Back to - A. The Albums
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 87 14:53 PDT
From:
IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu
Subject: IED's proposal
Well, let us know if you have any new ideas. Meanwhile, here's IED's proposal for two new hypothetical KT CDs, to be released in '88 and '89 by EMI in order to fill the gap between HoL and KBVI.
I. Kate Bush: The Re-Mixes (approx. time: 43 mins., suitable EMI rip-off time)
II. Kate Bush: The B-Sides (approx. time: 48 minutes, almost too long by EMI standards)
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 88 11:54 PDT
From:
IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: KT NEWS STOP PRESS
Late news comes from EMI in the UK that EMI are considering the release of some of Kate Bush's "oldies" singles on CD. International Compact Disk Exchange, better known as ICE, reports in its latest issue that a spokesman for EMI said the company was exploring the possibility of entering the CD-3 arena through the release of oldies singles by EMI artists, including Kate Bush and David Bowie. The company had not set dates yet for such releases, however, and they had not yet decided whether the CD-3 format (3" CD single) was the right way to go, because they were concerned by reports from consumers of CD-3 adaptors jamming in some players. Presumably, however, once EMI decide what format to adopt, one or more of Kate's early singles will be among the first CD-singles they release.
-- Andrew Marvick
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 88 16:15 PDT
From:
IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: KT NEWS
Nothing momentous, although IED supposes that depends on one's point of view/degree of sanity. The following tidbits come from the latest (32nd) issue of "Homeground".
According to "HG", EMI are now actively seeking advice from fans regarding the possibility of releasing KATE'S B-SIDES ON CD! "HG"'s report says, "EMI have asked 'HG' to ask its readers to write to them stating which package they prefer and indeed with any other ideas for this release." The hypothetical packages they refer to are: a.) a boxed set of CD singles, "which would naturally include the now unobtainable B-sides"; and b.) a compilation CD containing the non-album tracks only. "HG" suggest that the "best" way to express your opinions is to send them to "HG" which will forward them to EMI themselves. IED wonders whether a direct letter to EMI wouldn't be just as or more effective. Anyway, it's nice to hear that the company went to the trouble to contact "HG" and ask for advice.
As for which package is preferable, the boxed set idea, while attractive for artistic reasons (keeping all the cover art, preserving the integrity of each single, etc.), sounds terribly impractical from a consumer's point of view, since a box of singles would certainly cost far more than one or two compilation CDs, and since it would inevitably repeat many tracks already available on CD, and finally since it would be a terribly wasteful way of using up CD space.
On the other hand, a compilation CD is a more problematic project for someone (other than Kate) to undertake: IED has calculated that some tracks would necessarily have to be omitted from such a collection, assuming it were to occupy only one CD, and especially if one didn't want to omit the various instrumental-mixes, single-mixes, video-mixes and extended re-mixes.
One thing's for sure, and that is that no matter what EMI decide to do, they'll fail to satisfy the diehard fans. The catalogue of CD-unreleased Kate material consists of more than 80 "tracks" now, if one includes the various live performances. Even if the complete "official" b-sides were included, what of the unreleased "Maybe"? or Maurice Jarre's "The Magician"? or "Be Kind to My Mistakes"? or "Brazil"? And the list goes on and on...No, the only thing to do is prepare for disappointment. But that doesn't mean Love-Hounds shouldn't take the time to write EMI and let them know of our concern.
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 88 11:16:42 edt
From: mas%bucsf.BU.EDU@BU-IT.BU.EDU
(Mark Semich)
Subject: Homeground/EMI
IED will probably beat me to this, but I just got the latest issue of Homeground - in it they talk about some upcoming plans, and I just had to tell somebody..
EMI WANT YOUR VIEWS ON THE CD SINGLES/B-SIDES ALBUM.
EMI are actively considering how to present Kate's singles and non-album tracks on CD. Two alternative packages are being considered. The first is a boxed set of CD Singles, which would naturally include the now unobtainable B-sides, and the second is a compilation CD containing the non-album tracks only. EMI have asked Homeground to ask its readers to write to them stating which package they prefer, and indeed with any other ideas for this release. We suggest the easiest thing is for you all to send your comments to us and we'll pass them on en masse to the right person.
Personally, I think that having one CD of the B-sides would be easier to listen to, but I would MUCH rather have the boxed set of all the singles in my hands..
Mark Semich
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 88 12:58 PST
From:
IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Update on EMI b-sides
compilation
Well, there's good news and bad news. IED has received an expectedly brief reply to a typically lengthy letter which he had written to EMI in London a couple of weeks ago, concerning the organization of a b-sides compilation disk. Here is the text of the reply:
18 November 1988
Dear Andrew,
Thank you for your interesting and well researched letter regarding Kate Bush.
We have no immediate plans of rushing out a compilation similar to the one you are suggesting as we are expecting some new product from Kate in the near future.
I will however keep your letter close to hand because we will, I hope, put out this type of retrospective in the future.
Once again, many thanks for your well considered input.
Kind regards,
Steve Davis
Product Manager
EMI Records (UK)
20 Manchester Square
London W1A 1ES
Telephone 01-486-4488
More or less a typical form letter, but the wording leaves open the possibility that some of the singles might still be considered for re-release in CD-single form. Also, of course, one wonders whether EMI actually believe that Kate's new album is nearly ready for release, or whether that's just a line they're feeding the public. Surely they couldn't be naive enough to think she's nearly finished the album?
Date: hu, 26 Jul 90 18:04 PDT
From:
IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@mitvma.mit.edu
Subject: KT NEWS !!!!!!!
That's right, KT NEWS! Courtesy of Peter FitzGerald-Morris (Editor of Homeground ), via the much-appreciated agency of Vickie Mapes:
KATE BUSH CD BOX SET!
It will include all the albums, plus a double-, perhaps even a triple -album collection of b-sides and rarities.
And if that isn't enough good news for one day, IED doesn't know Kate fans.
-- Andrew Marvick
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 90 04:46:02 -0400
From: katefans@world.std.com
(Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: ******** ! KATE NEWS ! ******
Vickie here.
Peter Morris (aka Peter David Fitzgerald-Morris/"Mr Homeground") called me today and said that he'd just come back from The Bush home (Dr. & Mrs.).
...
Peter had more news from the Bush family. There will almost certainly be a Box Set released at Christmastime consisting of all Kate's albums to date, and will include a double (or possibly triple) album of B-sides and rarities! This is the project EMI has been working on for a couple (few?) years now and it looks like it's really going to happen. Of course, we all know about the "yes, it'll be ready" syndrome where Kate is concerned so don't come back at me with e-mail letter bombs if it doesn't actually happen. I'm just telling you that the Bush family and Peter were all very confident that it was set to roll. Cool and really cool!!!
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 90 15:56:26 PDT
From: ed@das.llnl.gov (Edward
Suranyi)
Subject: Homeground #39: B-sides/rareties CDs
I just got issue #39 of Homeground in today's mail. It's so late, and the preparations for the Kate Bush Convention will be so consuming, that the editors have decided that there will be no Fall issue this year. That is, issue #40 will be the Christmas issue. There's not much news that hasn't been reported in love-hounds already.
They say that the track listing for the B-sides/rareties CDs that will form part of the boxed set is expected to be as follows:
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 90 06:24:37 -0400
From: katefans@world.std.com
(Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: Box Set Blues (a Re-edited Re-post
READ!)
Now for the Box Set...
It will be called "This Woman's Work" and will be released in early November. The logo will be some sort of combination of the KT symbol and the female symbol. Don't ask me...that's just what Peter said. It should be priced at around 70 British pounds so we should all start saving our pennies. It's almost certain that CBS in America aren't going to have anything to do with the thing so we'll all have to pay import prices (I'd buy import even if CBS did release it. CBS-phew!) and there probably will be a limited number coming over to America.
Bad sad news--the track listing that Homeground printed IS in fact the official list. Poor Andy & Derek, all that work for nothing! The Set is supposed to have a very nice booklet with lots & lots of photos and most likely a biography. Peter hasn't actually seen a copy of the Set so he couldn't give any firm information about graphics etc. That's all the info I have about that.
