2017

My annual end-of-year list blog post...

My favourite songs that came out this year:
1. Don't Delete The Kisses - Wolf Alice
2. Hard Times - Paramore
3. On Hold - The xx
4. Love - Lana Del Rey
5. Rose-Coloured Boy - Paramore
6. Green Light - Lorde
7. Told You So - Paramore
8. Passionfruit - Drake
9. Idle Worship - Paramore
10. Beautifully Unconventional - Wolf Alice
11. Lust For Life - Lana Del Rey & The Weeknd
12. Sign Of The Times - Harry Styles
13. Coachella - Woodstock In My Mind - Lana Del Rey
14. After The Zero Hour - Wolf Alice
15. Fake Happy - Paramore
16. Revolution - Rat Boy
17. Kill For Candy - Dreamcar
18. Sadboy - Wolf Alice
19. Right Now - HAIM
20. Going Backwards - Depeche Mode

My favourite albums of the year:

1. After Laughter - Paramore

2. Visions Of A Life - Wolf Alice

3. Lust For Life - Lana Del Rey

4. Material Control - Glassjaw

5. AFI (The Blood Album) - AFI

6. Dreamcar - Dreamcar

7. More Life - Drake

8. I See You - The xx

Concerts I went to this year:

1. TRNSMT Festival: Radiohead, Belle & Sebastian, Kasabian, Catfish & The Bottlemen,  The Kooks,  George Ezra, Stormzy, Biffy Clyro, The 1975, Two Door Cinema Club

2. Depeche Mode

3. Paramore/Bleached

4. AFI/Deftones

5. Lana Del Rey

6. The Smyths (The Smiths tribute)

7. Room 29 (Jarvis Cocker & Chilly Gonzales)

8. Cloudbusting (Kate Bush tribute)

9. Taking Back Sunday

New films I saw this year:
1. Baby Driver
2. T2: Trainspotting
3. The Killing of the Sacred Deer
4. La La Land
5. Wonder Woman
6. Loving Vincent

Favourite old films I saw for the first time this year:

1. Trainspotting

2. The Doom Generation

3. Ladies & Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains

4. Kill Bill: Vol 1

5. Kill Your Friends

6. Sing Street

7. The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert

8. Depeche Mode: 101

9. Purple Rain

10. Chéri

Books I read this year:

1. Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh

2. Porno - Irvine Welsh

3. Skagboys - Irvine Welsh

4.Kill Your Friends - John Niven

5. A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess

6. Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson

7. Talk To The Snail - Stephen Clarke

8. The Pact - Jodi Picoult

9. The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka

10. The Melancholy Death Of Oyster Boy, & Other Stories - Tim Burton

11. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

12. Top Gear Skin - Richard Allen

13. Geek Girl - Holly Smale

14. Weekend In Paris - Robyn Sisman

15. The Gift - Vladimir Nabokov

Top 5 most listened songs of the year according to last.fm...
1. Hotline Bling - Drake
2. Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin - The Runaways
3. Moaning Lisa Smile - Wolf Alice
4. True Trans Soul Rebel - Against Me!
5. Disco 2000 - Pulp

...and Spotify:

1. Born Slippy (Nuxx) - Underworld

2. Dads Best Friend - Rubberbandits

3. Silk - Wolf Alice

4. Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

5. (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais - The Clash

Music Monday: my 80s mixtape

Making mixtapes is one of the first skills that I remember being taught by my dad, as a child of about 5 or 6 who borrowed compilation CDs from the library and recorded my favourite songs onto cassette to keep. We had a hi-fi in the corner of the living room with a turntable, CD player and tape-deck - which now sits in the corner of my bedroom - where I recall sitting and performing the ritual of hitting the 'play' and 'record' buttons simultaneously just in time for my chosen song to start, watching the tape wind its way from one spool to the other, then slamming the 'pause' button on the tape before the CD moved on to the next song.

I'd make tapes to play in my room and in the car: first pop songs, then the punk and alternative that I grew to love as a teenager. As a 90s baby who was inherently distrustful of the record player, I hired my dad to record the Grease soundtrack from my mum's vinyl for me when I went through my Grease phase (every girl has a Grease phase, right?). 

