Classic Pop Special Edition Madonna 2017
Classic Pop Special Edition Madonna 2017
Classic Pop Special Edition Madonna 2017
MADONNA
SPECIAL EDITION
MADONNA SPECIAL EDITION
132-PAGE
COLLECTORS
ISSUE
THE GIRL
WHO CHANGED
05
05
9 772399 751009
9 772399 751009
CLASSIC POP
PRESENTS
MADONNA
PRICE 6.99 THE FACE OF POP
MADONNA THROUGH THE DECADES... IN MUSIC, FILMS & FASHION
CPP05.Cover.For Print.indd 1 18/01/2017 14:18
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I
THIS: UNLIKE THOSE t isnt just vinyl that has took on female rights as well as
managed to stay the course. rallying to open minds and fight
OTHER NOSTALGIC Sorting through that prized censorship. In the Noughties, she
ARTEFACTS OF MY stack of singles from my youth, gained serious and well-deserved
its obvious that the overwhelming credibility with one of the finest,
EARLY YOUTH BOXY majority of artists have long since and coolest, albums of her career.
TV SETS, WALKMANS, dropped out of earshot. Madonna, To this day, Madonna remains
BOOMBOXES, on the other hand, is still very intent on questioning the ethics
much here well over 30 years after of a headline-hungry press that
VHS PLAYERS, MY my brother and I first timidly set never leave her be. Her new
COMMODORE 64 foot in that record shop. Even the quest? To take on ageism in its
VINYL HASNT DATED record shops gone many forms and convince all of
It isnt simply that Madonna us but particularly women that
ONE IOTA. ITS GOING Ciccone has managed to last were not just invisible because of
FROM STRENGTH TO it out: its the fact that shes still a number. She was MTVs Artist
STRENGTH; THATS A thriving, still successfully re- Of The Decade at the close of the
inventing herself time and time Eighties and last year became
TRULY MARVELLOUS again to remain within spitting Billboards Woman Of The Year.
THOUGHT. SADLY distance of pops frontline. Not In this special edition, we
only that, but shes also still celebrate the many factors that
FOR ME, IT SEEMS MY shining a light on a cast of talent, have come together to create
BROTHER NABBED THAT oftentimes plucked out of the such an incredible human
CHERISHED HOLIDAY 7 underground, to help her break being, from her music, videos,
any pop boundaries left unbroken. films and fashion through to her
FOR HIMSELF, SO IVE Yet as is often the case with entrepreneurial know-how and
HAD TO SETTLE FOR Madonna it doesnt end there. unflinching humanitarian work.
BORDERLINE, BUT THATS In the Eighties, she was the Enjoy the issue
strong female voice leading the
NO BAD THING charge for personal expression
Rik Flynn Editor
through sexuality, fashion and
independence. In the Nineties,
the potent erotica of her Sex
book unashamedly empowered
women still further, while she
T H E C O N T R I B U T O R S
Mark Lindores Ian Wade Paul Lester John Earls
grew up during is a freelance has been both edited Teletexts
the golden age writer, sub-editor Features Editor music pages
of pop mags, and PR who of Melody Planet Sound
devouring achieved a Maker and throughout the
Smash Hits and lifetime ambition Deputy Editor Noughties, he
Number One. Writing about to write for Smash Hits in 1998 of Uncut. Since 2007 he has has also done pop for The
the artists he used to read about and has since worked for The freelanced for The Guardian, Sunday People, News Of The
for Classic Pop, Total Film and Quietus, The Guardian, The The Sunday Times, The World and, currently, NME
Mixmag, he is living the dream Sunday Times, BBC Music and Independent, MOJO, Classic and the Daily Star. John also
of his 15-year-old self. Time Out. Rock and Classic Pop. lectures in journalism.
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EDITOR
Rik Flynn
ART EDITOR
John Thackray
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PRODUCTION EDITOR
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Jenny Cook
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Gary Walker
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Tel +44 (0)20 37879001 D E C A D E S icon, not forgetting a newfound faith and a
EARLY 1980S: STARLIGHT, collaboration bound for the stratosphere
LICENSING ENQUIRIES 2000S: HEY, MR DJ 64
STAR BRIGHT 8
Regina Erak Wannabe dancer turned punk-rock drummer A new era for the Queen of Pop in which
Tel +44 (0)7753 811 622 immersed in the New York underground to she took her pop sensibilities into the clubs
[email protected] global pop supernova somehow Madonnas via two hip producers from both sides of
unflinching desire to succeed took her from the Channel, married a film producer with a
making ends meet in a low-rent bedsit to the penchant for gangsters, snogged her younger
world stage and Live Aid rivals, toured the world and made the
LATE 1980S: CALL MY NAME 26 biggest-selling single of her career
All content copyright of Anthem Publishing Ltd 2016, all
A new album through which to express her 2010S: BITCH IM MADONNA 84
rights reserved. While we make every effort to ensure A return to the directors chair for a big-
state of newlywed bliss, followed by a very
that the factual content of Classic Pop magazine is correct, budget biopic, a clothing line, a chain of
public breakdown, led to Madonnas pop
we cannot take any responsibility nor be held accountable gyms, two brand new albums, an all-singing,
masterstroke and universal acclaim
for any factual errors printed. No part of this publication all-dancing Super Bowl performance watched
1990S: STRIKE A POSE 44
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or resold by more people than anything else in history,
Its the decade that gave birth with the
without prior consent of Anthem Publishing Ltd. Classic Pop and a whole lot of lawsuits
help of Jean-Paul Gaultier to Madonna the
recognises all copyrights contained within the issue. Where
possible, we acknowledge the copyright holder.
