Product Description
This is the first ever in-depth study of Kate Bush's life and career. "Under the Ivy" features over 70 unique and revealing new interviews with those who have viewed from up close both the public artist and the private woman: old school friends, early band mates, long-term studio collaborators, former managers, producers, musicians, video directors, dance instructors and record company executives. "Under the Ivy" undertakes a full analysis of Bush's art. From her pre-teen forays into poetry, through scores of unreleased songs. Every crucial aspect of her music is discussed from her ground-breaking series of albums to her solo live tour. Her pioneering forays into dance, video, film and performance. Combining a wealth of new research with rigorous critical scrutiny, "Under the Ivy" offers a string of fresh insights and perspectives on her unusual upbringing in South London, the blossoming of her talent, her enduring influences and unique working methods, her rejection of live performance, her pioneering use of the studio, her key relationships and her gradual retreat into a semi-mythical privacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Closer to the Myth
This volume provides some insight into the career of the enigmatic Kate Bush. Sometimes there is much less info than we would like, but at least the cliches are largely avoided.

The Best...so far.
This is easily the most comprehensive bio written about Kate Bush so far, and unlike the others (which have been content to rehash the same old information that's been floating around for decades), "Under The Ivy" boasts new interviews from those who've worked with her over the years. The interviews are key, because they are the one true insight that makes this book more than a listing of facts we all already know. They provide a bit of emotional background, amusing anecdotes and insight for what would otherwise be very dry text.

The one thing missing, of course, is any participation from Kate Bush (or any of her immediate and current camp). And that is a rather giant gap to fill, since you'd really like to be reading her own emotional reaction to events that befall her. Thomson has dug up some great quotes from Kate that I'd never seen before, but the book still remains a little dry and ponderous for lack of her involvement.

Another small complaint I have is that Thomson disses several great tracks (even saying "Ran Tan Waltz" is a dead ringer for "Army Dreamers," the single for "The Big Sky" probably didn't do well because of the Chernobyl tragedy, and "You're The One" is "a thudding, ponderous rock ballad with an artless heart-on-sleeve lyric...[it's] stodgy...banal...clumsy and clunky"). What?!?! :) Thomson's opinions are usually restrained, but some are as wrong-headed as any snarky review from the NME.

Still, "Under The Ivy" is a very dense, fact-filled read and there are bound to be some gaffes. And having read many of her bios, the truth of it is that I can't imagine there being a better one on the subject until Kate "turns to her computer" herself.

Best Kate Bush bio yet written
Informative and engaging in equal measure, Graeme Thomson's new book "Kate Bush: Under the Ivy" (as Amazon sometimes lists it; the title page itself reads "Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush) breaks from the pack of inferior Bush bios and lays claim to being the cream of the crop.While it cannot boast of any "authorized" status or any direct credited input from Bush family members, "Under the Ivy" does pack in a commendable level of firsthand detail from music business insiders who have worked with Kate Bush and many of her close musical partners.Extremely well researched and eminently readable, this fine biography explores not only Kate's life in absorbing precision but also offers informed and erudite critical analysis of her complex music and film work.Thomson is a sympathetic and passionate observer but never fawning and not hesitant to criticize where he believes criticism is merited.He connects many of the dots that bind Kate's work within larger contexts and explores the background motivations to some of her best (and also less successful) efforts.Rational subjective analysis of Kate Bush's unique songs and their corresponding video interpretations is in short supply, and this book does a great service in addressing a serious flaw in previous biographies.

The reader gains a wider appreciation of the many influences that molded Kate's musical and philosophical perspectives and how she fits in among the pantheon of British musical geniuses (yes, she is demonstrably a genius, as Thomson makes clear, although he convincingly argues that she is better regarded as residing withina literary tradition rather than the contemporary pop-star celebrity machine).While Kate may *seem* a somewhat elusive character today, her many interviews and public appearances over the years of her greatest fame have left us with a sizable body of documentation that Thomson has freely and intelligently drawn from.A portrait emerges of a supremely sensible, charming, and imaginative womanwith an overwhelming drive to create -- blissfully free from neurosis, confounding lesser intellects among the entertainment media -- who also happens to be gifted with complex and multipletalents that she has worked diligently to perfect in the service of her craft. She has been much misunderstood and ill-served by the remorseless world of celebrity culture and so carefully lives her life on her own terms, an admirable stand but something that drives her devoted fans, who wish they had more music and more contact,mad with selfish if understandable longing.

