Graeme Thomson

Full credit to the author for confirming that Kate really is worthy of her fans' adoration, and for explaining the long gaps between her later albums. One star off for his faint praise of some of her best efforts: Love and Anger "starts small and ends in a riot of clattering rhythm", Moments of Pleasure "covered the same ground (as other songs) but in much more awkward shoes", Joanni "struggled to engage", etc.

This is an extremely well written biography of the artistic genius that is Kate Bush (this is the updated 2012 version). Like all the best biographies, it is critically sympathetic, clearly distinguishing Kate in a broadly positive way from many other artists in her refusal to engage with the trappings of celebrity and fierce protectiveness of her and her family's privacy, while still pointing out cases where he considers she has carried it to excess, to the detriment of her career (though show more not probably to the detriment of her personal well-being). He is also clear where he thinks parts of her musical oeuvre are sub-standard, though I don't necessarily agree with his choices - he is very down on The Red Shoes album, which I really like, whereas I still cannot really (or not yet, perhaps?) get into most of Aerial and 50 Words for Snow. And I am somewhat dubious about the Director's Cut album of reworked songs (to which I am listening while writing this review). Of course, the advent of these recent albums and this year's tour increases the likelihood of further music from her; and even tracks which I personally don't really care for, I can still appreciate as examples of her seemingly limitless creative endeavour. An excellent read. show less

I didn't read this cover to cover, but just dipped into it as events drew my interest - it's a pretty hefty volume. Thomson referred to Pattie Boyd's autobiography often (a book I disliked because of her shameless name-dropping) and of course, much is already well-known, especially to my generation (as a teen, my friend pointed to a blurb in a minor music magazine saying this band with the odd name was worth watching). One surprise was that Harrison's young son Dhani, was shocked to learn show more his father had been in The Beatles. It explained why the kids at school taunted him by following him singing Yellow Submarine. That he had kept this from his son is an indication of his need for privacy, to be an individual, not a piece of a famous group where he was never content, never accepting stardom. This is an honest, frank account of Harrison's life, the odd man out of the Beatles, unhappy with life, constantly searching for solutions. Thomson acknowledges his talent but without gushing hero-worship. show less

I share a birthday with Kate Bush (and Emily Bronte), so I randomly thought I would read up on my fellow Leos. Never having listened to any of Kate's music, bar the famous singles - Wuthering Heights, Babooshka - I must admit to sharing common pre (mis?) conceptions about her - high wavering voice, bizarre dancing, the Lord Lucan of music. I'm sure she is a wonderful person and artist - and I can completely understand her natural reserve and avoidance of the limelight - but this biography show more did not exactly win me over. Another annoying quality of Kate's - 'every man in the room falls in love with her!' - would seem to include the author and all the males interviewed for this biography. Gushing praise doesn't begin to describe Thomson's approach - he tries to be unbiased, pointing out unsuccessful albums and including one or two quotes from men who didn't get on with her ('unique among humankind'), but generally the whole book is a study in rose-tinted devotion. Easy to read, but keep a sickbag to hand.

What do you get when you cross Karen Carpenter with Bjork? That was my first impression of Kate, anyway! Coming from a comfortable middle-class background with two loving parents and interfering - sorry, protective - brothers, her life story is hardly thrilling. Her music is another matter. Her expressive voice, clever lyrics, idiosyncratic style of playing the piano, separate private and performing personalities, perfectionist work ethic - even her love of tea and bad habit (for a singer) of smoking cigarettes! - actually reminded me of Freddie Mercury, but then I can read him into anything and anyone! Freddie was more comfortable with fame and wanted 'to be loved by a roomful of strangers' when on stage, but I can imagine the pair of them having a lot in common and getting on well, had they ever met.

Anyway, reading around Thomson's defensive narrative - Kate stopped performing live so she 'could be true to her own impulses' and 'she is not a pop star, she just happened to make what we broadly describe as pop music the vehicle for her creativity' - my final interpretation of the iconic singer who was signed to EMI at 17 is of a gifted artist who found inspiration in her own imagination (and an eclectic interest in music) but struggled to balance her 'art' with her fame and has now become an urban legend, resurfacing every now and again with an album or a short tour (that chapter needs updating, Graeme - and you might want to rephrase 'dear old Rolf Harris' while you're there). Good to read a positive biography for once, but Kate's ordinary life and bonkers music - Thomson's teenage analysis of her songs doesn't help - are not for me, unfortunately. show less