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26 64 CONTENTS
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COLLABORATIONS
PRINCE 24
Rythmes Digitales and Zoot Woman, but
together in a London loft they created a
break records she set herself no wonder
she signed with concert giant Live Nation
A did-they-didnt-they romance, their lone club hit like no other MADONNA ON FILM 108
musical outing and more: we explore the MIRWAIS 100 From Golden Globes to box office bombs,
on-off relationship between two of the When Ms Ciccone turned to Gallic electroclash Madonnas films always divide the critics
biggest stars the world has seen producer Mirwais, the dancefloor most MADONNA ON VIDEO 116
STEPHEN BRAY 42 certainly beckoned with one of the stars Built to shock and magnetise in equal measure,
From Detroit pal and NYC bandmate to most creative No. 1 singles Madonna is a true master of the medium
songwriting and production duties, Bray DRESS YOU UP 122
played a major role in the story of Madonna F E AT U R E S We explore the mother of re-invention and
WILLIAM ORBIT 62 POP ART 6 examine her ever-changing image
With Madonnas spiritual reinvention and The performers iconic album sleeve art, from IN HER OWN WORDS 128
Orbits techno know-how, this partnership her eponymous Eighties debut to her latest Outspoken and brutally honest we pick out
created perhaps her finest moment offering, 2015s Rebel Heart some of Madonnas finest quotes
STUART PRICE 82 MADONNA ON STAGE 102 CLASSIC POP MOMENTS 130
Up until meeting Madonna, Price had played Artistic, fashion-savvy and expertly Billboards Woman Of The Year 2016 faces
and produced his own material in Les choreographed, Madonnas tours consistently ageism head-on
Eric Watson
S T A R B R I G H T
MADONNA STARTED THE
EIGHTIES PLAYING DRUMS IN
AN OBSCURE NEW YORK ROCK
BAND. WITHIN FIVE YEARS SHE
WOULD BECOME ARGUABLY
THE MOST FAMOUS WOMAN
ON EARTH. HERE, WE CHART
HER IRRESISTIBLE ASCENT FROM
MUDD CLUB TO LIVE AID
P A U L L E S T E R
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Madonna the
all-American
cheerleader, aged
14 in 1972
I N 2017,
most of the biggest stars one of whom, Joan Gustafson, became his second
on the planet Adele, wife, causing Madonna to rebel. Although Gustafson
Beyonc, Rihanna, Lady was reputed to be the very definition of the wicked
Gaga, Taylor Swift, Katy stepmother, her authoritarian approach is said to
Perry are women. And all of them owe a debt of have influenced the young Madonna, instilling in
gratitude to Madonna: for breaking down the door for her a penchant for order. (Indeed, reports in 2016
female artists and showing them that they could rival stated that Madonnas own children found the singer
the boys in the pop star superleague; for proving that too controlling, from her insistence on a hardcore
a female pop act could be as involved in every aspect macrobiotic diet and outlawing of sweets to the
of the creative process as any of their counterparts banning of TV at home).
in the so-called serious rock arena; for creating an Despite the domestic issues, Madonna managed
aesthetic universe every bit as fully-realised as David to do well, studies-wise, at Rochester Adams High
Bowies; and for being an inspiration when it comes School, and her extracurricular activities didnt suffer:
to musicians going she was a keen
through multiple member of the
musical and THE STORY OF THE GIRL WHO BECAME cheerleading
artistic ch-ch-ch- squad, and
changes. THE BIGGEST-SELLING RECORDING she showed a
The story of the
girl who became
ARTIST OF ALL TIME BEGINS WITH HER willingness to
experiment in
the biggest-selling BIRTH ON 16 AUGUST 1958 different fields.
Mary Wilson, a former member of Motown girl-trio
POP_UP The song Holiday was initially offered to
Brits, Grammys and a Golden Globe, begins with her assignment. It was titled The Egg Movie and recorded
birth on 16 August 1958 two weeks before Michael on Super 8, and Madonna was apparently open to
Jackson, two months after Prince, her only serious anything, which perhaps explains why she can be
competitors in the Eighties and beyond. seen eating a raw egg while another is baked on her
Madonna Louise Ciccone was the eldest daughter stomach, which is then eaten by another student.
of six children born in Bay City, Michigan to Although it was hardly an unstoppable, rapid
Chrysler engineer Tony Ciccone and his wife, ascent and there were many bumps in the road
Madonna Fortin, respectively of Italian and French- certainly her background suggests someone always
Canadian ancestry. Madonnas mother died of eager to achieve, and to receive the approbation
breast cancer in December 1963, aged 30. Just five of her peers. After graduating, in 1976 she gained
years old, Madonna was devastated by her death. a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan
Her strict disciplinarian father would later employ a School of Music, Theatre & Dance. There, she learned
succession of housekeepers to look after his children, about Martha Graham, the Picasso of modern
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true idols. Enrolling at her school, she would haunt the hallways in the hope of a
trapped in a womans body. Dance had become a
meeting. When their paths did cross, Madonna was too paralysed to speak
means of escape for the harried teenage Madonna
who now had seven noisy siblings at home (her father
and stepmother had two kids of their own), as well as
a respite from the feelings of loss still lingering from
the death of her real mother, and a way of gaining
recognition from people she admired.
But it wasnt enough. Having glimpsed a way out
of Detroits stifling suburbia via the gay club scene,
Madonna was now impatient to find her way to the
centre of everything. And so, in 1978, she dropped
out halfway through her University of Michigan course
and headed for New York. There, penniless, she
paid her rent by working variously as a waitress and
posing nude for art classes, staring at people staring
at me naked, as she put it. She also took classes
at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the
Martha Graham School, eventually performing with
the Pearl Lang Dance Theater. Before long, however,
she would flounce out of the latter, declaring to friends
that she was going to be a rock star.
New York wasnt all thrills and fulfillable dreams.