The photo sections are somewhat meager, and sadly for this most colorful of artists, only in B&W, and the index is less than comprehensive, but neither of these shortcomings seems reason to dock any stars from a first-rate treatment of a subject that has for too long been slighted by unsatisfactory works.

Informative, well formed literature.
Having enjoyed Graeme's past work ,incl. bios of Elvis Costello 'n Willie Nelson, I came to this book primarily as a fan of his writing. Beyond her hit singles I didn't really know Kate Bush's work. That's all changed now as this very readable and informative book has me getting her albums and finding out what I've missed. Graeme has a beguiling habit of mixing opinion and narration to persuasive effect. Not afraid to indicate what he believes to be Kate's weaker work he artfully contexualises same to make it as valid as his unreserved acclaim for most of her work. Neat turns of phrases abound - a'Whiplash/ Havisham'line is especially apt - and the reader leaves this book both informed about a truly fascinating person and satisfied by a piece of well formed literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Secrets of Kate's Success
For anyone with an interest in this most unique of singer/songwriters, "Kate Bush;A Visual Documentary" is an essential reference book.Cann and Mayes have followed a largely chronological path for Kate's musical career, but also go right back to her childhood in East Wickham, covering her schooldays and early musical endeavours. The book details extensively her formative years at EMI, leading to the release of her first album and Kate's growing confidence. Given that she has always remained an elusive figure, it makes good sense for the authors to concentrate on the creative processes Kate goes through in the creation of each album. However, the book is not simply dry reportage, but freely quotes Kate's family, friends and peers, giving the factual information a greater depth.All the albums up to "The Hounds of Love" are covered, as well as reports from video shoots, concerts and personal appearances. The book is rounded out with a series of Kate's personal quotes, giving some interesting insights into her work and then some useful lists, including a discography, videography and Kate " trivia".The book's real strength however, are it's many visual images, ranging from concert photos to video captures to promotional images, all of which serve to demonstrate Kate's undoubted appeal. If a few more colour pictures had been included, four stars would have become five. In all, this excellent package provides an indispensible guide to one of popular music's most talented performers. ... Read more

Product Description
Kate Bush has written some of the most memorable songs in pop music history. "Wuthering Heights", her debut single shot to number 1 in 1978, and she remains something of an enigma over a quarter of a century later. A singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, actress and director, Kate has inspired a devoted following around the world. Rob Jovanovic traces the story of Kate Bush's career, from her up-bringing in the Essex countryside through her first forays into music with a series of home recordings, to her number 1 debut album that propelled her to international stardom. Including exclusive interviews with studio musicians and choreographers, Jovanovic's biography emphasizes both her voracious talent and her intensely private personality. Over the last ten years, Kate Bush has taken time out from her hugely successful musical career to raise a family. In November 2005, however, she released "Aerial", her first album in 12 years, to great critical acclaim. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Worthy but flawed
Kate Bush - The Biography by Rob Jovanovic is a worthy read, though the new biographyby Graeme Thomson "Under the Ivy" is far superior. Jovanovic's perspective is less in depth in comparison and, in my opinion, rather judgmental as opposed to Graeme's fair and impartial perspective. Jovanovic's personal distaste for "The Dreaming" was the tell tale sign of his inability to be impartial. Though "The Dreaming" didn't sell as well as some of her other albums and there were plenty of people who didn't "get it" , it is nevertheless, hailed by a multitude of critics as her masterpiece. Even Kate herself states that it is, by far, her favorite album.I guess I found his take on things to be a bit trite and amateurish. As a musician myself, I am interested in her musical compositions, their complexities, the deep seated meanings behind her songs and her amazing abilities to push boundaries and create that which has not been heard before. For me, Jovanovic reduced her to a mere pop star when , in fact, she's a musical genius capable of writing complex symphonies.She is in a category all her own, far from the juvenile leagues of Madonna, Brittainy and other similar pop starts who don't even write their own music. The fact that her music is like no other ( besides all the new groups now imitating her) is the very reason she deserves mass praise for she took us through the darkness to the light and back again in a way nobody preceding her had ever done. Yes, she was dramatic and dark and, at times, frightening, but that was what took us into the dream, if you will; what made us FEEL. Kate is all emotion and feeling. Those who don't allow themselves to feel in this way, would not understand nor enjoy the music due to their own external shell of protection.
If you are looking to understand what Kate wants us to understand about her music and herself, read Under the Ivy and maybe save this one for the bathroom read, as did I.Much of what I read from Jovanovic's book was included in Under the Ivy, but Under the Ivy was far more detailed and more beautifully written.

