KATE BUSH: Musical pioneer? Reclusive genius? 21st-century witch?

From the archives:

The crimped hair. The tiered skirts. The heavily kohled eyes. The wraith-like movement. I wanted to be her. My big sister Claire – for it was she – was glamorous and mysterious back then, in 1978. What I didn't know, but found out soon after, was that Claire was herself in awe of, and had modelled herself on, Kate Bush, the newly emerging musician who looked and sounded astonishingly fresh and unusual.

"Wuthering Heights" drifted through the house and I became word-perfect. I wasn't allowed to wear multiple skirts or crimp my hair but I practised the voice that soared from high squeals to low moans in front of the mirror, along with the slightly deranged movements. I had the album cover of The Kick Inside on my wall and gazed at the exotic creature on a Japanese kite with a giant eyeball. What did it all mean?

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