Kate Bush

Birthday: 30 July 1958, Erith, Kent, England, UK

Birth Name: Catherine Bush

Height: 161 cm

Kate Bush began playing piano at a young age and, by her mid-teens, had composed over 200 songs. Her talent caught the notice of David Gilmour (of Pink Floyd) who assisted in arranging her contract with EMI. The first song she released, "Wuthering Heights", soared to #1 in England in 1978. Since then, Kate has achieved a notable career as a singer and musician. Kate began producing her own albums and videos early on. Her growing interest in film was highly evident in the 1985 video for her song, "Cloudbusting", which starred Donald Sutherland, which is a mini-film in itself. Another 1985 video, "Hounds of Love", is a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock. Following the release of her 1993 album, "The Red Shoes", influenced by filmmaker Michael Powell, Kate produced the short film, The Line, the Cross & the Curve (1993), using five songs from the album as a basis for the film in a mysterious, mythical retelling of the tale of "The Red Shoes". Show less «

I don't think of myself as a musician. I only ever play the piano to accompany myself singing. I cou...Show more »

I don't think of myself as a musician. I only ever play the piano to accompany myself singing. I could never sit and read a piece of music. At best, I'm an accompanist. Show less «

You create something and you have an intention that goes with that at the time, but once you release...Show more »

You create something and you have an intention that goes with that at the time, but once you release it, it's really up to other people how they interpret it or see it. It's like a painting. I'm sure half the time people look at a painting, they've no idea what the artist originally was thinking of. I'm not sure it matters. I think if you can get something from it, if it's at all thought-provoking or it makes you feel something, then I think that's the achievement. Show less «

I am a private person, but I don't think I'm obsessively so. It's more that I choose to try and have...Show more »

I am a private person, but I don't think I'm obsessively so. It's more that I choose to try and have as normal a life as possible. I don't like to live in the glare of publicity. Show less «

Regarding her directorial debut, The Line, the Cross & the Curve (1993): "I shouldn't have done ...Show more »

Regarding her directorial debut, The Line, the Cross & the Curve (1993): "I shouldn't have done it. I was so tired. I'm very pleased with four minutes of it, but I'm very disappointed with the rest. I let down people like Miranda Richardson, who worked so hard on it. I had the opportunity to do something really interesting and I completely blew it". Show less «

I'm very opinionated. I'm so fussy and picky. What's good is that I know what I want. It's when you ...Show more »

I'm very opinionated. I'm so fussy and picky. What's good is that I know what I want. It's when you don't know what you want when you're in trouble. Show less «

David Bowie had everything. He was intelligent, imaginative, brave, charismatic, cool, sexy and trul...Show more »

David Bowie had everything. He was intelligent, imaginative, brave, charismatic, cool, sexy and truly inspirational both visually and musically. He created such staggeringly brilliant work, yes, but so much of it and it was so good. There are great people who make great work but who else has left a mark like his? No one like him. I'm struck by how the whole country has been flung into mourning and shock. Shock, because someone who had already transcended into immortality could actually die. He was ours. Wonderfully eccentric in a way that only an Englishman could be. Whatever journey his beautiful soul is now on, I hope he can somehow feel how much we all miss him. Show less «

The Red Shoes was recorded with digital equipment. At the time it was state of the art, what everybo...Show more »

The Red Shoes was recorded with digital equipment. At the time it was state of the art, what everybody was kind of pressurized to be using really, but in hindsight I felt that it had a very edgy sound. Show less «

There's a lot of other stuff that I like to do. But I find making records really exciting. It's maki...Show more »

There's a lot of other stuff that I like to do. But I find making records really exciting. It's making something out of nothing and you can involve other people. It's brilliant. Show less «

When I'm writing I've been playing something for a couple of hours and I'm almost in a trance. At tw...Show more »

When I'm writing I've been playing something for a couple of hours and I'm almost in a trance. At two or three in the morning you can actually see bits inspiration floating about and grab them. Show less «

[on The Dreaming] It was very important that it happened to me because it made me think "Right, do I...Show more »

[on The Dreaming] It was very important that it happened to me because it made me think "Right, do I really want to produce my own stuff? Do I really care about being famous?" And I was very pleased with myself that no, it didn't matter as much as making a good album. Show less «

I was never really driven to be famous. Even from a young age, when I knew I wanted to be involved i...Show more »

I was never really driven to be famous. Even from a young age, when I knew I wanted to be involved in music, it was really making an album, that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to try and make interesting music. So I think my values have always remained the same. Show less «

I like classical music, but I wish I was more eloquent with it. I hear things and think, 'That's bea...Show more »

I like classical music, but I wish I was more eloquent with it. I hear things and think, 'That's beautiful,' but don't know what it is. As you get older, you do get more into instrumental music, don't you? It's as if as you get older you don't want people telling you what they think or what you've got to think or do. Also, those great composers really knew what they were doing. A lot of contemporary art is made by people who haven't got any talent. Art made by talentless people can sometimes really work, but it's not the same as real craft. Show less «

They were just so beautifully, beautifully written, and they still stand up, and for pop music it's ...Show more »

They were just so beautifully, beautifully written, and they still stand up, and for pop music it's so well crafted. On every level: not just the songs but the arrangements and the vocal performances. (On the songs of The Beatles) Show less «

At one point I had this, well, I don't know if you'd call it a crush, a bit of one on Elton John. I ...Show more »

At one point I had this, well, I don't know if you'd call it a crush, a bit of one on Elton John. I thought he was fantastic. I thought he was so clever. It was before he got really famous...around Madman Across the Water. I thought he was so wonderful. I'd play the records and dream of being able to play like him, those fantastic hands. But a crush like that is quite sweet, isn't it? I had David Bowie on my wall, as well. Show less «

I don't think I could really say that I've ever really been that happy with anything I've done. I th...Show more »

I don't think I could really say that I've ever really been that happy with anything I've done. I think you are at the time and I always try my best and put lots of effort into the albums. Show less «

[on The Dreaming] I felt the album had done very well to reach number three but I felt under a lot o...Show more »

[on The Dreaming] I felt the album had done very well to reach number three but I felt under a lot of pressure and I wanted to stay as close to my work as possible and everyone was saying Oh, she's really gone mad now. Show less «

I still remain a huge admirer of analogue tape and that warm, fuller sound that you get.

It's interesting how many young people are getting into old records, because there's a buzz they jus...Show more »

It's interesting how many young people are getting into old records, because there's a buzz they just can't get from contemporary music. Look how many old songs are hits again. (Speaking in 1993) Show less «

On her meeting and demonstrating her talents to Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour: "Absolutely terr...Show more »

On her meeting and demonstrating her talents to Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour: "Absolutely terrified and trembling like a leaf, I sat down and played for him. He came along to see me and he was great, such a human, kind person - and genuine." Show less «

Roy (Roy Harper) is one of the greatest English songwriters we've had, and people just don't realise...Show more »

Roy (Roy Harper) is one of the greatest English songwriters we've had, and people just don't realise it. And I really think that when they do we're going to have another top songwriter up there. He's brilliant. Show less «

I think it was felt that me producing Hounds of Love wasn't such a good idea and for the first time ...Show more »

I think it was felt that me producing Hounds of Love wasn't such a good idea and for the first time I felt I was actually meeting resistance artistically. Show less «

Kate Bush

Kate Bush's FILMOGRAPHY

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