Yes, it was exciting (she had never before taken a
plane or caught a cab), but it was perilous, too: on
the way home from a dance rehearsal one night, she
was raped at knifepoint by a pair of thugs on a
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Manhattan rooftop. She was only 19. Still, she was with Stephen Bray (later a producer on True Blue and
determined not to quit and move back home. I was Like A Prayer) from The Breakfast Club on drums. One
defiant, she said.Hellbent on surviving. On making of their songs, Laugh To Keep Myself From Crying,
it. But it was hard and it was lonely, and I had to dare was a dead ringer for The Pretenders Madonna was
myself every day to keep going. in thrall to pouty punk-era pioneers Chrissie Hynde
Madonnas first proper musical venture came when and Blondies Debbie Harry. Much of the material
she joined a band called The Breakfast Club, with that Madonna wrote around this time was made
whom she played guitar, drums and sang. Their track available, in 1997, on the album Pre-Madonna, a
Shit On The Ground boasted some of the urgency and collection of demos produced circa 1980 by Bray.
attack of British punk group X-Ray Spex, Madonnas Casting around for an identity to call her own,
vocals having some of the yelping high-register quality Madonna was a sort of surrogate new wave girl cum
of the latters daring frontwoman Poly Styrene, while rock chick with a hint of a post-disco pulse to her
Shine A Light was more reflective and new wave-ish, music think Pat Benatar if shed been allowed into
Little Boy sounded like The Smiths four years ahead of Danceteria or the Mudd Club: not quite hip enough
schedule and Love to pass muster as
pop songs, just behind Yesterday, Satisfaction and Smells Like Teen Spirit
G O I N G
O V E R G R O U N D
MADONNAS BREAKTHROUGH UK PERFORMANCE
In the Seventies, pop TV gold was provided by David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust there was Marcel King, a Manchester soul singer with a beautiful voice who
performing Starman on Top Of The Pops. Then, in the Eighties on the same had been No. 1 in the Seventies as part of Sweet Sensation, and who was
show, Associates doing Party Fears Two and Frankie Goes To Hollywood seeking a second wave of acclaim via his new single, Reach For Love. Among
assailing us with Relax and Two Tribes, gave us startling, memorable TV pop the interviewees on the programme was Morrissey, who, like Madonna, was
performances. But even compared to moments like these, Madonnas own poised on the cusp of mega-stardom.
UK telly debut was as legendary as they come. Martin Moscrop, guitarist and trumpeter with A Certain Ratio, was there at
It was Friday teatime on January 27, 1984, when La Ciccone appeared the Haienda to observe the goings-on. You could sense she was going to be
on anarchic weekly show The Tube, via the Haienda club in Manchester. big she was just bossing everyone around, he later recalled. Greg Wilson,
This was Britains first glimpse of Madonna, and it was fantastic something resident DJ in the early days of the Haienda, witnessed some befuddlement
halfway between what Bananarama once termed (describing their own in the crowd. People didnt know who Madonna was, he said. She was
efforts) gimpy dancing and cool New York disco moves as she and her working hard, but the Haienda crowd wasnt a dance audience at the time
two dancers grooved to Burning Up and Holiday and Madonna mimed so what she was doing, with two male dancers, wouldnt have been what
to the music. Meanwhile, we could marvel at the star in her classic early they were into.
incarnation: black cropped vest, black sawn-off leggings, black ra-ra skirt, The 21-year-old Norman Cook, aeons before he became Fatboy Slim,
wavy streaked hair, big crucifix earrings, and naked midriff. even before becoming the bass player in The Housemartins, was also in
It was an odd bill that she was on at the bottom of, in fact but the audience that evening. He recalled seeing this tiny little American girl,
perhaps not that weird considering the Haienda was owned by Manchester looking pretty foxy and Kermit and company chatting to her: Who are
label Factory Records. Top slot was occupied by the Factory All Stars, you? Im Madonna. Said Cook: She was really friendly, very affable.
featuring members of Durutti Column, Quando Quango and pioneering funk- You have to be affable when youre on the bottom rung. He believed it was
noir outfit A Certain Ratio. Below them were Broken Glass, who included in a crucial gig for her. That one performance, he said, might have been the
their ranks the rapper Kermit, later to join Black Grape. Elsewhere on the bill thing that broke her in England.
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step after disco a slightly electronicised version Fruit, and as Warner Brothers in-house producer he
of the form it had a melody written by unknowns made perfect sense as the man at the controls for
Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens, with Nile Rodgers- Madonnas tentative first foray. However, she was
style scratchy rhythm guitar, an infectious recurrent not happy, finding fault with Lucas approach to
keyboard motif, electronic handclaps, cowbell, a production, so she decided to seek help from Benitez,
synth-string arrangement and production courtesy who embellished and enhanced Lucky Star, Burning
of Madonnas latest squeeze, DJ and remixer Up, Holiday and Physical Attraction.
John Jellybean Benitez. Holiday was, basically, The album was a showcase for the new technology,
irresistible. Not surprisingly, it became Madonnas including the Linn drum machine, Moog bass and
first mainstream hit in the US, reaching the Top 20 OB-X synthesiser, but there was also conventional
of the Billboard Hot 100. It also became her first Top instrumentation (guitar, bass, percussion, tenor
10 entry in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the sax). Whatever, it worked. From the ebullient synth-
Netherlands and the UK. shimmery opener Lucky Star to the nagging insistence
By this point, Madonnas thrift-store chic was of Think Of Me and Physical Attraction, the album
catching on as hardly faltered I
fast as her music. Know It was a
With a little help MADONNAS DEBUT ALBUM slight misfire (or
from stylist and a dry run for True
DEMONSTRATED THAT THIS WAS A LEGIT
POP_UP Before remixing for Madonna, Jellybean had worked
Maripol, her
ARTIST WITH AMBITIONS TO SUSTAIN A being generous),
on Jimmy Spicers The Bubble Bunch, Rockers Revenges
I N T O
T H E
G R O O V E
MADONNAS BEST SINGLES
OF THE EARLY EIGHTIES HOLIDAY LIKE A VIRGIN
This song was most people in Britains first Forget Lady Gaga and her meat dress Madonna
experience of Madonna and they really liked it. was causing controversies when La Germanotta was
In fact, theyve liked it consistently over the years, just a twinkle in her parents eyes. Still, although
which explains why it has charted no less than three the lyric to her first chart-topper like a virgin,
times in the UK. First, it reached No. 6 on its first touched for the very first time raised eyebrows
release here in January 1984 (with its original at the time, the writers of the song actually had in
artwork of an old black-and-white image of a couple mind something rather more chaste from Motowns
and a train), then became a No. 2 on its re-release classic Sixties era for the falsetto melody line: the
in August 85 (when it was kept off the top slot by demo was said to have been based on Smokey
her own Into The Groove) and finally a No. 5 in Robinsons style of singing, or a song such as I Cant
1991 to promote The Immaculate Collection. Help Myself by The Four Tops.
