Last night, I finally got around to watching The Secret Policeman’s Third Ball from Shout! Factory’s cool DVD box, The Secret Policeman’s Balls.
Kate Bush performs “Running Up That Hill” with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. It was her big hit in 1985, a couple of years before this benefit concert was shot. It’s a great song — Bush’s best single.
It reminded me of a huge fight I got into with some girl at a friend’s party when I was in college. She was a friend of a friend, an artsy-fartsy type and a huge Kate Bush fan (I don’t think I even knew her name). We were talking about music and she mentioned how she worshipped Kate Bush. I basically dismissed Bush as a Hobbit-lovin’ freak who had a couple of good songs. She became near-violent and wanted me to leave the party. (I didn’t — I went downstairs and drank beer.)
After watching Bush’s performance last night and thinking about how much I really like “Running Up That Hill,” as well as “This Woman’s Work” and a few other tunes, maybe I was wrong to pick a fight. So this morning I watched the video for Bush’s breakthrough song, “Wuthering Heights” (which you can watch above). And you know what? I was right: Kate Bush is a Hobbit-lovin’ freak. —Michael Gallucci
This article appears in Apr 22-28, 2009.
Dear Michael
Can’t see the connection with ‘mrs bush’, ‘wuthering heights’, and ‘hobbit’s’, may i suggest that you educate yourself with the lyrics of the forementioned song or maybe mrs bush herself,
for a” freak” she certainly is not! ”Stella genius” , Yes. {how many 1no LP’s did you write when you were 15?}
As i am ‘not’ a ‘artsy-fartsy girl’ , if i was here i would have ‘knock yer teeth out” for such a comment! You pretentious creep.