Once I had a computer I graduated to burning CDs of the songs I'd downloaded and meticulously creating playlists on iTunes, Spotify, 8tracks and so on, but they lack the skill of knowing when to press the buttons and the panic of not knowing whether the tape was going to run out midway through a song. Despite the availability of every song ever recorded on the internet, I still like to put together a mixtape every now and again. 

I put this mix together about nine months ago, after a viewing of the two Trainspotting movies ignited my passion for the two 'Temptations' below and tied together lots of my 80s pop favourites. (Side note: I didn't blog for most of 2017 and if you're wondering what I was doing during that time, I was mostly watching Trainspotting.) Since I've now conquered the turntable, I put the whole thing together from the boxes of 7" singles that my parents have passed down to me (and a couple that I've picked up myself) for that authentic crackling vinyl sound, which is unfortunately missing from the Spotify re-creation at the bottom of this entry. Still, I recommend this playlist - it's lasted nine months in my tape-deck without me getting tired of it which I think proves how great the music of this era is - and how strong my mixtape game is!

Side 1

1. Temptation - Heaven 17

AKA the song that's playing in Trainspotting when the gang are in the nightclub. Tommy and Spud are chatting about their girl troubles, Begbie and Sick Boy are pairing off with that night's partners, and Renton is scouring the room for someone to satisfy his "post-junk libido". It's one of my most-played songs of the year because it goes so hard.

2. Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood

'Welcome To The Pleasuredome' is probably my favourite 80s album - I blogged about how much I loved it when I first discovered it way back at the start of 2016 and my adoration has not waned. 'Relax' is one of the biggest British songs of all time and pops up in all sorts of places; I often say that my favourite movie is every movie that has a scene set to this song so hearing it fade in when Begbie and Renton face off in T2 was very exciting for me. 

3. Temptation - New Order
Not to be confused with Heaven 17, the New Order song of the same name is the one that Diane sings in the morning when Renton wakes up to her family, and again when he's having come-down hallucinations. I'd actually discovered it just before seeing the movie and it's become one of my favourite New Order songs, seconded only by 'Age Of Consent'. There are a load of different versions, like every New Order song, but the single version is my favourite. 

4. Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
Not linked to Trainspotting, just a fun 80s pop song. I can't remember whether or not my parents had a copy of this but I picked one up at the charity shop where I used to work. 

5. Tainted Love - Soft Cell

There's not much that I need to say about 'Tainted Love'. It's a synthpop classic and no playlist of 80s synthy tunes should be without it. 

6. Sheila Take A Bow - The Smiths
Being The Smiths, this obviously isn't a synth tune, but they're one of the best things to come out of the 80s regardless. I chose 'Sheila Take A Bow' since it's an uncharacteristically cheerful Smiths song, so it can keep up with the Hi-NRG of the Frankies and the synth hits that appear elsewhere on the mix.

7. Gold - Spandau Ballet
This song is so uplifting. It reminds me of my friends from work who have picked it out as their go-to karaoke song, and the way that a little snippet was played on the BBC every time someone British won a gold medal at the London Olympics. 

8. Geno - Dexys Midnight Runners
The popular choice from Dexys is obviously 'Come On Eileen' but my best friend referenced this song so often that I listened to it and realised it was an underrated classic. They use brass instead of synths but the feeling is there.

9. It's A Sin - Pet Shop Boys
Synthpop? More like sinthpop. This song is so loud and desperate, I love it.

10. Only You - Yazoo
This song is a masterpiece and I didn't realise until recently that Yazoo's is the original and The Flying Pickets' version is a cover. It's on an advert this Christmas and I'm eternally grateful that they used Yazoo and not some twee acoustic folk cover. 

11. Mad World - Tears For Fears
Another song that has a famous cover and a supreme original synthy 80s version. 

12. Come Back And Stay - Paul Young
This song doesn't really relate so closely to the others but there's something about it that I'm obsessed with. I think it's the melody of the chorus. It's been kind of forgotten in the 21st century and deserves to be known.

13. True Faith - New Order

A second New Order song, since they're so good. This also has a rad chorus and a good 90s version. 

Side 2

1. Two Tribes - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
It's impossible for me to choose between 'Relax' and 'Two Tribes'. Both were huge hits and both are absolute classics of the genre. Definitely one that makes me want to dance.

