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The Kick Inside, Kate Bush’s debut album, came out in 1978, and still – literally and metaphorically – gives me a “kick” inside every time I listen to it. We are dealing with a multi-talented artist, who, through this album, launched her own unique character onto the art rock music scene. She had been writing lyrics since she was a child, and performed her songs with her rare and wonderful voice, enriching them with her airy movements and dreamy expression. Her source of inspiration is all those incentives which excite the imagination and fire the sensitive creativity of a child. Incentives like tradition, fairy-tales or even people or faces that stigmatize this tender age and seem to beg be transformed into heroes. A characteristic example is the title track – ‘The Kick Inside – which is based on an old traditional Anglo-Celtic song and narrates the love between siblings.

Dance and artistic reflection are also elements of Kate’s theatrical interpretation, into which she was initiated by Lindsay Kemp. “Moving” is a work of homage to her teacher. Love and sexuality are feelings that are praised in many of her compositions. For example, “Feel It”, “L Amour Looks Something Like You” and “The Man With the Child in His Eyes”, the lyrics of which are about her first love. I cannot but mention my favorite track,“Wuthering Heights”, which was composed by Kate at the age of 17 while she was reading Emily Bronte’s book of the same title. With her airy, shivering, romantic, magical voice and presence, she gracefully usurped the first place of the British chart for 4 consecutive weeks, dethroning ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me”. Undoubtedly, she still remains very special and unique. She is the fairy in my fairy tales, who continues to explore and excite my feelings and senses in the same way as her timeless masterpiece. Thank you for the experiences Kate.

 

Vasiliki Koulouri