Never For Ever

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A self-penned 1980 magazine profile revealed Bush enjoyed books about “religious things or theories of the universe”, the Beano and smoked 20 a day. Asked to name her favourite places in London on the TV show Rough Guide, Bush responded: “I’m not going to tell you because I wanna be there with as few people as possible.” Throughout her illustrious career, Bush has unveiled a total of 25 UK Top 40 singles, among which standout hits like “The Man with the Child in His Eyes,”“Babooshka,”“Running Up That Hill,”“Don’t Give Up” (a remarkable duet with Peter Gabriel), and “King of the Mountain” have solidified her musical legacy. Unveiling an extraordinary consistency, all ten of her studio albums have secured positions within the UK Top 10, with nearly all ascending to the top five ranks. Notably, her albums “Never for Ever” (1980), “Hounds of Love” (1985), and the compilation “The Whole Story” (1986) seized the UK number one position. A pioneer yet again, she emerged as the premier British solo female artist to clinch the top spot on the UK album charts and to debut at number one on the album chart. And, by the end of The Tour Of Life, it would have been very possible for her to be seduced by these trappings. In the UK and Europe, Kate Bush was now famous: James Bond theme famous. She had been approached by Eon Productions to sing the theme to the fourth Roger Moore Bond vehicle, Moonraker. She was third in line to sing it – Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis both turning it down. Reports vary as to exactly why she declined – too busy, too exhausted after her tour or whether the song really suited her, but she was asked: that very fact alone showed how far and how fast she had travelled, considering she hadbeen playing in pubs in south London less than 24 months earlier, and Wuthering Heights, her first record, was only released in January 1978. Is far more dazzling than any light on earth – brighter even than the sun itself – and it is by the duration of this flash that we are able to determine the size of the weapon…”

Cloudbusting was inspired by Austrian-American psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, who became convinced he had invented a machine that could form clouds and create rain. Bush sought his son’s blessing to release Cloudbusting. Sheffield, Rob (1995). "Kate Bush". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp.62–63. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.

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Never for Ever is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Kate Bush, released on 8 September 1980 by EMI Records, it was Bush's first No. 1 album and was also the first album by a British female solo artist to top the UK Albums Chart, as well as being the first album by any female solo artist to enter the chart at No. 1. It has since been certified Gold by the BPI. It features the UK Top 20 singles " Breathing", " Army Dreamers" and " Babooshka", the latter being one of Bush's biggest hits. Bush co-produced the album with Jon Kelly. Matrix / Runout (Runout, B-side, stamped, etched Do & spectacles, variant 3): EMA 794 B-4 Do [Spectacles logo] Alan Murphy – electric guitar (1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11); electric guitar solo (7); acoustic guitar (4, 10); bass (10)

It was a real home record for Kate,” Jon Kelly told Mojo in February 2003 – her first time at the St John’s Wood complex was marked by the studio being filled with flowers and plants.This album could be considered The Dreaming as a toddler; the ideas are there but haven't been completely developed yet. Never for Ever was the first album that Kate really had control over and it straddles the line between the catchy pop songs of her first two releases and the arty unconventional songs on her next two. The result is mostly good with just a bit of bad. Bush was a prodigious writer in her teens: between 1973 and the release of her debut album in 1978, she apparently wrote 120 songs, most never officially released. Irwin, Colin. Paranoia and Passion of the Kate Inside, Melody Maker 10 October 1980. Accessed: 12 November 2011. Bush recalled seeing the Ken Russell film on the relationship in 1968 when it was screened as part of BBC1’s Omnibus season. “Delius would have applauded you for doing your own thing your own way. He would have accepted it as a very gracious tribute,” Eric Fenby told Bush later that year.