When Pink Floyd's David Gilmour joined Kate Bush for a glorious version of 'Running Up That Hill'

16 April 2026, 12:35

Kate Bush /David Gilmour - " Running Up That Hill "

By Mayer Nissim

Two musical giants collaborated with an absolutely stunning version of an all-time classic.

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Kate Bush is one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time, but she's not a massive fan of getting out on the road.

After the gruelling Tour of Life in 1979, which also saw the tragic death of her lighting engineer Bill Duffield, Bush withdrew from the live stage.

Before her triumphant return with her Before the Dawn residency at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2014, Bush only played a sprinkling of special performances, usually doing just one or two songs at charity concerts or sets recorded for TV.

One such appearance came at the London Palladium in 1987, when Bush performed her massive 'Running Up That Hill', the opening track from her then-most recent studio album The Hounds of Love.

The performance was part of Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman's Third Ball, and it featured an incredibly special guest: Pink Floyd's David Gilmour.

Kate Bush and David Gilmour. Picture: Getty Images

And it's one of the best performances of any song we've ever seen.

Bush is on top form, vocally, while Gilmour wrestles a delightful racket out of his stick guitar while serving up great distorted backing vocals.

The talent on bass (and also on backing vocals) was no less impressive, with Tony Franklin (aka The Fretless Monster) providing a gorgeously unsettling rumbling, grumbling backdrop.

More than capably rounding out the sound was Bush's long-time collaborator Stuart Elliot on drums and Kevin McAlea on keyboards.

Tony Franklin on playing “Running Up That Hill” with Kate Bush, David Gilmour + his Playing Approach

Gilmour was much more than a Kate Bush superfan.

The legendary Pink Floyd guitarist had played a key role in helping the young Kate get her foothold in the music industry.

A tape the teenage Kate's parents sent to all the record labels was roundly rejected but found its way to Gilmour via family friend Ricky Hopper.

He was impressed, and paid for a better-recorded, snappier tape to be made, produced by Andrew Powell and engineered by Beatles studio man Geoff Emerick.

That second tape was sent to EMI, who signed Bush up immediately.

Comfortably Numb Kate Bush David Gilmour

Kate Bush returned the duetting favour when she made a rare appearance to perform 'Comfortably Numb' with Gilmour during a solo show at the Royal Festival Hall in 2002.

And in 2024, Gilmour revealed that he's still very much in touch with Kate, and has been urging her to return to the live stage.

"Kate Bush is the only person who can get Kate Bush back on stage," Gilmour said.

"I think the shows she did in 2014 at the Hammersmith Apollo were some of the best I’ve ever seen. We went several nights. I've tried persuading her recently, actually. Gently."