of you. To you IED sincerely apologizes. Naturally, he also asks your indulgence, and will take it as a personal kindness (perhaps one which he does not deserve) if you will not report him to the authorities.
He would like to add that although Mr. Maroney may be quite certain that Kate herself would certainly condemn IED's activities, IED is not, himself, so convinced. True, Kate is very upset that these recordings have become available to the public at large--that much is known for a fact. But Kate is also realistic enough to know that now that these recordings are available commercially (though illegally), there will be no stopping the zealous fan from obtaining them. Consequently there is no reason to assume that she will view IED's entirely altruistic distribution "scheme" with a particularly hostile eye. It is even possible that she will forgive IED for his actions, understanding the complex of emotions which has motivated him.
One other comment regarding Mr. Maroney's remarks. The hypothetical types whom Mr. Maroney describes--those whose "respect" for Kate is so great that it prevents them from listening to seventeen works of almost certain genius--are no doubt to be admired for their astounding moral rectitude and their boundless respect for the rights of the artist. Yet they are also, IED thinks, a little to be pitied. For it is impossible for this fan, having been put so completely in the thrall of Kate's art, to believe that the hypothetical types whom Mr. Maroney describes can ever truly have fallen under the final, most elusive and ultimately inescapable and irresistible spell of her magic. No. In IED's opinion, anyone who has ever fully, finally lived amid the limitless heights, depths and expanses of Kate's artistic realm, could not _possibly_ resist the opportunity to look upon seventeen more of that realm's miraculous vistas. Those who could resist such a temptation would deserve our admiration for their virtue--but they would also provoke our pity for the ignorance to which their self-abnegation would subject them.
In any event, IED sent a letter to Kate ten days ago confessing his crimes, and explaining in detail every facet of the whole sordid story. The matter of IED's exoneration, pardon or condemnation, therefore, is in Kate's hands. Please let it remain there, and IED will not complain.
-- Andrew Marvick
From: halley!halley.mp3!steve@cs.utexas.edu (Steve Williams)
Date: 17 Jun 89 20:50:54 GMT
Subject: Tape in Hand
Now, about the tape. It's as good (or better) than IED described. Some of the songs are truly wonderful. Some are even better than that! And for those concerned about sound quality -- even though my tape is a copy of a copy of who-knows-what generation the sound is completely acceptable. Better than just acceptable. As good as some other Kate boots (vinyl, tapes) I've heard.
If you're a Love-Hound, YOU WANT THIS TAPE!
Finally, a question for IED about the tape. At the end of Hammer Horror, in the runout of the last word and piano note, I very distinctly hear a couple of seconds of birds chirping in the background, as if outside a window during the recording. After I mentioned this to the guy who found the tape, he heard it, too. You may need to listen on headphones or at max volume in a quiet room, but there's something there. This has nothing to do with the music, of course, but if true it does say say something (charming) about the recording session.
One thing that this tape does is make me wish Kate would record such an album today. That is, just her voice, her songs, and a piano. Not in *place* of her annual [:-)] album release, but in addition. Something for herself and her devotees.
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 89 23:16:48 EDT
From: jsd%UMASS.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu (Jonathan S. Drukman)
Subject: K opyright infringemen T
I've been quiet of late, but I had to jump into this whole issue of bootlegged recordings.
I have been known to make musical recordings of various degrees of interest. If and when I ever become a major recording artist or just generic superstar, and people decide that my work is so interesting that they have to hear all of it, even the stuff I decided was crap and threw in the trash can, then more power to them. The bottom line is exposure. I am raving egomaniac and I want the whole world to hear what I've been doing with my time. That's my personal view. Kate's view is a bit different, and I suppose we must respect her wishes, but then again, why are copyright laws good and necessary things? Anarchy now! I don't mind if people make tapes of my albums and give them to friends. I want them to hear the music. Hopefully they'll like it enough to buy the album, but if they don't then at least they heard it. Of course, this doesn't apply to bootlegs, so we have to take a different approach.
It's a very tangled issue, sadly. I've been reading "The Beatles Recording Sessions" and it's a great comprehensive indepth treatment of every piece of tape they ever made at Abbey Road, but it pales into total insignificance when you actually plunk your illegally obtained copy of the first take of "Norweigian Wood" into the player and hear it.
IED: I support you wholeheartedly. Bootlegging is bad because these people are making money at the expense of the artist. Your motives are pure, and if the world is too stupid to recognize it, then you can at least suffer the penalties with a heart free of burden, yes? I would be terribly interested in seeing a copy of the letter you sent Kate. If it is stored on computer, could you mail a copy to me, or love-hounds at large if you think there's interest. Thanks.