From: claris!wombat@decwrl.dec.com (Scott Lindsey)
Date: 20 Sep 90
23:11:40 GMT
Subject: Box Set rarities ( TWW )
Between Vickie's postings and various other comments, most of the content of the article in ICE has been divulged, so it's not worth posting verbatum.
Here's the high points:
Kate has been very much involved in assembling the set. TWW will have 29 cuts (as previously discussed). The 8 discs are housed in a compact box (whatever that is), complete with a 26-page book of rare photos. TWW will retail for 80 pounds =~ $150. It's not limited edition, and should remain in EMI's catalog for some time.
The EMI source quoted is Steve Davis: "She was very enthusiastic about it. It's very much her collection. She came up with what songs were included and how it should look, right down to the visuals and all the typefaces. I think that's what makes the fans happy, if they can see the artist's finger-prints all over it."
"If anything's left out, it's either because it doesn't exist or there were licensing problems."
Date: 20 Sep 90 06:15:23 PDT (Thursday)
From:
Waltman.HENR801c@Xerox.COM
Subject: The ICE Article
29 Kate Bush Rarities Part of New Import Set
British EMI plans for late October for *This Woman's Work*, an eight-CD Kate Bush box set containing two disc's worth of B-sides and other assorted non-LP tracks. Always the prolific artist, Bush has produced a large number of non-LP tracks since the debut of of her first "Wuthering Heights" single in 1978, and this set aspires to gather them all under one digital roof. The other six CDs consist of Bush's studio albums: *The Kick Inside*, *Lionheart*, *The Dreaming*, *Never For Ever*, *The Hounds of Love* and *The Sensual World*. Unfortunately for American fans, there are no plans for a stateside release of *This Woman's Work*, because Bush's recordings are divided between two rival labels, EMI and CBS.
Bush herself had quite a hand in assembling the set. "She was very enthusiastic about it," EMI's Steve Davis told ICE via telephone from London. "It's very much her collection. She came up with what songs were included and how it should look, right down to the visuals and the typefaces. I think that's what makes fans happy, if they can see the artist's fingerprints all over it."
The 29 rarities found on *This Woman's Work* consist of "The Empty Bullring," "Ran Tan Waltz," "Passing Through Air," "December Will Be Magic Again," "Warm And Soothing," "Lord Of The Reedy River," "Ne Tien Fuis Pas," "Un Baisier D'Enfant" (French single), "Under The Ivy," "Burning Bridge," "My Lagan Love," "Handsome Cabin Boy," "Be Kind To My Mistakes," "One Last Look Around The house Before We Go," "Not This Time," "Walk Straight Down The Middle," "Ken," "I'm Still Waiting," "Wuthering Heights" (new vocal from *The Whole Story*), "Experiment IV" (12" mix), "Experiment IV" (single version), "Running Up That Hill" (12" mix), "Hounds Of Love" (alternative mix), "Cludbusting" (Organon mix), "The Big Sky" (meteorological mix) and four songs from the *Onstage* EP: "Them Heavy People," "Don't Push Your Foot," "L'Amour Looks Something Like You" and "James And The Cold Gun."
"If anything's left out, it's either because it doesn't exist anymore or there were licensing problems," Davis says. The eight discs are housed in a compact box, complete with a 26-page book of rare photos. Now the bad news: There are no plans to make the bonus CDs available individually, and *This Woman's Work* will sell for around 80 British pounds--or $150--at the retail level. But it's not a limited edition set, and should remain in EMI's catalog for some time to come.
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 90 22:42:19 PDT
From: derek%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek
Langsford)
Subject: Reply from EMI
Saturday I received a letter from Steve Davis at EMI in reply to the letter sent by myself and IED regarding the Box Set. Needless to say it does not tell us much, but at least he replied.
He said :
Dear Mr Langsford and Mr Marvick,
Thank you for your indepth letter regarding the Kate Bush Box Set. I am sorry to hear that you were extremely disappointed in the scope of material.
As you must know, Kate has very definite ideas about her own career and we were very much lead by her as to what is to be included in the box.
I hope that you will still enjoy the box set when it is released.
Yours sincerely,
Steve Davis
Senior Product Manager
From: spt1@ukc.ac.uk (Stephen Thomas)
Date: 23 Oct 90 13:30:25 GMT
Subject: The Boxed Set
Well, according to the KBC newsletter, the release date for the Boxed Set was 22nd October, which as I write was yesterday. Accordingly, today (I was busy yesterday) I went down to the shop I had ordered it from (on CD) to see if it had arrived. It had. Oh boy.
I had expected another UK Love-Hound to have posted something by now, but as gaffa is a bit wobbly at the moment, I shall tell you about it anyway. Here is what I found.
The box is matte black. On the lid are the words "KATE BUSH" inscribed in pseudo-gold-leaf, and a label bearing the words "This Woman's Work -Anthology 1978-1990". Opening the box reveals a booklet, also called "This Woman's Work", with the female/KT symbol combination we had been told about. This booklet turns out *not* to be a biography, as some people had thought, but rather a short introduction from Kate (at the beginning), 26 photographs (most of them rather good), and at the end some credits to the photographers. Also at the end is the dedication to Gary Hurst and Alan Murphy.
Also to be found in the box (apart from the albums themselves) was a set of twelve adhesive stickers. Each sticker is the Fm/KT symbol against a plain background (sometimes with a border) in various combinations of colours - black, gold, red and violet. One sticker for each year, I suppose. Suggestions as to what I could use them for are welcome. Maybe I could get them signed at the Convention.
Now, the albums. "The Kick Inside" through to "The Sensual World" are present ("The Whole Story" is not present, of course). There is absolutely nothing special about these - standard CD cases, the lyric booklets are the same as usual (well, the same as the UK albums, anyway) - there is absolutely nothing to tell them apart from the albums available singly.
OK, the bit you have been waiting for - the B-sides and rarities volumes. These come on two CDs. The booklets are black with the Fm/KT symbol in red, and there are no lyrics. Also, all told, there are only 29 tracks, not the 34 listed in Homeground. The missing tracks are
The Confrontation
The Man With The Child In His Eyes (single mix)
Dreamtime
Running Up That Hill (instrumental)
The Sensual
World (instrumental)
I am slightly disappointed, I suppose, but never mind. I haven't listened to all the stuff on the rarities albums, but I suspect I will be well satisfied with what I have.
And that is it. This is what you pay you money for. I must admit that the photographs are rather nice. One that caught my eye was a full colour version of the cover of "The Dreaming".
When other people get their copies, I will be interested to find out what they think of it.
Keep yourselves well,
Stephen
From: colburn@handel.cs.colostate.edu (Alex Colburn)
Date: 26 Oct 90
23:46:58 GMT
Subject: The Boxed Set, it is incredible!
If anyone is interested, ABCDs in Ft Collins has another copy of the boxed set. The owner only ordered two copies and his supplier has run out. If anyone is having problems getting their own copy send me mail and I can give you the address and phone.
Well Volume One has absolutely blown me away, I've never heard most of it and My Lagan Love has given me multiple Kategasms.
its back to the box,
Alex.
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 90 18:23:09 CDT
From: barger@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu
(Jorn Barger)
Subject: Boxed Set... mine!
Got it Friday evening, cost $182 plus tax for the CD's. Vickie says the booklet with the albums is album sized and thus much much nicer. What are these stickers?
I'm worried about KT: she says "Be kind to my mistakes... because I'm not."
Kate, you are the most perfect artist in history!!! Give yourself a break!!!
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 90 07:18:13 CST
From: barger@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu
(Jorn Barger)
Subject: hidden joke in cd box set?
who else has noticed that on the first disk of b-sides there is something that may be unintentional, but considering what comes right after, maybe not?
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 90 02:02 EST
From: PMANCHESTER@ccmail.sunysb.edu
Subject: HERESY
Today I took a drastic step. I went down to the Record Stop in Lake Ronkonkoma, who had the box set for the best price that I've seen, $159, and told them not to hold one for me.
