Does anyone else think Kate Bush is a musical genius?

Buffy AnneBuffy Anne Posts: 133
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Maybe I'm biased because Kate has been my favourite female artist since I "discovered" her around five years ago but I honestly think she's a musical genius and I was wondering if anyone else did? I know she has some admirers around these parts. :)

I've been listening to her work a lot lately, especially the The Kick Inside, Lionheart, Hounds of Love, and 50 Words For Snow. These are my favourite Kate albums, I think, but her creativity across the board is breathtaking and it makes me sad that, maybe because she's older and doesn't play the fame game, more younger people don't seem that aware of or interested in her.

I was just watching the video for Cloudbusting and it really is inspiring.

I wish there were more artists like Kate. Then again, if there were, would she continue to be so special?
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  • droogiefretdroogiefret Posts: 24,117
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    Buffy Anne wrote: »
    Maybe I'm biased because Kate has been my favourite female artist since I "discovered" her around five years ago but I honestly think she's a musical genius and I was wondering if anyone else did? I know she has some admirers around these parts. :)

    I've been listening to her work a lot lately, especially the The Kick Inside, Lionheart, Hounds of Love, and 50 Words For Snow. These are my favourite Kate albums, I think, but her creativity across the board is breathtaking and it makes me sad that, maybe because she's older and doesn't play the fame game, more younger people don't seem that aware of or interested in her.

    I was just watching the video for Cloudbusting and it really is inspiring.

    I wish there were more artists like Kate. Then again, if there were, would she continue to be so special?
    Really? I thought it was a bit of a disappointment after Aeriel - maybe I should give it another listen,

    I've been a fan since the beginning - from that perspective I'd have to say Hounds of Love was huge. Coming at a time when maybe people weren't sure she could be quite as creative as before, she suddenly produces this incredible collection of music that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

    If I could have one wish musically it would be for Kate to headline Glastonbury with a full orchestra and lightshow. Sadly - I doubt that will ever happen now.
  • Pob-BundyPob-Bundy Posts: 1,321
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    No I don't but she's very quirky, better than Florence and the Machine by a mile though.
  • Hav_mor91Hav_mor91 Posts: 17,183
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    Yes i absolutely do she almost single handedly changed the landscape for women in music today without her no Bjork, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Florence Welch, Ellie Goulding, Fiona Apple etc alot of women have alot to thank her for as alot of what they do can be directly or indirectly be traced back to her music.

    And Op i would argue Lionheart is her weakest and 50 words for you structurally and sonically beautiful but so boring. her best for me would rank as:

    Hounds Of Love
    Aerial
    The Dreaming
    The Kick Inside
    The Sensual World
    Never For Ever
    The Red Shoes
    50 Words For Snow
    Lionheart
    Directors Cut
    The whole Story
  • Buffy AnneBuffy Anne Posts: 133
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    Really?

    Yes. :)

    I know Aerial and 50 Words are two Kate albums which really divide opinions among her fanbase. I think they are both albums you either love or hate? I adore winter so 50 Words just speaks to me, but I love Aerial too because it has songs like A Coral Room, Sunset, and Nocturn.

    What I love about Kate's work is how it splits opinion. It's so interesting to talk about her output.
  • Hav_mor91Hav_mor91 Posts: 17,183
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    Buffy Anne wrote: »
    Yes. :)

    I know Aerial and 50 Words are two Kate albums which really divide opinions among her fanbase. I think they are both albums you either love or hate? I adore winter so 50 Words just speaks to me, but I love Aerial too because it has songs like A Coral Room, Sunset, and Nocturn.

    What I love about Kate's work is how it splits opinion. It's so interesting to talk about her output.

    I love Aerial and cite as one of her best though A Sea Of Honey can be hit or miss A Sky Of Honey nails it. 50 Words i don't hate i think the concept and execution is perfect i just find it slow rather than soothing and dull rather than relaxing. It's true i could talk about her all day long :p
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    From what I've heard and seen of her I would say she is. She was very influential.
  • ServalanServalan Posts: 10,167
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    Of course!

    Along with Debbie Harry and Siouxsie Sioux, she redefined what female artists could do and, like them, very much on her own terms.

    Kate is an original and her artistry and creativity make the vast majority of today's female soloists look pathetic. I don't need to name any names ... ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,302
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    Hav_mor91 wrote: »
    Yes i absolutely do she almost single handedly changed the landscape for women in music today without her no Bjork, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Florence Welch, Ellie Goulding, Fiona Apple etc alot of women have alot to thank her for as alot of what they do can be directly or indirectly be traced back to her music.
    I think that's overstating it somewhat. There were female artists around before Kate Bush and not all female artists are influenced by other female artists. Some, like PJ Harvey, were more influenced by male artists and bands.