When are we starting the "help defray IED's legal expense" fund? We could probably start with what's left of the "fly IED to the East Coast for Katemas" fund from two years ago. (What was it, Joe? $.37, a coat button, and some lint?)
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 89 13:55 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: MisK., MisK., and more MisK. (very longwinded screed re
ethics, etc.)
Jeez. What a mess.
There certainly seems to be a variety of opinions in this group.
...
The truth is not really known here, Mark. IED was assured by a friend who spoke with John Carder Bush on the phone that they had heard about the release of the first Cathy Demos (Volume One) EP, and that Kate was "very upset" about it. That's the source of IED's information, and the extent of it. It's fourth-hand, but IED has no reason for doubting its accuracy.
Since that time (here are some particulars re IED's letter) IED has written to Kate (through her brother) in two separate letters, letting them know about the 22-song tape, the plans to make copies for zero profit for those readers of Love-Hounds who expressed interest, and as much hard information as IED has been able to dig up about the real bootleggers behind the tape. In the case of the EP IED's info is unfortunately still very vague, but in the case of the cassette IED was able to be of considerable help with specific names and addresses.
So you see, it's not quite as simple as one might suppose. IED's project was described, and they can probably see that this is a limited project without any profit involved--essentially the distribution of a "few" copies for "friends", not a business venture. In addition, IED has given them what leads he could about the identity of the real bootleggers. The upshot of all this is that there is no predicting what the Bush family's reaction will be. Tim Maroney's dire predictions may prove accurate, but there is by no means any guarantee of that.
IED also confessed some of his sins regarding the Cathy Demos EP in a letter to the Welsh fanzine Cariad Kate, which they have now published in its entirety in their latest issue. So not only does Kate know from me, she and the world can read about it in print, too. (The tape project is not mentioned in that article, however.)
He should point out, too, that IED is rather a latecomer when it comes to advertising these demos. Besides Bart Firsden's ad in Goldmine (still there in the latest issue), from which one can get a list of items including the 22-demo tape (at a disgusting mark-up), there have been a long song-by-song listing and description in the Dutch fanzine Kate, and another notice in Cariad Kate (both unrelated to IED's) which also lists all the titles. Besides which the Cathy Demos EP series is definitely continuing, according to one source. There are four more seven-inch EPs scheduled, each with four tracks from the 22-song collection. All of these sources of bootleg commerce are known to Kate and her family (a friend of IED's bought at considerable expense and sent to Kate a copy of The Cathy Demos Volume One EP about a month ago, so she has definitely seen it by now). So if legal action is to be taken, there are certainly other targets out there.
Yet this is not at all to say that Kate hasn't every right to prosecute IED for copying the recordings, should she ever decide to do so, even though no profit were sought. The only question that seems to remain a legitimate source for debate concerns the ethical/moral ramifications. And those are plenty serious enough on their own without introducing the legal issues.
IED can share your dismay at having to consider this unpleasant issue, but as a fellow true disciple he can see no alternative. We all must think about Kate's feelings in this matter, and they are weighing very heavily upon IED these days. And well they should. She made this music. It's hers. Just because we find it incredibly beautiful and moving music doesn't make it OK that we've all heard it. In an ideal world Kate should have total control over which bits of her limitless fund of sublime imagination should be doled out to us. That power shouldn't be transferred to her fans. IED can see that fact; there is no sound moral argument to make against it. (Jon Drukman's "Anarchy now!" opinions IED finds totally unacceptable.) IED can only point out again that
1.) he is an addiKT, powerless to resist the magnet of Kate's demo material when it is placed within his grasp;
2.) he would feel equally rotten if he had to refuse the requests of other fans who only want the chance to hear what IED has heard; and
3.) he would feel rottener still if, by refusing to share his copy with other fans, he forced them to seek copies through sleaze-ball bootleggers. Those three motivations for IED's actions are not held up as a defense of his proposed project, only as an explanation, and possible mitigating factors. All this has served to freeze the project in its tracks for the time being. Once again: no action has been taken yet.
-- IED
From: Doug Alan <nessus@athena.mit.edu>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 89 21:52:18 EDT
Subject: Murder on the Net
|>oug is very pissed at IED! If IED really thinks that he can go to Kate Bush and say "Mind if I distribute these illegal bootleg recording of yours that you don't want anyone to hear and were very disturbed to find out that they had leaked?" he lives in a very different world (and nonexistant one -- sorry, Virginia, there is no Santa Claus) than I do. Kate will obviously be *forced* by copyright law to tell IED to cease and desist, while if IED had kept his big writing-hand shut, Kate could have known all about it and quietly looked away as she usually does, and in a court of law plausibly feign ignorance if anyone ever challenged her on her copyright. But now that IED and admitted all in hard, cold black and white, she no longer has this option.
