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These were the addresses (air mail, one year to the U.S.) of the Kate Bush Club Newsletter (as of the 1990 issue, Issue No. 23) and Homeground (as of No. 37) plus the names and addresses of all the other Kate Bush-related fanzines that I know of--making a total of eighteen.
Subscriptions are no longer offered.
Airmail subscription to U.S., one year: 12 Pounds, 10 Pence.
Note: The Kate Bush Club asks for payment in U.K. (Sterling) money. They prefer the money in the form of an International Sterling draft, but my experience with those is that they can now cost as much as twenty dollars extra, on top of the already extremely high conversion rate. My recommendation is that payment be made in U.K. cash, which you can get at airports, or at some banks and currency exchange offices. The commission is not much, and if your envelope is carefully sealed and can't be seen through, it'll stand a pretty good chance of getting there. U.S. dollars are frowned on by the KBC, but they might work if you are very careful to pay at the current exchange rate plus at least seven and a half percent extra to cover conversion costs. (As you know, the Dollar is worth less and less these days.) Homeground will accept foreign currency, but only at the going rate plus at least 7 1/2 percent.
In strong contrast to the Kate Bush Club's publishing performance, Homeground puts out at least four issues a year, every year, plus a little update flier when there is some important news development. Homeground still has the feeling of a homemade publication, but it's now quite professionally printed in black and white on good paper. It's always interesting and has become an indispensible record of KT fandom.
The KBC Newsletter, on the other hand, is very luxurious but, as explained above, far less frequent. Despite its slowness, it contains no more pages than an issue of Homeground, and of course the Newsletter's infrequency means that it can no longer be relied upon at all as a source of news. For all that, when the club does come out with an issue, it is filled with a lot of very fine and exclusive photography, most of it now in spectacular colour, much of it the work of Kate's brother John Carder Bush.
TheNewsletter usually features either an introductory letter, article or interview by/with Kate; articles by John and/or Paddy, Kate's two brothers; an occasional note from Del Palmer; a Pen Pals page and a Swaps page; Kate's own comic strip about the misadventures of her cats, Zoodle and Pyewacket (this was my favourite section, now sadly suspended, perhaps due to the sad news of Zoo's death; with luck perhaps a new strip featuring the new kittens will appear in future issues?); a puzzle/competitions page; news bits (usually out-of-date by the time they reach subscribers); and one-off articles, art and/or comic strips by fans. Lyrics of non-LP Kate Bush songs may appear first here, as well.
For its part, Homeground features an exhaustive record of press, radio and television coverage of Kate during the quarter preceding each issue, called Medialogue; an immensely helpful ongoing series of facts, dates and biographical information from the co-editor Peter FitzGerald-Morris, called Five Years Ago; essays on Kate's music and related (and sometimes unrelated) matters, by fans and the editors; comic strips; poetry; and a spot for personal notices. Homeground, unlike the Newsletter, frequently publishes its readers' comments and contributions.
Here is a list of all the other Kate Bush fanzines that I know of:
(successor to Break-Through)
R. Somerville, editorThis is a very interesting Canadian fanzine, the successor to the now sadly defunct Break-Through. It is published by the co-publisher of the former fanzine, Robyn Somerville, and the only thing keeping Still Breathing from re-attaining Break-Through's extraordinary heights is the perrennial problem of money. As it is, an issue of Still Breathing appears infrequently and irregularly--though it's well worth waiting and paying for.
(Note: the latest issue is actually entitled Kate: an Under the Ivy publication)
55 Burnside WayRecent reports are that Under the Ivy/Kate has ceased operations and disbanded--which may be just as well, since this fanzine seems to have been largely created as a vehicle for advertising its publishers' bootleg records.
(the Scottish Kate Bush fanzine; may have suspended publication)
Ms. Jackie BainUnfortunately, this fanzine is also said to have ceased publication. Blow Away contributed much to the lore of Kate fandom during its short run, including, for example, a wonderful two-part exclusive interview with Michael Hervieu, Kate's dance partner in the Running Up That Hill video. If indeed this fanzine has closed down, it will be sorely missed.
(the French KT/Peter Gabriel fanzine, 2/3 in French, 1/3 in English)
Fanch Oriant, editorThough I sent the publishers of N'Abandonne Pas a large sum of French Francs and a painstakingly translated letter of encouragement, I have seen no sign of the fanzine since its maiden issue (No. 0), which appeared in 1988. They are, to say the least, unreliable.
(the Australian Kate Bush fanzine)
Gaye Godfrey and Warrick Williams, editorsThis is one of the very best fanzines. Gaye Godfrey's increasingly expressive and professional art design distinguishes Dreamtime from all the other fanzines, and the publication does an excellent job of keeping Australian fans in contact with one another. Furthermore, Dreamtime is very reliable and prompt.
