FEATURE:
A Score to Settle
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush on the set of the 1993 short film, The Line, the Cross and the Curve/PHOTO CREDIT: Guido Harari
Kate Bush and How Her Talent Would Translate Into Film Composition
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KATE Bush…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in the video for Hammer Horror (a single released from 1978’s Lionheart)
is a big film and T.V. fan. Since her childhood, she has taken influence from the screen when it comes to her songwriting. I am not sure how much of a film buff she is today, but one suspects the Bush family does get to the cinema now and then. She understands the importance and impact film and T.V. can have on someone. I think she is someone who owes a lot to that medium. Although she does not give permission much for her songs to be used on screen, we have seen her music feature. This Woman’s Work first appeared on the film, She’s Having a Baby, before it was on The Sensual World in 1989. Bush is more used to composing traditional songs, yet she did a series of commercials for a drinks company, Fruitopia, in 1994. This consisted of a few short musical pieces that soundtracked particular flavours. It was an unexpected move for Bush, though she must have been intrigued by the chance to compose scores rather than songs. I feel she is an artist who would excel when it came to a film score. It is not unusual for artists to do this. Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have done so. Listen to Bush’s albums where strings come to the fore on various songs (2005’s Aerial is a prime example) and you can feel this sort of classical composer working away.
Even on albums without much strong work, the musical innovation throughout is incredible. I am not sure which genre Bush is a bigger fan of, though I could see her composing something for a thriller or horror film. Thom Yorke’s score for Suspiria (2018) could act as a guide. Maybe working out of Abbey Road Studios, a film with Kate Bush composing the score would be a real treat! Of course, fans would probably prefer a studio album from her where we get to hear new songs. It wouldn’t be to far-fetched to imagine Bush adding her name to a film score. She worked with the Trio Bulgarka (a Bulgarian vocal ensemble) on The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes (1993). Adding a flavour of that to a stirring song could prove interesting! Think about how horror has inspired her music through her career. Hammer Horror, Get Out of My House and Hounds of Love are either influenced by or included references to horror films or literature. In truth, there I no genre Kate Bush could not own and do a wonderful job on! I am surprised she has not recorded a score before. She has had offers to appear in films herself. She did contribute a song, Be Kind to My Mistakes, to the 1987 film, Castaway (which she was approached to appear in).
In terms of 2022, I keep saying that we will see music from her at some point. Maybe the tragedy in Ukraine will prove sobering and affect her in terms of drive and inspiration. I am not certain whether we will get a new album this year. Let’s hope that we do. Maybe she has been approached to compose for a film. Perhaps people are a bit scared to do so. I can picture Bush in a studio listening to an orchestra or working alongside musicians from various areas of the world to create a rich, colourful and unique cocktail that is very much her own vision! Bush, I feel, is a visual writer where she projects images and scenes in her head when she is writing. As inspired by the visual mediums as much as any artist, a natural translation into score composition would delight fans. She would definitely excel in that role. Who knows when it comes to Kate Bush. I thought about this career expansion when listening to albums like The Dreaming (1982), Hounds of Love (1985) and Aerial. There are symphonic qualities to those albums. Such interesting compositions throughout. She can rouse the spirits and build big scenes; she can also take things down and portray intimacy and something much less atmospheric. All of this experience and ability would aid and heighten any film score. So many people would relish the opportunity to hear Bush’s music on the big screen. Whilst her studio tracks have appeared in films, she herself has not created original scores for any motion picture. Hearing a brilliant film score from the iconic Kate Bush is something that we…
MAY see one day.