It's a good thing for IED that (as far as |>oug knows) no one has ever been convicted of violating copyright if there was no intent to profit. Unfortunately for |>oug, people have had their computers seized for conspiracy to violate copyright (even when no charges were ever brought). In any case, even if IED doesn't get thrown in jail, the consequences will be much worse for IED because |>oug is going to go to LA and strangle a Cathy Demo tape out of him if he doesn't receive one in the mail soon. (|>oug is sure that IED will forgive |>oug, for he is a fellow addiKT and can't help himself, but IED will be dead nonetheless.) |>oug will have to make sure all the FBI agents have left before doing this, however.
If IED was sufferring all along from this torturous moral quandry, |>oug fails to see why IED did not just let |>oug do all the dirty work, as he already volunteered to in the past. Since |>oug has no compunction on this issue, there would have been no problem. But nooooooooo..... IED has to go and screw it up again!
|>oug's only hope at the moment is that he can get Love-Hounds set up with with non-profit, educational status. Then we can copy copyrighted material all we want -- especially if it is not commercially available. Yeah, that's the ticket....
|>oug
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 89 20:32 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: K T N E W S : the good and the bad
Second, the not-so-good: In the same issue, Peter apparently specifically warns against anyone making copies of the so-called Cathy Demos -- even if they are only being made for friends. Peter stresses that to do so is very illegal. Presumably this notice was published at the request of the Bush family. And it sounds to IED as though they have Love-Hounds in mind.
What this means is that IED is now more doubtful than ever about carrying out our plan. He must warn everyone that he is now leaning against the idea of making copies for anyone. This is not a firm decision, but he does hope that you will understand the delay--IED wants to wait at least until he has received his subscription copy of Homeground from Peter, just in case it is accompanied by a letter (which would be a reply to IED's own letter to him, in which IED discussed his acquisition of the demos). Please, people, bear with IED for just a little while longer--he doesn't like keeping anyone waiting, especially under these circumstances, and knowing how much some of you are counting on your little packages. He promises to make a final and irrevocable decision within one week (i.e. by July 23).
He should add that if he decides not to go through with the tape deal, but to return everyone's orders, he will not hold it against anyone if they should decide to curse IED, disparage his parents, and generally heap vitriol on his name. If such should happen, he would accept the rebukes in silent humility. There is no real doubt that he has made a total ass of himself in this non-starter of a project, despite the fact that he never intended to do anything but good for everyone in this group. Again, he offers his apologies.
In the meantime, please don't go spreading the word about this whole tape fiasco outside Love-Hounds. The last thing IED wants now is for the wrong people to hear about it, or to start getting orders from people oustide the Love-Hounds community.
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 89 10:20 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Cathy Demos --the "official" view; and KT NEWS
Neil sent along the actual announcement printed in the latest issue of Homeground, which pretty much acts as a Bush family mouth-piece when called upon to do so.
HOMEGROUND feels that it should be said, in view of possible legal actions pending, that these tapes are highly illegal, and that copying and distribution, even amongst friends and not for gain is still illegal. Kate herself is highly upset about these releases.
IED agrees with Neil that this notice is meant more to try to discourage people from making the tapes, and not as a promise that actual legal action will be taken. Such action would probably be counter-productive from EMI's and Kate's point of view, though of course one never knows for sure. However, IED is taking the notice very seriously, and at this point he must say the tape deal looks doubtful. Final decision still pending, but L-Hs will know ASAP.
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 89 18:42 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Thankyou notes; mailbag
IED has been getting lots of very nice, friendly e-mail notes from Love-Hounds since the beginning of the week.
He does not refer to the thankyous for the flowers, a gift for which more than 140 Love-Hounds can share credit (although to the thankyous he received for performing his task as flower-agent, IED replies that it was his pleasure).
No. He refers to other thankyou notes, many of which refer to some other obscure service IED is alleged to have performed. Naturally, he hasn't the slightest idea what that service could possibly be, but he would nevertheless like to say a big You're Welcome to all who took the time to send him a note.
In the meantime, anyone who may by now have managed to dig up some of those 22 demo-tracks (entirely on their own, of course) is encouraged to discuss them in Love-Hounds. Any comments or observations about these early songs stand a good chance of providing grist for the Love-Hounds Discussion-Mill.
-- Andrew Marvick
P.S.: IED will try to check up with the florist's shop in Welling on Monday to make sure that everthing went OK with the roses.
