She took some convincing, but eventually agreed to not just one, but three, all of which took place at various intervals during the height of her commercial success. In this personal account, Needs recalls some of the most in-depth discussions that took place during the artist's formative decade.
In retrospect, my decision to stick Kate Bush on the cover of ZigZag magazine in 1980 was an act of sheer punk-style defiance; so unlikely she had to be persuaded it wasn’t going to be another stitch-up before agreeing to do our interview. Yet once the ice was broken, it led to further encounters that Kate described as the most in-depth interviews of her formative decade.
Launched by Pete Frame in 1969 as an underground fanzine, ZigZag had become the UK’s first serious music monthly by the time he appointed me as editor in 1977. Punk’s revolution was in full swing and I reported from the frontline on The Clash, Ramones, Siouxsie And The Banshees, etc. In that era dominated by strict musical categories, punk soon became a blinkered parody of itself, motivating Johnny Rotten to voice his love of Peter Hammill and soon Kate Bush.
Coming from the John Peel school of non-existent musical barriers, I felt a fearlessly idiosyncratic talent like Kate deserved support rather than the disparaging treatment she was getting from the music papers. Knowing I’d ZI attract abuse from punkier elements, I found her precociously vivid talent so fascinating I requested an interview. Predictably, she was sceptical that a punk-associated publication would want to interview her, needing to be convinced of my honourable intentions. Finally, I won a slot after the Daily Express on the Friday afternoon following Never For Ever’s September 8 release.
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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 154 de Prog.
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JAKKO M JAKSZYK
King Crimson's vocalist and guitarist shares anecdotes from his revealing new autobiography, discusses his lost career as a footballer and reveals what he said when he met the former king of pop.
A Part & Yet Apart
Sheffield-based 80s proggers Haze have returned with a new studio album, The Water's Edge - their third since their 2013 comeback record, The Last Battle. Prog catches up with threequarters of the band to discuss Haze's DIY ethos, the curse of prog and playing to Cumbrian sheep farmers.
CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
He's about to embark on Dream Theater's 40th Anniversary Tour, but keyboard maestro Jordan Rudess has taken time out to discuss his soaring new solo album, Permission To Fly.
On The Wing
Birds, break-ups, big choruses and the Charlie Chaplin effect can all be found on In Murmuration, the ninth album from Finland's Von Hertzen Brothers. But as they embrace their power pop influences, have the Finns cast off their prog wizard cloaks once and for all? Mikko von Hertzen talks about the Seattle influence, songwriting secrets and sax solos.
Fourth Dimension
The stock of melodic Northumberland-based proggers Stuckfish has been rising since they formed six years ago. Their fourth studio album, Stuckfish IV, represents an important watershed in the band's musical evolution. Co-founders Adrian Fisher and Phil Stuckey tell Prog about the diverse influences that have helped to shape it.
Symphly The Best
In the 70s, Barclay James Harvest almost bankrupted themselves by performing with an orchestra, but, several decades on, they’re celebrating last year’s performance with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic, captured on their latest live record, Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert. John Lees reminisces over the band’s ambitious early years and bassist Craig Fletcher fills Prog in on JLBJH’s upcoming “progtastic” double album.
We've Not Been Expecting You
The unpredictable Frost* are back with Life In The Wires, a bold double concept album that revisits the mood of Milliontown. Bandleader Jem Godfrey tells Prog why he rolled out the solos on a record he describes as the most fun since their dazzling debut.
FAR HORIZONS AND PANORAMIC AMBITIONS
Dutch five-piece Lesoir have been steadily gathering momentum over the last 15 years, and they hope to build on that with their latest release, Push Back The Horizon. Vocalist/ instrumentalist Maartje Meessen and guitarist Ingo Dassen discuss the creation of their sixth album, working with Muse's production team, and their dream of bringing their intricate music to new audiences.
'I mean, what is classical nowadays?'
Tony Banks reflects on his role as a 21st-century classical composer.
There Can Be Only One!
Never meet your heroes, or so the saying goes, but Opeth have had a blast working with Ian Anderson on their latest, The Last Will And Testament. Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson discuss the band's proggiest album to date, the return of the growl and why blood isn't always thicker than water.