8th August 2020
It can’t be, can it?
I woke up in a cold sweat, the dream / nightmare was real, very real and it jolted me into the morning fog.
What if ‘Remastered’ was Kate saying ‘that’s it, no more’? All Kate fans know that she is notoriously slow when it comes to new releases. It’s 9 years since ’50 Words For Snow’ was sent out to us all in a year that was stupendously busy for Kate as she also released ‘Directors Cut’ in the same year (2011) . It’s six years since the epic ‘Before The Dawn’ concerts and the live release triple album came out in 2016…. and it’s now 2 years since Remastered was released in all its fabulous wonderment.
Of course there is a glimmer of hope in the mooted collaboration with Big Boi, let’s wait and see if it’s genuine (fingers crossed). However the reality is, with an average of a decade between ‘new’ releases, and with Kate now being 62 years old, I’m worried that we have heard the last new music from her.
I can’t complain if there is nothing forthcoming, there is enough magic to last my lifetime, hand on heart there is only one track that I might never listen to again, ‘Ken’ an ode to Ken Livingstone, a track from The Comic Strip, not a classic, but everyone is allowed one dud surely?
All Kate fans know that she has suggested she was unhappy with lots of her work, and has always strived for perfection, hence the epic task of remastering her entire catalogue (apart from a few missing gems and lots of unreleased stuff). The result was and is magnificent, it keeps me musically occupied at least two or three days a week. Listening to the original releases and then straight afterwards the remastered versions is an interesting exercise.
‘Remastered’ is not as drastic as ‘Directors Cut’
Of all Kate’s albums’ this is the most challenging, some incredible….. INCREDIBLE tracks reinterpreted with huge changes that work on many levels. But, some of the changes don’t, in my personal opinion add to the original versions, especially ‘Flower of the mountain’ originally ‘The sensual world’ this time with words from James Joyce Ulysses which Kate had wanted to use initially but had not been granted permission. I think ‘Sensual’ is exactly that, more sensuous and rich than the new version. ‘This woman’s work’ becomes slightly empty and hollow instead of the heart wrenching layers of emotive lyrics and musicality in the original. And ‘Rubberband girl’ becomes too tinny for my liking. Small complaints as it’s still an absolute fabulous addition to the catalogue.
So if this is it, if we don’t hear anything else, all I can say is that Kate has given me more musical pleasure than any other artist (including my other hero Marc Bolan and his band T.Rex) and for that I will be eternally grateful. She also furnished me with my ALL TIME FAVOURITE PIECE OF MUSIC ‘Running up that hill’ which will be, as most people know, the song I leave this mortal coil to!
I am hoping my nightmare / dream is just that and one day I google Kate Bush, as I do every single day, and there is an announcement, a new album, a new residency in some cool venue where she will revisit favourite tracks, even a new single, or a collaboration (Big Boi) will suffice. Until then, I have lots and lots of fabulous music to listen to, each and everyone piece (apart from Ken) a memory jolter.
Thank You Kate. PS: If you need to get in touch , my number is 07885 985843 #ImSerious
My collection >>>>>>>