2. A Little Respect - Erasure
This is one of my favourite songs of all time - everything about it is perfect. I don't love Erasure enough to go and see them play live, but I'd love to get down to A Little Respect in a crowded concert hall.

3. 21st Century Boy - Sigue Sigue Sputnik
My dad played this for my brother and I when we were first allowed to go through his records as kids and I immediately loved it. Sigue Sigue Sputnik's whole aesthetic was that they were from the future, which is hilarious now considering how dated they sound and look. Still, I think they're so cool and I'd have been a total fangirl for them if I was a teen in the 80s.

4. New Life - Depeche Mode
I picked this record up in a charity shop because my dad unfortunately did not collect many Depeche Mode singles in his time. I think this was their first hit and it's an adorable amateur synthpop song - it's incredible how far they've come since. 

5. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - Dead Or Alive
This is another of those songs that needs no introduction, since it was and still is such a massive hit record. When I listen to it now there's always a tinge of sadness since Pete Burns is no longer with us but that doesn't stop me from dancing.

6. Love & Pride - King
I think I heard this song in the movie 'Pride' and immediately needed to know what it was. I love yelling along with the chorus. 

7. Are "Friends" Electric? - Tubeway Army 
Technically this isn't an 80s song but it's such an important piece of electronica and also a mainstay of my playlist for the last 18 months or so. The repetitive synth riff and the sad vocals are an irresistible combination.

8. Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant 
Adam Ant hopped onto my playlist at the same time as the last song and it was hard to choose just one of his songs for my mix. I went with 'Goody Two Shoes' because it makes me want to move more than any of his other songs and is ridiculously catchy.

9. Atomic - Blondie 
I guess this is another song that I carried over from Trainspotting, although it's a cover that plays in the movie. However, 'Atomic' was one of the songs on a mixtape of punk and new wave that my dad put together for me when I started listening to Green Day back in my pre-teen days, so it's been with me for a long time. I definitely have the Trainspotting movies to thank for the amount of Blondie I've listened to in 2017. 

10. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Ultravox
Not 'Vienna', which I also love, but a different song which I took a chance on. I actually wasn't overly familiar with 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes' before I committed it to tape, but it was a good choice to make. 

11. True - Spandau Ballet

Every mixtape needs a ballad, right? And this New Romantic classic is really the 80s ballad, definitely appearing in a Molly Ringwald prom scene at some point.

12. Never Let Me Down Again - Depeche Mode
A second song by one of my favourite bands to round the playlist off. I actually went to see them last weekend and am now in that honeymoon phase of obsession where I'm consuming all things Depeche Mode, so I applaud my past self for having the foresight to choose one of my favourite songs of theirs for me to blog about now. 

Hear the whole playlist here:

Shopping treats, November 2017

About 18 months ago I made a blog post sharing some of the new clothes I'd bought for work. Since then I've found it kind of hard to find things to add to my office wardrobe, which isn't ideal when some of my favourite pieces are getting worn out. The Peter Pan collared blouses I adore have disappeared from the shelves and been replaced with ruffles and wide sleeves and off-shoulder tops and other things that are impractical and unflattering, so I've been pretty uninspired while shopping for the last while. Luckily, on my trip to Carlisle last weekend I finally found some cute things again:

These two blouses are both from Primark. I love embroidered things and I've tried a bunch of different things on over the last few months but this blouse is the first thing I've liked in the fitting room. It's made of a soft material and looks really informal but I plan to wear it to the office anyway. It comes in navy or khaki and costs £8.
I bought a sheer polka dot blouse from a charity shop a while ago and it's one of my favourites but unfortunately it has torn in a few places, leaving it unsuitable for work (but probably still suitable for punk shows). I've spent a long time searching for a replacement and Primark has finally answered my prayers with this, and for only £7. This blouse is less transparent than my old one but it still makes me feel like Harry Styles or Matty Healy (below) which is what I'm after in a patterned blouse - weird fashion icon choices for a girl to have, maybe, but choices I've made all the same.

Next up, two items that I picked up inspired by Stacey Duguid's article in The Pool last Monday - or more specifically, about the line "why save things for those ever-elusive “posh nights out”?". 

