"I felt ashamed" When Big Country worked with Kate Bush on The Seer

Big Country's third studio album "The Seer" was another big hit for the band reaching number 2 on the UK album chart and containing their biggest hit single too, Look Away, which peaked at number 7. For the title track of the record, Stuart Adamson and the band called on the brilliance of Kate Bush. In this short video, Big Country guitarist, Bruce Watson, talks about what it was like to work in the studio with Kate and what happened when the album was later mixed which left him feeling ashamed.

[@bunjijumper5345]

What a amazing story, KB rarely worked with others it speaks volumes about how special Big Country was/is. I felt like something was missing when I heard that song and now know why! ❤️🙏

[@dennisjackson6526]

Big country number 1 band for me

[@mattg56]

I actually really appreciate Kate's vocals on this track, they're outstanding. Yes they could have been higher in the mix but a low-mix Kate Bush vocal is still a thing of beauty. Great song, one of BC's best!

[@ReneAlexisPenalozaMunoz]

Thanks for the subtitles.

[@colingeddes2172]

Just proves what a great band B C were in the 80s, that the usualy reclusive and obviously talented kate bush was willing to contribute to the title track the seer. Cud and shud have been a massive hit as a single if the record company had got their heads wgether properly. Big Country legacy will never fade though. Terrific band.

[@VRPRocks]

100% agree 👍 👍

[@mickr1448]

KB and BC two of the finest, pity they didn't do more, i'm off to listen to the Seer now, nice clip btw

[@jaredbedworth1421]

Always felt Kates Vocals were to low in the mix. Nice to know that the band agreed and that it wasnt by their hands.

[@MobiusBandwidth]

Kate is God, woe be to the unbelievers, trapped in a hell of their own making, amen. :) I wish she'd done a whole album with Big Country. my favourite singer, and my favourite band.

[@bunjijumper5345]

I discovered her between Hounds and TSW, I bought the TSW on its first day of release by that time I had everything else on cassette. No one can compare!

[@bo0tsy1]

She was okay.

[@DrTomoculus]

Record companies are stupid. Edit it? Just fade the song at the 3.30 mark, going out with a last chorus. There's your single version. And he's absolutely right, you can barely hear Kate on the track. What you can hear does not equate to 5 hours work. But what is there that's buried in the mix, sounds like it was needed in the song. Record companies are stupid.

[@skyboswell]

Thanks so much for this wonderful clip. It's great to hear Bruce's recollections of working with Kate. He confirms what I always believed: that Kate's vocal was actually a duet with Stuart, and as such ought to have been higher in the mix. It's hard to hear her vocal in the verses, and it seems such a waste as it's a brilliant counterpart to Stuart's vocal. Their unique voices work so well together. Kate's 'Yay-yay -yoh's' are loud and clear, but so ought the rest of her vocal to be. Bruce says that it was remixed 'later' - presumably for the album release - so does that mean that the earlier, clearer mix exists somewhere? I'm featuring The Seer on my next radio show about Kate, and it would have been wonderful to have that clear as a bell vocal version that Bruce mentions.

[@VRPRocks]

People say the recordings have been found but I'm yet to hear it, fingers crossed 🤞 one day!

[@skyboswell]

@@VRPRocks That would be a dream come true for me. I did find an enhanced Kate vocal on YT, it's not at all bad but the real thing would be amazing. The enhanced version will be on my show this weekend. Always good to play BC. xx

[@faddy24]

Please please let the clear as a bell mix of this be brought to light so we can hear it.

[@somebodyelseuk]

Yes and no. From what I heard, the original tapes got binned in the '90s after the masters were transferred to DAT. There's a massive difference between the single release of Look Away and what was on the album (released a few weeks later). You never hear the single mix on any compiliations, which makes me think the tapes are long gone, also, you would think that if it had been possible, they would have (re) remixed the album for one of the now customary 30/40th etc anniversary releases.

[@colincharters5701]

My first ever gig was Big Country at Glasgows legendary Barrowlands was epic and Kate is GOD obviously

[@drewwilliams6888]

I'm 57, I've loved Big Country since I was a teenager. Saw them for the first time in Cardiff, couple of months ago. What an amazing night and what an amazing band. For an hour and half, I was back in 1983. Watching BG, I know why I love Scottish bands. Brilliant night.

[@theenglishman3368]

They should mix this again - and do it as a duet

[@VRPRocks]

I agree

[@owenmcgee8496]

i think it is more noticeable listening on earphones that bush does sing verses in the song, but I wonder if it is intentionally quiet because she is actually singing much lower than stuart, as if echoing the words in a semi spoken way rather than, say, singing a duet. it's one of the striking things with a track: usually female is the high voice and male the low, but not in this song. but again, it sounds almost like she is speaking the words more than singing them and it is intentional to creation a sort of mysterious narration effect. that fits with the whole meaning of the song. like as if someone was uttering the secret words of a mystic spell!

[@marksymons3329]

It’s a great track

[@parkendsoundservices9861]

Any progress on the release of Robin Millar's mix of The Seer? There's been a petition going round for a couple of years now and fans have already contributed financially in order to make it happen.

[@VRPRocks]

I'm not sure to be honest. I'll see if I can reach out to Bruce to see if he knows anything more about it.

[@gerhardjacoby8165]

@@VRPRocks He wrote, that the Robin Millar-Mix was found.

[@duesenberger]

Any news on the Robin Millar Mix publication?

[@padraigsisk4057]

Where is this documentary on Big country

[@robbjmc2]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ3ZpI1noL6hlw Apparently the studio made the dumb, dumb, very dumb decision to play down Kate's vox originally. Some kind soul has upped her vocals in this youtube mix ... not what was originally created, but it's nice to have an approximation.

[@robbjmc2]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ3ZpI1noL6hl6c if this video doesn't click through, just search Big Country Kate Bush duet mix.

[@MobiusBandwidth]

says unavailable :(

[@bunjijumper5345]

All because they chased the American market, dumbing down the sound to appeal to people like me lol

[@billbreed]

Thank god for captions. I can’t understand a word Bruce says. 🤷‍♂️

[@sirchess1807]

Kate Bush is God...

[@angiepanjie]

Laughing at the subtitles. He’s speaking English fgs🤣.

[@julliard]

@angelakrause8859 He may as well be speaking Russian to some ears

[@angiepanjie]

🤣🤣🤣…some Fife accents are harder to understand than Weegie.

[@cejannuzi]

BC should have worked more with female vocalists. A lot of their songs would have benefited with a woman singing the lead actually.

[@griffinzoo1]

Can't understand a word he says

[@VRPRocks]

Bit rude.

[@DannyWhittingham-yk9oq]

Her vocals were so badly mixed.....Great song though

[@adampoe2797]

I'm sorry I can't understand a word He is saying

[@julliard]

@adampoe2797 Can you not read the subtitles?

[@stephenalanmoore7278]

'Fackin' Hoose!'