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 89 11:17 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Mailbag
Jon Drukman and Joe Turner both seem to share a sad, adolescent fear of direct expression of softer emotions in art. ...
"The sheets are soaked by your tiny fish": "Ack barf" (even though it's clearly a line of pure genius, especially as sung--two different ways--in the song); ...
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 89 11:23 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Cathy Demos Vol. 2
Vickie passes on another bit of interesting information. Seems there's a record dealer in Kansas City (connected with the Penny Lane chain of record stores) who insists that "a collection of Kate's early demos" will be coming out on bootleg CD very soon. This project, it should be stressed here, is in no way connected with any proposed Love-Hounds plans regarding the tape, but seems to have sprung up entirely independently. Anyway, IED'll believe a CD when he sees one.
However, far more solid (though again, completely unrelated to Love-Hounds' recent hypothetical notions) is news from a local Hollywood importer that Volume 2 of The Cathy Demos --Volume One was a red-vinyl seven-inch EP which contained four tracks from the 22 demos--will finally be out, "any day now." This was based on new and reliable information, he told IED. Meanwhile, he added that Volume One was completely finished with. That record is now officially out of production.
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 89 16:32 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Cathy Demos Vol. 2
First, here is the big bootleg news: after more than three months Volume Two of The Cathy Demos has finally appeared in import shops in the Hollywood area; naturally, IED has obtained a copy.
The new record is packaged and designed in the same style as the first volume: it consists of a seven-inch EP, packed in a plain white inner-sleeve, which in turn is contained in a white outer-sleeve of lightweight cardpaper. On the front of the outer sleeve is a black-and-white reproduction of one of the photographs taken by John Carder Bush of Kate when she was about eight or nine years old. It is a candid shot showing her sitting cross-legged with hands resting on the top of a cane in front of her chin, and with a four-pack of fresh milk-bottles in her lap. Below the photo on the otherwise blank white cover are the words (set, as in the first volume, in a type-style similar to that on Hounds of Love ):
"KATE BUSH Cathy Demos Volume Two".
On the back of the sleeve is a close-up of Kate's hands from the same photograph, over which are listed the track-listing:
"Side One:
Kashka From Bhagdad <sic>
Camila <sic>,
Oh To Be In Love
Side Two:
In My Lover's Room <sic>,
Snow Bowl <sic>
Below the photo on the back the series number (IED's copy is No. 280 of 600, for whatever the bootleggers' word is worth on such a subject) and the catalogue number: KB002.
The record itself is pressed this time in translucent green vinyl (the first EP was pressed in red vinyl), and the labels (this time like the first EP's) are black with white pseudo-HoL writing. The catalogue number is the same on the record as on the outer sleeve (that was not the case for the first EP). The timing of each of the five tracks is given on the labels. On the runout groove of side A are the words: "I HAVE BELLIE BAD LUCK", and on side B the words: "YOU WISHED IT ON YOURSELF". IED will not hazard a guess as to the meaning, if any, of these phrases.
The most interesting thing about these transfers of the demos, in IED's opinion, is that, as with the first EP, the sound appears to have been "cleaned up" a bit before pressing. IED doesn't know how this was done (or even whether it was deliberate), but not only is the hiss of the original tape considerably reduced in the EP version, but the by-now very familiar (and much beloved) clicks and page-turning noises which punctuate each song on the master tape have been omitted for the transfer to vinyl.
Some may be wondering what songs are those which the bootleggers have so strangely identified (see IED's "<sic>s" above). The two familiar titles are Kashka From Baghdad (misspelled "Bhagdad" by the bootleggers) and Oh To Be In Love. This leaves only one song-- Violin --among the five LP-song demos contained in the full collection of 22, which has not yet been released on vinyl by bootleggers. The track Camilla (misspelled Camila on the EP) has also been identified (by Theo Haast in the Dutch Kate Bush fanzine Kate ) as Surrender Into the Roses. In My Lover's Room is the song which IED identified as Playing Canasta in Cold Rooms (a much better title for identifi-cation purposes because the word "room" in the phrase from which the bootleggers derive their title is highly suspect. KT could simply be singing "Ooh...") Finally, Snow Bowl is plainly a mistaken reading of the lyrics sung by Kate in the song IED has identified as Hot in the Ice or Set in the Snow. Kate is actually saying "snowball", not "snow bowl".