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19
Madonna in her
infamous wedding dress
with Boy Toy belt
buckle at the first MTV
Video Music Awards in
New York, 1984
20
ambitions to sustain a career over the longterm. That it work with her and Like A Virgin seemed like a perfect
sold in vast quantities 10 million copies worldwide opportunity. Physical Attraction might almost have
eventually, peaking inside the Top 10 of most been written about Rodgers and Madonna. The thing
territories tells its own story: that by summer 1984, between us, man, it was sexual, it was passionate, it
Madonna was making a considerable impact on the was creativity it was pop, he exclaimed. He later
pop landscape. commented: She may be the most magical person
By late 84, via her next series of releases, she Ive ever come into contact with. We were as close as
began to seriously shape that landscape. The two people could be without being lovers.
producer she chose to work on her second album, The first single to be issued from Like A Virgin
November 84s Like A Virgin, was Nile Rodgers, was the title track in October 84. Madonna
which made sense because Madonna was in many had effectively launched the song in a notorious
ways the naturally corollary of Chic disco with a performance at the first MTV Video Music Awards
new wave sensibility and Eighties vision. Fresh from (VMAs) two months prior to the singles release.
producing David Bowies Lets Dance album, Rodgers During it, she appeared onstage atop a giant
was on a roll. wedding cake in
Like A Virgin was a wedding dress,
FRESH FROM PRODUCING DAVID
POP_UP The writers of Like A Virgin also wrote The Bangles Eternal
virtually a Chic adorned with a
reunion (although Boy Toy belt
Hearts Alone. All were No. 1 hits in the US for female vocalists
they had only buckle, and veil.
just released,
the year before,
RODGERS WAS ON A ROLL AND LIKE A The performance
climaxed
their final album, VIRGIN WAS A VIRTUAL CHIC REUNION literally with her
the underrated masturbating and
Believer), with a rolling around
mixture of musicians and machines. Rodgers drafted on the stage. Cue outrage from Americas guardians
in his old Chic partner, bassist Bernard Edwards, of morality. Madonna, however, was quick to point
Chic regular Robert Sabino on keyboards and their out the ambiguity of the message. I was surprised
drumming powerhouse Tony Thompson for sessions by how people reacted to Like A Virgin because,
at the Power Station studio in New York. But this was to me, I was singing about how something made
Chic updated Like A Virgin was largely recorded me feel a certain way brand-new and fresh and
using digital technology. everyone interpreted it as, I dont want to be a virgin
Madonna was ecstatic at the prospect of working anymore. Thats not what I sang at all.
with Rodgers. I idolised Nile because of the whole Intensely hooky, instantly catchy, Like A Virgin
Chic thing, she said. I couldnt believe that the became an immediate worldwide smash, reaching
record company gave me the money so that I the higher echelons of the charts in most countries on
could work with him. As for Rodgers, he had seen earth, including No. 1 in America and Canada. The
Madonna perform at a small club in New York in parent album saw Madonna go supernova. The cover
1983. I kept thinking to myself, Damn, is she a image captured the artist balanced between virgin
star, but she wasnt at that time. I always wanted to and whore while the music found the perfect
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compromise between R&B, dance and mainstream being charged with felony domestic assault, although
pop. On Like A Virgin Madonna collaborated with Madonna later withdrew the charge and filed for
her former boyfriend Stephen Bray, who co-wrote divorce. She made further forays into cinema by
many of the albums songs, including the scintillating playing a club singer in romantic drama Vision
Angel, Stay, Pretender and Over And Over. The Quest; the soundtrack contained two new singles,
second single, issued in January 85, was Material her US No. 1 ballad Crazy For You, and Gambler.
Girl, which managed to become an iconic piece of She also assumed the title role of the 1985 comedy
pop music almost as swiftly as its predecessor, helped Desperately Seeking Susan, starring alongside
not a little by an equally iconic video, recasting Rosanna Arquette. The film decreed one of the 10
Madonna as a latterday Marilyn Monroe singing best films of 1985 by The New York Times unveiled
Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend circa Gentlemen the brilliant Into The Groove, her first UK No. 1 single.
Prefer Blondes. It also had, like Virgin, an ambivalent In April 85, Madonna embarked on her first
lyric, some seeing concert tour of
it as a celebration North America,
of Eighties
conspicuous
MATERIAL GIRL MANAGED TO BECOME the Virgin Tour,
with rap bad lads
consumption on AN ICONIC PIECE OF POP MUSIC AS The Beastie Boys
POP_UP Like A Virgin sold 21 million copies world-
wide. Its one of the blockbusters of the era, rivalled
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MADONNA WITH...
PRINCE IF MADONNA WAS THE QUEEN OF EIGHTIES POP, ONE OF
THE TWO KINGS WAS PRINCE. THIS IS THE STORY OF HER
RELATIONSHIP, AND COLLABORATION, WITH THE PURPLE ONE
P A U L L E S T E R
I
n the Eighties, no pop colossi were bigger than around this time was a Prince concert at the LA
Madonna, Michael Jackson and Prince. Of these Forum. Taraborelli alleges that the diminutive pop-funk
three megastars, Jacksons relationship with Prince genius had to fight Madonna off while they drove
could best be described as frictional, Jacksons to the show so he could conserve his energy for his
with Madonna was cautious but flirtatious, while performance. I heard she was pretty aggressive,
Madonnas with Prince was well, in contemporary Princes friend TL Ross told the biographer, conjuring
parlance, lets just say it was complicated. a vision of a fey pop flower being manhandled by a
The Queen of Pop and Prince first met and briefly crushing Amazonian. She was strong. He told me
dated in 1985, just before she met and married that she had the strength of 10 women.
actor Sean Penn (apparently, she left Prince for Penn), The couple dated for the next two months, before
although some accounts contradict this. In May 85, Prince allegedly asked her to go steady, at which
People magazine wrote that they werent, arent points things deteriorated rapidly after Madonna,
[and] never considered having an affair, before known for her flightiness, declined to get further
noting that Madonna went to greet Prince with the involved. Ross drew the distinction between the two
announcement, Time to go meet the midget. In the stars respective needs vis a vis love and sex. Prince
same interview, she was particularly vituperative is way too cosmic for Madonna, he said. For him,
about her pop rival: He usually wants to be treated making love is a spiritual experience. For her at
the exact opposite of the way he is dressed. His outfits least at that time making love was just a physical
say touch me, lick me, love me, lust me, but then he expression. While he wanted to savour every second
pretends hes wearing a monks outfit. He needs to of the experience, she was into multiple orgasms.
step back, look at his clothing and laugh at it. After two months, he cut her loose.
