40th anniversary of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Chris DeVoe, Jan 20, 2018.

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  1. AveryKG

    AveryKG Sultan of snacks

    Location:
    west London
    52 seconds, Bobby. Would have been less if I hadn't scrolled down the page. Sorry.
     
  2. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise) Thread Starter

    Here's something I typed in from Graeme Thomson's excellent Kate biography Under The Ivy about her contract with EMI:

    After nearly a year of to-ing and fro-ing in the summer of 1976 Bush finally concluded a deal with EMI. Initially, it was a straight forward direct artist agreement: EMI paid for all the recordings upfront costs and owned the results. The deal included Europe and Canada and but not the United States of America, where EMI America had first options on Bush's albums but were under no obligation to release them.

    Bob Mercer insisted recording expenses would not be deducted from Bush's advanced on the grounds that such a practice was "immoral", concept not normally acknowledged within the industry. A straight-talking, humorous, larger-than-life figure, Mercer was widely regarded as a decent man, who after joining the company in 1971, had somewhat belatedly ushered in the era of t-shirts, long hair and growing artist power at Manchester Square following several decades of suits, ties and received pronunciation. He rapidly became a an avuncular figure in Bush's life, a role he happily fulfilled, from a distance, until his death in May 2010. He was another in the line of significantly older men who made up her extended musical "family".

    EMI offered a four-year contract paying an initial non-removable advance of £3000, with an additional £500 for publishing with options at the end of the second and third year. This last detail was crucial. It enabled Bush to renegotiate her contract from a position of strength following the huge success of "Wuthering Heights" and The Kick Inside, with the result that she was able to retain ownership of all recordings, only leasing them to EMI for agreed periods of time. This move allied to a stubborn adherence on her unflinching vision gave her real power and allowed her to retain tight control of her music throughout her career as well as protecting her image and her legacy.

    "It was renegotiated very early on so she owned her own music" recalls Brian Southall. "That was unheard of for an act that early on in their career. To their credit, when she started selling records they rewarded her, Bob was very fair in that respect, he was a good man. It was unusual for EMI to do a license deal. Many other acts wanted similar deals and they were turned down."

    How did she pull it off? The immediate success of Wuthering Heights afforded her enormous bargaining power, but even before then every move was made with deliberate and careful forethought...
     
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  3. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    What do you mean?
     
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  4. AveryKG

    AveryKG Sultan of snacks

    Location:
    west London
    Sorry, Bobby, being snarky. Means I only lasted 52 seconds into the video before I had to stop it. Is that a threadcrap? I hope not.
     
  5. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Oh right.:D

    I quite like Pat’s version. Brave of her to attempt it!
     
  6. bob60

    bob60 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    Its not bad actually. I thought I would wouldn't like it as I loathed Pat Benatar back in the day.
    As you say it was very brave of her to attempt it...
     
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  7. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    She’s a good singer. Great range. I think anyone who’s put off by Kate’s ‘eccentricities’ would find Pat’s version more palatable.
     
  8. bob60

    bob60 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    For those that may be interested, here is a video of Kate's first tour in 1979.
    This video is edited from various sources but gives us the chance to watch the complete near two hour show for the very first time. It would of course be 35 years before Kate did a follow up tour.
    This film is simply stunning and its just unbelievable that it's not available in DVD/BluRay.

     
  9. Paul Middleton

    Paul Middleton Forum Resident

    The original is so sublime and one of the most amazing songs ever. Always will be.
    But regarding some discussion re. Pat Benatar's version I'm a big fan of her early output and was always genuinely surprised she tackled it. But she did an awesome job. No doubt.
     
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  10. TheSeldomSeenKid

    TheSeldomSeenKid Forum Resident

    Well not a Tour, since she played all Shows at one location, but I get what you are saying(35 Years since a Full Live Performance). It would be nice to have a Video on Blu-Ray from the 'Before the Dawn' Performance. Also, like you mentioned from the 1979 Live Performances. Thanks for that link. I will bookmark it to watch at a later time. Just too bad we will never get a Video for music from The Dreaming, since she did not tour off of that album(nor Hounds of Love & The Sensual World at the time when her voice matured).
     
