FEATURE:
The Deal They’re Making…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional photo for 2011’s Director’s Cut/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush
Kate Bush’s Role as Ambassador for Record Store Day UK 2024
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ON 20th April….
PHOTO CREDIT: Mick Haupt/Pexels
we celebrate this year’s Record Store Day UK. RSD 2024 has some incredible exclusives and releases. A day where we celebrate the culture of indie record shops, there is a lot to look forward to. You can follow Record Store UK on Twitter. It is one of the most interesting and quality-heavy years in recent memory. You will definitely want to be involved:
“Record Store Day UK is proud to announce this year’s list of exclusive and special releases coming on Saturday 20th April!
Get ready for collectible and limited-edition records from the likes of Jessie Ware, Noah Kahan, Gabriels, Katy J Pearson, Blur, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and many more!
Hundreds of artists have come together to celebrate the UK’s independent record shops which are at the heart of local communities up and down the country. Artists, labels, and stores on every continent in the world* have signed up for the 17th edition of the annual event which champions the unique culture of independent record shops and the art of vinyl.
*Except in Antarctica...nobody needs to queue up outside a store in there on a cold April morning!
With special records spanning rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, classical, folk - and even a release from ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ – there will be something on offer for music fans of all ages and tastes at their local record store in April.
And that's not all! Record Store Day is delighted to welcome exciting talent such as Laufey, Holly Humberstone, Fizz, English Teacher, Maisie Peters and BRIT nominees - Noah Kahan, Young Fathers and Olivia Dean to this year’s list.
Established fan favourites such as The Rolling Stones, Tom Grennan, Notorious B.I.G, Garbage and Lily Allen will also be releasing special vinyl editions to throw their support behind the hard-working music lovers running records stores all over the UK”.
One of the most exciting aspects of this year’s RSD is that Kate Bush is their Ambassador. The Ambassador is someone who champions record shops around the U.K. and acts as the face of the event. As part of the day, Bush’s song, Eat the Music, will be released as a 10”. Here are more details. The song is from 1993’s The Red Shoes. It was released as a single in the U.S. on 7th September, 1993, though not in the U.K. Here, Rubberband Girl was favoured as the single. It is great that the song is getting this standalone release. It is such a coup that Kate Bush is Ambassador. Record Store Day UK announced the news proudly:
“Record Store Day UK is honoured to announce Kate Bush as this year’s official ambassador.
As part of her role, Kate will champion the special and unique culture of record shops all over the UK and celebrate the art of vinyl.
Kate will also release a special 10” Record Store Day edition of “Eat the Music” exclusively in independent record shops on Saturday 20th April.
The single was originally scheduled to be the first release from her 1993 album “Red Shoes”, but was cancelled in favour of “Rubberband Girl”. The RSD edition is now set to be a hugely collectible release for Kate Bush fans.
Kate has recreated her own unique version, a beautiful UV printed 10” with her preferred track list of: Eat the Music, Lily and Big Stripey Lie.
As Record Store Day ambassador, Kate Bush joins an illustrious list of artists including Taylor Swift, Elton John, Noel Gallagher and the 1975.
Kate said today:
“What a huge honour to have been asked to be Ambassador for this year’s Record Store Day. It really is a great privilege. Isn’t it great to see how the resurgence in vinyl has taken the music industry by complete surprise? It had decided to leave vinyl far behind, but it would seem that not everyone agrees! I love that!
I know there are many, many artists who are just as excited to see the audience turning the tide. In the same way that some people like to read a book on Kindle but also want to have a book as a physical object, a lot of people like vinyl and streaming. Both have different appeals.
The added bonus of vinyl is that it encourages people to listen to albums. An art form that I’ve always thought can be treasured in a unique way. An album on vinyl is a beautiful thing, given a strong identity by its large-scale artwork. There’s a much more personal connection with the artist and their work.
It’s been fun putting designs together for some of the previous RSDs. This year’s design echoes the cancelled release of Eat the Music as the first single from the album, The Red Shoes. The image was intended to be on the cover of the single bag and is now on the disc as a UV print.
The title, Eat the Music, is meant to be a playful nod to 'If music be the food of love, play on,' from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
Each year Record Store Day gathers more attention, more momentum, and attracts more people who cram into indie record stores all over the world to see what’s up. What’s new?
This year, I hope you have a fantastic time at this very important event, and that you get to celebrate music that’s been specially released for you.
Very best wishes,
Kate”.
The news was announced on Wednesday (28th February) and received so much love and fascination. Few expected someone as huge and adored as Kate Bush would be an Ambassador for RSD. She has always been a champion of physical music. There will be more updates and bits from her as we head towards 20th April. Bush’s delight that vinyl is turning the tide and is selling so well is wonderful to see. She doesn’t mind people streaming, yet she understands how important physical music is. That tangible nature of the format. So many people have shared their excitement that Kate Bush is this year’s Ambassador. RSD is going to be a magnificent event. Kate Bush’s Eat the Music release is among a wave of wonderful releases. I wonder what the rest of this year holds for Kate Bush. This is quite a big step. She won’t be doing any public appearances or interviews, though her Ambassador role shows that she is still engaged. Someone dedicating herself to physical music and independent record stores, one wonders if she is preparing to release something herself. Her passion for physical music is clear. She has reissued her albums and recently brought out some special editions. She knows how crucial it is to have something physical. A product that you can hold and keep. Record stores are at the very heart f of the music industry. These spots where record buyers congregate and mix. It is vital that we keep them alcove and show support. Record Store Day UK is a yearly event where we see this buzz and new interest in record stores. Kate Bush’s patronage is a massive thing. One of the most important artists ever, reading her statement (in reaction to news of being the Ambassador) was so wonderful. She is proud to have been asked. Her clear love of vinyl and how you get something physical and real in your hands. An album that you can keep for years. How crucial record stores are. As we look forward to 20th April, we show love and respect to RSD Ambassador, Kate Bush. Go and get a copy of Eat the Music if you can from your local record shop. It is a beauty that you will want to…
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