Perhaps Madonna was feeling slighted. According Madonna wasnt used to being dumped, and she
to J Randy Taraborelli, in his book Madonna: An is said to have pestered Prince with phone calls for
Intimate Biography, the pair first encountered each weeks. He later claimed that she screamed at him,
other backstage at the American Music Awards How dare you dump me. Dont you know who
in January 1985, and it is believed their first date I am? In the aftermath of the affair, Madonna is
24
alleged to have referred to Prince as a little troll. However, just before Princes death in 2016, there
She also joked in 1994 that he wouldnt eat during a was talk of a joint tour. Unfortunately, he turned her
dinner date. He was just sipping tea, very daintily, down. Madonnas manager Guy Oseary pitched the
Madonna said. I have this theory about people who idea to his artist and her eyes lit up. He recalled, She
dont eat. They annoy me. said, I like it, we can call it the Royalty Tour... The
Still, for all the fallout of their short-lived romance, Queen and The Prince. Prince, though, felt that the
they are believed to have kept things convivial in world isnt ready for this, its too big.
the aftermath. In fact, Prince is said to have come to By 2016, the hatchet appeared to have finally been
Madonnas assistance in a moment of domestic crisis. buried. Madonna was among the celebrities cheering
Melinda Cooper, assistant to Madonnas manager on Princes sold-out show at NYCs Madison Square
Freddy DeMann, recalled that when Sean Penn was Garden; Prince also performed for Madonna, and 30
with her, in a rage he punched a hole in her wall after fans specially summoned for the occasion, at Paisley
discovering that shed dated Prince. Madonna then Park following her gig in Saint Paul, Minneapolis,
called Prince and told him to come and fix the hole, while on her Rebel Heart tour. Prince played an
because youre responsible for it, after all, at which amazing funk set while Madonna sat at the edge of
point Prince apparently showed up, plaster in hand, the stage and gazed up adoringly at the purple deity.
and proceeded to repair the Penn-inflicted damage. Following the shocking news of Princes death at the
Whatever the truth of their extracurricular liaisons, age of 57 in April 2016, Madonna posted a photo
theres no disputing the fact that Prince and Madonna of the two of them on her Instagram page, featuring
worked together on her 1989 album Like A Prayer. them both clad in yellow. She wrote: He Changed
He played guitar, uncredited, on three tracks Like A The World!! A True Visionary. What a loss. Im
Prayer, Keep It Together and Act Of Contrition and Devastated. This is Not A Love Song.
they collaborated on Love Song at Princes Paisley It made sense, then, that a clearly moved Madonna
Park studio. Though more of an idiosyncratic groove should be invited to honour her former adversary
in search of a chorus than a contender for single and possible lover at the 2016 Billboard awards.
release, its a rare example of two bona fide music The reaction to her performance, which saw her
superstars joining forces; arguably only David Bowie dressed in the colour purple singing a version
and Mick Jagger teaming up for Dancing In The Street of Nothing Compares 2 U, before launching into a
matches it for Eighties starpower. rendition of Purple Rain with Stevie Wonder, was
Madonna revealed that she and Prince had mixed. Madonna, of course, proved resistant to
originally planned to collaborate on a musical, critics of the production, and was defiant on social
but that didnt really pan out. She added that he media. Anyone who wants to do a tribute to Prince
seemed to fight the idea of just writing songs for is welcome to, she declared. Whatever your
a record together, because hes done that with so age Gender or skin Color. If you loved him and he
many people. However, they did start jamming inspired you then show it!!!! I love Prince 4 ever.
on a few rough demos, and Love Song was one of
them. It was mainly pieced together long-distance,
because, as Madonna explained, I had to be in LA LITTLE WONDER
and he couldnt leave Minneapolis, and quite frankly PURPLE REIGN
I couldnt stand Minneapolis. When I went there, it
There were several megastars in the Eighties whose ubiquity and enormity was
was like 20 degrees below zero, and it was really
unparalleled since the days of The Beatles. But who was the biggest? Well, if youre going
desolate. I was miserable and I couldnt write or work to use the American singles charts as your measure and why wouldnt you? and add
under those circumstances. up how many weeks each song by each artist spent on the Billboard Hot 100 between
She described Love Song as a hate-love song that 5 January 1980 and 30 December 1989, the Top 5 list is as follows. At No. 5, Michael
seemed to relate to all the other songs [on the album] Jackson, with 20 hits and 326 weeks charted. At No. 4, it was Madonna, the only woman
because its about a relationship, then proceeded to in the Top 5, with 19 hits and 332 weeks charted. Surprisingly at No. 3 was Billy Joel,
elaborate on the writing process: We sent the tapes who had three No. 1 singles, 22 hits and 336 weeks charted with tracks such as Its Still
back and forth to each other and we started building RockNRoll To Me, Tell Her About It, We Didnt Start The Fire and Uptown Girl. Runners-up
it. He would write a sentence and I would add onto were Daryl Hall & John Oates, with five No. 1 singles, 13 Top 10 hits, 21 hits in total and
351 weeks on the chart. And at No. 1? Its Prince, with 26 hits and 378 weeks charted.
it and send it back to him and he would continue the
story. It was fun. Prince wins the
She was equally enthused about Prince the Eighties in terms
man. I think that Prince lives a very isolated of singles alone
life, and I dont, she said in 1989. That is the
big difference between us. I always try to be a
positive influence on him. Ive always been a fan.
