The Making of Kate Bush
A deep-dive into the behind-the-scenes stories of all ten of Kate Bush's studio albums, in Bush's own words
In honour of Kate Bush’s birthday (30th July 1958) this month, here are a selection of quotes from the singer-songwriter and producer, revealing her inspirations, processes, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from each of her ten studio albums.
The Kick Inside (1978)
Singles: ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Moving’, ‘The Man With The Child In His Eyes’, ‘Them Heavy People’, ‘Strange Phenomena’
On Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour helping Bush get a record deal…
‘"Dave [Gilmour] was doing his guardian angel bit and scouting for talent. He'd already found a band called Unicorn in a pub and was helping them. He came along to see me and he was great, such a human, kind person - and genuine. He said, 'It looks as if the only way you can do it is to put at most three songs on a tape and we'll get them properly arranged.' He put up the money for me to do that, which is amazing. No way could I have afforded to do anything like that. EMI heard it and I got the contract.’1
Those three songs were: ‘The Man With The Child In His Eyes’, ‘The Saxophone Song’, and ‘Maybe’, the first two of which were included on The Kick Inside.
‘The inspiration for ‘The Man With the Child in His Eyes’ was really just a particular thing that happened when I went to the piano. The piano just started speaking to me […] It was a theory that I had had for a while that I just observed in most of the men that I know: the fact that they just are little boys inside and how wonderful it is that they manage to retain this magic. I, myself, am attracted to older men, I guess, but I think that’s the same with every female. I think it’s a very natural, basic instinct that you look continually for your father for the rest of your life, as do men continually look for their mother in the women that they meet. I don’t think we’re all aware of it, but I think it is basically true. You look for that security that the opposite sex in your parenthood gave you as a child.’2
On ‘Wuthering Heights’, Bush’s debut single and first and only UK no.1 until the re-release of ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ in 2022 thanks to its inclusion in Netflix’s Stranger Things…