    No doubt she is very influential and very good but not a genius for me. Very few people in music could be given that title though. IMO you have to reserve the word genius for people like Mozart.
  • konebyvaxkonebyvax Posts: 9,120
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    Genius is one of the most over/inappropriately used words in the English language (I've caught myself overusing it as well in the past and felt embarrassed). Kate Bush was an excellent singer/songwriter but genius? Err, no. I also find her one of the laziest musical artists around. She seems to have no love for the music industry which has given her untold riches over the years.
  • designer84designer84 Posts: 12,087
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    Kate is one of my favourite artists. I always heard the odd song of hers growing up but didn't really start buying her albums until "Aerial" came out in 2005. I was 21 then. Aerial is a beautiful album and it's one album I can listen to many many times. I think my favourite tracks on that album are "A Coral Room" "Aerial" "Nocturn" and "King Of The Mountain"
    Subsequently I went and either downloaded or bought all her other albums. I think "Aerial" stands out most for me because it was her first album I bought. Don't get me wrong, I was more than familiar with "Wuthering Heights", "Wow", "RUTH" and her iconic singles but I had never actually owned them. I think I have everything of hers now on my playlist for my phone. Depending on what mood I am in, determines what songs of hers are "in" with me... I'll never get bored or "Suspended in Gaffa", "Lily" (new version), "Get Out Of My House" or "Never Be Mine"

    She just has such a strong back catalogue of music. I like how she experiments, how she writes all of her music herself, how she can turn the most random of sounds/topics into song, how she has an air of secrecy to her. You never see her splashed over the papers. She lives a quiet life and doesn't have to be on TV. I do wish she would perform live but I know this will never happen. She is the one person I would love to see.
    I could easily call her a genius in the music world.
    I hope we have some more material soon... Maybe more crazier like some of her songs on "The Dreaming" ... I'm off to play a bit of Kate now. lol
  • designer84designer84 Posts: 12,087
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    konebyvax wrote: »
    Genius is one of the most over/inappropriately used words in the English language (I've caught myself overusing it as well in the past and felt embarrassed). Kate Bush was an excellent singer/songwriter but genius? Err, no. I also find her one of the laziest musical artists around. She seems to have no love for the music industry which has given her untold riches over the years.

    I'd suggest reading "Under The Ivy" to understand her more rather than say how lazy she is.
  • mushymanrobmushymanrob Posts: 17,992
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    what constitutes being a musical 'genius'?...

    id suggest shes our most creative female artiste, especially early in her career when she released 'wuthering heights' and that unconventional, original, song went straight to #1 in the charts (and in 78 the charts were more important), pissing all over the three main fashions...punk, rock and disco..
  • my name is joemy name is joe Posts: 4,450
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    Hav_mor91 wrote: »
    Yes i absolutely do she almost single handedly changed the landscape for women in music today without her no Bjork, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, Florence Welch, Ellie Goulding, Fiona Apple etc alot of women have alot to thank her for as alot of what they do can be directly or indirectly be traced back to her music.

    very dodgy statement, even if she were among the influences of those artists it doesn't make her responsible for their existence or musical output
    konebyvax wrote: »
    Genius is one of the most over/inappropriately used words in the English language (I've caught myself overusing it as well in the past and felt embarrassed). Kate Bush was an excellent singer/songwriter but genius? Err, no. I also find her one of the laziest musical artists around. She seems to have no love for the music industry which has given her untold riches over the years.

    yep, i never like the use of the word genius, she's a good singer songwriter no more or less...with a patchy back catalogue. If she was a young artist in the here and now she'd be dividing opinion like Lana and everyone else. That said, i do like her:o
  • Glawster2002Glawster2002 Posts: 15,189
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    Smudged wrote: »
    I think that's overstating it somewhat. There were female artists around before Kate Bush and not all female artists are influenced by other female artists. Some, like PJ Harvey, were more influenced by male artists and bands.

    No doubt she is very influential and very good but not a genius for me. Very few people in music could be given that title though. IMO you have to reserve the word genius for people like Mozart.

    Yes, there were plenty of other female artists around before Kate Bush, however none of them had the creative control over their music that she did at that time. That is why she is so influential. In many ways she broke free from the complete control the male dominated record industry had over female artists at that time and she was able to break free of that.

    Whilst other female artists may not have been directly influenced by her it is thanks to her they are now treated as equals.
  • Hav_mor91Hav_mor91 Posts: 17,183
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    Yes, there were plenty of other female artists around before Kate Bush, however none of them had the creative control over their music that she did at that time. That is why she is so influential. In many ways she broke free from the complete control the male dominated record industry had over female artists at that time and she was able to break free of that.

