No reason to post this really, I just love it and not sure how well known it is, and it popped up during a recent YouTube rabbit hole adventure.
In 1987 Kate Bush (not a frequent live performer at the best of times) sang Running Up That Hill live at a comedy festival for Amnesty International, that Secret Policeman’s Ball thing. And she was joined by David Gilmour on guitar and backing vocals.
I think it’s a spine tingling performance. It takes everything that was so wrong about the 80s (big hair, Miami Vice jackets, guitars with no headstocks for gawd sake) and makes something live and vital with them. Plus it’s a nice reminder to millenials that this song was a Big Thing before Stranger Things.
What is that vile thing Gilmour is playing? Bleuagh.
@Twang
In the interests of reduced weight, I ordered a Q54 ex-dem. Lasted about 3 days, it became very clear that I would never bond with the thing, sent it back for full refund.
That’ll teach me!
Those Steinberger guitars were everywhere for a short time weren’t they.
Bowie and Reeves Gabrels also used them in Tin Machine, Mike Rutherford used one for a while as did Lou Reed and others.
Bowie never sent his back, even after Tin Machine.
Mate of mine had one. I played it a fair bit but couldn’t get around basically hating it despite it being a decent thing to play (standing up).
A friend of mine has a bass version which she likes because it’s light and we put up with because she’s a terrific singer.
I had a headless bass back in the 80’s . Think it was an Aria, there are photos somewhere. Horrible thing, what was I thinking off.
You can’t rock out with a headless guitar.
I saw Johnny Winter with one. He got a massive round of applause just by picking up his Firebird.
My mistake! It was the Q52 that I tried…
🤢
Well, quite – I’m not sure what I was thinking. TBH, I suppose it was very light on the sore shoulder – but the whole playing feel of it and sound of it and look of it was just wrong on so many levels.
I can see why you bought a Flying Vee. You needed to atone.
Arf!
Seems like a huge amount of musicians tried their guitars and basses at one point or another
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steinberger
More than one company these days – the Q52 in the picture is a Ibanez. See also Strandberg:
And from 2002 doing “Comfortably Numb” with David Gilmour…..
It’s an absolutely atrocious quality video and sound (it’s the only one that I have ever come across though).
That bassist with the hair (Tony Franklin, who indeed?!) tells his story here, quite eloquently.
I had not seen that before and it is excellent.
I was at Earls Court in 1987 when she came on stage to sing Don’t Give Up with Peter Gabriel and thought that would be the last time I ever saw her live.
How wrong I was as I got tickets to the Hammy Odeon shows. Great night out and everyone around me were celebrating, the lady in the seat next to me bought a bottle of champagne for herself to enjoy the performance with!
Ah! Jealous. Of the show, not the champagne. Although that would have been nice as well.
Amazing night in 2014. Flew over from Canada for it! Cant believe it’s been 9 years and, apart from a live album and reissued catalogue, radio silence since.
You and me both – on both counts.
It was an an amazing moment when it was suddenly – “spotlight on Kate!” – at Earl’s Court.
Thanks very much for posting that clip in the OP, Arthur. That made my evening.
Kate and Dave were really on form. A joy!
Actually for all my sneering at DG’s horrible guitar that is a pretty fab clip. I’ve always been a bit suspicious of Kate live with the interpretive dance and am dram bollocks but she’s pretty bloody great there.
Extra points to youthful Guy Pratt on bass with 80s hair via Australia. Mullet alert!
Actually, if you look up the page you’ll see that it’s Tony Franklin, on fretless. And it’s Stuart Elliot drumming, from Cockney Rebel etc
By the by, I have a Steinberger Spirit guitar, with improved pickups. I even sometimes gig it: I know it looks daft, but it’s really comfy to play, especially on cramped stages (or in busy bars), and it’s so portable – if there’s backline in situ at a gig it’s ideal: catch the bus there and back! They hang oddly unless you add an extension to the neck strap button, though, about an extra 3″ towards where the headstock would be. That puts the frets under your left hand properly. Firebirds etc can have similar problems, I’ve found
I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you have a ‘Guy Pratt’ google alert, just in case there’s another lockdown?
Ha! No, that was just a fluke, but I may now set such an alert…
Ah OK. He looks like GP who has his own 80s fashion faux pas in the wardrobe.
I have never seen the appeal of Kate Bush.
(Actually, I have, when I was a teenager, but it wasn’t the music).
And I have never understood this song.
It goes on and on without much variation, all those screaming noises towards the end.
Unpleasant noise and it’s just kind of annoying.
It is always a relief when it ends.
And this video: again, I was just glad when it ended.
That is great?!? I just cannot see it.
The mullet was fun though.
While I get stones thrown at me for such heresy, here’s another….
Never really got David Bowie either.
Charismatic, influenced loads of folks, etc, sure.
Music… nope.
Can’t think of any David Bowie I want to listen to.
OK, I’m quickly run away now. 😉
Funny, I remember playing both artists to my then 10 yr old a few years ago, the response “Daddy, do you just like weird stuff?” Guess I do. For me, both are in the top 10 UK artists of the rock and pop era. But you are allowed not to like them,
I’d love to be able to convince you otherwise but it’s probably pointless. This probably isn’t my very favourite of her songs, and to be honest it runs very much against the grain of what I usually like. But there’s just something about the driving rhythm and hypnotic repetitiveness. That vocal style as well, a kind of combination of theatricality and earnestness… No one else sounds quite like her.
My wife hates her though. I can’t play her in the house.
What, not even Get Out Of My House?
(Probably*especially* GOOMH…hee-haw). 😉
Bowie had so many musical styles and voices I seriously can’t understand how anyone could dismiss it all out of hand in this manner.
Sorry!
I haven’t deep dived into his catalogue, so I am not aware of everything he has done. I’m just going off what I have heard.
Ashes to Ashes. I quite like that one, actually.
Though I prefer the Tears for Fears version. 😉
Did Tears for Fears cover that?? I’ll need to seek it out.
You’ll come round to Bowie and Bush eventually, it’s just a matter of time. It’s like me with Steely Dan. I can’t see why all the fuss but I think it’s just destiny given my demographic.
It’s a pretty straightforward cover:
Don’t think I will come round to Bowie and Bush.
Bush’s voice annoys me more now than it used to.
I seriously cannot see the appeal.
And Bowie… just not interested.
Why does everyone go on and on about ‘Heroes’? Rubbish! 😉
Other things to do, etc.
I’ll survive fine! 🙂