FEATURE:
A Kiss from the Rose of Lee
PHOTO CREDIT: Vic King
To Have Been There: The Short-Lived Wonder of the KT Bush Band
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I almost missed the anniversary…
IN THIS PHOTO: The original site of the Rose of Lee pub (on 162 Lee High Road) in Lewisham, where the KT Bush Band performed their first gig in April 1977
but, in April 1977, a bit of history was written. Kate Bush had already recorded songs for her debut album, The Kick Inside, before this. It would be a few months before she stepped back into AIR Studios to finish the album. A useful way of getting live experience (that she would bring into the recordings of her debut album), the KT Bush Band was this short-lived venture that played to small audiences across the summer of 1977. To have been at one of those gigs must have been such an experience! Before moving on, the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia provide background about the formation and success of the KT Bush Band:
“Band formed in 1977 by Brian Bath, Vic King, Del Palmer and Kate Bush. After practicing in Greenwich and East Wickham Farm, they made their live debut in April 1977 at the Rose Of Lee in Lewisham. The set list consisted of standards like Come Together, 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', 'Tracks Of My Tears', but also early versions of Kate Bush songs like James And The Cold Gun, Saxophone Song and Them Heavy People. During the summer of 1977 the band played various venues in and around London, a grand total of 20 gigs.
When Kate Bush started recording her debut album The Kick Inside, she actually recorded versions of 'Them Heavy People' and 'James And The Cold Gun' at De Wolfe Studios in London with the KT Bush Band, but in the end, the band members were not used for the album recordings. Also, an attempt to release a single of the KT Bush Band's version of Johnny Winter's 'Shame Shame Shame', recorded at Graphic Sound studios in Catford was halted either by Kate's family or EMI Records. Although many of the band's gigs were filmed, photographed and recorded, none of these have surfaced.
In 2016, Brian Bath reformed the KT Bush Band together with Vic King and new members Steve Bevan on drums and Jodie May on vocals. They have played various live gigs in the UK”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1977/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush
I wanted to celebrate forty-five years of a slice of Kate Bush history many might not be aware of. Many see Bush much more as a recording artist rather than a live performer. Although she only conducted one tour (1979’s The Tour of Life) and a residency (2014’s Before the Dawn), she did do a lot of live T.V. performances. Coming before all of that was the modest gigs at in 1977. Starting out as small pub gigs, buzz grew and, before long, the KT Bush band had this giant following! As great as Del Palmer and the rest of the band were, I feel most people were there to see and hear Kate Bush! Whether it was because of her allure and magnetism or the incredible vocals and performance, many people would not have heard anyone like her! We mark album anniversaries and stuff like that, but there are these important occasions like the KT Bush Band coming to life. Although the band are around today, they, obviously, do not include Kate Bush. Brian Bath’s recollections are illuminating:
“I had some regular musical friends – Paddy Bush, Vic and Del, and we played together often. One day shortly after a gig at Whitechapel Art Gallery, Paddy said that Kate was looking for some live experience and wanted to join a band, as she was about to record her first album with EMI. I said I would definitely endeavour to sort out a band.
My immediate reaction was to get the old TAME band from school back together. I rushed around to Del Palmer’s house, explaining that tons of gigs would come our way, that Kate was a great singer, had great looks and with her theatrical tendencies she could front a band for sure!
It seems Kate had also approached Vic at the Whitechapel gig, and with us all on board it wasn’t long before we had a rehearsal organised. So, we met up with Kate and she was more than eager to get the band out there. We immediately started work rehearsing a set of songs that would blow the socks off of any competition on the pub circuit. Kate needed a good vocal microphone so we all went with Pa Bush to the Fender Soundhouse in Manchester Square, and from the range available Kate chose the favourite professional mic of the time, a Shure Unidyne.
Rehearsals for the KT Bush Band began in earnest. After a first try in a room at the swimming baths, we cleared out and set up our equipment in the Barn over at Kate’s home, The Farm. It was midwinter and absolutely freezing.
I remember setting my amp up in the old disused fireplace. Maybe if I played loud enough it would warm us up! Things began well. Kate spoilt us all with gallons of tea and biscuits, and fun was had by all.
We needed a gig to try the band out on, so I went to the Rose of Lee pub in Lee Green, London, one evening, and got the guvnor interested in the band. I said we would guarantee 20 people in the first week, bodies up to the bar the second, down to the other end the third, and packed on the fourth! This is precisely what happened. What a gig it became – dry ice during “James and the Cold Gun” at the end of the evening where Kate went around with a pretend rifle, mock shooting at the audience!
As we were all working at the same time as performing, we juggled late nights, and early starts with exhausting schedules : Up at 7am, home at 5pm, off to gig, home at 2am, back to work – and around it went!”.
Although it was brief, those who got to see the original incarnation of the KT Bush Band will never forget what they heard! I am glad the band continues to this day. Forty-five years ago, Kate Bush and her band started these modest (at first) pub gigs that were designed to give her some live experience. They soon exploded and, demand-wise, she could have kept doing them for years. As it was, Kate Bush would go on to become one of the most loved…
ARTISTS of all time.