There's a rumour going around about a new Kate Bush album in 2023...

Virgin Radio

26 Nov 2022, 19:34

That's what the fan forums are saying, anyway.

It's been a stellar year for books about music. One of the very best is Running Up That Hill: 50 Visions of Kate Bush - out now on Nine Eight Books - by acclaimed British music journalist Tom Doyle, which teases out some intriguing details about the famously elusive pop icon's past... and her future.

The book features details from the author’s one-to-one conversations with Kate, as well as vignettes of her key songs, albums, videos, and concerts. While we haven't heard new music from the Bexleyheath born songwriter since 2011's 50 Words for Snow, in a recent conversation with The James McMahon Music Podcast, Doyle hypothesised we might hear music from Kate sooner rather than later.

"The sort sort of chatter you hear on the fan groups is... Del Palmer, who was her boyfriend for 15 years, when they split up he stayed on as a recording engineer," says Tom. "But he was quite active and lively on Facebook and stuff like that, until he went quiet about a year ago. I keep on hearing that she's very busy, so I would imagine... I mean, it's been eleven years..."

He continues, "I mean, there was a twelve year gap in between The Red Shoes [1993] and Ariel [2005], and we're now coming up to that again. Obviously, there was the Before The Dawn shows [Kate's 2014 residence at the Hammersmith Apollo in London], which took two years of life to do, but I would imagine - I would hope - there would be something coming next year..."

There's renewed interest in the music of Kate Bush since her 1985 classic 'Running Up That Hill' was used in an iconic scene in the most recent series of Stranger Things. It broke records too.

Tom says that he believes Kate is aware of the hunger that exists for new music.

"She's definitely aware of the public perception of her," he says. "At one point when I was interviewing her, I did ask, "How do you feel about fans building you up into some some sort of Goddess?" And she says, "Well, I'm not, am I", and it's a weird thing, sitting with someone in their living room and having that sort of conversation. We talked about fame a bit, and she talked about people like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe and I just don't think she sees herself on that sort of level."

He adds, "I think she's in a great position now, where she can just pop her head up, do the work, and then disappear again. It's perfect for her, really."

More news when we have it!

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