Great quality book and shipping
I really appreciate how quickly they got the book to me, though the author shed a few too many of his rather retarded opinions about Kate's music!But I would rate this shipper as ab fab.

A very special artist
Everybody remembers what he was doing when he first heard "Wuthering Heights". I was about 18 at the time (she is a year older than I), it was winter and I looked the snow through the windows. Suddenly I heard a very strange sound coming from the radio. The song was amazing and I immediately loved it.... I really love the three first alben, very melodic. From "The Dreaming" and on, I love some and others less....

To my knowledge there aren't many biographies written about Kate Bush. This book is interesting and one learns a lot about this artist. Chronologically shaped, we travel through the eighties,nineties until Aerial, her last album up today. Many topics are covered as the way she writes songs, produces them, the instruments she uses, her relationship with others artists and groups, her performances on stage with elaborate choreographies,....

Kate Bush has fans accross a wide spectrum of society. She is the UK's greatest ever female songwriting talent and a very good-looking woman. She is a complicated person, just like everybody else. She likes the old-time comedian Will Hay as well as Captain Beefheart and supersoaps such as Dallas as much as the admires the surreal artist Salvator Dali. Quite a combination.

This volume isn't trying to find any closeted skeletons, make any wide-of-the-mark accusation or reveal where her son goes to school. Here you will find a detailed look at her life and career. The author has spoken with a wide range of producers, engineers and musicians.

Highly recommended for Kate's fans and curious who want to discover a very creative artist.

Oh...to be in love!
I am a Kate Bush fanatic, I am in love with the woman and I admire her music...yet I knew so little about her career. It was hard for me to learn as much about her as I desired, until I read Kate Bush: The Biography. It covers everything from her childhood to her latest release, "Aereal". It touches on what goes into the creation of her music, and has plenty of interview snippets from Kate.

This was such a satisfying read for me, a window into such an enigmatic artist. Great storytelling! ... Read more

Product Description
Kate Bush is widely respected as one of the most unique solo female performers to have ever emerged in the field of popular music. She has achieved that rare combination of great commercial success and critical acclaim, with "Hounds of Love" considered widely to be her masterpiece. The album regularly features in 'best album' lists, and in the 2004 Observer poll was the highest placed work by a solo female artist. The album allows the author, Ron Moy, the critical opportunity to explore a wide range of issues relating to technology, production, authorship, grain of the voice, iconography, critical and commercial impact, collaboration, gender, sexuality, narrative, and social and cultural context. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Navel gazing
The history aspect of the book (a few pages) is the most useful. Moy gets at almost nothing when he stray into analysis, and personal over-sharing. He mistakes his exacting, personal reaction to Kate Bush as being of general interest. Most people need to get developmentally beyond their maudlin teen years (and dreams of being a pop star) before writing an analysis they would like to be taken seriously. Seems like it was written for some grad program that happily took Moy's money to let him create a custom degree of his own. What does misapplied intelligence look like? This book.

