The Kick Inside

Infobox Album |
Name = The Kick Inside
Type = Studio album
Artist = Kate Bush


Released = 17 February 1978
Recorded = June 1975 – August 1977
Genre = Art rock
Length = 43:13
Label = EMI
Producer = Andrew Powell
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:t2ja7i3jg7xr link]
Last album =
This album = "The Kick Inside"
(1978)
Next album = "Lionheart"
(1978)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = "The Kick Inside" US cover.

"The Kick Inside" is the debut album by Kate Bush. It was first released on February 17, 1978 and contains her only UK number one hit to date, "Wuthering Heights".

Overview

The album was released when she was 19 years old; she had written some of the songs when she was only 13.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors =| title = Kate Bush | work = | publisher = NNDB | date = | url = http://www.nndb.com/people/504/000025429/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-04-03 ] The album opens with 20 seconds of whale song, which leads into the first track, "Moving", inspired by her dance teacher, Lindsay Kemp. The album contains her biggest hit to date, "Wuthering Heights", which reached number one in the U.K. and Australia, and became a Top Ten hit in many other countries.

Her cinematic and literary influences, two qualities considered her trademarks, were most obvious in "Wuthering Heights". The song was not initially inspired by Emily Brontë's novel but by a television adaptation, although she did read the novel later to, in her own words, "get the research right".cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors =| title = Kate Bush TV Interview | work = | publisher = Ask Aspel | date = 1978-09-05 | url = http://gaffa.org/reaching/iv78_aa.html | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-04-03 ] Further influences can be found when she references Gurdjieff in "Them Heavy People", while the title song is inspired by the ballad of Lizie Wan. The album is also rather open about sexual matters, particularly on the erotic "Feel It" and "L'Amour Looks Something Like You". "Strange Phenomena" has been labelled "a frank paean to menstruation".cite web | last = Doyle | first = Tom | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = I'm not some weirdo recluse | work = | publisher = The Guardian | date = October 28, 2005 | url = http://www.nndb.com/people/504/000025429/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-07-29 ]

A second single, "The Man with the Child in His Eyes", was released to another warm reception, reaching number six in the UK charts.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Kate Bush | work = | publisher = NNDB | date = | url = http://www.nndb.com/people/504/000025429/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-04-03 ] It also reached #85 on the American Hot 100 Billboard Charts, Bush's only single to do so until 1985, and Kate appeared on Saturday Night Live in early 1979. Despite this publicity, "The Kick Inside" was unable to dent even the top 200 on "Billboard's" album charts.

As part of her preparation for entering the studio, Bush toured pubs with the KT Bush Band, supported by her brother Paddy and close friends, but for the album she was persuaded to use established session musicians, some of whom she would retain even after she had brought her band mates back on board.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Kate Bush | work = | publisher = NNDB | date = | url = http://www.nndb.com/people/504/000025429/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-04-03 ] Paddy Bush was the only member of the KT Bush Band to play on "The Kick Inside". Unlike on later albums where he would play more exotic instruments such as balalaika and didgeridoo, here he played the more standard harmonica and mandolin. Stuart Elliot played some of the drums and would become her main percussionist on subsequent albums,cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Kate Bush | work = | publisher = NNDB | date = | url = http://www.nndb.com/people/504/000025429/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-04-03 ] along with session drummer Charlie Morgan, who later went on to be a regular with Elton John. Preston Heyman was credited with some subsequent studio work but mostly performed on the live tour of 1979.

The album was produced by David Gilmour's friend, Andrew Powell.cite web | last = Cowley | first = Jason | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Wow Factor | work = | publisher = The New Statesman | date = | url = http://gaffa.org/reaching/rev_aer_UK1.html | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-04-03 ] Six different varieties of the album's cover are known; the one shown on the right is the regular UK cover, which is the most widespread. It is Bush's only album to have a different cover in the U.K., the U.S., Canada and Japan.

Trivia

* While recording the album, Bush worked at the same studio complex as New Zealand band Split Enz, who were in the process of recording their third album "Dizrythmia".
* The British band [http://www.myspace.com/thekickinside The Kick Inside] took their name from the album.

Track listing

All songs written by Kate Bush

ide one

# "Moving" – 3:01
# "The Saxophone Song" – 3:51
# "Strange Phenomena" – 2:57
# "Kite" – 2:56
# "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" – 2:39
# "Wuthering Heights" – 4:28

ide two

#"James and the Cold Gun" – 3:34
#"Feel It" – 3:02
#"Oh to Be in Love" – 3:18
#"L'Amour Looks Something Like You" – 2:27
#"Them Heavy People" – 3:04
#"Room for the Life" – 4:03
#"The Kick Inside" – 3:30

Personnel

*Ian Bairnson: Guitar, vocals, Vocals (background), Bottle
*Kate Bush: Piano, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
*Paddy Bush: Harmonica, Mandolin, Vocals
*Barry DeSouza: drums
*Stuart Elliot: Drums
*David Gilmour: Executive Producer on "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" and "The Saxophone Song"
*David Katz: Violin, Orchestra Contractor
*Jon Kelly: Engineer
*Paul Keogh: Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
*Bruce Lynch: Bass
*Duncan Mackay: Organ, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Piano (Electric), Clavinet
*Alan Parker: Guitar
*David Paton: Bass, Vocals (background)
*Morris Pert: Percussion
*Andrew Powell: Synthesizer, Keyboards, Piano (Electric), Producer
*Alan Skidmore: Saxophone
*Wally Traugott: Mastering

ee also

*Kate Bush discography
*Kate Bush's Awards and Nominations

References

External links

* [http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun04/articles/classictracks.htm Engineer Jon Kelly discusses the how the album was recorded]