Kate Bush: Under the Ivy

Like all great artists, she is easier to parody than to understand.

If you’re dealing with Duran Duran you’re talking about commercial records, [and] you can go back and say we need a couple of hits on this. You can’t argue that with Kate because it wasn’t part of her make up to start with. You can’t go back and say there’s no 3½ minute pop single on here. She’d say, ‘I know. I didn’t write one.

Jon Kelly, who worked closely with her on the first three albums, recalls a conversation about the Never For Ever album cover, which depicts a parade of beautiful and demonic beasts flying out from under her skirt. “That’s where she said her songs come from!” says Kelly. “That’s what she told me – that’s where all her ideas come from!”