More please
At last, some critical writing on the incomparable Ms Bush. As one of Britain's most respected (if not terribly prolific) songwriters, I'm so glad she is at last getting the serious academic credit she deserves. Bookshelves are crowded with countless books about Dylan, Van Morrison, even Eminem...but previously the only book about Kate Bush were limited to the awful, cut/paste biographies that barely sound professional (a couple of exceptions)Kate Bush: A Visual Documentary- now twenty years out of date - and the bizarre but not terribly informative Secret History of Kate Bush: And the Strange Art of Pop (And the Strange Art on Pop). Although this volume concentrates (obviously) on HOL, maybe now we'll see a proper analysis of her beautiful music.

Compelling analytical overview of an amazing artist
Compelling overview of the career of English pop star Kate Bush, whose work has interested me for many years. Not uncritical, Moy provides an excellent song-by-song and video-by-video exegesis of the artist's work, focusing especially on her seminal artistic achievement, 1985's Hounds of Love, as her masterwork of art.It's a fascinating read and really illuminates what an amazing and unique auteur Kate Bush is within the rock world, from her astonishing first album, The Kick inside, to 2004's Aerial.Moy's writing style is non-academic, describing Bush's musical output in mostly nonmusical terms rich in meaning and understanding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Creepy Celebrity Worship
This is a creepy book. I am a huge Kate Bush fan since childhood - but this book is little more than religious worship. It treats Kate as though she were a god, and is sprinkled with coded speak and messianic comparatives. It has less to do with her, her music and her life than the other reviews on here say. It is nothing but the author repeating how much better Kate is than we normal humans...nothing but worship. It's a scary book. Don't be fooled - this is not the Kate Bush bio it would lead you to believe, but the basis for a religion - worshiping a media star. We're talking L. Ron Hubbard territory, here, folks. Serious. That is what the book is. It insults you, builds up Kate Bush, then tells you you will never reach her plain. As a lifer fan wanting a good bio, it is a very frustrating read...and a weird one at that. This is a definitive example of what happens when people put celebrities on a pedestal and treat them like deities. This book insists that Kate is messiah, and that her fans should worship her. Spooky, spooky stuff.

weird and wonderful
I looked this rarity out after having read his amazing biography of Vivienne Westwood & I was not disappointed.This guy has a totally unique takes (or set of takes) on biography writing, a combination of tongue in cheek verite and cruelly refreshing insight.But this book will altogether make all Bushists uneasy and I see on the Net it has veru much enraged them and I bet it really riled Kate Bush herself, too.All the more reason to relish it, maybe?A real treat, a music biography that treats the reader like a co-conspiritor rather than a sad "fan" and loser and lapper up of trivia. Also it is very funny - in more senses than one!!!

semantically astute, yes indeed!
Tartingly consequential, this book sequesters all that is proficient in a vocabulary of a sort of indecent mimesis such as was practiced by the tart at heart, a rugged review of indelicate visons perambulating along the uneven and filibustering courses of horses that (or, indeed, who) were an inebriation of the headily windward affections of one who cleaves to the OTHER side, a circumspect acknowledging and pushing to one side, a sort of circular perambulation, a... shall we settle on?a sort of GRY/at(io)n.We might then hope to ape the doxocolilacal metaphors so awry in Teutonic vicissitudes as was spraying efficacious parameters of ecstatic mtlopolagonisations here.As well as there.In fact. In short.A monsterpiece!

Nice pictures, but take the rest with a pinch of salt
I very much like Kate Bush and her music, so I was thrilled when my brother spotted this book at a car boot sale and bought it for me. The first thing I noticed was the name of the author, Fred Vermorel. Now, having read various Kate Bush fanzines over the years, I'd formed the opinion that Mr Vermorel is, how can I put it, 'not very popular' with Kate Bush fans. This is because of a previous book he had written entitled 'Kate Bush: Princess of Suburbia', which was apparently less than complementary. It was therefore with some trepidation that I started reading 'The Secret History of Kate Bush'.

At 94 pages the book it quite short, so it'll take no more than a couple of days to read it. A significant part of the book deals with Kate's family history, concentrating on a couple of interesting ancestors - Henry Bush who apparently scandalised the Victorian village of Pebmarsh, and Joe Bush who apparently served time in Wormwood Scrubs for being a conscientious objector during the First World War. All of this makes interesting reading, but one can't help but wonder how much of it is accurate. Since Kate and her family had no involvement in the research behind the book, I would imagine that this potted history is at best economical with the truth, and at worst 99% fiction.