Record Stop is where I forked over $99.95 for the Japanese import video "The Single File," $125 for the original 7" vinyl SF box set (without the box, but otherwise complete and virgin), and roughly $120 per album since HOL, by the time I would lay in the import singles in 7" and 12" and the album itself in vinyl and CD. I don't even want to get started on the imported songbooks, copies of Kerton and Vermorel, original editions of Reich's A BOOK OF DREAMS, and so on. I've been the sort of fan who has prowled through libraries to photocopy old reviews, xeroxed BILLBOARD charts and blurbs from MELODY MAKER, and subcribed to and archived this digest. At the party I put on when TSW was released, a friend contemplating the 6'X 4' sand-through-hands poster on my wall said, "I guess you must be a fan." "Having one of these posters doesn't make me a fan," I answered. "It's having TWO." Just as I have two copies of Jay Bush's CATHY, one that I keep unopened in the original mailer.
I don't say No! to this new box release because I've ever stinted on my devotion to Kate Bush, but because this seems to be a marketing scam unworthy of her participation. To me it seems the latest in a culminating series of bad signs. I'm gonna be volunteer lightning rod here and utter lots of heresy, bring down flame and fire upon my head. But I'm only trying to formulate the disquiet that I've heard from many of us in recent months. The love-hounds who will be seeing her in London later this month may have opportunity to help get her back in touch with her audience and her commitment to her work.
* Bad sign: how long it took to get working on TSW. Forget how long we had to wait; the questions have to do with how long it took her to get back to her work, and whether she really went back to it with full commitment. The is where the Del Palmer question Richard Caldwell raised comes in, but it isn't Del in particular. I'll come back to this.
* Bad sign: for the FIRST TIME in the History of the World, a Kate Bush album was accompanied by only THREE videos. It has always been four.
* Bad sign: in those videos, Kate spends so much time showing the bottom of her chin to the camera it gives you a crick in the neck to watch her. Or she drapes herself in upholstery fabric. It isn't vanity, otherwise she wouldn't include the interview, which shows us clearly that she isn't a 19 year old nymph any longer. It's professional indecision: she doesn't seem to know what to do with herself. For me, the redeeming moments come when she's doing what somebody called the funky chicken with the band, in "Love and Anger." There at least she is a little unselfconscious, looks like she is having a good time.
* Bad sign (recent evidence perhaps--it can be hoped!--to the contrary): her unwillingness to perform live. She seems to think she has to top the Tour of Life. I can't tell whether this is timidity, nostalgia, or arrogance. Here she is with this great songbook, in a position to put together a killer band, with world's thirstiest audience awaiting her! Vickie put her finger on it. She should either take ten years off and have a baby, and then see whether she wants a professional career any more, or she should get herself into touring shape and bop around in front of a band for a while.
The crassness of the current box release has been well brought out these past weeks. Only fans are going to put out $150-200 for a kb collector's item--but we are the very ones who likely have the six albums already amd maybe, like me, all the relevant singles. I'd buy it in a minute if there were two songs I hadn't heard. Even one. A true historical record like Andrew Marvick outlined would deserve support. But the only *rational* market for this release is to be gifts from fans to neophytes. To me, that feels like I am being shaken down. It's not a katelike feeling. Have commercial interests gotten bigger than her talent?
One of the reasons I've loved kb is the sheer craft of her search for and achievement of professional power. She had total artistic control over her own product before she was 21; it took the Rolling Stones nearly 10 years to get that far. She made the commercial aspects of pop music part of a new 'performance art'. Remember that a Kate Bush album release has never been the album alone, it has been a whole Manifestation Event: the first single comes out in England, then here; then the album; then Kate's over here, her mug on MTV; the videos start to arrive, the 7" and 12" import singles; long reviews and interviews appear. One could always feel her presence, her darsan, behind it all. This was her work: to be impressario of her own appearance. Vermorel correctly remarks the hostility of photographers to her policy of wanting final review rights over their work before she will grant a photo opportunity; anybody ever wonder why kb is never featured in Vogue, Mademoiselle, etc.? When she was in New York in November, 1985, BILLBOARD reported it in a regular news item, mentioning that she was not only writer, arranger, performer, and producer of her music, but was also now her own manager. Great, I thought. Kate's peaking.
Five years later, I am worried. It has helped me to understand all this to have John Carder Bush's CATHY set. Jay is 14 years older than Cathy as they conspire together, he to be a photographer, she to be a presence. One can simply see in these photographs the birth of what beguiles us in the Kate Bush they were inventing, with Paddy as the band: Kate's precocity has always been met with a total, loving acceptance, first from her brothers and parents, later from us as recruits. She projects this expectation when she performs--which is why cynical souls are driven off screaming. The fact that she is also good makes her cosmic. Every so often someone professes that Kate Bush is God. A colleague announced one time in seminar that that's what I think. I said he was wrong; she is God's sister.
Well sister Kate is older now, and it's less and less appropriate for her to be working inside an image she came to with her brothers and Del. The Kate Bush they saw in her, and she performed for us forever--in "The Kick Inside" and the Hammersmith video from the Tour of Life--had room for three more albums, but it ended with "Hounds of Love." Dead and drowned, that Kate will forever live again to tell her mother, tell her father, tell her brothers how much she loves them. But she's been milking it since then, first with "The Whole Story," which was useful and deserves its success, but now in TSW and its uncertain promise. Even those who like TSW, me among them, don't claim that it is an artistic breakout. And in that context, the new box set release feels like the Heavy Hand.
This woman's work: is it over?
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 90 15:20:30 EST
From: nrc@cbema.att.com (Neal R
Caldwell, Ii)
Subject: HERESY on Threee Counts!
<PMANCHESTER@ccmail.sunysb.edu> had to expect the Spanish Inquisition when he wrote:
> Five years later, I am worried. It has helped me to understand all this to have John Carder Bush's CATHY set. Jay is 14 years older than Cathy as they conspire together, he to be a photographer, she to be a presence. One can simply see in these photographs the birth of what beguiles us in the Kate Bush they were inventing, with Paddy as
Here's where I start to disagree with your conclusions. I don't believe that there was ever a plan of this sort. Now that you mention it I wouldn't be surprised if Kate's early experience as "the observed" in Jay's photography helped her to develop the lack of inhibition that she displays in her early performances but I don't think there's any real evidence that Kate's image was a Bush family conspiracy.
> Well sister Kate is older now, and it's less and less appropriate for her to be working inside an image she came to with her brothers and Del. The Kate Bush they saw in her, and she performed for us forever--in "The Kick Inside" and the Hammersmith video from the Tour of Life--had room for three more albums, but it ended with "Hounds of Love." Dead and drowned, that Kate will forever live again to tell her mother, tell her father, tell her brothers how much she loves them.
It seems to me that the image of Kate that you're talking about didn't drown at the end of The Ninth Wave, it was blown up in a bank robbery, killed with a grenade, lost on a secret mission, drown in a straight-jacket and finally thrown out of the house in The Dreaming.
There seem to be different forces at work here. First of all, at some point Kate seems to have discovered all those inhibitions and insecurities about her work and herself that she escaped so easily early in her career. At the same time she moved in the direction of more and more dense music.
At some point after Hounds of Love it seems as though the density of Kate's work reached critical mass. At some point while trying to realize her vision of the music that was to become The Sensual World I have to wonder if maybe it didn't become more of a labor than a labor of love.
None of this means that Kate is finished, she just needs a slightly different direction. The recent HMV/Q interview gives reason to hope that the boxed set has provided her with the perspective to find that direction.
From: **Love-Hound** <sre017%cck.cov.ac.uk@mitvma.mit.edu>
Date:
Wed, 21 Nov 90 15:20:44 GMT
Subject: Review Box Set
What follows is the review of the box set by Glynn Brown in Select Magazine: Any factual errors have been left in ie The Kick Inside ('77)
SENSES WORKING OVERTIME
With this oceanic outpouring, which constitutes Kate Bush's every artistic thought and feeling for the best part of eleven years, the woman is effectively pinned for inspection. 'This Woman's Work' consists of nine LPs(or eight cassettes, or eight CDs), including extra, previously non-album material. It's interesting to speculate on whose idea this torrential retrospective-theres also a full-colour booklet with rare photographs-was. Because an undeniably lucrative part of the Bush business is her mystery. For many admirers, the essence of Bush is that, with little known about her personal life, she can be interpreted as you wish. It's obvious she's clever, funny, philosophical, sentimental and sensual, but what else?The idea is that by delving into obscurities and B-sides, fans might just gain the clue to Kate's within.
