Bush is back

COMMENTARY

Guess who is destroying the British Top 40 chart?

It is a 56-year-old lady.

Kate Bush.

As of this week, Bush has eight albums on the chart, from Lionheart (1978) in the fortieth spot to The Whole Story (1986) at sixth place.

Basically, her entire back catalogue is being played now, thanks to her current 22-date residency at the Hammersmith Apollo in London.

It is the first time she has performed live in 35 years.

There's absolutely no one else in the world quite like Kate, an eccentric child of the 70s whose early videos are filled with fanciful costumes and bizarre interpretive dances.

She burst onto the scene in 1978 with her first single, Wuthering Heights, a haunting and otherworldly tribute to the Emily Bronte classic.

Sung from the lovesick protagonist Cathy's point-of-view, Wuthering Heights honestly sounds as if it was sung by a ghost or spirit, Kate's vocals at once shrieky and sweet.

One you hear it you'll never forget it, and in fact if you don't go listen to it RIGHT NOW, I'll hate you forever.

Full disclosure: As a teen wannabe songwriter I actually had the audacity to write a companion piece to Kate's Wuthering Heights, in which I took on the role of Heathcliff.

It will not be released. And don't try to hack my iCloud for it either. That would be more embarrassing/harrowing than any nude pic.

Kate followed up Wuthering Heights with a string of hypnotically bizarre songs, ranging in topics from Harry Houdini to Egyptian pyramids to nuclear holocaust.

As the 80s went on, her sound became somewhat less airy-fairy, and her album The Hounds Of Love (1985) actually sounded like the work of a human woman rather than a demented elf.

Bush has maintained a low profile for decades now, but her legend has only deepened.

One reason is that there is absolutely no one else making music like she once did - that sense of freedom and possibility that artists had in the 70s is long gone.

There are no more hippies or weirdos.

TRAINED LIKE DOGS

Musicians have been trained to behave, like dogs.

I mean Ellie Goulding is nice, but she's the processed-cheese version of Kate - no flavour, no texture, no kick.

If you've never had the great fortune to experience Kate, hit YouTube and check out the vids for Babooshka, Hammer Horror and Wuthering Heights.

Your first reaction will be - this chick is totally nuts.

Your next reaction will be - this chick is super hot.

Finally it will hit you - this chick is an absolute genius.

Kate Bush is more than a musician, she's a magician.

My hope is that her resurgence will remind her lessers of the possibilities of their art.