-- Andrew Marvick
Date: Sat, 26 Aug 89 11:29:40 EDT
From: Jon Drukman <jsd@GAFFA.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ethics
I personally believe that smack should be given away free. I'm sure this will endear me to all the conservatives on the net. Similarly, I think IED's decision to give the demos away free was a very good choice. He is merely depriving professional criminals of their livelihood. In his way, he is stamping out the evil of bootlegging itself! We should be erecting statues in his honor, not condemning him on love-hounds! This guy is probably a nation hero! Anyways, to all you Kantian ethicists who subscribe to the ridiculous idea that committing a crime to stop another crime is a Bad Thing, I urge you to go research the theories of ethicists Mill and Ross.
Date: Tue, 5 Sep 89 13:17:40 PDT
From: ide!lofdahl@Sun.COM (Corey Lofdahl)
Subject: refleKTions
Let's talk about ... Kate. After listening to both obsKuriTies I & II (thanks Tracy!), I'd like to make a few observations. First off, it's just so amazing that she had done so much at such a young age. Being a frustrated musician in my youth only increases my awe for what she accomplished. One would expect most of her work to be like "Camilla" which has a neat little melody and interesting lyrics but lacks something overall (IMHO). Being the work of a child, one can definitely recognize talent in the song and would expect improvement through continued work. Other songs though lack nothing. I love "Maybe (aka Davy)" and "Passing through Air". I can't help but wonder if the version of "Maybe" recorded later for "The Kick Inside" will ever released? We can only hope. Finally, "December Will Be Magic Again" is currently my favorite song which means I play it time and again. I just hope the tape doesn't wear out before Christmas.
Now for another problem, I'm becoming dangerously musically uni-dimensional. With Katemas and these two new KT tapes, I find myself listening to Kate Bush to the exclusion of other artists. With another album due for release soon, the problem can only get worse. I've been writing a lot lately, and while writing I'll listen to obsKuriTies I and then obsKuriTies II. Then I'll put on TKI to listen for similarities, and then HoL just because I like it. Well we've gone this far, maybe we can put on "The Dreaming" to liven things up. Then we dig out "Lionheart" and then "Never Forever", and then maybe more obsKuriTies to reflect on the beginnings of such a precocious and perceptive talent. Corey believes that this can be easily controlled by listening to other music, if Corey can only remember what that is. Corey believes there is no danger of turning into ... AAAARRGGHH! It's already happening, Corey is writing in the third person!
From: CCJS@cc.nu.oz (James Smith)
Date: 12 Oct 89 10:32:16 EST
Subject: Re: Keeping Me Waiting
Rob Gardner writes:
> I've got a question about the song "Keeping me Waiting" that appears on the Cathy Demos. There's a line that goes something like:
> I've seen many strange things/shooting stars, stars and stripes
> Is the phrase "stars and stripes" supposed to mean the USA, and if so, why exactly does she consider is strange ?
Keeping Me Waiting is set on the moon. One of the things you would see on the moon is an American flag. Which, when you think about it, is rather a strange thing to see on the moon.
Jim
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 89 11:04 PST
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Carmilla
Kate Bush "Carmilla"
N.B.: This is the demo song usually referred to as "Camilla". Vickie hears the name as "Carmilla", which was the title of a Victorian ghost story by Joseph Sheridan Lefanu. IED hasn't reached an opinion on this point yet, but notes that "Camilla" is the title of a well- known novel by Fanny Burney, and that "Camille" is the title of the classic by Alexandre Dumas (the younger), and Kate might conceivably have been using an Anglicized form of that name in her song. More research is needed.
-- Andrew Marvick
Date: Wed, 01 Nov 89 10:14 PST
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Gilmour sessions
Ray, you also ask:
> About the "B-Side" thing that |>oug mentioned: Could she have been referring to "Passing Through Air," perhaps? Wasn't it recorded at David Gilmour's house?
Yes, indeed it was--but in 1973, two whole years before the three polished in-studio demos that Kate is referring to in the interview. Of course it is possible that she simply confused the two sessions in her mind, but IED finds this very difficult to believe. Kate's very first experience with David Gilmour was a (probably unrecorded) solo performance--an audition--which she did, probably at her home, in 1972 or '73, when she was all of fourteen years old. Then, during the summer of '73 (when she was either fourteen or fifteen) the team of Bush and Gilmour met at his house with a couple of musician friends of David's, and there they recorded at least ten, and perhaps more, songs of Kate's. One of those recordings was Passing Through Air, in the version we all know. Another was a song called Maybe, of which Kate once played a brief excerpt during a radio programme. (Peter FitzGerald-Morris has now made it very clear that this song, Maybe, was indeed once known as Davey, even though it is quite unrelated to the other song we usually refer to as While Davey Dozed .)