Another part of the book attempts to analyse the name 'Kate' with various quotes from songs and literature. It doesn't succeed because you can't apply meaning to something as abstract as a name. Likewise I found the passages about 'suburbia' to be equally tedious and nonsensical.

The latter part of the book concentrates on Kate's childhood and school days, including some quotes from childhood friends and classmates. Once again the credibility of these quotes is questionable, but if genuine they paint the picture that Kate was maybe a bit lonely - probably because she was just too nice for her own good.

I didn't find anything in the book that was particularly uncomplimentary or disparaging towards Kate, which I had expected, other than the possibility of the 'history' narrative being closer to fiction than fact. Ultimately this book is an unsatisfying read, not least because of Mr Vermorel's lack of credibility due to his previous book, but also because if you discount the legitimacy of the historical narrative, there's little else which is of interest, apart from a few dodgy quotes. Still, my brother only paid 50p for it. I think he should've haggled.

For fans only !
Well, what can I say. This informative book is not what I would call abeginners guide to Kate Bush-fans, but I'm sure it wasn't meant to beeither. Lots of great pictures not only of The Godess of Music herself, butalso of some of her ancestors. You see, half the book is about Katesfather, and her fathers father etc. So if you're looking to find out whyKate is Kate, this is the book for you. At the same time I have to say thatthis is not a biography. It contains a discography, but the book wasreleased in 1983... In other words not nearly a complete discography. Allin all a good book by Fred Vermorel, but as I mentioned earlier -not forBush-beginners. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the b format version of the critically acclaimed book on the singer. In "Waiting for Kate Bush", the reader will not only laugh out loud at Herskovits' attempt to make sense of his life in an alien culture, but also learn in detail what Kate Bush - known alternately as 'the barmiest bird in pop', 'the pre Raphaelite mymph with Minnie Mouse's soprano' and the 'greatest artist of the last 30 years' has been up to in the silent decade - plus - since the release of her last album. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Don't spend your money (this book takes cheap shots at Kate Bush and you)
I was really rooting for this book. I liked that it was different -- a piece of fiction wrapped around the factual rise of a standalone star. Unfortunately, many of the facts regurgitated in this book are wrong, and the fiction becomes less entertaining, less realistic and more mean-spirited the further along you go.

John Mendelssohn's lead character, having some very grand emotional issues, is not only a Kate Bush fan, but a lampooning of Kate Bush fans. The satire is laid on thick by Mendelssohn, who seems pretty disingenuous for it: Kate Bush fans, after all, would make up 90 percent or more of his readership. Should an author really be enticing any group of people into buying a text with taunts against them buried in the middle? According to Mendelssohn, Kate Bush fans are fat and crazy (except for one, who's just crazy because he thinks he's fat).

Satire might be forgiven, somewhat, had the fiction been interesting and gone somewhere. It was not and it does not. The main character is, by page 50, a whining bore. And since it's written in first person...yikes.

Skip this book...it has nothing to reveal except for, perhaps, the bad temperament of its author.

And then... the end.
There is not much I can touch on here that hasn't been said before.
Two chapters in I worked out the "twist" that the author seems to keep labouring over repeatedly. Secondly the author seems to think that it would be believable for everyone to have an opinion on Kate Bush's music. After being a fan of Kate Bush since I was born I can tell you - the characters he portrays as "Katefans" come off as offensive and extreme. The people he meets at the 12 step meetings seem to have extended opinions on Bush even though they dislike her music - yet seem to know a lot about her.

I suspected that the author himself was British having mastered the Brit slang, but I was interested to learn that the Author himself had also grown up in California and moved to the UK the same time as his character. It made me wonder why his character was less American than he should be. It would have been a good opportunity for contrast. Unfortunately Mendelsohn misses other opportunities, instead of drawing his audience in (who are Katefans) by creating appealing characters, he makes them almost interchangeable. On occasion Mendelsohn seems to get an idea for a phrase that he wants to include only to overuse it for a chapter then drop it the next.

