How one David Bowie song transformed the life and career of Kate Bush
Kate Bush, the visionary behind the eclectic and innovative ‘Wuthering Heights’, drew significant inspiration from David Bowie. This comes as no surprise, particularly as both artists forged their own paths in music, diverging from the norms of their era and amassing devoted followings. Like Bush, Bowie carved a reputation as one of the pioneers who shattered boundaries in music and culture.
Born in Brixton in 1947, Bowie’s career impressively amassed popularity across multiple eras and generations. He defied numerous conventions, particularly from the 1970s onward. While his career began in the late 1960s, Bowie’s status as a trailblazer soared after the release of the 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
The tumultuous era of the ’60s and ’70s marked a profound period of social revolution. It was a time when the established norms of society collided with the burgeoning sense of boundless possibility, causing seismic shifts across various cultural landscapes. This seismic change reverberated most intensely within the realms of music, fashion, film, and broader societal norms.
Notably, this transformative epoch birthed a multitude of trailblazers and visionaries. Among these luminaries, Bowie emerged as a beacon along with Bush, illuminating uncharted territories with their avant-garde aesthetics and groundbreaking sonic explorations. Their unconventional lyrics and themes pushed artistic boundaries and laid the groundwork for future generations to challenge the status quo.
Bush opened up about Bowie’s impact on her in a 2007 interview. Recounting her experience as one of the fervent, screaming fans at Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ legendary last performance on July 3rd, 1973, she vividly reminisced about that iconic moment while emphasising that her initial encounter with Bowie’s music was truly transformative, on both her personal and professional endeavours.
“I was sitting in my bath, submerged in bubbles, listening to Radio Luxembourg when I heard David Bowie for the first time,” she said. “‘There’s a starman waiting in the sky’. I thought it was such an interesting song and that he had a really unusual voice. Soon, I was to hear that track everywhere, and Bowie’s music became a part of my life.”
She continued: “Was it Bo-Wie, Bowie or B’wee? Everything about him was intriguing. When I saw him on Top Of The Pops, he was almost insect-like; his clothing was theatrical and bizarre; was that a dress? No one was sure, but my conclusion was that he was quite beautiful. His picture found itself on my bedroom wall next to the sacred space reserved solely for my greatest love — Elton John.”
Adding: “A fantastic songwriter with a voice to match, Bowie had everything. He was just the right amount of weird, obviously intelligent and, of course, very sexy. Ziggy played guitar. And I was there to see his last show as Ziggy Stardust with The Spiders From Mars. The atmosphere was just so charged that at the end when he cried, we all cried with him.”