It is a formidable assembley. First the six sumptuous albums, from 'The Kick Inside'('77) to 'The Sensual World'('89), showing the development of a precociou s talent that EMI were wise enough not to force or harry, allowing Bush to blossom slowly. There follows a riot of of rarer stuff, nothing particularly unobtainable, but items which may have been hard to track down.
Occasionally-'Passing Through Air', B-side of 'Army Dreamers', or 'Warm And Sooth ing', flip of 'December Will Be Magic Again'-the tracks are thin and whimsical, but on the whole it's remarkable how consistently worthwhile, risk-taking and energetic this music is. Even the fillers-the 'Organon Mix' of 'Cloudbusting', the 'Meteorological Mix' of 'Big Sky'-round out the feel, while rarer tracks, like the French single 'Un Baiser D'Enfant', the magnificently lush 'Ken' from the Comic Strip film GLC and the onstage EPs, illuminate further depths to the Bush persona But the real jewels are the unexpected treasures that glitter in the grass. Adole scent, helplessly sexual, 'Lord Of The Reedy River' has Kate languorously in love with a swan. There's nothing to the melody and the backing is a symphony of dripping water and the aching creak of rowlocks as the singer, a Lady of Shalott adrift on the lake, pursues her vain love;yet this sparse suggestion is the essence of it all.
Wild, temperamental, endearingly aware of and in love with her own media image, a true child-woman in her blend of emotional maturity and sparky naivety.. . Reassuringly, we still know as much-and as little-about Kate Bush as we ever did.
Rating: 4 out of a possible 5
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 90 20:14:45 PST
From: ed@das.llnl.gov (Edward
Suranyi)
Subject: reviews of the box set
Selected quotes from some reviews of the box set (all favorable, by the way):
From the same issue of Q :
"'Be kind to my mistakes' she says in the accompanying 26-page book of colour portraits, 'because I'm not'. There really isn't any need."
From the Nov. 10 issue of New Musical Express :
"She arrived with one of the most extraordinary debut singles ever.. ."
"But several things distinguish her from her male counterparts; her vast reservoir of talent for one, and the strangeness and magic of her best work."
"If you don't know Kate Bush, immerse yourself in this terrific set. If you do here's your chance to replace all those scratched and tear-stained mementoes at a stroke."
From the Oct. 27 issue of Melody Maker :
"Anybody who has been concerned and involved with pop in its purest sense over the last 15 years will have favourite Bushy moments. . ."
"Then there's the preposterously good records."
"So Kate free-falls through 'The Kick Inside'. 'Lionheart', 'Never For Ever', 'The Dreaming', 'Hounds Of Love', and 'The Sensual World', while the listener crawls along these womb-like air-ducts with a mixture of fascination, awe, suspense, trauma and profound irritation. That's more than we expect from pop music and it's more than we deserve. Nice, fantastic, amazing."
Here's a real strange line:
"The elegiac 'Night Of The Swallow' appears to be a comment on the sense of humour in the female genitals. Nice one Kate!" In fact, this guy seems to have very strange ideas about several of Kate's songs.
Date: Mon, 3 Dec 90 04:38:28 -0500
From: katefans@world.std.com
(Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: Kate and EMI
Chris here,
Those who are concerned can rest easy that someone close to Kate is aware that not everyone is happy with the Box Set, though I'm afraid I may have made a bit of an ass of myself in the process.
...
This brought about the question of who controlled the box set, Kate or EMI. She said EMI, and I pointed out that EMI said the final decision had been Kate's. She didn't reply to that and I said that Andy and Derek had put together a very good set that had been rejected. (I later found out that Homeground had put together a set as well, and EMI had gone as far as making up test cassettes of their arrangement)
I believe I may have gotten a little frantic in telling her that the Box Set was a "God-Damn rip-off". Well, it was a very emotional day.
I'm in the process of writing a nice little note of apology, as was suggested by David Cross. Our feelings are not stopping us from buying two box sets, though. The Club newsletter was an enormous rip-off for American fans for a number of years (one year passed without a single newsletter). In self defense I should point out that Kate's family and friends do a pretty good job of insulating her from the outside world, and it's quite possible that she is not aware that anyone feels this way.
Two theories about why the box set exists:
1: Kate wanted a nice box to take out to the back yard and bury to put a period on this part of her career.
2: Kate wanted something nice to give as Christmas presents. (we understand that Kate bought 50 LP and 50 CD sets.)
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 90 13:02:27 CST
From: barger@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu
(Jorn Barger)
Subject: More Kon notes
Also, I forgot to mention that we heard from Dave and Peter that the reason the Roy Harper duet with Peter Gabriel was not included on the boxset was just that Kate thought Peter G probably wouldn't be thrilled with the idea, even though the number does exist in studio-quality form...
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 90 14:40:53 PST
From: derek%sunstroke@sdsu.edu
(Derek Langsford)
Subject: Survey results and draft letter to EMI
Fellow Love-hounds
A big THANK YOU to all who sent me info about the CD box prices. It has been quite illuminating. It looks like Canada, Germany, New Zealand and Australia (if you can find it) are the cheapest places for the set. Unfortunately I only have one data point for all but Canada out of these, so sampling error may give the impression it is overly cheap there.
Below the results is a draft letter I propose to send to Mr. Steve Davis, Product Manager at EMI London. I am sure all of you will not agree with what I have said. If you have any suggestions to make, please email me. The letter will not be mailed until after New Year as I will be away for a week from Thursday and I have too much to do before then. It will also give some of you time to respond.
Results of the survey :
price $US price in local currency tax store city Country
$137.61 180.00 $AUS incl EMI Adelaide Adelaide Australia
$72.52 83.94 $CDN incl A&B Sounds Vancouver BC Canada
$112.32
130.00 $CDN incl ? Quebec PQ Canada
$77.76 90.00 $CDN incl
? Vancouver BC Canada
$251.72 899.00 FIM incl 21% Diskeri Imports
Helsinki Finland
$276.78 1400.00 FF incl Megastore Paris France
$168.05 850.00 FF incl La Fnac Paris France
$168.05 850.00 FF
incl various Paris France
$128.51 650.00 FF incl various
Paris France
$134.49 199.99 DM incl 14% Wunderland Nuernberg
Germany
$193.08 3239.00 FI incl Free Record Shop NijmegenNetherlands
$88.32 149.95 $NZ incl 12.5% ? Wellington New Zealand
$203.97
1190.00 NOKR incl 20% ? Oslo Norway
$169.69 990.00 NOKR incl 20%
Compact-Huset Haugesund Norway
$205.28 1150.00 SKR
incl Megastore Stockholm Sweden
$183.33 94.99 #UK incl 15% Haken &
Bell Oxford UK
$189.12 97.99 #UK incl 15% HMV & Virgin stores UK
$214.49 214.49 $US 7.25% Off the Record San Diego CA USA
$182.31
182.31 $US 7.25% Lou's Records Encinitas CA USA
$164.92 164.92 $US
8.50% Midnight Records New York NY USA
$195.30 195.30 $US 8.50% ?
New York NY USA
$135.00 135.00 $US 8% All Things Kate Bellingham
WA USA*
$216.00 216.00 $US 8% Various Boston MA USA
$192.60
192.60 $US 7% Desert Island Records Potsdam NY USA
$237.60 237.60
$US 7% Music Shack Albany NY USA
$212.49 212.49 $US 6.25% Vintage
Vinal St Louis MO USA
$169.99 169.99 $US 6.25% Now Hear This St Louis
MO USA
$176.14 176.14 $US 6.75% Go-Boys Records Torrance CA USA
$187.68 187.68 $US 7.25% CDSounds San Diego CA USA
* mail
order of sets from Canada
The letter :
Dear Mr. Davis,
Re : Kate Bush - "This Woman's Work" CD box set
Thank you for replying to the letter Andrew Marvick and I wrote dated September 4th. I realise now that it was far too late for further input into the project. Unfortunately, we did not hear about the release until it was clearly too late. The purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention the reception of the Kate Bush Box Set by fans around the world and certain aspects of its marketing.
First, I believe all fans are pleased that her b-sides have been consolidated and are available on compact disc, vinyl and cassette as a legitimate release. The set has been hard to get in some parts of the world including some areas of the USA and in Australia where there are apparently strict quotas for its distribution. Hopefully all those that want the set will be able to get it.