Bush's bio sections feel like they were collected off Wikipedia and presented in an attempt at warmness that is in contrast to the gloom of the main characters plight. One thing that was glaringly obvious, the writer on occasion would get the names of Kate Bush's songs wrong.

The contrast of the overtly sexually depraved storyline with the sensuality of Bush's mythology did not work. By the end of the book the author seemed overly critical of Bush's work and fell apart pulling the whole "Too many loose ends: Dramatic End" trick.

I decided to write this review when I was 1/3 into the book but held off thinking that I might have changed my mind by the last page. Unfortunately I felt cheated and bored.

This had the chance to be an interesting book with characters that were like Kate Bush's songs, unfortunately I think Kate is interchangeable in this book. Maybe in another 5 years we will see "Waiting for Gaga." I hope not.

Very disappointing
I was under the impression that the book was mostly about Kate Bush. It's not. So DO NOT read it if that is what you are looking for. The book itself is mildy amusing at best. Most of the time it is just boring, irritating and it lacks creativity.

It's not THAT bad
OK. So it has almost nothing that would satisfy Kate fans. It may not even be very satisfying to fans of literature. But it's not that bad. Sadly, it tries to draw too many points of reference into it's firing line to be effective. As an observational piece on the current state of the media (with specific reference to instant TV stardom and weight issues) it's a cleverly scathing attack on what passes for entertainment these days. As a study in dominance/submission it lacks a sense of reality. It may say more about Mr Mendelssohn's personal view than anything else and as such it leaves me feeling a bit 'creeped out'. As far as Kate Bush's inclusion into the plotline, I can only assume the author knew that he'd reach a far vaster audience with her name in the title than without, for th estory could have been told as well without that specific vehicle. The saddest thing about this novel is that the protagonist, Leslie Herkovits could have been a classic of modern storytelling with a little bit more focus. At times he reminded me of Ignatius C. Reilly of John Kennedy Toole's 'A Confederacy Of Dunces'. As a character occupying a solipsistic world - dispensing witticisms, making wry observations, fascinated by the bizarre - he should have been the star of title, not Ms Bush.

Truly a waste of your time
If you are truly a fan of Kate Bush and her music, DO NOT buy this book.Although its title and photos depict Kate, this novel is not about her.It's plot revolves around the tedious wanderings and musings of a depressed individual with low self esteem and body dimorphism.As other reviewers have already commented, this is really two books.The first is the whinings of the painfully depressed narrator, the second, interspersed randomly with the first, is an opinionated biography of Kate.I suspect that the author is not actually a fan of Kate, and that he only used her name, history, and likeness to capitalize on an established base of fans who are hungry for anything new.Shame on him.My only hope is that Kate actually reads this drivel and sues him for associating her with such a piece of trash.Don't waste your time and money.If you truly want to know about Kate Bush, buy her albums and check out some of the web sites created by her fans.John Mendelssohn, if you read this, on behalf of everyone who has purchased and read this book, I demand our time and money back. ... Read more

Product Description
For the past seven years, Hellen van Meene has been producing intimate portraits of adolescents. Though the introspective gaze of her models suggest that these are spontaneous, private moments in the lives of her subjects, the carefully considered natural light, lush textures, and striking compositions betray van Meene's hand in choreographing each image down to the finest detail. Throughout, the picturesque qualities are undercut by a disquieting tension: the models' clothes are ill-fitting or inside-out; one girl is asked to lie in a cold bath, fully clothed; another models a fresh bruise. This intimate collaboration between the photographer and her models simultaneously exposes the uncertain nature of adolescent identities and the complicated act of capturing them on film.Hellen van Meene was educated at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. She began exhibiting her work in 1994 and has had one-person exhibitions in Los Angeles, Amsterdam, London, Milan, Tokyo, and at the Venice Biennale. In 2001 she was shortlisted for the Citibank Photography Prize.Hardcover, 8 x 8.75 in./96 pgs / 45 color. ... Read more

