FEATURE:
Why Should We Love You?
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush circa The Line, the Cross and the Curve, 1993/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari
Bringing a Career-Spanning Kate Bush Documentary to T.V.
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RATHER than repeat…
PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush
what I wrote last year regarding Kate Bush and a documentary, I wanted to put out something constructive and evidence-based that shows, in 2020, how her stock is higher and more valuable than ever. Her last studio album of 2011, 50 Words for Snow, was hugely praised and it is an album that sounds incredible to this very day. Since 2011, Bush has not exactly been idle and leaving people dry of music and substance. In 2014, as we know, she returned to the stage for Before the Dawn, and then we got her studio albums remastered and released in boxsets in 2018 – I have written about them and would suggest people seek them out as great Christmas presents. Even though there has been no new music for nearly nine years, Bush’s appeal has slightly risen I would say! This year alone has seen some cover versions, three magazines dedicated to her music/featuring it as a large part (including a forthcoming release from Record Collector), a documentary about Hounds of Love on BBC Radio 6 Music to mark its thirty-fifth anniversary - in addition to thousands of mentions of Bush on social media. I think we all sort of tend to celebrate musicians more when albums have anniversaries but, if you think about her music and the artists around today, Kate Bush’s influence is everywhere. This year has seen some of her big albums celebrate anniversaries, but I have heard so many new artists who have elements of Bush in their sound; many established artists who splice in bits of Bush’s variegated talent and sound into their own mix.
At sixty-two, there is more love and affection for Kate Bush than there has ever been, debatably. I want to introduce a great feature from COMPLEX written earlier in the year that explains her popularity and influence:
“If you haven’t been as lucky to come across Kate Bush’s music in a film or through the recommendation of a friend, there's a chance you’ve unknowingly grown accustomed to the sounds she pioneered. From FKA Twigs’ Magdalene to Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Bush’s influence—whether direct or not—exists in so many modern pop projects today. Hints of her dramatic vocals carry on through Florence Welch’s delivery and her experimental, futuristic production provided a blueprint for artists like Charli XCX to push pop forward. Her mime-like dance moves coupled with intimate orchestration is echoed in Lorde’s performances. Sinead O’ Connor’s penetrating lyrics in “Troy” and Sia’s roaring vocals in “Chandelier” both conjure the spirit of Kate Bush. Her heirs include other greats like Tori Amos, Björk and Enya. Even electronic artists like Grimes and rock artists like Stevie Nicks have been compared to the UK artist.
Through storytelling and literary themes, Bush created engaging, thought-provoking material that transports listeners to different eras and places. With her music, Bush spawned a melodic synopsis for Emily Brontë’s best-selling novel (Wuthering Heights), a detailed perspective of the death of a magician ("Houdini") and entertained the idea of switching genders for deeper understanding ("Running Up That Hill"). As a result, Bush’s diverse and boundless collection of songs has led to an international, devoted fan base. From a worldwide holiday dedicated to re-enactments of “Wuthering Heights,” hosted by fans, to a 53-minute documentary showcasing different people's moving stories about how Bush's work has affected their lives, the musical phenomenon Bush has given rise to is abiding.
She is highly praised by her peers, too. Big-time artists like St. Vincent and Adele have publicly expressed how Bush’s music influenced their own work. Prince noted her as his favorite lady. Even Tupac was a Kate Bush fan. Big Boi, a longtime stan of “Running up That Hill,” shared that he would listen to the song everyday on his bike ride to and from school. During a phone call earlier this month he told us, “I fell in love with her songwriting and how her songs would tell stories. It was deep. From there she became one of my two favorite artists." The connection he formed to Bush's music grew so deep that he spent a week in England trying to pin her down while he was in town for press meetings”.
This all brings me back to the subject of a documentary and how, in 2020, there has not really been an authoritative and career-spanning documentary dedicated to her work! I guess the last Kate Bush documentary was in 2014 with the BBC’s The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill. It is an hour-long documentary that has a lot going for it. It features a lot of important people involved in Bush’s career (including David Gilmour and Del Palmer), in addition to artists and famous figures that were keen to explain what she means to them. I think 2021 is going to be a year where there is a lot more activity regarding Kate Bush.