Apart from availability, there are other complaints that some of us have about the set. One that has surfaced is the disparate prices the CD sets are being sold for around the world. I instigated a survey on the Love-hounds computer network newsgroup to get prices which were being asked by stores across the globe. The responses reveal that the set is far cheaper in certain countries than in others. More specifically, it seems that in the UK and USA (Kate's larger markets I would assume) one can find some of the highest prices in the world. Below are the summarized results of my survey. All prices include local sales taxes which are between 6 and 20%. The results of the full survay from which this was derived are appended to this letter.
Country cost in US $
Australia $138
Canada $73-$113
Finland $252
France $129-$276
Germany $135
Netherlands $193
New Zealand $89
Norway $170-$204
Sweden $205
UK $184-$190
USA $165-$238
What is most perturbing is that the exact same sets (EMI UK produced) are being sold for so little in Canada, Germany, New Zealand and Australia, yet, for so much in the UK and other European countries where shipping costs will be much less. I believe the sets in Canada are being distributed through your Canadian subsidiary. Why are they being sold so cheaply there? UK, other European customers, and some in the USA in particular are clearly being gouged. The price in the UK is uniformly set at between #94.99 and #97.99 so fans have little choice as to what they pay. In France the range of prices is preposterous.
A similar situation exists in the USA. The cost to US dealers is approximately $125 (#64) meaning profit margins for the sellers are sometimes close to 100%. I realise this is largely a function of the market place. I personally believe that the music industry has been exploiting CD customers in the UK with higher than necessary prices : the Kate Bush Boxed Set continues this practice. I have seen UK manufactured discs sell for under $12 in the USA at full retail price whereas in the UK they sell for #12. The difference is clearly not related to production or shipping costs. The only justification for such prices is because it is what the market will bare. I personally believe consumers deserve more respect.
Another gripe is the fact that many of the discs in the set can be purchased separately at mid-price (#8) in the UK yet the set sells for approximately #12 per disc. Normally, boxed sets sell for less than what separately purchased discs cost so as to act as an incentive to purchase a multiple-disc set. This did not occur for "This Woman's Work". It is felt the extra costs for the new discs do not justify this price hike. Can you explain why this is possibly the most expensive set, on a per disc basis, to have ever been released?
In paying such a premium for the set most found the disc booklets fell far short of what they should have been. There were no lyrics for the new to CD songs and no source information. The photographs have been commended but for CD purchasers the small size was disappointing in comparison to the LP pictures which are apparently quite stunning. CD purchasers again feel short changed. CD box sets are often released in LP sized boxes with full-size booklets. As a result it is felt an opportunity was missed. And despite Kate having a large say in the project, as she usually does with her work, I believe EMI had the ultimate control of the packaging. Needless to say most fans are unimpressed with the minimal effort put into the booklets.
As Andy and I stated in our letter of September 4th there were concerns from fans who already owned all of Kate's albums on CD, with many having specially purchased the UK discs. The duplicate purchase of these discs was a sickening prospect. We advised that to make the album discs in the set special, i.e. with bonus tracks or special edition booklets, would ease some of the concerns. Unfortunately EMI's minimum effort approach has left many fans upset. Instead of making the fans happy, EMI has embittered them. It is felt that EMI are to be blamed for a complete lack of consideration for her most loyal followers: the majority of whom already had all her albums on CD.
Lastly there have been rumours about a separate release in the USA of the b-sides discs (source: Tower Records magazine). Some who cannot afford the full boxed sets are hopeful. Others who purchased the boxed sets, including many who already had all her albums on CD, are quite angry about this. If this was planned before the release of the boxed set many fans will be simply outraged. Could you confirm that EMI have no plans to issue a separate 2 disc release of the b-sides discs in the USA or UK?
In the future it would be worthwhile for EMI to somehow get the opinions of potential customers before releasing large boxed sets. I understand that the staff at Homeground (the UK's only official Kate Bush Fanzine) were shut out of the project completely. This would have been the most obvious place to have obtained some fan and consumer input.
To conclude I will summarise by saying that the "This Woman's Work" CD set has had a mixed response from the fans. From a musical standpoint it is wonderful despite some b-sides being omitted. However, most fans are not completely happy with it. There have been many frustrations: the difficulty of obtaining the sets in some areas; the variability in price; the minimal packaging and information contained, the complete duplication and redundant purchase of the album CDs; the perceived lack of respect for the loyal fans, and, the often excessively high cost. I realise that EMI are not a charity but a little more respect for the wishes of the fans - the chief buyers - would go a long way. Fortunately for EMI, Kate's fans are a loyal bunch, but with the "This Woman's Work" CD set you have all but destroyed any respect fans may have had for EMI.
I and many other fans look forward to your response to my questions.
Sincerely yours
Derek Langsford
From: spt1@ukc.ac.uk (Stephen Thomas)
Date: 21 Dec 90 12:18:42 GMT
Subject: Homeground 40
The new Homeground, no. 40, popped through my door this morning. It contains some interesting stuff.
...
They also cover the mixed reception given to the boxed set, printing some of the good reviews and some of the fan's grumblings. They attempt to set the record straight by giving the history of the set. It seems that originally EMI, at Homeground's request, had wanted to collect all the B-sides and rarities (only) onto one volume, although they were unsure of the format. This project was shelved when TSW was released, but revived to cover the interregnum between TSW and KBVII, projected for third quarter '91.
Kate had a different idea though. She saw here career as entering a totally new phase, and wanted to round off her previous work more completely. Hence the complete boxed set.
Homeground do reckon that the pricing is somewhat iffy, however. The fact that it is being sold, by retailers, as 8 full price albums, when 4 of these albums are available at mid-price (in the UK, at least) cannot be justified. Apparently, EMI's response to this is "It's a fair cop".
The set is *not* a limited edition, and there were some 30000 units in the first run, with more if demand is high enough.
Stephen
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 91 17:21:21 PST
From: derek%sunstroke@sdsu.edu
(Derek Langsford)
Subject: Letter to EMI: second draft
Fellow Love-hounds,
After having several comments (most in support) I have made a few changes to the letter which I propose to send to Steve Davis at EMI. Thank you all who sent me comments The major change comes at the end - I had an idea.
In Homeground, EMI admitted it was a "fair cop" about the high prices for mostly mid-price album discs. Well, I wondered how they could make it up to us CD set purchasers. What if they sent us a copy of the LP photo booklet free of charge in return for proof of purchase or the stickers which came with the set. The stickers could be returned or a new set included with the booklet. The cost to EMI would be a few pounds each - an appropriate amount methinks as compensation for being overcharged.
I would really like your comments on this proposal. I do not expect them to take me up on it. But, there's no harm in trying.
" One way to offset these criticisms and redeem EMI in our eyes would be to make the LP booklet available to purchasers of the CD boxed set at no charge. The stickers that came with the set (or a receipt) could be sent as proof of purchase and returned with the booklet or a new set included.
I and many other fans look forward to your response."
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 91 15:19:36 EST
From: Andrew B Marvick <abm4@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu>
Subject: re TWW booklet, the second last photo
On page 23: IED suggests that anyone interested in this mysterious photograph take a look at the covers of old Depeche Mode albums, and consider the chicken-and-egg theory. This photo is a real KT mystery...
-- Andrew Marvick,
listening, under the leaves, to the whistle of passing (sp)arrows...
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 91 17:46:22 -0600
From: vishal@m2.csc.ti.com (Vishal
Markandey)
Subject: TWW box set pictures
> p. 23: Kate's bending over in a field. It's dusk, and the sky is a great shade of blue. Kate's wearing a black and goldenrod dress and a green shawl over her head. This is one of the best-colored photos in the book.
*Very* similar to the cover of the Depeche Mode album "A Broken Frame". The DM picture made it to the cover of Life magazine's special issue, "The World's Greatest Pictures 1980-1990", winter '90.
