How are you?
I'm very well, thank you.

Where are you right now?
I'm at home, near London, in my front room, having a cup of tea.

What does Q mean to you?
It sits between P and R. What's really good about Q is it's one of the few music magazines that actually talks about music.

What's your favourite thing you've seen in Q?
It would probably have to be that photo of John Lyndon and me [at the Q awards in 2001]. I don't see a lot of John, but we've known each other since the '80s. He used to come around and we'd go out for dinner with him and his [wife] Nora. We were quite pally for a while. I don't think we're that different, really.

What were you doing 20 years ago?
Oh my God. 1986? That would've been when I was asked to do a greatest hits album by the guy at the record company. I thought it was such a crap idea and said "No, no way." He came back with all this research he'd done and just completely won me over. And of course it ended up being my biggest-selling record.

What car were you driving?
A little red convertible Golf, if I remember correctly.

Did you own a mobile?
Yes I did and it was the size of a fridge. I remember everyone taking the piss out of me continually.

What's your high point of the last 20 years?
Well, it's got to be having my son Bertie.

And the low point?
My mum dying [in 1992]. In a way, that's not a low point. That was like the end of the world.

What was the first album you bought on CD?
I don't know cos I was in studios such a lot at that point. I was listening to stuff on DATs and vinyl, so the CD almost slipped in. It must have been something by Peter Gabriel or David Bowie.

And the first track you downloaded?
Well, I've never personally downloaded a track. I like the idea of it, but I would hate for it to be the death of the album. The album as an art form is something that's precious to me, I just think it would be sad if it went.

Who's your favourite artist of the last 20 years?
I like Anthony [Hegarty] of Anthony & The Johnsons. I think he's brave and I like that. And I like... um...

Tori Amos?
[Silence]

Just joking.
[Laughs] I took a deep breath there. Can I just say Rolf Harris and leave it at that?

What's your biggest fashion disaster of the last 20 years?
The binbag I wore last Sunday.

The Q review of Aerial [Bush's last album, her first in 12 years] imagined you "in a cobwebbed stately home, brandishing a candelabrum, looking for faires". Does that sound like you typical day?
You've got a camera in here, don't you? Most of the time now my typical day is in school run, violin homework... I'm coming back into the real world again having got the album behind me. I've watched more films in the last couple of months than I have in years. I'm catching up. Life Is Beautiful, King Kong...

Do people still come up to you in the supermarket?
Yes, they do, but not as much they used to. They sort of smile from a distance now. It's always when you don't think people might recognise you that they do. Like if I'm out and wrapped up, and all that's showing is maybe just my nose or something. I obviously have a very recognisable nose.

Your favorite drug of the last 20 years?
Oh, definitely caffeine. I drink so much tea. Some days I drink about 20 cups.

Tried decaf?
Yes, it doesn't do it for me.

What have you been up to since Aerial?
It wasn't really until post-Christmas that everything quietened down. I was really exhausted actually and felt quite run down. Now I'm at a really great point again, and though I'm not actively doing anything about it yet, I'm thinking about ideas for projects. But as we all know that's a slow process.

Should we realistically except to wait 12 years for another Kate Bush album?
Oh, God. I hope not. I'm sure I can make the next one in six weeks.

Where will you be in 20 minutes?
Probably in the toilet cos of all the tea.


I love this woman!

I read that.

I'm staying out of this one.

GangstaFam said:

I laughted so much about the Tori part!

I love Kate even more now!

MikeMatronik said:

Not me.

I think Tori's always handled the comparisons and criticisms with class.

This wasn't classy.

GangstaFam said:

MikeMatronik said:

Maybe that was as gracious as she could be about it.

GangstaFam said:

Damm u r stiff!

As a fan of both I am really disappointed by Kate's reaction.

There were bitchy undertones which I thought she was above. Obviously not.

Oh well. Tori can't help being better.

MikeMatronik said:

I guess so.

MattyJam said:

That was just so mean spirited. Especially against another very talented woman, she could have given Tori her due without having to be bitchy.
It's such a shallow time in music and she should be sticking up for other talented artists.

It could also be interpreted many ways, that damn silence. Let's say she answered "yes." Then Tori gets to go through the whole Kate Bush comparison thing again. Let's say she says "no." Oooooh catfight! A million artists out there and you ask someone if a comparable (and fan-competitive) artist is your FAVORITE from the last 20 years,any response makes for media fodder. Smart, but unrespectable move on the journalist. It's like asking Beyonce if Rhianna is her favorite artist. If I were Kate, I woulda just answered "Bertie".

Nice interview What if she really didn't have anything to say about Tori? I'd rather say nothing than say this phony "I love her music" response. She didn't flat out say she hated her music. Anyway I love Antony and the Johnsons too. They always get it wrong and spell it Anthony instead

pbrite said:

Exactly, best leave well alone.

Thanks for posting this interview!