Product Description
"I became fascinated by the Dutch landscape because it is entirely constructed. Not for formal reasons, but because it conveys so much about the mentality of the people who made it. To me it is sculpture and as such it is meaningful. When I reflect on what I do, I always make links between the psychological, the sociological and the more formal, aesthetic aspects," says the photographer Edwin Zwakman. Zwakman, born in 1969, constructs a parallel reality through his use and subversion of the forms of documentary and landscape photography-here what appear to be large-format exterior shots are actually small-scale models constructed in Zwakman's studio, proving that, at least in Zwakman's case, the camera ALWAYS lies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

wonderfully easy, tasty, attractive recipes
recipes included in this book are easy to make & the ingredients are the usual things that one can find on any store shelf.it's the combination of these ingreds. that are definitely worth trying.a lot ofvege meals & treats.i love to cook, ilove to eat what i cook & ilove stimulating recipes that don't take all day to make, but taste thatway!this cookbook is a gem! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

still incomplete and premature...
Given the thoroughness of the first edition (which lists through 'The Sensual World', with an addendum of the 'Rocket Man' single), I expected this second edition to be as comprehensive and studied - correcting mistakes in the original, then filling in the gaps through 'Ariel'.Firstly, the color reproductions of the listed items are wonderful to see over the original edition's black and whites.But I do find the new layout sometimes confusing.In the first edition, each picture had its own descriptive caption under or next to it.In this, the listings are grouped into a column and the pictures are grouped into a seperate column, where it sometimes takes some deducing to assign the description to its picture.As far as content, the new edition does include some ommissions from the previous, e.g., the 'Cloudbusting' Japanese 12" and the 'Sensual World' Japanese promo sampler cd.But it does not correct some misinformation, e.g., the listing of red as one of the Canadian MiniLP colors (it does not exist); the number of copies of the 'Sensual World' Japanese promo 7" as being 50 (there must be a lot more judging by the amount I've seen for sale!); 'The Dreaming' US colored vinyl press which is in fact test pressings of a Jimi Hendrix album with 'Dreaming' labels.In addition to other certainly numerous corrections that can be pointed out by KB-philes, I also think it egregiously premature that this edition was released before listing the 8 Japanese Mini-LPs, their promo obis, and the stunning 'Never For Ever' slipcased box that houses them - surely a most desirable collectible.And one last complaint - while the first edition had a wonderful cover replete with KB stuff, the new cover depicts an awful sci-fi-scape that seems completely inappropriate (the back cover with Kate's 'This Woman's Work' photo superimposed over washed out 7" covers is equally unappealing).Though it is a treat to have a guide in color, this edition does fall short of what I hoped to be definitive.

Very good guide, but needs many corrections.
First of all, buyers should know that this is not a price guide.It is a guide to the multitude of variations of Kate's albums and singles, plus some other items (videos, TV appearances, etc.).It also does not have posters, stand-ups, or related items.What this edition does have are color photos of most of Kate's recorded works, and in this regard it is a fascinating book.I doubt that any collectors have all of goodies illustrated here, so this guide makes it possible to see what they have missed.There are some major errors, grammatical and factual.For example, regarding the LP Lionheart, Godwin runs together three sentences, and punctuation errors are many.He also refers the reader to an illustration of the original US Lionheart label, but that image is missing from this edition.He further states that when Lionheart "did finally see a substantial US release in 1984 it was in a single pocket jacket".My 1984 copy is a gatefold.Many of the photos have no legend, and finding the accompanying text is sometimes difficult.Despite its many faults, it is a useful reference.It is also the only printed guide of its kind. ... Read more

Product Description
Adventures in Kate Bush and Theory presents Kate Bush as you have never seen her before. Here is the polymorphously perverse Kate, the witchy Kate, the queer Kate; the Kate who moves beyond the mime.Drawing on cutting edge feminist philosophy, critical theory and queer studies, Adventures in Kate Bush and Theory makes theory accessible to new audiences. Through analysis of the music, film, video and dance of Kate Bush, it breaks down boundaries between the academic and popular, showing that theory can be sordid, funny and relevant - despite what most people think. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

BIRD IN THE HAND
At last KB starts to get the academic credit she deserves. Bet the right-wingers in her fan club (and there are a few!) didn't take too kindly to this great queer reading of the 'Bushian Female Subject'. ... Read more