Still later (sometime in 1975, by which time Kate was sixteen or seventeen), Gilmour paid for an elaborate studio session with Kate (complete with a full orchestra), during which three songs were produced by Gilmour: The Saxophone Song, The Man With the Child in His Eyes, and a second version of Maybe. The third song was not Passing Through Air, in other words. It's interesting that when Kate played the excerpt of Maybe on UK radio, she chose to play the earlier, presumably far less polished, recording, rather than the 1975 version. But at the time she was very explicit about the difference between the first and the second Gilmour sessions.
Of course, it's possible that the various tiny bits of third-hand information on which IED bases the preceding story are inaccurate, despite their more or less reliable sources. In which case the whole house of cards would collapse.
-- Andrew Marvick
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 90 03:18:48 EST
From: katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City)
Subject: Phoenix mentioning in Breakthrough
Speaking of Breakthrough...
Doug, I promise I won't make a habit of posting stuff from Breakthrough but I was looking through one of the old issues and came across this letter that made me gasp in astonishment.
This is from the April/May **1984** issue of Breakthrough
From: Cortina Bandolero
Dear Dale and cohorts at Breakthrough,
Here in Phoenix there is quite a sizable awareness of Kate. This would be an ideal city for EMI to sponser a "Bush Bash". There are import stores here where the import LPs, the Hammersmith-Odeon video and the 45 Box Set can be readily found. Also there's a small but loyally followed radio station, KSTM, which isn't averse to playing Kate's songs. In *1982* when local DJ (name deleted) was at KSTM, he aired an hour of Kate's rarities which included some of her very early solo-piano work. He had worked for EMI at the time of Kate's initial signing, and aquired the tapes then. There were some real surprises for collectors, including an altered version of Hammer Horror and another song with a refrain about "playing canasta in cold rooms." Does anyone know anything about this rare song? ...Now I'm off to write the KB club!
She was talking about the CATHY DEMOS!!! They were in the US in 1982!!! Isn't it horrible that poor Cortina unknowingly was responsible for getting this DJ into trouble? (btw, I deleted the name, no need to add to the fire) Amazing that it took till 1988 for them to get distributed. Anyway, I thought that was interesting.
[I think I don't tell you a secret, that the DJ was John Dixon. --WIE]
Date: Fri, 09 Feb 90 11:15 PST
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: Carmilla
How many such "hidden" subjects, highly specific but never volunteered by Kate, still wait to be unearthed by fans?
Speaking of which, IED now agrees with whoever it was who suggested that Kate's song with the lines "Surrender into the roses/ Go back home under the posies" was properly entitled not Camilla but Carmilla, in reference to Sheridan LeFanu's vampire novella. The lyrics strongly suggest imagery from the book.
-- Andrew
Date: Fri, 30 Mar 90 14:57 PST
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: The Cathy Demos EP's
There have been at least three volumes of seven-inch records in the ongoing series of bootleg Cathy Demos series. The first contains four tracks, the second five, and the third has six tracks. That leaves seven more tracks still to be put out by this group of bootleggers--the original tape which is the source of the "Cathy" material contained a total of twenty-two songs, seventeen of which had never been heard in any form before.
These EPs were originally released in color-vinyl editions of 600 copies each, and they went for between $12 and $25 each. The first volume was in red vinyl, the second was in green, and the third was in yellow. The covers were uniform in layout (black ink on plain white sleeves), but each had a detail from a different John Carder Bush black-and-white photo-portrait of Kate as a little girl, badly reproduced (without permission) from his book, Cathy.
Now, IED has been told (thanks, Mike Butler), at least the first volume of these Cathy Demos EPs has been re-pressed in a new edition on plain black vinyl, in larger quantities than the original pressing. IED has not seen any of these yet, but their reported existence indicates that the original color-vinyl editions will indeed maintain their current inflated prices (which now range from anywhere between $15 and $60 per unit).
However, do not despair. Not only are at least 140 current and/or former Love-Hounds known to have all these demos in at least some form or other (say no more!); but the entire collection of twenty-two demos has now been re-released by another bootlegging outfit (this one definitely U.S.-based) on a pair of albums; and these have been showing up at record swapmeets recently. The sound quality of these is arguably a bit worse than that of the EPs, but it is still quite acceptable, and the price of the LPs is considerably lower than that of the EPs--which, unlike the LPs, have still not formed a complete series, as far as IED is aware. Also, the second LP, which Ed Suranyi recently posted a description of, is reported to contain more than just the rest of the 22 original "Cathy" demos, making the albums an even better value.
Of course, all of these recordings are illegal and unauthorized, and their purchase is strongly discouraged...