The top is from Primark (£8) and you probably can't tell from the photo but it has a black-on-black lace pattern. The t-shirt shape makes it just right for me to wear to work but it's also nice enough for me to wear to dinner. 

I picked up the velvet skirt in H&M (£12.99). I have a couple of skirts like this that I wear to work already but I've been looking for an excuse to wear velvet to work and I think this is it. Velvet is one of my favourite fabrics and it's been hard not to buy up everything I see so black velvet is starting to take over my wardrobe and I have no problem with it. 

 I've got a couple of H&M dresses in this shape that I wear to work and they make me feel like I mean business, so when I saw this navy and white striped one on the sale rail for £7 it felt right. I'm still searching for a black and white striped t-shirt but this will keep me going in the meantime.
Finally, I've been low-key wishing for a fuzzy black sweater for a couple of years now so I was happy to find one in H&M for £10. It looks really 90s and it's fluffy but not thick which is ideal for me because I am almost always too warm. Definitely one for Casual Friday.

Lastly, some new music and books, because I can never resist:

My dad signed the family up for a PureHMV card when they first came out and we've never gotten that much use out of it. Recently though, HMV have started an offer where they always have one record priced at £8.99 for their cardholders. In the past they've had albums by The Killers, Bob Marley and Guns N' Roses, and now they're phasing out their deal on Blondie's 'Parallel Lines' (which I already have, since my mum was a Blondie fan in the 70s) and offering Back To Black by Amy Winehouse at the discount price. 'Back To Black' is now 10 years old and I know a lot of the songs from it but had never listened to the album until I put it on my turntable yesterday. It was a worthwhile purchase, for sure. 

I also bought 'God's Favorite Band', the new greatest hits compilation from Green Day. Like God himself, I also consider Green Day to be my all-time favourite band so I already have all of their albums but it's been my tradition for the last few years to always go out and buy their latest release whenever they put something out. This compilation features lots of favourite songs, like She, Hitchin' A Ride, Holiday, Oh Love and Bang Bang, as well as a new one that I'm excited to hear. 

Lastly, I stopped by the Oxfam book shop to browse the shelves. It's one of my favourite charity places - in the past I've picked up A Clockwork Orange, the Edie Sedgwick biography and the 12" single of 21st Century Boy by Sigue Sigue Sputnik there, and once there was a cat in the shop - so I always visit when I'm in the city. This time I bought 'The Penguin Book Of The Beats' (£2.49) which has excerpts from all of the most famous works and authors of the Beat Generation, and 'The Last Party' by John Harris, which documents the Britpop era of the mid-nineties. At £3.49 it was a little more than I like to pay for a second hand book but as I've been so into Trainspotting and Jarvis Cocker and Elastica and Britpop this year and also because I love pop music non-fiction, I figured I'd treat myself. 

Shopping aside, I was in Carlisle to see The Smyths, who you might've been able to guess are a tribute act recreating the sound of The Smiths. I saw them last year and was so impressed that I've been desperate for them to come back for 12 months. Unlike the real Morrissey who has been giving his terrible opinions again, The Smyths did not disappoint. 12 months to go until they come back... 

Music Monday: my favourite Disney songs

I've adored music for as long as I can remember and so many of my childhood memories involve music: listening to ABBA with my grandparents, getting my first CD/tape player for Christmas aged 5, hearing Lou Reed and The Ramones in the car and learning about Joy Division and New Order from my dad when I was much too young to understand how one of those bands became the other. 

One style of music in particular is imbued with a particular sort of nostalgia, and that is the music that accompanies Disney movies. For 80 years now children have been growing up with the films and songs of Walt Disney, whether in the cinema, on vinyl, video, CD, DVD, streaming services - the list goes on. I remember a 2-cassette compilation that I played all of the time and adored (even after my younger brother vomited on the cardboard insert), then a 2-CD set with a mix of cinema and pop versions of the songs, plus a heap of sing-a-long videos both owned and rented. There are currently 55 official "Disney Animated Classics", plus live action and other films, so I thought I'd put together a list of 20 songs I loved most as a child and still love as an adult. I've listed them alphabetically because I wouldn't know how to begin to pick my all time favourite!