    Whilst other female artists may not have been directly influenced by her it is thanks to her they are now treated as equals.

    Exactly that was what i meant whether she directly influenced them or not her influence allowed for them to break through in a way. she was one of the first female artists to have control over and create her own creative circle and she was never swayed by record execs and did things on her own terms something which had never been done before and that is the crux of her influence aswell as a brilliant body of work.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,304
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    No. Hardly.




    Musical genius? The likes of Lennon, Hendrix, Joe Strummer etc. would get that sort of title.
  • spaceoddityspaceoddity Posts: 4,814
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    No. Hardly.




    Musical genius? The likes of Lennon, Hendrix, Joe Strummer etc. would get that sort of title.

    I disagree. The fact she wrote The Man With The Child In His Eyes when she was just 13 still amazes me.
  • Buffy AnneBuffy Anne Posts: 133
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    The likes of Lennon, Hendrix, Joe Strummer etc. would get that sort of title.

    They're all male. Which is fine - as I agree they are also worthy of the "genius" label. But there must be some female musical geniuses out there as well.

    I agree the word "genius" is used too lightly, and maybe I'm a biased fan but I honestly do think Kate Bush can be counted as one.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,302
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    Yes, there were plenty of other female artists around before Kate Bush, however none of them had the creative control over their music that she did at that time. That is why she is so influential. In many ways she broke free from the complete control the male dominated record industry had over female artists at that time and she was able to break free of that.

    Whilst other female artists may not have been directly influenced by her it is thanks to her they are now treated as equals.
    Did artists like Patti Smith or Joni Mitchell not have creative control over their music then?

    I'm not arguing that Kate Bush isn't very influential, I just have a hard time laying everything at her door as if she was the only creative and influential female artist around.
  • designer84designer84 Posts: 12,087
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    Smudged wrote: »
    Did artists like Patti Smith or Joni Mitchell not have creative control over their music then?

    I'm not arguing that Kate Bush isn't very influential, I just have a hard time laying everything at her door as if she was the only creative and influential female artist around.

    Kate Bush was signed as a teenager (16 I think and thanks to David Gilmor) and was given time to "find herself" musically. She was given artistic freedom by EMI which at the time was unheard of for a new artist, let alone a female. Her debut song wouldn't have been "Wuthering Heights" if EMI had their way. They suggested "James and the Cold Gun" but Kate fought for WH to be the first single, which proved EMI wrong.
    EMI took a big chance on a new artist. Even today music labels often play it safe. I think age, gender and the era play a big part in the boundaries that Kate broke through
  • mushymanrobmushymanrob Posts: 17,992
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    Smudged wrote: »
    Did artists like Patti Smith or Joni Mitchell not have creative control over their music then?

    I'm not arguing that Kate Bush isn't very influential, I just have a hard time laying everything at her door as if she was the only creative and influential female artist around.

    surely kate bush had a far bigger inpact on the uk music scene then they did....
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,302
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    surely kate bush had a far bigger inpact on the uk music scene then they did....
    Oh right, are we all talking about the UK music scene rather than music in general? Maybe that's why some people can't see the bigger picture and seem to think all female artists were seen as second class citizens and not capable of making music on their own until Kate Bush came along :D.
  • AlrightmateAlrightmate Posts: 73,120
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    Possibly, yes.

    Apparently Kate Bush was the first woman to reach number one in the UK with a self-written song.
    That's quite a landmark achievement in itself.
    Especially when you consider that what she was doing was so different to her peers at the time whose attempts for success were by using more conventional styles of pop.
  • AlrightmateAlrightmate Posts: 73,120
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    Smudged wrote: »
    Oh right, are we all talking about the UK music scene rather than music in general? Maybe that's why some people can't see the bigger picture and seem to think all female artists were seen as second class citizens and not capable of making music on their own until Kate Bush came along :D.

    I see that you're using a smiley there, but there may be some truth to that statement.

    Nowadays it may be so much easier for women to decide what music they want to create and go on and become successful with it. But not so easy before Kate Bush where women were often under the control of male management and had to succumb to their decisions if they wanted a chance of success. They had to do things a certain way which may not have been their own way.

    Of course there have been many female acts who have been determined and headstrong, before and after Kate Bush. But I'd say that Kate Bush was very important, and did make a significant contribution to helping female acts become more independent than they used to be over the future decades.
  • konebyvaxkonebyvax Posts: 9,120
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    Genuinely don't know so going to ask: Did Ms Bush have any sort of success Worldwide?
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