40th anniversary of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights

I was 10 years old when this came out,it just seem to come out of nowhere and there has been nothing like it since.Unbelievable that this song and album was written and performed by a teenager.

 

I was 17 and heard Wuthering Heights exactly once on the radio. That was it, I was her fan. I spent two months waiting for this album to come out. I brought it home and wore it out. So happy.

 

About five years ago I found a demo copy of Wuthering Heights with the rare picture sleeve in a charity shop. I was ecstatic! I love Kite on the B-side and the whole The Kick Inside album too. My fave Kate. I also have The Man With The Child In His Eyes picture sleeve.

 

Here's something some of you may enjoy...

 

The Kate Bush Catalog would be Awesome if presented in the Deluxe Book Box Set with Steven Wilson Remixes for 5.1, although, sadly, since she did not Tour for 35 Years(most of her career), there would not be much to add for Live/Concert Songs like was available for the Jethro Tull Deluxe Book Box Sets. Although, it would be great to the same Extensive Book Treatment(with lots of Photos from each Album's Time Period) for all of her albums.

I read that Steven Wilson is interested to Remix her Albums(and perfect timing now that he has moved on to a few 1980s Music Artists), but she does not seem interested to have him Remix her Albums in 5.1 & Stereo. I wonder if a good strategy would be if Steven Wilson could convince her Son(Bertie), to try and get Kate interested. I would want the Deluxe Book Box Sets(like SW did for Jethro Tull) and not the smaller sets done for XTC, King Crimson, etc.

I am also holding out hope for a Blu-Ray(with 5.1 option included) for 'Before the Dawn' to provide most of us the opportunity to see one of the actual shows she performed. I understand her idea to leave it to our imagination while listening to the Music on CD & Vinyl, but I would think that most Fans would make a BluRay of 'BTD' an automatic 'Buy'.

I have the same wishes for SW to do the same Deluxe Book Box Sets for Peter Gabriel.

 

I'd definitely be in for box sets up to The Red Shoes. I've no interest after that. There are tons of demo recordings that could be released, easily enough to fill a couple CD's for a Kick Inside box.

The thing is a) Kate doesn't seem interested; b) The albums certainly don't need a remaster (current versions sound great).

Like many others, those earlier albums were a big part of our growing up, and mean an awful lot to us.

 

I mentioned Steven Wilson, as he does Remixes, not Remasters, as agree on current Mastering on CD is good, as even 'Aerial' has good DR#(and think the same for '50 Words for Snow') in the Loudness Wars era. Although, SH/KG did Remaster the Vinyl for 'Hounds of Love' & 'The Sensual World'. Now whether one would like any potential Steven Wilson Remixes over the original is another question, but overall the fans of XTC, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Chicago and Yes seem to like his Remixes at least as an alternative version and getting the albums on 5.1.

 

If you want to read a biography of Kate, the only one worth reading is Graeme Thomson's Under The Ivy. In it's third edition, it is as through as any biographer can make (with the caveat that Kate has never cooperated with anyone writing one, and never delivered the one she was contracted to write herself.) Graeme's book is fascinating and beautifully written, and I've only found a single error.

 

The Kate fanzine Homeground did a very long interview with her engineer/bassist/ex-boyfriend Del Palmer and asked a bunch of questions from fans - and mine was about 5.1 remixes of the albums. He indicated that Kate wasn't interested in them.

 

That's a shame.

I honestly believe Kate is underrated as a producer / engineer. The music is one thing, but she nails the tone and always has - the shape of the music is so often exquisite and controlled to be absolutely right.

I'll have to remain curious what she can add again. But the originals lack nothing. So more of an idle dream

She was and remains a visionary. And speaking more personally, in this age of DIY production... One hell of an example of doing it your way (while remaining eminently lovable!)

 

I asked Elliot Scheiner, and he described Hounds of Love as his "dream project", and I'm sure Wilson would do an incredible job. But Kate has a level of artistic control that few have, and nobody is getting their hands on her multitracks unless she thinks it's a good idea.

If DVD-Audio or SACD had been very successful the first time, she might have been motivated to release surround mixes at the time. Any 5.1 mixes would have to be done with her full cooperation, and I doubt that will happen.

Kate once described herself as "the nicest megalomaniac you'll ever meet" - and if she isn't interested, it's not going to happen.

 

That's why.A very strange song as far as I'm concerned.

 

The question will always remain - could Wuthering Heights have been a hit in the US if Kate had been willing to promote it to the same extent as she did in the rest of the world? She only did SNL and the "White Dress" video appeared on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. That was it.

 

I going to say no.Too far off the beaten path.

 

"Kate in a crate!"

 

ah yes, the dirty sock shoot.

 

I caught the rerun of her episode of SNL and I don't think she even did Wuthering Heights (unless there were three songs and I didn't see it)... it was Man With The Child In His Eyes and Them Heavy People. Someone must have thought the literary aspect would turn off Americans.
What I thought was interesting though, was that Gilda Radner's infamous Patti Smith spoof was featured in that very show. An interesting contrast of two unique female singers at the time.

 

Kate Bush Wuthering Day - Melbourne - 15th July 2017

 

Typically Kate isn't doing anything with new releases to commemorate this 40th Anniversary. Perhaps an audiophile pressing of The Kick inside at least is due? I did expect more reissues on vinyl after AF did The Hounds Of Love and The Sensual World.

 

Brilliant, brilliant song. One of my all-time favorites, no doubt. Kate Bush rules.

 

Whenever I hear Wuthering Heights it takes me straight back to 1978, but strangely it just hasn’t dated at all. It is just so original and different to anything released before or after.
A totally unique and timeless single, I never tire of hearing it.

 

Stereogum has a very nice appreciation of The Kick Inside which was released 40 years ago this weekend.

The Kick Inside At 40: How Kate Bush Let The Weirdness In And Changed Music Forever

 

40 years ago today, Wuthering Heights hit #1 on the British charts, making Kate the first woman to reach #1 with a self-written song.

Flashback: Celebrating 40 years since Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights hit Number 1

 

What's the story on this program appearance while Kate was in Japan.

 

At that point, Kate did not have the full and absolute control over the direction of her career that she would eventually gain when EMI executive Bob Mercer let her tear up her original contract and negotiate brand new one that gave her an unprecedented level of control.