Date: Fri, 06 Apr 90 16:41 PDT
From: IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: re Cathy Demos
IED identified a number of Kate's unreleased early songs by different (more likely) titles than do the bootleggers. The confusion arises because these unreleased early songs, which fans know only through the various bootleg sources of "Cathy" demos, have no official titles. Since Kate has never even acknowledged the existence of these specific songs, all any of us can do is guess at their real titles. IED (as well as a number of other superior Love-Hounds Kate Bushological scholars, of course!) can, however, make better guesses than the slime who slap together the bootleg product.
N.B.: All twenty-two songs are home demos--just Kate and her piano. It is just conceiveable that they date from as early as 1973, but IED thinks a more likely date for them is 1976. No fan really knows.
Your list, annotated below, consists of the sixteen titles found on the bootleg LP called Cathy's Album. (This LP also turns up by the name of The Sensual Woman, but it is the same collection of sixteen tracks, so don't be duped into buying both.)
These tracks are sixteen of the total twenty-two early recordings which turned up in bootleggers' hands at swapmeets last year (albeit only in cassette form) with either The Cathy Demos or Fiddle (after Violin ) as their collective title.
The title " The Cathy Demos " stems from a simultaneous release of four of the twenty-two songs which came out as a seven-inch bootleg EP. (The reference to "Cathy" in turn stems from a collection of photos of her as a child--when she still went by the name Cathy--by her brother John Carder Bush. Photos from that collection were used on the EP and its two successors in the "Cathy Demos" series of EPs.)
Now, because the bootlegger who made the Cathy's Album LP was aware of the proliferation of the first Cathy's Demos EP, he decided to omit those first four titles from the collection on his LP. Those first four songs (which make up Volume One of The Cathy Demos EPs) are:
The Infant Kiss
Hammer Horror
Feeling Like a Waltz
Keeping Me Waiting
The first two are early, slightly different versions of the songs we know from Kate's first two official LP releases. The second two are completely unfamiliar early songs. Already, however, confusion arises, because the EP misidentifies the song Feeling Like a Waltz as "A Rose Growing Old". Typical of bootleggers in general, they mis-heard the word "Waltz" in the song as "Rose". The entire phrase goes: "And I'm feeling like a waltz, growing old."
The LP that Mark Kirk described, then, begins with the fifth of the twenty-two demos, and concludes with the twentieth. The first four (listed above) and the last two do not appear on the Cathy's Album LP.
Since then Volumes Two and Three in the Cathy's Demos EP series have turned up. Volume Two contains the first five songs on Cathy's Album, which Mark listed as follows:
Kashka From Baghdad
* Coming Up
Oh, To Be In Love
Playing Canasta (=Playing Canasta In Cold Rooms)
Snow (=Set In The Snow)
Kashka From Baghdad is a very early version of this song. Some of the lyrics are different from the LP version we all know.
The song which is listed as Coming Up on the Cathy's Album LP has nothing to do with Paul McCartney! This title is definitely wrong. The correct title (thanks to Vickie) is Carmilla, after the title character from Sheridan Le Fanu's vampire novella. The idiotic and sloppy bootleggers simply mis-heard "Carmilla" as "Coming Up".
The version of Oh To Be in Love which follows is a hauntingly slow and moody early incarnation of the TKI album track.
Playing Canasta ( in Cold Rooms ) is another early song--and arguably one of the most perfect jewels in the history of twentieth-century music.
The song referred to on the Cathy's Album LP as " Snow " is the same song which IED listed as Set in the Snow. (Though IED is not entirely sure that those are the words Kate is singing.) Further confusion could arise from the fact that the EP (Volume Two) lists this song as " Snow Bowl " (a definitely wrong title which resulted from the EP's bootlegger hearing "Snowball" as the quite meaningless "Snow Bowl"!).
The next six tracks on Cathy's Album correspond with the six tracks on The Cathy Demos Volume Three. They are, as Mark copied them from the back of the LP:
Ferry Me Over
Lionhearts
Violin
Craft Of Love
* Queen Eddie
* In My Garden
Ferry Me Over (at least that's what everyone hears ) is another great early song. The full phrase is "Ferry me over the music, Dali." Anyway, a few fans do hear "Dali"--most notably Theo Haast and Rob Assenberg, the editors of the Dutch fanzine Kate. (They offer still a third set of alternate titles for the twenty-two demos.) IED used to hear "Dali" as "darling", but Theo's and Rob's suggestion makes better sense. The song's lyrics are at least marginally less mysterious if the song is read as a tribute to Dali. And we know that Kate's favorite painter (at least in earlier days) was Salvador Dali.