I think hes incredible. I admire him hes quite
courageous. He causes lots of controversy, too,
which is great. I think he is a brilliant musician.
But there was further tension when Madonna
decided she wanted to film a video to accompany
Love Song, and Prince refused. Even when
Madonna insisted that it would help her get over
her divorce from Sean Penn, he wouldnt budge.
Eighteen years later, Prince was still smarting
about her. During a 2007 concert in London, he
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Madonna in New
York on the Whos
That Girl Tour, 1987
26
C My
M A R K L I N D O R E S
27
MADONNA
may have purposely decided to remove Tour, and had worked on songs with him while on
herself from the spotlight following her the road. With the direction of the album determined,
appearance at Live Aid in July 1985 so Madonna decided she would co-produce the album
that she could enjoy her first few months with Stephen and Pat - garnering protests from her
of married life in domestic bliss with Sean Penn in record label, who would have preferred a big-name
their Malibu beach house, but that didnt stop her producer to helm the project.
ascendance into superstardom continuing at a rapid Finding herself in a position she had been in
Tour, she made her modelling debut at an Aids benefit charity fashion show
pace. Although she spent the latter half of that year before, Madonna refused to back down. Musical
environmental benefits. As well as appearing on the Amnesty International
laying the groundwork for her third album and mulling differences with Reggie Lucas had marred her debut
over movie roles in which she and Sean could star album and, unimpressed by how much Nile Rodgers
POP_UP Following Live Aid, Madonna began appearing at more
together, her omnipresence in the charts (thanks to earned for producing Like A Virgin, the already
the unstoppable pop juggernaut that was the Like A business-minded Madonna was insistent on her choice
Virgin album) and in the tabloids (where her every of collaborators. She really fought for that and Im
movement was documented, much to the chagrin of very thankful that she did, because thats what really
her new, publicity-shy husband) made it feel like she put me on the map as a producer/songwriter, Pat
had never been away at all. Leonard says.
By the time 1986 was underway, Madonna was Bringing the production in-house certainly made
firmly back in work mode. Having struggled to settle financial sense, but Madonna also felt that she
in Hollywood, she alleviated her homesickness for had something to prove. Despite selling millions of
her adopted hometown of New York by inviting her albums, she felt that she still wasnt getting the credit
friends from the Big Apple to stay with her. One of she deserved from her peers and from critics, who
the most frequent visitors was Stephen Bray, a former didnt take her seriously and accused her solely of
boyfriend from Detroit who had followed her to New capitalising on her provocative image. There are still
York and become one of her first, and most successful those people who, no matter what I do, will always
songwriting partners. Inspired by Madonnas state think of me as a little disco tart, she said.
of post-marital bliss, the pair began writing songs Although she had been adamant that the triumvirate
for her next album. Whatever she is going through, of herself, Pat and Steve would be responsible for the
thats what inspires her, Bray later told Billboard. At entire album, Madonna was forced to relent when
that time, she was in love so thats what the record presented with two songs from outside writers. Her
became about. manager Freddy DeMann had been sent a rock song
Madonna had also developed a strong rapport called Follow Your Heart and Michael Ostin, an A&R
with Pat Leonard, the Musical Director of her Virgin executive at Warners, had heard a song called
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Papa Dont Preach which was to launch a new artist ballad for fear of alienating her fans, the risk paid
called Christina Dent. Ostin persuaded the songs off when it became a huge hit and silenced even
writer, Brian Elliot, to let Madonna sing it instead. Madonnas most voracious critics, if only temporarily.
It just fit right in with my own personal zeitgeist Papa Dont Preach, a song about teenage
of standing up to male authorities, whether its the pregnancy, saw Madonna face her biggest
pope, or the Catholic Church or my father and his controversy to date, sparking debate and protests
conservative, patriarchal ways, Madonna said. from various factions, with some accusing Madonna
Although she only of encouraging POP_UP La Isla Bonita was originally written by Pat Leonard and offered
down. Madonna added the lyrics and melody to make the song her own
made very minor teenagers to get
alterations to the PAPA DONT PREACH, A SONG pregnant while
as an instrumental for Michael Jacksons Bad album, but he turned it
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The notion of controversy equaling currency may be a prevalent marketing Spanish seorita in La Isla Bonita.
strategy in celebrity culture today but it was still a great risk in 1989, Her ability to transform chameleon-like from video
particularly when it came to religion. America was still reeling from the to video inspired the title of Whos That Girl a song
release of The Last Temptation Of Christ and Mississippi Burning, and she had written for the soundtrack to Slammer, which
anything purported to be even mildly blasphemous was taboo not that was renamed after the song and also became the
that would have any bearing on Madonna once her mind was made up. name of her tour. Every time I do a video or a song,
She was absolutely fearless, recalls director Mary Lambert. She called
people go, Oh, thats what shes like and Im not
me up and said she wanted me to work on the video and wanted to play
me the song. I deduced that the song compared religious ecstasy to sexual like any of them, Madonna said. Im all of them,
ecstasy, and Madonna agreed. She had all these ideas of what she wanted, and Im none of them and thats why I called my
and the first thing she said was that she wanted to make out with a black tour Whos That Girl.
guy on the altar. Kicking off in Japan in June 1987, the Whos That
Before we began shooting the video we had a meeting with various Girl Tour marked Madonnas first live shows outside
record company executives and they said point blank that they would like us the US. She was keen to deliver a spectacle and
to come up with something else. Madonnas response was F*** you. She not compromise any aspects of her live act, despite
said she was going to do whatever she wanted and that the music stations playing huge sports stadiums. The show encompassed
Just Like A
would play it. After that they pretty much left us alone because Madonna theatre, art, dance and fashion, and critics praised
had staked out her territory and said what she was going to do.