Product Description
Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Running up That Hill, Wuthering Heights, This Woman's Work, Hounds of Love, Love and Anger, Cloudbusting, Experiment Iv, the Sensual World, Night of the Swallow, the Man With the Child in His Eyes, Babooshka, the Big Sky, Eat the Music, Army Dreamers, the Red Shoes, December Will Be Magic Again, King of the Mountain, There Goes a Tenner, Rubberband Girl, the Dreaming, Moments of Pleasure, Sat in Your Lap, Suspended in Gaffa, Them Heavy People, Wow, and So Is Love, Breathing, Ne T'enfuis Pas, Hammer Horror, Strange Phenomena, Moving, the Song of Solomon, Lyra. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 120. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: "Running Up That Hill" is a song by the British singer/songwriter Kate Bush. It was the first single from her 1985 album Hounds of Love, released in the UK on 5 August 1985. It was her first 12" single. It was the most successful of Bush's 1980s releases, entering the UK chart at no.9 and eventually peaking at the no. 3, her second-highest single peak. The single also had an impact in the United States, providing Bush with her first chart hit there since 1978 where it reached the top 30, and featured prominently within the Dance Charts. Bush also performed the song with David Gilmour of Pink Floyd at the Secret Policeman's Ball. The B-side of the 7" single contains Bush's song "Under the Ivy". The 12-inch single is an extended remix and an instrumental version of "Running up that Hill", as well as "Under the Ivy". Originally titled "A Deal with God", representatives at EMI were hesitant to release the song for three years, as they feared the religious connotations of the title could have prevented radio play, especially in the United States - which also explains why the song's copyright dates back to 1982. Be...http://booksllc.net/?id=2440095 ... Read more

Product Description
Commentary (music and lyrics not included).Chapters: Rocket Man, Running up That Hill, Don't Give Up, Wuthering Heights, This Woman's Work, Hounds of Love, Love and Anger, Cloudbusting, Experiment Iv, the Sensual World, the Man I Love, Night of the Swallow, the Man With the Child in His Eyes, Babooshka, the Big Sky, Eat the Music, Army Dreamers, the Red Shoes, December Will Be Magic Again, King of the Mountain, There Goes a Tenner, on Stage, Rubberband Girl, the Dreaming, Moments of Pleasure, Sat in Your Lap, Suspended in Gaffa, Them Heavy People, Wow, and So Is Love, Breathing, Ne T'enfuis Pas, Hammer Horror, Strange Phenomena, Moving, the Song of Solomon, Lyra. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 146. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: "Rocket Man" is a song composed by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and originally performed by John. The song echoes the theme of David Bowie's 1969 song "Space Oddity" (both recordings were produced by Gus Dudgeon), but, according to an account in Elizabeth Rosenthal's book, His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John, the song might never have been conceived had it not been for Taupin's sighting of either a shooting star or distant airplane. The account goes on to relate that the notion of astronauts no longer being perceived as heroes, but in fact as an "everyday occupation" led him to the song's opening lines, "She packed my bags last night, pre-flight. Zero hour: 9 a.m. And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then." The song first appeared on John's 1972 album Honky Château and became a hit single, rising to #2 in the UK and #6 in the U.S. The lyrics in the song, written by John's longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, describe a Mars-bound astronaut's mixed feelings at leaving his family in order to do his job. Musically, the song is a highly arranged pop balla...http://booksllc.net/?id=320464 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Kate Bush will be judged one of the most creative artists of the late 20th Century
This book of Kate Bush music and lyrics is not always in the easiest of keys, and is not easy to play. Well, by me, anyhow. But she makes her music (and performance art) sound and look effortless.

Even the passages I have played so far resonate and play themselves in my head for hours after. It's well worth the effort to learn a few of her pieces.

In something of a retrospective on music of my youth, I have listened again to many artists. Some are capable of inspiring and feeding my mind, such as Miles Davis, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, and Kate Bush.

It's a pity Kate Bush Complete is out of print. I hope she creates another album before long. But with all the great albums she has done, she has nothing to prove. ... Read more