- Vishal
From: L-H@cup.portal.com
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 91 02:50:36 PDT
Subject: Japanese boxed set: The Whole Story
Hi Lionhearts,
I finally got the Japanese boxed set this afternoon from fellow Katefan and fairly fair dealer Tom Richards at C-Side Records (P.O.Box 8456 Clearwater,FL. 34618 USA-get on his extensive KTlist), and all I can say is:
BOYCOTT THE ENGLISH BOX! PAY THE EXTRA COST FOR THE JAPANESE BOX-IT IS CERTAINLY WORTH IT!
John Relph asked: >..is there a difference..?
Oh, my Kate, is there ever! For openers, the "rarities" disk booklets CONTAIN ALL THE LYRICS TO THE SONGS ON THE DISKS! You read that right! Well, how could you miss it since it was in all caps? :-) Not counting the insides of the front and back covers, the booklet for Vol. 1 is contains 16 pages; Vol. 2 has 12. I can't compare these to the UK box since I have not purchased it (although I did get the album boxed set in England during Kon week (sigh..). I have seen Ed's set, but I don't remember how the rarities booklets looked.
Before getting into the individual releases, I'll try to describe EMI Japan's presentation, which in a nutshell, makes the UK box pale in comparison. Yes, you've got the strip on top of the lid as Japanese releases do, but one thing I found interesting is another strip pasted on the lower part of the box. It has the UPC strip, but among the Kanji is the number 16000, which also appears on the top strip. But in parentheses after it (on my box) is the number 15,534. This makes me wonder if at least the initial boxing was limited to 16,000 for the Japanese boxed set. If anyone else buys this, please post the number on your box to Love-Hounds.
Each CD in the box is a white plastic base compared to the typical black jewel boxes on other CDs. On the upper left hand corner of the back of each CD are the words KATE BUSH BOX 1 (through 7). As previously reported here and elsewhere, the The Kick Inside and Never For Ever CDs have different covers than the UK box. TKI is the "pink top" picture, and NFE has an interesting cover-it is a blowup of part of the cover art which appears on other releases. If you look at your cover, it is the area approximately from the whale's snout going right, including the white bird, the swan, and some of those weird-looking characters riding or hanging around them. You don't see the drawing of Kate with her dress blowing up at all in the blowup, nor the title of the album below Kate's feet. But when you open the first page of the booklet, you see the normal cover! REally cool.
Oh, another thing about all the CDs-each one shares the same design. What I mean is that each of the CDs themselves is black, with kind of a goldish colour lettering, somewhat similiar to the colour of the The Sensual World CD, though not as nice a gold, IMHO. The CDs are manufactured by TOSHIBA-EMI LTD., and the matrix numbers run from TOCP-6460 through TOCP-6467. I had read some allegations that EMI UK was using their box to rid excess KTstock, and I wouldn't doubt it, but it appears that EMI JAP hasn't done this.
The Japanese box contains two booklets (no sticers, alas. Wonder why? Maybe they thought it was a teensy bit dumb, but that's only one man's opinion ;-). One booklet has the nice small pictures; I suspect it is no different from the UK booklet, but I'd like to put them side-by-side for a clarity comparison. The other booklet looks special. It has the design that the sticker on the lid has, with the border. It has 28 pages, and is presented in a 2-column format, all in Kanji. The title of the document is:
THIS WOMAN'S WORK 1958-1990
----The Biographical Notes Of Kate Bush----
It starts out with 1958, and appears to be a chronological biography of Kate. Entries are dated for reference, and a bibliography at the end includes 18 sources, including NME 1978-1990, Homeground #22-#39, The Amazing Pudding #39, the Vermorel, Cann, and Mayes books, even the bootleg discography Hot Wacks XIV 1990?! The compilation is credited to one Hideyo Itoh (copyright September 1990).
Now on to the albums. Pardon me if I wander or digress-I'm using a straight line editor and can't go back all that easily. I'll describe them, plus compare them to the CDs of the same albums that I already own:
The Kick Inside : Booklet is 16 pages. Times of the songs are listed on page 1, unlike the UK C with only the titles listed. After this is a 4-page article presumably about Kate, dated Feb. 1978. Then the lyrics in English and Japanese. The back cover of the booklet has the drawing of the kite. Song titles on the back include a type on "Wuthering Heights." The spelled it "Wethering Heights." (hee hee). I can't compare it to my UK CD, since it is currently out on loan (yes, I'm hooking yet another one). On the spine is written THE KICK INSIDE/KATE BUSH - unlike the UK CD which I remember says only KICK INSIDE.
Lionheart : Yes, the wonderful Lionheart, a beautiful album. Times of songs listed on page 1. Then, another article, this one is 3 pages long, with no date listed. The lyrics are next, both in English and Japanese. I don't have my UK Lionheart to compare. It too is on loan to the same guy. Has he got a treat in store when he feasts his ears on the fantastic, horribly maligned and misunderstood incredible effort which is the historic Lionheart album. Kate only said some lies about it being less than perfeKT because she was influenced by stupid reviewers and people who are easily influenced by what they read.
Never For Ever : Booklet is 16 pages. Lyrics are first presented in English. Note that the page that has the lyrics to "Violin" and "The Infant Kiss" is the page which is used as the back picture for the UK CD, with Kate flying around. Neat. After this is a 2-page article dated Dec. 1986. Then the lyrics in Japanese. I just noticed something. On page four of the UK CD booklet is the same blow-up picture that is used as the cover for the Japanese boxed set CD! Only not nearly as sharp. The UK CD booklet has 10 pages.
The Dreaming : Compared to my EMI AMERICA (hoot-snicker) CD, which has 10 pages, the EMI JAPAN booklet has 20. The clarity of the pictures makes me want to throw the American booklet away (just kidding-but i think I would if it wasn't a Kate CD). Page one: times listed of course, not on the American CD (of course). The only thing the American CD has that the Japanese CD doesn't is the blowup of the cover picture on page 6 (just Kate's face with the key in the mouth is all you see). That's interesting. I'd bet that this was simply an oversight. After the lyrics in the Japanese booklet is another 4-page article. After the article is a discography of Kate's singles, EP, and albums up to The Whole Story, with dates of release. The article is dated Dec. 1986.
Hounds Of Love : I'm comparing the Japanese boxed set CD, the EMI AMERICA CD (hoot-holler-snicker), and the UK CD, which was printed in Holland and which has a CD inside which was made in Japan. Oh yeah-it was purchased in Germany-maybe that's why it was printed in Holland, I don't know. Anyway, the EMI AMERICA booklet is 7 pages long and simply a fright to behold. So I'll put it away, for what it's worth. UK CD booklet has 10 pages, and the Japanese booklet is 20 pages long. After the English lyrics is a 4-page article which looks like an interview, but not with Kate (but I could be wrong, of course). After that you get a BLACK AND WHITE copy of the picture that is included in the LP record release of HOL, with Kate and the hounds, but Kate has her eyes closed. In the LP album, the picture is in colour. Neither the American nor UK CDs have this picture, in colour or black and white. So that's something extra.
The Sensual World : Interesting stuff here. I'm comparing it to a UK CD made in Austria which was also purchased in Germany. The UK CD booklet has but 5 pages; the Japanese booklet has 16 (actually 17, since I'm counting the inside back covers this time). The layout is quite different, for instance: Page 1 of the Japanese booklet has song times, the other doesn't even list the titles, much less the times. The layout of the Japanese booklet is better. One thing that surprised me was in the lyrics to "WSDTM." In the UK booklet, you can plainly make out the fuzzy, lightening-bolt line and curved line which follow the note symbols, all in quotes, in the last three lines of the song. In both the American booklet (which I don't own, but have seen), AND the Japanese booklet, these characters are not visible.
Ha ha, I know some of you must be thinking "Jesus, why go to such detail in describing the differences?" Well, it's terribly interesting to me, obviously. And of course it is related to Kate, so it's terribly important. Anyway, onward. After the English lyrics (in the Japanese booklet I talking about again) come the credits. The layout is the same except for one thing: At the very end where Kate says Thank You! KATE BUSH (London 1989) in the UK CD booklet, the exclamation point DOES NOT APPEAR after the word You in the Japanese booklet! Now THAT is interesting! :-) Does the exclamation point appear in the American CD booklet, anyone? Knowing Kate as I do, I'd guess that she used the exclamation point in the original submitted draft.