Madonna for bringing full production values to the
After I recorded the song, I kept playing it to get a visual sense of the
sort of story it would evoke in me, Madonna told Interview magazine. I often soulless medium of stadium rock.
kept imagining this story of a girl in love with a black man in the South, As well as a mammoth stage with a grand
a forbidden interracial love affair, and it turned into a story about bigotry staircase, moving platform and giant video screens,
and racism. Kind of, this is reality and reality sucks. Then Mary Lambert got the show featured dancers and a string of costume
involved as director and she came up with a story that incorporated more changes based on the various guises Madonna
of the religious symbolism that I had written into the song. There was still portrayed in her videos. Having adopted a gruelling
sadness but she gave it a hopeful ending. I had these insane ideas about me fitness regime and strict diet in order to meet the
running away with the black man and us getting shot in the back by the Ku physical demands of the energetic show, Madonna
Klux Klan, and she just made the thing much more palatable. commanded the vast stage, her electrifying stage
I was ecstatic with the final cut, says Mary. The message worked,
presence belying her diminutive stature. Supported
the video was beautiful and it was sexy. It was amazing to get the level of
reaction that it got. It really was overwhelming. by Level 42, the tour was a resounding success which
I think it was necessary, Madonna said. Art should be controversial saw Madonna playing sell-out shows each night,
and make people think about what they believe in and what they dont. while scenes of Madonnamania continued offstage
Everything is just opium for the masses it puts people in a trance. I think with thousands of fans greeting her at airports and
its good to hit people over the head and make them question their beliefs. besieging her hotels.
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Performing La Isla
Bonita in a red
flamenco dress on the
Whos That Girl Tour
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Madonna may have been gratified to be playing to about the volatile nature of their troubled marriage.
crowds of 70,000-130,000 people, but the flipside of Reports surfaced that Madonna had split from
her career threw up an uncomfortable contrast when Sean at the end of 1987 and began a three-month
the Whos That Girl movie tanked at the box office. relationship with John F Kennedy Jr.
The screwball comedy in which Madonna played With the notion of failure anathema to Madonna,
the part of Nikki Finn, an ex-con out to clear her in 1988 she resolved to fix the two areas in which
name was unfairly mauled by critics, and this hostile she was unsuccessful her marriage, and her acting
reception led to career. First, POP_UP Having played the part of Madonna's father in the Papa Don't
fans staying away she reconciled Preach video, Danny Aiello went on to record a much maligned answer
from cinemas THE SCREWBALL COMEDY WHOS THAT with Sean, and song from the father's perspective entitled Papa Only Wants The Best
35
Bernhard appeared dressed identically and joked They worked meticulously on the album throughout
about the nature of their relationship, only enraged 1988, Leonard working on musical ideas while
him further. Though their marriage had been turbulent Madonna drew from years of her diaries and journals
throughout, an alleged altercation between Madonna to form the lyrics. They were the kind of songs I
and Sean took place on December 29th 1988 when was writing at the time, Madonna told Songtalk
Sean allegedly held Madonna captive and beat her magazine. I was in a very, very dark place and they
in their Malibu mansion, leading to a police report were just pouring out of me. I just wrote what I was
being filed. feeling and didnt candycoat anything to make it more
The specifics of what happened have been widely palatable for mass consumption.
speculated over the years but never confirmed. In As well as the searingly honest lyrics, a huge part
synonymous with the following year from behind a backlit screen
Madonna debuted voguing the dance craze she would become
POP_UP Introducing Express Yourself at the 1989 MTV Awards,
2015, Madonna gave evidence in a defamation of the songs authenticity came from the conviction
lawsuit brought by Sean against director Lee Daniels in Madonnas vocal delivery. The much-maligned
denying that he ever beat her with a baseball bat. Minnie Mouse on helium girlish voice of her earlier
While we certainly had more than one heated work was replaced by defiant, battle-scarred tones,
argument during our marriage, Sean has never struck often thick with emotion. A lot of the vocals we kept
me, tied me up, or physically assaulted me, and were the first takes, Madonna said. They were a
any report to the contrary is completely outrageous, lot more spontaneous and emotional and integral to
malicious, reckless, and false, she testified. the music. We had every intention of going back and
Devastated that her marriage had failed, Madonna fixing them but when we listened to them we said
sought solace in her work, entering the studio to work Why should we? Theyre fine. I think its because I
on her fourth album. Having just turned 30 she was didnt have the pressure of knowing it was the final
feeling increasingly introspective, and forced herself vocal. Strange sounds and imperfections we kept
to confront her feelings about life-altering events that them all in because theyre emotions too.
she had brushed aside for years, delving into her Although it had been cathartic for Madonna to
psyche and channelling her feelings on her marriage, pour her heart out in Like A Prayers darker, dramatic
the death of her mother and her Catholic upbringing moments, lighter moments such as Cherish, Dear
into what was to become her magnum opus. Jessie and the funk-driven Express Yourself were
We called it the divorce album, says Pat Leonard, included to ensure the album was not too much of
who co-wrote and co-produced the Like A Prayer a culture shock to Madonnas fanbase. Love Song,
album with Madonna. Everything took four or five a long-awaited duet with Prince (a remnant from
times longer to do as she kept breaking down in the an aborted musical they had been working on)
studio. It was a hard time for her. completed the album.
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Recordings
their new face and would be debuting her single in
an ad in a simultaneous broadcast around the world
as well as sponsoring her next world tour. Described
by Madonna as the ultimate meeting of art and
commerce, the deal was a mutually beneficial
alliance: Pepsi had pop royalty in their ranks, and
Madonna had one of the biggest platforms in the
world to launch her new single.
However, Madonnas main concern on entering 01 LIVE TO TELL
From TRUE BLUE (1986)
into such a deal was that she didnt feel used, Live To Tell introduced a new emotional depth
and she inked the deal subject to a set of her own into Madonnas music. A brooding ballad
stringent ground rules. She refused to be seen holding about finding inner strength, the song has a
a can of Pepsi and didnt want to dance in the ad particular resonance with Madonnas LBGT
(she eventually relented after meeting choreographer fans. Sometimes when Im writing, Im just
channelling, Madonna said. I could say Live
Vincent Paterson). Also, as other artists had done, she
To Tell was about my childhood, my relationship
categorically refused to allow her song be amended with my father and my stepmother. Or it could
in any way to incorporate Pepsi into the lyrics, feeling be a story that I heard once. Its true, but its
it would cheapen her song. not necessarily autobiographical.
