Kate Mania Is Going Further Than The Bush

Today the Independent published an article about the pop phenomenon that is Kate Bush. It is not news to me that Kate is a huge influence on contemporary musicians today. From her first appearance in 1978, this mysterious and glamorous beauty first tugged at my musical heart strings through a TV screen in my parent's sitting room. As a little girl with a 'Purdy' haircut, I was captivated by her dance moves and facial expressions used to tell the story of 'Wuthering Heights'.

Who was this mysterious and glamorous beauty? I wanted to be Kate but I couldn't be her. My hair  was blonde and too short to crimp but I did dance around my bedroom trying to recreate those irregular dance moves in front of my mirror, failing badly to hit the high notes that Kate is known for.

Kate's retreat away from the public eye a year later only added more mystery to her appeal, fueling media and public interest. Every young girl wanted to recreate the 'Glamorous Witch'  look, every teenage girl aspired to have long black hair and that arty block fringe. Red lipstick and black eyeliner were an essential part of my make up bag as a teenager.

As a teenager,  I dabbled with different looks, from being a new romantic, to a goth in the mid 80's. Listening to Joy Division and the Bauhaus, Kate still featured high in my record collection. At University my fashion style changed as I emerged as a grungy indie chick but I still found time to fit Kate in between The Stone Roses and Nirvana. With metal magazine Kerrang voting Kate Bush the most beautiful woman in the UK for several years in the late 80's and early 90's,  its no wonder Kate  influenced my style during my student days, with Annie Lennox and Blondie not far behind. My student days and music cassettes have long gone but Kate is still firmly embedded in a bookcase, among my extensive 1,000+ CD collection.

At the start of 2014, the rumour became a reality, Kate Bush announced she would be touring in September after 35 years since her last live performance. From the UK, America, through to Australia, my Facebook news feed was over spilling with friends posts about this exciting news. My friend Dom was one of the lucky ones to get through on the phone, getting tickets for himself and his partner on Wednesday 3rd September at Hammersmith Apollo. The good news is, he also got a ticket for me.

Soon I will be digging out my red lipstick and eyeliner, styling my dark red hair and venturing from my small tiny flat in Hanwell, heading past Shepherd's Bush to finally make one of  my dreams come true in Hammersmith. I may not be Kate Bush but in a few weeks time I am finally going to see her.

But now as a fully grown Kate Bush fan, will I still be able to hit those high notes and perform those irregular dance moves without a mirror in front of me? I'll leave that to the imagination and will let you know after the gig I like to believe is going to be my music event highlight of the year. I may not be the next pop phenomenon but Britain certainly has got a talent, in the name of Kate Bush.

We must not forget that Kate Bush has not just been a success overnight but over the last three decades. To see her back delighting fans both old and new at the Hammersmith Apollo next month, will definitely be an experience I will remember in years to come.