After this remarkable omission are not one, but TWO articles! One is 1 page long written by one Mayumi Chiwaki on 30th Aug.'89. At the end of this article in English in ALL CAPS are the words: TAKE A DEEP BREATH! Boy, can't wait to get that one translated. The second article is 3 pages lg. It was written by one Michinari Yamada on Sep 3, 1989.
She really IS!
Larry
From: relph@presto.ig.com (John M. Relph)
Date: 16 Apr 91 23:18:05 GMT
Subject: This Woman's Work CD booklet project
Here is the latest info for John Relph's quick and dirty CD booklet for This Woman's Work parts I and II. I have been unable to find or verify some information. Please check and correct all information in brackets "[ ]". Thank you for your help.
The Empty Bullring
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England,
and at Air Studios,
London, England [date?].
Produced by Kate Bush and Jon Kelly.
Engineered by Jon Kelly. Assisted by John Barratt and Jon Jacobs.
Originally released on 14 April 1980 as the B-side
to the "Breathing"
7" single in the U.K.
"Happy anniverary to the P's"
Ran Tan Waltz
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England, and
at Air Studios,
London, England [date?].
Produced by Kate Bush and Jon Kelly.
With
special thanks to David Weir.
Engineered by Jon Kelly. Assisted by John
Barratt and Jon Jacobs.
Originally released on 23 June 1980 as the B-side
to the
"Babooshka" 7" single in the U.K.
Passing Through Air
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in 1973 on a sunny afternoon at Dave's.
Produced and
engineered by by Dave Gilmour.
Remixed by John Barratt. Assisted by Danny
Dawson.
Originally released on 22 September 1980 as a B-side to the
"Army
Dreamers" 7" single in the U.K.
December Will Be Magic Again
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Air Studios, London, England, in 1980.
Produced by Kate
Bush and Jon Kelly. Assisted by John Barrett.
Remixed by Kate Bush and
John Barrett. Assisted by Danny Dawson.
Originally released on 17 November
1980 as a 7" single in the U.K.
"Happy Christmas"
Warm And Soothing
(Kate Bush)
[Recorded somewhere in England] [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Engineered by Jon Kelly.
Mixed by Steve Churchyard. Assisted by David
Wooley.
Originally released on 17 November 1980 as the B-side to the
"December Will Be Magic Again" 7" single.
Lord Of The Reedy River
(Donovan)
[Recorded somewhere in England sometime before June 1981.]
Produced by
Kate Bush.
Engineered by Nick Launay. Assisted by Howard Gray.
Originally released on 30 June 1981 as the B-side to the
"Sat In Your
Lap" 7" single in the U.K.
Special thanks to Donovan for writing
such a beautiful song.
Ne T'enfuis pas
(Kate Bush)
[Recorded somewhere in England sometime before 1982.]
Produced by Kate
Bush. Engineered by Paul Hardiman.
Originally released on 2 November 1982
as the B-side to the
"There Goes A Tenner" 7" single in the
U.K.
Fretless bass, Linn drum programming: Del Palmer
Fairlight,
vocals: Kate Bush
Lyrics: Kate Bush, Vivienne Chandler, and Patrick
Jeaneau
Un Baiser D'Enfant
(Kate Bush)
Original tracks recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England,
and
at Air Studios, London, England, [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush and Jon
Kelly.
Engineered by Jon Kelly. Assisted by John Barratt and Jon Jacobs.
[Additional tracks recorded somewhere in England sometime before June
1983.]
Engineered and remixed by Paul Hardiman.
Assisted by Dave
Taylor, and Jeremy Allom.
Originally released in June 1983 as the B-side
to the
"Ne T'enfuis pas" 7" single in France. Strings: Adam
& Jo Skeaping
Electric guitar: Alan Murphy
Piano, vocal: Kate
Bush
French translation: Francois Cahan
Under The Ivy
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?.]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Originally released on 5 August 1985 as the B-side to the
"Running
Up That Hill" 7" single in the U.K.
Burning Bridge
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?.]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Mixed by Del Palmer.
Originally released on 14 October 1985 as a B-side on
the
"Cloudbusting" 12" single in the U.K.
My Lagan Love
(Kate Bush and John Carder Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?.]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Mixed by Del Palmer.
Originally released on 14 October 1985 as a B-side on
the
"Cloudbusting" 12" single in the U.K.
The Handsome Cabin Boy
(Traditional, arranged by Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?.]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Originally released on 17 February 1986 as the B-side to the
"Hounds
of Love" 7" single in the U.K.
Not This Time
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Originally released on 28 April 1986 as the B-side
to the "The
Big Sky" 7" single in the U.K.
Walk Straight Down The Middle
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?.]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Recorded and mixed by Del Palmer.
Originally released on 18 September 1989
as a B-side
to the "The Sensual World" single in the U.K. Drums:
Charlie Morgan Bass: Eberhard Weber
Be Kind To My Mistakes
(Kate Bush)
[Original tracks recorded in the Garden, Kent, England
sometime before
November 1989.]
Written and recorded for the soundtrack to the film "Castaway."
Produced by Kate Bush. Engineered by Del Palmer.
(With thanks to
Nicolas Roeg.)
[Additional tracks recorded in the Garden, Kent, England
sometime before November 1989. Remix information unknown.]
Originally
released on 20 November 1989 as the B-side
to the "This Woman's Work"
7" single in the U.K.
I'm Still Waiting
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Engineered by Del Palmer.
Originally released on 20 November 1989 as a
B-side to the
"This Woman's Work" 12" single in the U.K.
Ken
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
From the Comic-Strip
Film "G.L.C.".
Produced by Kate Bush. Engineered by Del Palmer.
Originally released on 26 February 1990 as a B-side to the
"Love
And Anger" 7" single in the U.K.
One Last Look Around The House Before We Go...
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Engineered by Del Palmer.
Originally released on 26 February 1990 as a
B-side to the
"Love And Anger" 12" single in the U.K.
Wuthering Heights (New Vocal)
(Kate Bush)
Original tracks recorded at Air Studios, London, England, in July and
August 1977.
Produced and arranged by Andrew Powell. Engineered by Jon
Kelly.
Additional tracks recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
Engineered by Del Palmer. Mixed by Jim Barton.
Originally released
on 27 October 1986 as the B-side to the
"Experiment IV" 7"
single in the U.K.
Drums: Stuart Elliot
Bass, celeste: Andrew Powell
Acoustic guitars: David Paton
Electric Guitar: Ian Bairnson
Organ: Duncan Mackay
Percussion: Morris Pert
Experiment IV
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Originally released on 27 October 1986 as a 7" single in the U.K.
Drums: Stuart Elliot
Guitar: Alan Murphy
Violin: Nigel Kennedy
Them Heavy People
(Kate Bush)
Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, on 13 May 1979.
Produced by Jon Kelly and Kate Bush.
Originally released on 3
September 1979 on the "On Stage" EP. Play it loud.
Don't Push Your Foot On the Heartbrake
(Kate Bush)
Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, on 13 May 1979.
Produced by Jon Kelly and Kate Bush.
Originally released on 3
September 1979 on the "On Stage" EP.
Play it loud.
James And The Cold Gun
(Kate Bush)
Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, on 13 May 1979.
Produced by Jon Kelly and Kate Bush.
Originally released on 3
September 1979 on the "On Stage" EP.
Play it loud.
L'Amour Looks Something Like You
(Kate Bush)
Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, England, on 13 May 1979.
Produced by Jon Kelly and Kate Bush.
Originally released on 3
September 1979 on the "On Stage" EP.
Play it loud.
Running Up That Hill
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England [date?]
Produced by
Kate Bush.
Originally released on 5 August 1985 as a 7" single in the
U.K.
Cloudbusting (The Organon Re-mix)
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England [date?]
Produced by
Kate Bush. Mixed by Brian Tench.
Engineered by Del Palmer, Haydn Bendall,
Brian Tench, Paul Hardiman,
Nigel Walker, and James Guthrie.
Originally released on 14 October 1985 as a 12" single in the U.K.
"For
Peeps."
Alternative Hounds Of Love
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England [date?.]
Produced by
Kate Bush. Mixed by Del Palmer.
Engineered by Del Palmer, Haydn Bendall,
Brian Tench, Paul Hardiman,
Nigel Walker, and James Guthrie.
Originally released on 17 February 1986 as a 12" single in the U.K.
