Prince & Kate Bush are two of my favorite artists, thanks for the always welcomed discussion with the Solitary Adventurer. I find these two artists to have a kinship even though their musical style is vastly different. They were born one month apart in 1958, both wildly creative, eccentric, mysterious and introverted. Both followed their muse come hell or highwater - Kate famously demanding Wuthering Heights be her first single, Prince telling Warner Bros that he was producing and playing all the instruments on his first record. The President of EMI sent Kate a grand piano in recognition that she was right about the first single. Both used dance & theatrics in their videos & live shows (Kate's 1979 Tour of Life). First records came out in 1978. Both emotionally and stylistically attached to their homeland (Southern England vs Minneapolis). Other similarities are: genius, petite, beautiful with large expressive eyes, and outstanding vocal range. They both had a need to have control over their music and that "do it yourself" attitude permeated, Kate took the producer reins during The Dreaming and also built a home studio. Prince had home studios early on before the crowning glory of Paisley Park.
We often hear of the 1958 trio of Prince, Madonna and MJ. You've hit the nail on the head that his spiritual kinship was to Kate and forging their own path as visionaries - rather than the other two who were simply popstars. A tremendous list of parallels there.
The residency in London "Before the Dawn" was in late 2014 (in 2011 though, she released "Director's Cut" and "50 Words for Snow", her latest studio album)...
So good to hear you talk about Kate Bush and Prince. Solitary Adventurer: so good to hear you speak with knowledge and intelligence about Prince and Kate Bush! How is Liverpool? I'm planning on a trip back home soon x Tony
Terence Trent D'Arby played some of Kate's work to PrInce and years later he asked again "Who was that singer you put me on to?" Kate went to see Prince live and then a distant friendship began. She sent him a demo which eventually became "Why Should I Love You?"
Although Kate greatly respected Prince, the song that she finally released on the Red Shoes ("Why Should I Love You") is edited down quite a bit from what Prince actually did to it. Kate initially sent him a demo tape and asked him if he could add guitar and backing vocals. When Kate got the tape back from him, she was not happy with the results because Prince had changed and added much more than what she had asked for. According to Del Palmer (Kate's bassist, sound engineer, and partner at the time) Kate was mad as hell and they did not know what to do with it so the tape was shelved for a time. Eventually they went back to it and it took them a great deal of editing to "turn it back into a Kate Bush song" (Del's words). The finished track is a compromise in that Kate changed enough of it so that she was satisfied that it represented a blend of their styles (she even brought in her friend comedian Lenny Henry to replace some of the backing vocals). It has also been said that Kate's representative had contacted Prince's engineer and asked that all of his working tapes he had on her song be destroyed.
I'd love to hear it first hand from Kate as we've heard reports now from Michael Koppelman and Del. Yet Kate did use the track and My Computer was a later collaboration.
Del Palmer, Kate’s former partner and longtime engineer and bass player, spoke about the track to Future Music in 1993: “This one actually was recorded in collaboration with Prince - Kate went to see him at a gig and was flattered to be asked to meet him after the show, when they discussed a collaboration. Unable to physically get together in the same room, they swapped multi-track tapes, with a slave reel returning from Prince’s Paisley Park studio covered in vocals, guitar solos and keyboards. The problem then was to put the track back together into something resembling its original form while retaining the best of what Prince had done. He hadn’t added one of the vocal parts which would have been particularly good for him, so it basically took two years to put it back together. What’s left is his lead guitar, some digital synths and some chorus vocals. Then Lenny Henry came in to do a vocal on the end - he’s really got a great voice and ought to be doing a serious record of his own.“ I think you're reading into Del's comments a sense of negativity that isn't there. It's there because Michael Koppelman wrote such a scathing account. I'd suggest more than a pinch of salt when assuming his account is anything definitive.
@@thesolitaryadventurer I don't think I am. Here is another quote from Del (Sound On Sound, 1995): [Kate] said to him, 'I want you to sing this bit here and I want you to sing that bit there,' and he'd sung it, but he'd done so over the loop that he made up. So, we had this piece of vocal that she wanted but it was everywhere, all the way through it, so we had to take the bit that we needed and put it in where we wanted it - we had to reconstruct the verses so that they worked with her lyrics. Then we took out the original drums and replaced them because it was now basically a more up-tempo song. At the same time, we also tried to turn it back into a Kate Bush song, and although in a lot of ways it didn't turn out as we'd hoped. There was one vocal section which Prince didn't actually do and KATE WAS SO PISSED WITH THIS (emphasis added). Then, one day she hit on the idea of getting in Lenny Henry, who's actually a great singer. It was like he'd worked in studios his whole life - he had no trouble doing it. Kate sang him the part she wanted him to do and then he sang it. Then she asked him to do a harmony which he worked out with her."
@@mvellis3863 That's fair! He really was capable of being a very difficult man. I'd love to hear exactly what he sent back as the version Kate eventually settled on is a favourite of mine. I often seek a relisten.
![Shnootz - Video Reaction (Kate Bush - Cloudbusting [Official Music Video])](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vJJarbSwu_Q/mqdefault.jpg)
I just read a quote from her about how sweet Prince was.
Prince & Kate Bush are two of my favorite artists, thanks for the always welcomed discussion with the Solitary Adventurer. I find these two artists to have a kinship even though their musical style is vastly different. They were born one month apart in 1958, both wildly creative, eccentric, mysterious and introverted. Both followed their muse come hell or highwater - Kate famously demanding Wuthering Heights be her first single, Prince telling Warner Bros that he was producing and playing all the instruments on his first record. The President of EMI sent Kate a grand piano in recognition that she was right about the first single. Both used dance & theatrics in their videos & live shows (Kate's 1979 Tour of Life). First records came out in 1978. Both emotionally and stylistically attached to their homeland (Southern England vs Minneapolis). Other similarities are: genius, petite, beautiful with large expressive eyes, and outstanding vocal range. They both had a need to have control over their music and that "do it yourself" attitude permeated, Kate took the producer reins during The Dreaming and also built a home studio. Prince had home studios early on before the crowning glory of Paisley Park.