I know there is at least one book coming out that looks at her albums and songs in depth, and I think we may hear something in the way of new music – although this is just me guessing at this point! I know there is a Mark Radcliffe documentary coming out around Christmas that examines Wuthering Heights and its impact, so there is a definite appetite around. Given that there is so much attention her way and different people want to express what Bush means to them, I do think that there is a definite opportunity and demand for a larger documentary. Back in 1979, there was a Nationwide documentary that followed Bush as she prepared for The Tour of Life. Since then, there have been a few other documentaries but there has really not been anything in the past decade or so that digs deep into her career. I have been wondering whether the BBC would commission another documentary about her just over six years since theirs, but it seems unlikely that they will commit to that – from my experiences of pitching an idea, I think they do not want to repeat themselves. I think a Netflix-fronted and backed documentary might afford a larger budget and space. There have been some great music documentaries and shows on the station through the years and, with Bush having a worldwide fanbase, a documentary there would allow for wider distribution and attention.
To me, it could be a three or four-part documentary that, like the BBC’s broadcast, would bring in a range of people who explain Bush’s relevance in their life. It would be awesome to have back Del Palmer, David Gilmour and several others from the BBC documentary, but there are so many other artists that did not feature in that documentary – including Anna Calvi, Rufus Wainwright and Charli XCX – who could appear. Also, there are so many musicians and engineers who have worked with Bush, in addition to photographers like Gered Mankowitz and Guido Harari who could share their memories – not to mention writers and other fans that could give some insight (many of whom would have seen Bush play in Hammersmith during her Before the Dawn residency in 2014). To me, a documentary series would not only need to explore all of her studio albums and live appearances, but there are so many aspects and angles that need to be expanded and illuminated. Just thinking about the sheer number of people who count Kate Bush as an idol/influential figure – from directors and actors through to authors – is immense! It is encouraging that there have been these one-off radio shows and a lot of column inches have been shored up to focus on Kate Bush but, in terms of modern televisual representation, there has not been a lot over the past couple of decades. I think a three or four-part documentary would introduce Bush’s work to new audiences - and it would also provide existing fans with new insight and information.
In terms of narration and chronology, the documentary need not be linear and start out pre-Wuthering Heights (her debut single) and run up to the current day. From figures like Caitlin Moran and The Anchoress (Catherine Anne Davies) to Andy Samberg and author David Mitchell, there are so many figures that would help bring a documentary to life. I like the idea of focusing on various time periods for each part of the documentary but, within each episode, there does not have to be this rigid adherence to timeline – we could jump back and forth and investigate various albums from different perspectives. There is so much footage already out there that is important to include in a documentary. I do feel that previous documentaries have not adequately exploited what is already out there in terms of interviews with Kate Bush. Rather than have a narrator guiding the flow, there are interviews with Bush through each stage of her career that would provide that sense of explanation and revelation. Also, whilst many production companies would want Bush involved in the documentary, I think that is highly unlikely.
She would give her blessing, of course, but I don’t think she needs to be part of the documentary to make it authoritative and a success – there is going to be more than enough demand to make it a viewing success! At the end of a busy year for Kate Bush in terms of media representation, I think it is only a matter of time before new music is released – which would mean that a documentary could bring us right up to date in that sense. It will be interesting to see what comes from the Mark Radcliffe documentary and how it applies to Wuthering Heights, as that song along could command its own huge documentary. I think her albums require proper investigation and love, so that is why I am keen for a documentary to come about! I feel Netflix would be the best home in terms of the way the documentary could be shot and budget, and for all I know one could already be in the works regarding Kate Bush – though, for my sake, I hope not! I think, if done right and proper attention and backing is given to an idea, then an authoritative, fully-fledged and deep documentary about one of the music world’s true treasure and most influential people would lead to…
ENORMOUS demand.