"Woof!"
The Big Sky (Meteorological Mix)
(Kate Bush)
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England [date?]
Produced by
Kate Bush. Mixed by Brian Tench.
Engineered by Del Palmer, Haydn Bendall,
Brian Tench, Paul Hardiman,
Nigel Walker, and James Guthrie.
Originally released on 28 April 1986 as a 12" single in the U.K.
Experiment IV (12" Mix)
(Kate Bush)
Recorded in the Garden, Kent, England [date?]
Produced by Kate Bush.
Originally released on 3 November 1986 as a 12" single in the U.K.
Drums: Stuart Elliot
Guitar: Alan Murphy
Violin: Nigel Kennedy
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1991 14:03:54 -0700
From: Jeff Tucker <R3JMT%AKRONVM@vm1.cc.UAKRON.EDU>
Subject: from Little Light
The following appears in Little Light, Summer 1991, published by The American Association of Them Heavy People, PO Box 221, Cuyahoga Falls OH 44222-0221. Replies are welcome, as are letters to the editor or other discussion.
REVIEWS
THE JAPANESE BOXED SET: THIS WOMAN'S WORK
The Japanese release of this boxed set is very similar to the British release. I will merely note the major differences:
1) There are two booklets in this set- the booklet included in the British release (though stapled in a slightly different order), and a second, thicker booklet that includes what is apparently a timeline.
2) The Kick Inside features the Japanese (pink top) cover.
3) Never For Ever's cover is a blowup of the American and British cover; but the regular cover, complete with titles, is featured as page 3.
4) All the discs are painted black, but feature an identical musical product.
5) Jewel-case end cards are in Japanese.
6) The Hounds Of Love front cover is tinted very red, and the liner notes feature an additional photo not included in the British edition.
7) This Woman's Work I and II feature lyrics in both English and Japanese.
8) Each of the six albums have extensive notes in the liner, in Japanese. I recommend it, but not to the exclusion of the British edition or vice-versa.
JEFF
From: "Martin R. Lamb" <martinn@csri.toronto.edu>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1992 11:33:12 -0800
Subject: TWW Japanese Booklet (part
0)
Really from: Tippi Chai
I got the Box Set Biographical Notes from David Koehler. (Thanks David!) When I first looked at it, I thought it was identical to the "Chronology" from Kate Bush Complete. However, a quick comparison reveals that while many entries are almost exactly the same, each work contains info that the other one doesn't. So I guess I *DO* have to translate the whole thing.
Before I saw it, I was hoping it won't be written in long complicated proses. Was I relieved to see that it's in point form! However, the transliteration of English proper names into Japanese is really giving me a hard time. Luckily a lot of the info is already in KB Complete. Otherwise, I'd never have known that "BAKKUSUREEHEESU" is Bexleyheath!
I'm going on vacation for 3 weeks staring Jan 27 (back to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year; Kung Hay Fat Choy!*) I'll do the bulk of the translation then. Meanwhile, here are the first few entries to whet your appetite.
The [?] marks mean I'm unsure about those re-transliterations.
This Women's Work 1958-1990
- The Biographical Notes of Kate Bush Compiled by Hideyo Itoh
1958: Aug 7 [Can you identify an error here? --WIE]
Born Catherine Bush at the Bexleyheath Maternity Hospital, Bexley, Kent, England. Her father, Robert John Bush, M.D., was from South Okehampton [?] and her mother, Hannah, a nurse, was born in Waterford County, [?] Ireland. Her two elder brothers are John Carder (Jay), then 14, and Paddy, then 6.
1963
The Bush family moved to Australia.
1964
The family stayed for less than a year in Australia, and returned to Kent. They began their lives in a wooden Victorian mansion at East Wickham Farm.
Sept
Started school at St Joseph Primary School.
1967: Sept
Began violin lessons while at St Joseph Primary School. Later, her interest shifted to the piano.
1969: Sept 4
Started school at St Joseph Convent Grammar School.
Influenced by her two brothers, she listened to traditional English and Irish Folk Music, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Fleetwood Mac, Blind Fish [?], and other Contemporary Rock artists.
Began basic piano lessons with her father, and played with Paddy on the violin. Sang alto in the [church] choir.
1970: June
Her first literary work, a poem titled "The Crucifixion", appeared in School Magazine 1969-70 of the St Joseph Convent Grammar School. In the same issue, her excellent marks in Grade II Violin was praised.
Began composing.
...
Date: 09 Oct 1992 17:03:35 -0400 (EDT)
From:
peter@bsbbs.columbus.oh.us (Peter FitzGerald-Morr)
Subject: Another
Message From Homeground
Hello everyone.
KATE NEWS The pre-xmas release (actually the odds and sods from the box set) has been cancelled after Kate rethought and decide it wasn't a good idea. The fax from Dave might have helped!
Date: Sun, 5 Sep 93 03:12 MET DST
From: uli@zoodle.robin.de (Ulrich
Grepel)
Subject: Re: What's not on TWW ?
Missing songs are:
- Dreamtime (The Dreaming instrumental version)
- Running Up That Hill
(instrumental version)
- The Sensual World (instrumental version)
-
The Confrontation (from the Love And Anger maxi)
- Rocket Man (published
after the box)
- Candle In The Wind (published after the box)
-
Brazil (published after the box)
as well as a few other more or less slightly different mixes from some of the songs, and of course as well as a decent live recording of more than the four tracks that are in the box. And of course as well as anything from around The Red Shoes. And of course as well as anything not officially published. And as well as some live tracks that appeared somewhere else (Running Up That Hill with Dave Gilmour, Do Bears..., Breathing live)
Bye, Uli
From: DSearch@aol.com
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 00:38:05 -0400
Subject: TWW H E L P ! Conclusion Pt 1
Thanks to everyone -- 8 of you, in fact(!) -- who responded to my 8/21 query about TWW box sets:
<<What are the primary differences between the UK, Japanese, and Canadian TWW Box sets? I've found the Canadian for $119, which seems like a good deal. But if I'm losing out in packaging or (especially) in terms of sound quality, it's not worth saving a few bucks.>>
I can now offer something back...
I recently A/B'd The Man With The Child In His Eyes and Wuthering Heights (2 tracks chosen for differences in style i.e. ballad and a mid-tempo one, but also for the familiarity of the material) taken from the following sources, on mid-level audiophile equipment:
-- Japanese TKI CD (recent)
-- UK/W German TKI CD (issued ~1984)
-- UK The Whole Story CD ("Man" only, since "Heights" has different vocals) (~1987)
-- Japanese TKI LP (early '80s)
Results...
Surprisingly, the LP was a disappointment. Usually, Japanese pressings on vinyl are outstanding, but when A/B'd to any of the CDs, this one was lacking (despite the drop-dead gorgeous jacket <g>). I listened carefully to some LPs I've always used as reference standards afterward to make sure there wasn't something wrong with my record playing system. But there wasn't!
The UK TKI CD was good. Fairly clean, good definition, acceptable soundstage, but with a noticable digital sheen i.e. lack of depth and mild harshness all over the place. The UK TWS (from a few years later) was smoother and seemed a bit quieter as well, but was generally in TKI's league. Both were relatively weak on the low end.
The Japanese TKI was a revelation. Dead quiet, crystal clear, with a solid bottom. Kate's vocals also sounded more "there" on this disc. It was simply fun to listen to, for the beauty of the sound as well as the quality of the music.
Qualifiers: 1) As it doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out, I'm somewhat obsessive (i.e. something of a lunatic) about audiophile sound quality -- others may not be; and 2) My hearing may be a bit better than some -- it was tested a couple of years ago and it's nearly in the hypersensitive range. IOW, most people probably would be quite happy with the UK discs. The only time I directly compared a US KateCD to its UK equivalent was several years ago, auditioning both editions of TWS. Needless to say, the UK won hands down. It wasn't even close.
But for me, the decision's made. The Japanese TWW it is. I've found it for $148 new.
Thanks again for all your help. Hope my experiment (however modest if not borderline insane <g>) serves to inform any future TWW buyers who may be lurking out there.
-- David Reff :)
On
to Dreaming B. The Interviews
written by Love-Hounds
compiled and edited
by
Wieland
Willker
Sept 1995 June 1996