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Let’s Start with The Red Shoes…
IMAGE CREDIT: Drew Kessel
Might We See More Kate Bush Merchandise After Her Chart Success and Records?
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FANS was of Kate Bush…
have been treated to quite a few words from her over the past month. Not only did she give her first radio interview in six years to Woman’s Hour. Bush has also provided updates to fans based around the ongoing chart success of Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God). That song, after featuring on Stranger Things, has opened her music to so many new young fans. Bush recently said the below about the song’s chart records and success. She also mentioned something about merchandise:
“Whoooo Hoooo everybody! I just can’t believe it - No. 1 for the third week. We’re all so excited! In fact it’s all starting to feel a bit surreal.
I’ve just watched the last two episodes of Stranger Things and they’re just through the roof. No spoilers here, I promise. I'd only seen the scenes that directly involved the use of the track and so I didn’t know how the story would evolve or build. I was so delighted that the Duffer Brothers wanted to use RUTH for Max’s totem but now having seen the whole of this last series, I feel deeply honoured that the song was chosen to become a part of their roller coaster journey. I can’t imagine the amount of hard work that’s gone into making something on this scale. I am in awe. They’ve made something really spectacular.
I want to let you know about the amount of unofficial merchandise that’s out there. I haven’t seen it myself but I keep getting reports that there’s a huge amount: T-shirts, etc - some of which is very poor quality, some of which is pretty good and could be mistaken for being official. The only official merchandise is the already existing material that's available through the official websites.
We hope you understand that we want to honour the energy that’s being generated by the audiences right now. An energy that feels very special, unique and quite frankly, bloody moving.
Thanks very much everyone,
Kate”.
I know there is a lot of unofficial merchandise and products that have not been endorsed by Kate Bush. That is the nature of the industry. I think, in the wake of Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), that problem will become more obvious. Retailers and websites will be marketing stuff off that bears Bush’s name or that of the song. I guess the chances of a new edition of Hounds of Love being released are slim. Not only does it feature Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), but there is a chance to include a great B-side like Under the Ivy (which was the B-side to this song in the U.K.). It would ne nice to think we may get something like a T-shirt range and clothing. Maybe it would feature Bush in 1985 or lettering for Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God). There would be cool for merchandise of this nature, in addition to posters and totes. Rather than exploiting the song’s success and Kate Bush’s new resurgence, it would update the merchandise already out there. Of course, it would be sold through her website, and all authorised by Bush. I think that there could also be more general T-shirts, bags and posters that would feature Kate Bush through the years. Maybe posters or framed pictures of her album covers. Although there have been books released and various bits, I am sure there is demand and room in the market for new apparel and merchandise. Maybe she will consider it following her post about the unauthorised and fake merchandise she has been told about. Some well-designed and selective merchandise that gets the Kate Bus seal of approval would be…
SNAPPED up!