PBMANCHESTER@CCMAIL.SUNYSB.EDU (01/22/90)
The recent thoughtful attention to "Sat in Your Lap" by
Jon, Doug, and IED brought to mind some incidental information
about the video for that song that comes up in an interview Kate
did on some British children's TV program, at the time it was
being made, that I happen to have on tape. Probably this was
posted years ago and reposes in the archives; but just in
case....
I call this the "Snow White" interview, because Kate looks
like a refugee from a Disney set. Her hair is dyed much darker
than usual--colored and cut as it appears in the video. She is
wearing a low-cut red dance leotard, a print skirt, low-heeled
rope wedgy slipons. She hits exactly the mix of sexy and demure
of a Disney maiden.
The set is simple; three rows of children sit on Kate's and
the interviewer's left and right. They look to be 10, 11; what I
would call 4th graders, whatever Form that corresponds to in
England. Behind them is a large rainbow painted on a wall. The
interviewer is a sandy-haired young woman whose name is not used
on my tape; on that tape the show begins with the video for
"Babooshka" already in progress, coming to the end.
(I.=Interviewer)
* * * * * * *
I. A really amazing video there by a really amazing lady--Kate
Bush! (Children holler "yea!" and clap). Well, we're really
obviously pleased to have you here, Kate.
KB Great.
I. Actually, when you perform this song, there's none of this
sort of standing up in front of the mike and just belting it out,
it really is quite a work of art. When you're writing songs,
Kate, do you think, always, in the back of your mind, how is this
going to look on a video?
KB ummm... Not always, at the writing stage. There is a lot
of visual ideas because when you're writing a song you've got to
think of the character who's singing the song, who often isn't
yourself. And that character will be in a particular situation,
either an unhappy one, or in a certain room, with a certain
person. And I think all these things, you actually mentally push
yourself into it, to write the song so that you'll be closest to
that atmosphere. And when you make a video often you can't afford
to visually do what you have in your mind, so often we'll change
it slightly, make it a bit more abstract, rather than go for the
full thing.
I. I think Dave has a question. (Boy in front row to Kate's
left speaks.)
D. How do you make your videos, Kate?
KB Well, umm, it's quite a long process, it depends on the
song. The song really dictates what you have to do with it. Some
songs are very simple, and other songs almost become little epics,
where you've got to section lots of things together. And if
you're using other people in the video, then you have to get
choreography for them and make sure that they look right and they
do the right things and, uh...it really is a lot of fun, actually.
For me it's almost like making a film, and I think of it as
something very special.
I. Now, you've brought some story boards along today, haven't
you?
KB Yes, I have (reaches behind her chair and brings up a large
bound portfolio). Something that I do for the videos just
recently is, umm (opens folio), in order to let the people that
are working on the video know--like the cameramen and all that--I
draw these little pictures. I don't know if you can see (holds up
first story sheet for "Army Dreamers"); the video starts off with
an eye, blinking, in time to the music.
I. It's very rough drawings (cut to the video itself, the eye,
blinking).
KB (Over the corresponding part of the video) And the camera
moves out. And as the camera moves out you see a little baby boy
on my lap. And this is really step by step, almost like a cartoon
(picture cuts back to Kate speaking; audio from the song continues
in background).
Girl What other interests do you have apart from singing and
dancing?
KB Well, in many ways, before all these things started
happening to me, they were my interests. Like when I got home
from school, I used to want to play the piano and that sort of
thing. And, um, I'm very lucky because my interests are my work.
And in so many ways, any interests that I have can become part of
my work. Like a few months ago I bought a pair of skates and just
fancied learning how to rollerskate. And we're going to have a
rollerskating section in the video. I think in a way that's the
wonderful thing about art, like music, dancing, that sort of
thing. Everything you do can then become your work. You know,
like if you're cleaning up one night, you might suddenly realize
what a great routine it'd make, with the broom, you know. It's
just keeping your mind open for all these things. And it's really
fun. Life becomes work.
I. What about your training, though, in the early days, Kate?
Tell us about that.
KB Well, when I left school, I wanted to do something that
would help my music and I didn't want to be sat around all day
doing nothing, though I knew that I wanted to push myself into my
music, and I thought that one of the best things I could do would
be to learn to dance, because they're very close arts. Music and
dance are meant to go together. And I went to see an incredible
performance, by someone called Lindsay Kemp. And I suddenly
realized that this is what I was looking for--this sort of
movement combined with music. So I took some classes with him,
and went on to the Dance Centre, which is still existing, and took
lessons with a wonderful lady called Robin Carvac <?? can't make
out last name; not in Kerton or Cann/Mayes>, and a lot of other
teachers, and I've been going ever since, really--on and off.
I. One of my favorites is "The Man With the Child in His
Eyes."
KB Yes, that probably was the simplest one we've ever done.
Again, the song dictated it. It was a very intimate song, about a
young girl almost voicing her inner thoughts, not really to
anyone, but rather to herself. And it just started off, I just
sat down on the floor cross-legged and ready to work out some
ideas (cut to the video) to the routine, with the music on. And
my brother Jay came in and saw me sitting there and said, why
don't you just keep it like that (video continues briefly, then
cut back).
I. How do you keep up with costumes, and especially your hair,
during touring?
KB Well, on tour we had a lady who looked after all the
costumes, 'cause it wasn't just me that was wearing costumes, and
all the band had clothes, and the dancers, and the musician--the
magician, I mean. And she had to keep repairing them every night
and getting them dry-cleaned. And my hair, I really just
tried...I had to have one perm before the tour and that tried to
hold it for the rest...it didn't do very well, but...yeah.
I. You've brought some costumes with you today.
KB Yes, I have brought...(reaches behind again to bring out
the dunce cap from "Sat in Your Lap"). The video that we're doing
at the moment is some characters featuring that background, so--
that's fine (sets the cap on the head of a boy to her right, pulls
the elastic over his chin). Welcome to dunce! (Children laugh.)
I. That's Jacobin--we want to know who it is.
KB The song's all about the search for knowledge. So...
(pulls out one of the three-pronged red and yellow fool
headdresses).
I. This is your new song, is it? The search for knowledge.
KB (Hands headdress to a boy on her left, who studies it for a
bit, figures out it goes on your head, and puts it on.) Seemed
like a good idea to have some figures that epitomized looking for
knowledge. And uh (pulls out one of the bull caps) this is a
bull. And what Pammy did here...this was originally a cow's mask,
and it was a very pretty cow, and it was pink, and had big
eyelashes. And she managed to cut it down and completely changed
it; she put these horns on, on top of what was there, and turned
it into a bull. Incredible.
I. Let's give that to Marie, shall we? (Kate sets it on the
head of the girl who asked the earlier question.) What about your
costumes for this video, Kate?
KB (Reaches behind and pulls out her costume). Well, we tried
to base it on a sort of ballerina's costume. Obviously I've got a
lot of interesting dance to do. But also, the flavor of the song,
everyone kept commenting on how Spanish it was. And this was one
of the reasons for the bull image here, everyone thought it was
very Spanish and bullringy. So we tried to keep this looking like
a ballet tutu, but at the same time making the skirt slightly
Spanish, so that I'd be able to pick it up and wave it around (the
video for "Sat in Your Lap" starts). And Pammy based this on a
ballet tutu.
(Complete video for "Sat in Your Lap" is shown.)
KB (Reprise) It really is a lot of fun, actually. For me
it's almost like making a film. And I think of it as something
very special. (Children holler yea, applaud.)
END
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