1. A Whole New World - Aladdin

Aladdin was number one at the box office when I was born and was one of the movies I had on video (and now have on DVD). A Whole New World is its signature song, an adorable duet between princess Jasmine and dreamy street rat Aladdin. I learned to play this song on keyboard when I studied music in high school, and I still try to sing both parts when I hear it now. 

2. Thomas O'Malley Cat - The Aristocats

Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat is the obvious choice from this movie but I am especially fond of Thomas' theme song. I didn't know the words as a child and I still don't but it's so groovy and charming that I love it anyway. This film combines cats and Paris, two of the things that I'm most entranced by, and is definitely underrated. 

3. Looking For Romance (I Bring You A Song) - Bambi
I have to admit, I didn't see Bambi as a child - the first and only time that I've seen it was on a Friday afternoon in my first year high school English class, I guess at the end of a particularly draining week for my English teacher. As a result, the only exposure I had as a child was to Little April Showers. When I was a grown-up (or at least coming out of my teen years) and downloading Disney songs for my music collection, I heard this for the first time. It sounds like it should be a sweet love song but it's one of those old movie songs that sounds really melancholy. 



4. Belle - Beauty and the Beast
I didn't have the video of Beauty and the Beast at home, but my paternal grandparents had it and its accompanying soundtrack CD. I gravitated towards that CD as it was the only name I recognised from their collection as a small child and I used to play it when I visited. Belle is the opening song in the film so that's the one I'd hear most often. I was into books as a child and I'm still a reader now so I like all the lyrics about her going to the book-store to borrow love stories she's read before. 

5. Gaston - Beauty and the Beast
Maybe it's cheating to pick more than one song from the same film but Gaston is one of my favourite Disney songs because it's so hilarious. Gaston isn't a good guy and he infuriates me as a character (his views aren't a million miles away from those of the US President, no?) but this song is so good that I can almost let it slide, at least for this scene. It's hard for me to pick my favourite line so I recommend that you go and listen to it if you haven't already!



6. So This Is Love - Cinderella
This is one of my favourite Disney love songs. It's short and sweet but manages to still contain some of the most beautiful lyrics of the whole Disney canon. Cinderella was another of the films I had on video and of course the compilation tapes I had chose Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo to represent it, which I understand because that definitely has more appeal to children but as an adult I definitely prefer So This Is Love. While on the subject of Cinderella songs I also need to give a shout-out to Oh Sing Sweet Nightingale and A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes - both of them are also beautiful.

7. I Won't Say I'm In Love - Hercules
I think I borrowed Hercules on video from family friends so I only got to see it once but Megara's song must have been on my cassette because I've always had a soft spot for it. I don't really know the story of Hercules (although I have been reading up on Greek Mythology a little) but from what I understand Meg didn't really want to get involved with love and Hercules and just wanted to be left alone which is cool in my eyes. I'm also a big fan of her purple aesthetic.

8. The Bare Necessities - The Jungle Book
This was definitely one of the first songs on my cassette and has so much nostalgia attached to it. It's one of the most fun Disney songs I can think of, impossible for a kid to resist dancing and singing along to. I think I must have watched The Jungle Book a lot when I was young because I can remember the plot points much more clearly than other movies and I'm sure I could still get through this song without missing any of the words.

9. He's A Tramp - Lady And The Tramp
Lady And The Tramp wasn't a movie that I've seen much of; the only time I remember watching it was at a sleepover and I'm not sure either of us stayed awake until the end. This song, on the other hand, is very familiar. It stuck out to me as a child when listening to my Disney tapes, probably due to the unique vocal by Peggy Lee whose 'Fever' is one of my all-time favourites.


10. Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride - Lilo & Stitch
This song hasn't been with me for as long as a lot of the others since I was 9 when Lilo & Stitch came out but I really like that Hawaiian sound - this song just sounds like being by the beach somewhere warm. Lilo & Stitch is such a weird, quirky movie that I really need to revisit. 





11. Part Of Your World - The Little Mermaid
Definitely one of my favourite films, and one of my favourite princesses, this song of Ariel's has always been special for me. There's something about the crescendo of the chorus going back into the quiet delivery of the last lines that speaks to me - it's the sound of a curious girl longing to experience the world she's obsessed over and imagined for such a long time.