We often hear of the 1958 trio of Prince, Madonna and MJ. You've hit the nail on the head that his spiritual kinship was to Kate and forging their own path as visionaries - rather than the other two who were simply popstars.
A tremendous list of parallels there.
Always love hearing from you and your posts LB :)
The residency in London "Before the Dawn" was in late 2014 (in 2011 though, she released "Director's Cut" and "50 Words for Snow", her latest studio album)...
Ah okay, that makes a lot of sense now with my vague memories of her doing the shows.
So good to hear you talk about Kate Bush and Prince. Solitary Adventurer: so good to hear you speak with knowledge and intelligence about Prince and Kate Bush! How is Liverpool? I'm planning on a trip back home soon x
Tony
Sunny! Hurry 😂
Cheers Tony. I'm no Kate expert, just the bits P has exposed me to really.... And a couple of passes through her back catalog.
I was in Liverpool in 1989, or was it 1990? Had to visit Anfield! Long time fan of the Reds!
Terence Trent D'Arby played some of Kate's work to PrInce and years later he asked again "Who was that singer you put me on to?" Kate went to see Prince live and then a distant friendship began. She sent him a demo which eventually became "Why Should I Love You?"
He was into here way before TTD came out. Her 1985 album stayed in rotation according to Susan Rogers
Although Kate greatly respected Prince, the song that she finally released on the Red Shoes ("Why Should I Love You") is edited down quite a bit from what Prince actually did to it. Kate initially sent him a demo tape and asked him if he could add guitar and backing vocals. When Kate got the tape back from him, she was not happy with the results because Prince had changed and added much more than what she had asked for. According to Del Palmer (Kate's bassist, sound engineer, and partner at the time) Kate was mad as hell and they did not know what to do with it so the tape was shelved for a time. Eventually they went back to it and it took them a great deal of editing to "turn it back into a Kate Bush song" (Del's words). The finished track is a compromise in that Kate changed enough of it so that she was satisfied that it represented a blend of their styles (she even brought in her friend comedian Lenny Henry to replace some of the backing vocals). It has also been said that Kate's representative had contacted Prince's engineer and asked that all of his working tapes he had on her song be destroyed.
I loved reading this post! Thank you :)
I'd love to hear it first hand from Kate as we've heard reports now from Michael Koppelman and Del. Yet Kate did use the track and My Computer was a later collaboration.
Del Palmer, Kate’s former partner and longtime engineer and bass player, spoke about the track to Future Music in 1993:
“This one actually was recorded in collaboration with Prince - Kate went to see him at a gig and was flattered to be asked to meet him after the show, when they discussed a collaboration. Unable to physically get together in the same room, they swapped multi-track tapes, with a slave reel returning from Prince’s Paisley Park studio covered in vocals, guitar solos and keyboards. The problem then was to put the track back together into something resembling its original form while retaining the best of what Prince had done. He hadn’t added one of the vocal parts which would have been particularly good for him, so it basically took two years to put it back together. What’s left is his lead guitar, some digital synths and some chorus vocals. Then Lenny Henry came in to do a vocal on the end - he’s really got a great voice and ought to be doing a serious record of his own.“
I think you're reading into Del's comments a sense of negativity that isn't there. It's there because Michael Koppelman wrote such a scathing account.
I'd suggest more than a pinch of salt when assuming his account is anything definitive.
@@thesolitaryadventurer I don't think I am. Here is another quote from Del (Sound On Sound, 1995): [Kate] said to him, 'I want you to sing this bit here and I want you to sing that bit there,' and he'd sung it, but he'd done so over the loop that he made up. So, we had this piece of vocal that she wanted but it was everywhere, all the way through it, so we had to take the bit that we needed and put it in where we wanted it - we had to reconstruct the verses so that they worked with her lyrics. Then we took out the original drums and replaced them because it was now basically a more up-tempo song. At the same time, we also tried to turn it back into a Kate Bush song, and although in a lot of ways it didn't turn out as we'd hoped. There was one vocal section which Prince didn't actually do and KATE WAS SO PISSED WITH THIS (emphasis added). Then, one day she hit on the idea of getting in Lenny Henry, who's actually a great singer. It was like he'd worked in studios his whole life - he had no trouble doing it. Kate sang him the part she wanted him to do and then he sang it. Then she asked him to do a harmony which he worked out with her."
@@mvellis3863 That's fair! He really was capable of being a very difficult man.
I'd love to hear exactly what he sent back as the version Kate eventually settled on is a favourite of mine. I often seek a relisten.
I love that song.
Love kate bush ❤..
Me too! Since the very first time I went running up that hill! :)
💙🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡💙
He still alive,today,the awaking truth
Tell him we want a new tour and album please. 💜
I don't know who Kate Bush is, they don't play her music on Hip Hop and R&B stations
Start with "Running Up That Hill". If you like that, I'm sure she has a greatest hits compilation that will exposure you more.
Big Boi of Outkast was obsessed with Kate, Tupac also cited her as an influence. "Hounds of Love" is her masterpiece.
The Teleise Williams Experience They play Maxwell's "This Woman's Work" on R&B stations don't they? Kate Bush wrote it.
Shes like FKA Twigs’ white grandma