Kate Bush

[andy-hughes]

A musician to whom the term 'genius' can be legitimately applied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF-2FrUYIVA

[sorifkhan]

I liked her music

[Backdrifter]

In a way I'm kind of with triggerhippy on this. For me, that she labours over her work for so long is a sign she is very accomplished, committed and painstaking in wanting it to look and sound a certain way, and that she has an artistic vision, but I think 'genius' is something different from that. I'm not sure I can explain it better. I suppose that as a contrast, I'd cite the way Lennon & McCartney rapidly produced ground-breaking and highly tuneful work in a very short space of time in the Beatles as being more what I think of as genius; that instinctive thing that pours out of someone.

[craft1948]

I actually prefer listening to female singers rather than males, Kate is definitely up there for me.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

I love her.
My favourite, with Cloubusting coming a close second:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTUcoR8_pyE

[Backdrifter]

She's someone I admire rather than enjoy, but I do love Cloudbusting and the above Experiment IV, something of a forgotten gem of hers.

[andy-hughes]

Backdrifter - I can see your point - but you have to examine these two outputs in context.

In the 60's, pop was in its infancy, singles were the musical currency, and albums were a few singles and a couple of other tracks. A band like The Beatles would be expected to have a new single ready every couple of months, and two albums a year, plus constant tours.

By the time KB came along, albums were the currency, and it was quite usual for a band to take a year over a new album, with no touring or singles required in the interim.

So yes, The Beatles churned out pop magic every few weeks, but that is because that was what bands did, and KB took years over albums because that was what bands did.

Once The Beatles lost the pressure of singles and tours, they began to take time over their albums, as all bands did, and as KB did, and does.

It's possible that KB could bash out a hit every six weeks if required, but that was never needed from her, so as you can see, it's not a level playing field to say that one act's speed and level of work makes them geniuses, when that was simply normal for the time in which they worked.

[loulou111]

hounds of love my favorite album