12. Kiss The Girl - The Little Mermaid
Again, I can't choose just one song from this film. Kiss The Girl is so romantic by itself, then when you add in the high-stakes storyline that it's trying to resolve there's an extra layer of desperation added on top. The CD I had as a child had Peter Andre singing this which was much better than it sounds.


13. Under The Sea - The Little Mermaid
I couldn't leave this off the list. It's one of the most fun songs ever written, packed with clever wordplay and even a little rap from Sebastian the crab. It's impossible not to smile when this song comes on and I still sing along to it in the shower even though it's far too fast-paced for me to keep up with. 


14. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - Mary Poppins
This was, without question, my favourite Disney song as a child. I adored Mary Poppins so much that one year I asked for it on video as the sole item on my Christmas list (well, aside from chocolate). I was a precocious child who was able to spell it without any trouble and it probably drove my family nuts. 



15. Feed The Birds - Mary Poppins
Not one of my favourites as a child - I wasn't particularly fond parts of the movie when the colours and cartoons were replaced by bleak London and riots at the bank and men with moustaches - but this song is objectively one of the loveliest and most touching in any Disney film. Apparently it was Walt Disney's favourite song and I can understand why.


16. I'll Make A Man Out Of You - Mulan
At present, this is the only Disney song that has remained on my iPod, never to be removed. How can I? It's motivational, funny, and an excellent shower song. Mulan was one of my favourite Disney films growing up, arguably a feminist one - the song is about being manly, sure, but we all know which character ends up saving China in the end. 



17. Second Star To The Right - Peter Pan
This song is the opening theme to Peter Pan and is another one of those that became my favourite when I grew up (sorry Peter, it just happened). It's still part of that old set of songs with the orchestra and the choir and the weird little jumps here and there which I love. Listening to it takes me somewhere magical, maybe to my own Neverland. 



18. Just Around The Riverbend - Pocahontas
Pocahontas was the first film that my parents took me to see at the cinema and I quickly became obsessed with it. I had Pocahontas books and jigsaws, and there was one of those coin-operated Pocahontas rides when they took me on my first holiday that I never wanted to leave. Just Around The Riverbend is about dreaming, like Part Of Your World, and I love the idea of wondering whether something amazing is around the next corner. 



19. Colors Of The Wind - Pocahontas

My other childhood favourite, for sure. Colors Of The Wind starts out so dramatic and then paints this wonderful world of nature and adventure - it's irresistible. Pocahontas is such a sad movie now that I think about it but the animation is incredible and this song is a masterpiece. I couldn't stand the 90s-keyboard Vanessa Williams version though.



20. Once Upon A Dream - Sleeping Beauty
I know I said I couldn't pick a favourite song of all-time, but all things considered, it's probably this. Once Upon A Dream is so simple and I'm not sure just what it is that makes it so lovely but I fall for it every time. I know the melody comes from Tchaikovsky's ballet so I can't give the Disney writers full credit; I think perhaps it's the combination of music, animation and lyrics that does it for me. Like many of my favourites, it's about dreaming and passion and love, and it's so perfect that they made it the only song in the movie.

Do you agree with my choices? Have I missed out your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

Why Should I Love You?: 5 Reasons to Adore Kate Bush

Recently, I went to see the superb Kate Bush tribute band Cloudbusting perform.  Kate has been one of my favourite artists for around five years and I consider her to be a visionary and genius, both musically and in the visual arts, so I thought I'd share the things I love most about her:

1. Her lyrics

From the music video for Experiment IV, 1986

Kate Bush writes songs about all the usual topics: love, loss, her life experiences and so on, but she also covers the likes of philosophy, technology, literature and fantasy.  Reading into her lyrics can take you on a journey that leads down a Wikipedia hole and suddenly Cloudbusting isn't just a song but a story of a real family and their incredible meteorological experiments. 

There are too many fascinating songs that have expanded my world-view to begin to list here (see: Breathing, Deeper Understanding, Experiment IV, Them Heavy People...) but if you haven't sat down and listened to the words, I highly recommend it.  There are still songs that I don't fully understand but that somehow still resonate within me; Rubberband Girl is one such example.  I'm looking forward to all the little epiphanies ahead of me when each of her songs falls into place. 

