Could You See The Aisles Of Women?

Could you see the aisles of women?
Could you see them screaming and weeping?

Often described as one myself, here’s a little oddity for you, Kate Bush King Of The Mountain (Grand Canyon Remixes) 12″.

I snapped up this unofficial remix 12″ on eBay*, back in 2005 for reasons that are obscure to me now, but probably revolve around a) maniacal completist tendencies b) that picture of Kate Bush playing bass in a suggestive fashion c) wanting a better version of the the song.

I snagged the proper official version of King Of The Mountain on the day of release** as it was the first sighting of my heroine in over a decade, took it home and was a little unimpressed. I got the Citizen Kane/Elvis references, I liked how she sang certain bits like a taproom Elvis impersonator and the whole ‘wind is whistling’ bit was clearly heartfelt. Overall though it didn’t quite add up, it still seems a bizarre choice for a lead single (and opening track) from an album^.

The first mix here, ‘The Kick Inside Remix’ is by far the best. It gives ‘King Of The Mountain’ a steady house pulse and an increased uniformity that I think improves it overall. The lyrics are kept mostly intact and it is a respectful, successful retooling of the song, which at a push I could bob about to.

Elvis, are you out there somewhere
Looking like a happy man?

Flip the sucka over and ‘The Cloudbusting Dub’ mix of the same song is a faster, house-ier interpretation. It uses less of the vocals and even then as a texture and a hook. It works well and should you find yourself in the market for a progressive house cut then I commend this side to you.

---

But I am not really here to laud the remixer, talented and subtle though Mr Canyon clearly is, I am here for Kate Bush. She has been a musical constant in my life since I was a kitten, thanks to my mum’s love of her^^. I am frequently flabbergasted by her ability to reinvent herself, to weave, to hew and to spin incredible songs, sounds and concepts. That she does all of this at her own speed, whilst sounding like nobody else has, or ever will is astonishing.

Her music doesn’t sound stridently revolutionary but it is, in terms of what she writes about, how she has always presented herself entirely on her own terms in an industry which is built on pre-packaging women in its own terms, for its own gain. She is, that rarest of all things in music, unique.

Happy International Women’s Day.

1310 Down.

*remember when eBay was a worthwhile thing?

**on picture disc, obvs.

^the mighty Aerial, which is far too big a topic for tonight; although ‘How To Be Invisible’ is one of my very favourite songs of hers.

^^particularly Lionheart, in my (unreliable) memory at least.