  11. I'm sure these performances were recorded with Hi-def state-of-the-art cameras in anticipation of an eventual Blu-ray release.
     
  12. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    i very much like kate bush, she seemed to steer her own boat.
    i think breathing is an all time classic. when wuthering heights came out it was weird to my young ears but it grew on me ... hopefully kate will release something in a surround form one day
     
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  13. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    Thank you!!
     
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  14. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    It would be awfully remiss, not to post a photo of one of the pink vest shots.

    As a 15 year old in 1978, I bought the single, the album, and on my bedroom wall, along with two Debbie Harry posters, had one of the pink vest shots.

    [​IMG]

    Wuthering Heights is a truly amazing song, the album in my top five played albums.

    Every time I upgraded my Hi-Fi, The Kick Inside was the first album played. For those wanting an audiophile pressing, the original UK, EMI is truly stunning.

    Wuthering Heights, the songwriting, singing, playing, recording and production are all outstanding. Her EMI labelmates from Pilot and Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel, with the excellent Stuart Elliott drumming helped make the song and album a thing of beauty. The very clever time signature changes in the song, in my opinion, help lift it to an even higher level, and are very unusual for a number one song.

    The album doesn't have a duff track, and how many albums come close to approaching the quality of the two singles ending side 1?

    February 1978, Wuthering Heights number 1, Blondie number 2 with Denis, very happy memories!

    We may not have great weather in the UK, but we do have the beautifully bonkers Kate Bush.
     
  15. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Those were the days.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    What great charts, I love the eclectic mix of the UK charts from this era!

    My brother had the Fonzie's Favourites LP, where alongside some excellent classic songs, you could practice your favourite Fonz sayings!

    I had The Kick Inside, Plastic Letters and many more - I'd forgotten what a good year for music 1978 was.
     
  17. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Could that be The Fonz (Henry Winkler) from Happy Days? Not the Muppet character.
     
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  18. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Well, that’d make sense. It was actually Fozzie too, wasn’t it? I’ll delete that post before too many more people see it.:D
     
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  19. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    [​IMG]
    More Images

    Various ‎– Fonzie Favorites
    Label:
    Warwick Records ‎– WW5037, Warwick Records ‎– WW 5037
    Format:
    Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation
    Country:
    UK
    Released:
    1976
    Genre:
    Rock
    Style:
    Rock & Roll

    Tracklist
    A1 –Unknown Artist Happy Days Theme
    A2 –Larry Williams (3) Bony Moronie
    A3 –Johnny Preston Running Bear
    A4 –Tommy Edwards It's All In The Game
    A5 –Freddy Cannon Tallahassie Lassie
    A6 –Cascades* Rhythm Of The Rain
    A7 –Guy Mitchell Singing The Blues
    A8 –The Platters Only You
    A9 –Four Preps* Big Man
    A10 –Johnny Ray* Just Walking In The Rain
    A11 –The Coasters Charlie Brown
    A12 –Unknown Artist Impressionist Theme
    B1 –The Heyettes The Fonz Song
    B2 –Chubby Checker Let's Twist Again
    B3 –Duane Eddy Because They're Young
    B4 –Ritchie Valens Donna
    B5 –Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes
    B6 –Everly Brothers All I Have To Do Is Dream
    B7 –Little Richard Rip It Up
    B8 –Lloyd Price Personality
    B9 –Bill Haley And His Comets Rock Around The Clock
    B10 –Teddy Bears* To Know Him Is To Love Him
    B11 –Billy Bland Let The Little Girl Dance
    B12 –Unknown Artist Happy Days Theme
    Companies, etc.
    Credits

    Notes
    The last track on Side One is an "impressionist" track containing the expressions Aaaaay, Cool, Nerd, Sit on it! Listen and learn to use Fonzie's favorite phrases perfectly!

    Obviously now people here know that it's a Porky Prime Cut, they will be rushing to buy this; cool!
     
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  20. Hayim kobi

    Hayim kobi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Chris DeVoe, tin ears and Randoms like this.
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