2. Her innovations

Performing on the Tour Of Life, 1979

Kate is universally acknowledged as a musical innovator but she's also a pioneer in terms of technology. For instance, in 1979 she became the first musician to use a wireless headset microphone on stage to allow her to sing and dance simultaneously. Thanks to Kate and her wire coat hanger prototype, dancing stars from Michael Jackson to Justin Bieber have been able to wow crowds with this now essential piece of equipment.

Returning to her musical innovations, Kate has always been at the forefront of technology when it comes to incorporating new sounds into her songs - see for instance the sound effects of the brand-new Fairlight synthesiser on songs like Babooshka (1980) and the unsettling vocal effects on 1985's Watching You Without Me. 

Finally there are her predictions; those songs that then provided a glimpse into the future but have now become real.  I like to joke that Kate Bush invented the internet which isn't quite true but the lyrics of her song Deeper Understanding (released the same year that Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web) have very quickly passed from fiction into reality, describing a person who has become so attached to their computer screen that they forget to eat, sleep or interact with people outside.  Nowadays, if the tabloids are to be believed, people are dropping like flies as a result of sleep deprivation from refusing to leave their video games.  Prophetic.

3. Her performances and music videos 

Despite her enduring popularity, Kate Bush has only put on two live shows: 1979's Tour Of Life, and, 35 years later, a London residency entitled Before The Dawn.  Like a lot of artists who were big in the 70s and 80s, Kate's visual style was carved out by her music videos and appearances on Top Of The Pops.  

Her first performance on the latter in 1978 was to showcase her first hit, the haunting Wuthering Heights. Surrounded by glam rock, disco and post-punk, Kate of course stood out with a high-pitched ballad about an Emily Bronte novel.  Kate hated her first performance, but luckily she and her piano were asked back to perform the song four more times. As her career progressed she was invited to perform on, and even host, her own shows on the BBC where she was able to showcase her talents in music, dance and theatre - and she didn't hold back. I'm particularly fond of her performance of The Wedding List from December 1979 (below), where she acts out the story of a bride who takes revenge on the man who shot her groom at the altar with smoke, guns, blood and wild dancing. 

On a global scale, Kate's music probably reached its largest audience as a result of her music videos, which took her passion for storytelling and transposed it to cinematic levels.  I'm sure most people are familiar with the iconic images of Kate in the white and red nightgowns from the two Wuthering Heights videos, or straddling a double bass in a shiny bikni/armour in Babooshka, or the camouflage of Army Dreamers.  My personal favourites are Cloudbusting, in which Kate plays the son of inventor Donald Sutherland, and the video for the 2011 re-recording of Deeper Understanding (below), where Robbie Coltrane takes the role of the computer-obsessed protagonist. 

4. Her aura of mystery

Kate has been an icon of popular culture for almost 40 years now, yet she's one of those celebrities who never show up in the tabloids or at red carpet events; in fact, she rarely even gives an interview. This means that when she comes out of the woodwork to drop an album or play her first live shows in 35 years, the world gets a lovely surprise - and even when she doesn't bless us with new work for a while, nobody forgets about her or publishes a "where are they now" clickbait piece about her online. We just wait for her to bless us again. 

5. Her place in the musical canon

Kate Bush's music is hard to categorise.  As I touched on earlier, when she arrived on the scene she was a single weird teenage girl putting out records at a time when the world was gripped by punk rock, disco and Grease.  Her work is often described as 'art rock' but I'm not sure that quite covers it - she's an artist without a movement behind her whose influence is worn on the sleeves of four decades of weird teenage girls and beyond.

From the Hounds Of Love photoshoot, 1985

When speaking of Kate's contemporaries, people point to the likes of Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Elton John, Genesis and so on.  One thing that I notice, and perhaps that you noticed too, is the lack of other women on the list.  Arguably, Kate Bush is one of a select few female artists revered by men as much as, if not even more than, women. This, to me, goes part of the way in explaining her inclusion on those lists of the 'all-time greats' cranked out by mostly male music journalists (although somehow Rolling Stone neglected to include her in their definitive 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time).  

In my opinion, Kate belongs right near the top of any list of the greatest ever musical artists but I'll settle for knowing just how many people around the world are on board with her stories of nuclear war, being lost out at sea, and the doomed love affair of Cathy & Heathcliff.