Warning: Lionhearts is not the same song as Oh England My Lionheart ! They have no connection at all. The song which is called Lionhearts on the Cathy's Album LP should more properly be called Where Are the Lionhearts?. (It's an absolute masterpiece, by the way.)
Violin is another early version of an LP track. The lyrics are slightly different than on Never For Ever, and the song has a very different tone than in the big-rock-orchestration on the official LP track.
Craft of Love is probably the correct title, not IED's earlier " Craft of Life ", though IED thinks Kate may be alternating between those two phrases in the choruses.
In My Garden is a good alternate title--though probably a wrong one--for Something Like a Song. This is one of Kate's very earliest compositions, dating at least as far back as 1973. We know this because the same song turns up on the still-unlocated Early Years LP (as Something Like a Song ) in a version Kate did with David Gilmour at age 15, in 1973 (same time Passing Through Air was recorded in the version we know from the Army Dreamers b-side).
Queen Eddie is another adequate, though almost certainly wrong, title. The real title (assuming the Early Years version is correctly identified, which is likely) is Gay Farewell. Both this song and Something Like a Song, therefore, were written by 1973 or earlier, but the solo-piano demo versions on the Cathy's Album and The Cathy Demos probably date from two or three years later.
The remaining five songs on Cathy's Album have not yet come out in EP form, though presumably they will shortly appear as all or part of Volume Four of The Cathy Demos. On Cathy's Album they are identified as:
Frightened Eyes
Never the Less (=Nevertheless, You'll Do)
* Goodnight Baby
* So Soft
* I Don't See Why I Shouldn't
Frightened Eyes is the same title IED and the Dutch fans give to this extremely beautiful, poignant song about the loneliness of life in civilized society.
Never the Less (more properly Nevertheless, You'll Do ) is a departure for the early Kate: an attempt to write a consciously upbeat, British pop-rock song somewhat along the lines of McCartney's Penny Lane.
Goodnight Baby is the same song as Who Is Sylvia?. Amazing song.
So Soft is the same as Soft and You're Soft. A very sophisticated and spooky melody with imagery that anticipates In the Warm Room.
Finally, I Don't See Why I Shouldn't is the same as the extremely cool rocker Pick the Rare Flower. (The complete phrase from the song is "I don't see why I shouldn't pick the rare flower.")
The last two songs in the collection of twenty-two solo-piano "Cathy" demos are missing from Cathy's Album, nor have they turned up as a volume of The Cathy Demos EPs, yet. They are so far known only through cassettes, usually with the titles Disbelieving Angel and While Davey Dozed (or just plain Davey ). The former appears on the still unlocated Early Years LP in an earlier (band) version, along with Something Like a Song and Gay Farewell (see above).
While Davey Dozed, which is sometimes called just plain Davey, is an amazing early song which should not be confused with another early song called Maybe. (The reason this is stressed is because Maybe was originally called Davey, too, according to Peter.) Maybe is another song which Kate recorded at age 14 or 15 with Dave Gilmour at Gilmour's house (during the same '73 sessions which produced the Army Dreamers b-side called Passing Through Air ).
Fortunately, we do know the song Maybe, through an excerpt of that early Gilmour-band demo which Kate played very briefly on the old BBC radio programme "Personal Call" back in 1979. This song has never been put out as a bootleg product, however, and is available only through trade with collectors, as far as IED is aware. The excerpt lasts all of fifty seconds, too.
That takes care of the very early demos. In addition to these, there are several other "demos", though they date from a slighly later period. In 1976 or 1977, during the early sessions for The Kick Inside (IED theorizes), Kate recorded six other tracks. Five of these are simply alternate early takes with the studio band of songs which later did appear on The Kick Inside and Lionheart. But the sixth is an unreleased song--very light and poppy, though its subject is at odds with the tone--called Scares Me Silly (as far as one can tell).
Now, IED has not yet seen it, but he has been told that a second bootleg LP has emerged since the appearance of Cathy's Album, which contains the six demos that were omitted from that first LP; as well as at least some of those six band takes--including Scares Me Silly. If you're interested, check out your nearest record swapmeet and ask about it. It should be turning up soon. Ed Suranyi reported an ad in Goldmine which seemed to be a description of this album.
Aside from the twenty-two Cathy demos, the Maybe demo, the six Scares Me Silly demos, and Passing Through Air (along with the other Early Years tracks), there are only two others of which IED is aware: two early demo versions of Babooshka. These two may conceiveably also appear on the bootleggers' sequel to Cathy's Album.
-- Andrew Marvick
On to The Cathy Demos General Thoughts Pt. 3
written by Love-Hounds
compiled and edited
by
Wieland Willker
Sept 1995 - June 1996