(Once connected with the KBC, now completely independent)
The Kate Bush Club of JapanI have never had any luck at all in getting a response from these folks, nor have I ever seen a copy of any Japanese fanzine. If anyone has information to offer, please contact the publishers of The Garden.
(a fanzine, published in Dutch)
Kate Bush Club NederlandThis is a superb octavo-size fanzine from Holland. Although printed primarily in Dutch, its publishers are such knowledgeable and dedicated fans that the truly serious Kate enthusiast is advised to subscribe. In a recent issue, for example, Kate was the first to report in detail (and with great accuracy and propriety) the sudden proliferation of early demo recordings by Kate in 1989. There is always something of interest in the Dutch fanzine.
(the U.S. KT "apazine"--Amateur Publishing Association magazine)
Erni Heramia, Central MailerThis American fanzine is a bit different from other Kate publications, in that it is known as an APA-zine (a publication of the Amateur Publishers' Association). The principle of these magazines is that each subscriber is also a contributor--in fact, fines may be levied against a subscriber if he or she neglects to contribute a letter, article or piece of artwork within a certain number of months. The result of this kind of obligation is an unusually thick and densely-packed fanzine. Another result, however, is that much of what is published stands out more for the enthusiasm of its writers than for anything of real moment they have to say. Still, Watching Storms is increasingly entertaining, and there is a genuine rapport between contributors, lending the fanzine a comforable atmosphere of cameraderie. For those who wish to read but not contribute, an alternate edition of Watching Storms, called Little Earth, is available, as well.
(the Welsh fanzine)
28 Millbrook StreetThe Welsh fanzine is another staple of avid Kate fans. Still a little amateurish in appearance (despite a recent move to glossier paper), Cariad Kate nonetheless performs at a very high level each issue, and it appears at relatively regular intervals. The publishers are very knowledgeable, and their tone is a bit less uncritical than that of their chief independent counterpart in England, Homeground. Well worth reading.
This group so far only has tentative plans for a fanzine.
(may have suspended publication)
c/o Alan and Maura BalliotMainly an organ for advertising the merchandise which Mr. Balliott sells under the company name Intergalactic Garage, this four-page flier has probably ceased publication. However, IG does print up a one-page notice of Kate items for sale on a regular basis, and this may be of some interest to fans.
(long quiescent, but a fourth issue appeared in 1988)
c/o Gillian GaarSince the unexpected re-emergence of this humorous fanzine in 1988 with a single issue, I have heard nothing about Gillian Gaar's plans. Again, anyone with information is invited to notify the editors of The Garden.
(The Italian Kate Bush Fanzine)
Via dei Gaspari 4CA single issue has appeared that I am aware of. It's a reasonably informative re-telling of news culled from the British fanzines and newspapers, for the benefit of Italian-speaking fans. The publisher, Tina d'Agostino, is a poetically minded, profoundly Romantic enthusiast of Kate's work.
I have seen only one issue (No. 3) of this desktop publication. Nicely laid out on glossy cardpaper, the issue contained several highly informative and insightful articles, including an overview of the lives of Houdini and Delius. A promising start for another U.S.-based fanzine.
(the international Kate Bush computer forum)
Love-Hounds-request@gryphon.com
Unlike any other Kate Bush forum, Love-Hounds does not appear in hardcopy form (except as re-printed by subscribers on their home printers). Rather, this computer group, which is truly international and boasts several thousand readers, consists of inter-computer conversations revolving around the life and work of Kate Bush. The discussions roam freely over every conceivable aspect of Kate's art, and other artists are brought into focus periodically, as well, usually in the context of Kate.
Love-Hounds is very frequently the best possible source for Kate Bush news, because it numbers several reliable and dedicated English and European fans among its intercontinental base of regular contributors. In past years Love-Hounds has also organized Katemas parties throughout the United States--parties held on Kate's birthday (July 30) by Love-Hounds in various centers of the country.
If you have access to a computer and a modem, and you can afford the small monthly fees charged by one of the public-access services which can connect you to the group, you can become a member. Better yet, if you're enrolled in a university or college--almost anywhere in the world--the chances are your university already has access to Love-Hounds. Ask at your school's computer-science department if they are members of BITnet.
Cynthia Kiley
A fledgling desktop publication. The maiden issue contains a transcription of an exclusive radio interview with Kate, dating from December 1989. The first issue is a modest affair, but it has a stylish and colorful look, and shows promise for the future.
(publishers of the The WSI Quarterly and The Garden)
c/o Andrew Marvick(Notice: The WSI publications are not for sale or distribution)
If you're reading this, chances are you already know what The Garden is. If you're not familiar with us, however, The Garden is a constantly updated set of books designed for the use of serious Kate Bush fans. The overly ambitious aim of the The Garden's editors is to make available, in one coordinated series of volumes, everything the dedicated fan needs or wants to know.
The Garden
©1990
Andy Marvick