Kate Bush On David Bowie: “He was just the right amount of weird…”

Writing exclusively for MOJO, Kate Bush pays tribute to her musical hero, David Bowie.

David Bowie and Kate Bush

by MOJO Staff |
Updated on

If any artist can begin to match the breadth of artistic endeavour of David Bowie or lay claim to being his creative heir, it is perhaps Kate Bush. In 2007 Bush wrote this tribute to her musical hero exclusively for MOJO...

“I was sitting in my bath, submerged in bubbles, listening to Radio Luxembourg when I heard David Bowie for the first time. '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.

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 scared space reserved solely for my greatest love - Elton John.

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.

Working at Abbey Road studios some years later, I popped in to see a friend on another session....I was stopped in my tracks. Standing elegantly poised behind the console was David Bowie. He was lit from above and smoking a cigarette. He said, ‘Hello Kate.’ I froze on the spot and said, ‘Er...Hello,’ and then left the room, caught my breath outside the door and didn't dare to go back in again. We’ve met many times since then and I don’t have to leave the room any more....or do I?"

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