Madonnas Pepsi commercial, entitled Make A
Wish, was screened around the world on March
2nd 1989 to an estimated audience of 500 million 02 PAPA DONT PREACH
From TRUE BLUE (1986)
people. The two-minute advert screened in the Papa Dont Preach, like Michael Jacksons Billie
US during The Cosby Show, at that time Americas Jean, dealt with the complications a pregnancy
biggest TV programme, and during an episode would impose on someones life. Madonna
of popular police soap The Bill in the UK was a described the track as a message song that
sentimental depiction of Madonna watching home everyone is going to take the wrong way.
The song marked a shift in style for the singer,
movies of her eighth birthday party, comfortable
using her platform to generate discussions and
in the knowledge that all her birthday wishes were spark debate about social issues that mattered
about to come true. Thrilled with the response and to her. Controversy aside, the irresistible track
delighted with their new signing, Pepsi swiftly put an reached No. 1 around the world.
edited version of the ad into heavy rotation across
the world. Although Madonna and Pepsis hook-up
was commended as perfectly executed by business 03 OPEN YOUR HEART
From TRUE BLUE (1986)
analysts, the success was to be short-lived for the Open Your Heart began life as a rock song
following day Madonna released her video for Like A called Follow Your Heart written by Gardner
Prayer, with cataclysmic results. Cole and Peter Rafelson and was intended for
While Like A Prayer is generally regarded today Cyndi Lauper until Madonnas manager heard
it. Madonna agreed after adapting the lyric
as one of the greatest pop videos of its age, the
and style, earning herself a co-writer credit.
furore that greeted its release was unprecedented. Its also notable for being one of Madonnas
Directed by longtime Madonna collaborator Mary greatest 12 remixes. Over 10 minutes long,
Lambert, Like A Prayer was a latter-day passion play the extended remix was the perfect intro to
with a strong anti-racist message in which Madonna open her Whos That Girl World Tour.
witnesses a black man wrongly accused of murder,
experiences stigmata, kisses a black saint (often
misconceived as being a black Jesus), makes love 04 LIKE A PRAYER
From LIKE A PRAYER (1989)
on an altar, and dances in a field of burning crosses. Divine intervention in the vocal booth of the
The response was even more extreme than anyone studio helped Madonna create an uplifting
had imagined. Religious groups were up in arms, anthem which ranks among her greatest
ever. I really wanted to do something really
burning effigies of Madonna and threatening a
gospel-oriented and acapella, with virtually no
boycott of her and anyone associated with her.
instrumentation, just my voice and an organ,
Madonna was typically defiant in her response, she said. So we started fooling around, and
claiming the videos positive message had been wed take away all the instrumentation so that
overlooked. Frustrated that their plight was falling my voice was naked. Then we came up with the
on deaf ears, the protestors turned their attentions to bridge, and we had a choir. Then we had it.
Pepsi, threatening to boycott Pepsi and all of their
associated companies. Pepsi buckled under the
pressure and ended the deal, allowing Madonna to 05 EXPRESS YOURSELF
From LIKE A PRAYER (1989)
keep her $5 million fee but pulling out of sponsoring Written with Steve Bray, Express Yourself
her forthcoming tour. inspired by Sly & the Family Stones Stand is
Madonna saw the outcome as a complete triumph. Madonnas anthem to female empowerment.
While the original version had a pounding
She viewed the fact that her video had remained on
wall-of-sound beat and plenty of soulful
air while the ad had been pulled as a huge victory
horns, the Shep Pettibone remix incorporated
for free speech; she had garnered herself acres of a more electronic, house-y vibe. Madonna
free publicity, and, despite the controversy her video was so impressed with the remix that his
had generated, she had proved herself a superb version was promoted over the original. Two
marketeer. She was the most talked-about star in interpretations, one incredible song.
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Madonna taking
over the 1989 MTV
Video Awards with a
compelling rendition
of Express Yourself
the world, and Like A Prayer shot straight to No. 1 planned world tour, so she took a break to shoot
around the world, proving the old adage that there is videos for Like A Prayers subsequent singles.
no such thing as bad publicity. By now all too aware of the power of the medium
Controversy aside, when the album was released, of the music video, Madonna shot a series of videos
on March 21st 1989, Madonna was surprised to that would provoke controversy, challenge stereotypes
find herself the subject of unanimous critical acclaim and remain among the highlights of her videography.
something which had alluded her up until that point From David Finchers sexually-charged, futuristic
of her career. NME gave the album 10/10, while fantasy world inspired by Fritz Langs Metropolis for
co-starred as the young boy that Madonna eventually dances away with
Rolling Stone described it as being as close to art Express Yourself to Oh Fathers harrowing depiction
POP_UP The opinion-dividing peepshow video for Open Your Heart
premiered on The Tube TV show as its presenter, model Felix Howard,
as pop music gets. People didnt realise I was a of Madonna as a child mourning her mother and
songwriter as well as a slut, she lambasted. I guess battling for the love of her father, from Herb Ritts
the image gets in the way. What am I supposed to Cherish capturing a playful Madonna frolicking in
do? The information is on the label. If they dont read the Californian surf with a group of mermen to the
it, thats not my problem. Im not gonna put a sticker sweet animation of Dear Jessie, the Like A Prayer-era
on the front of the record saying Listen, I wrote these videos remain some of her most iconic moments
songs! People will pay attention to what they want to The care and effort Madonna put into presenting
pay attention to. her work visually was rewarded at the 1989
The albums cover image reflected her newfound MTV Video Music Awards where, after a classic
musical maturity. Featuring a close up of her performance of Express Yourself, she was crowned
trademark midriff bedecked with rosaries and the First Lady of MTV, picking up the Viewers Choice
crucifixes, the image reflected Like A Prayers fusion Award for Like A Prayer, ironically sponsored by
of religion and sexuality. Pepsi, whom Madonna thanked in her acceptance
Once the Like A Prayer brouhaha had died speech for causing so much controversy.
down, Madonna seemed to be keeping a low It was to cap a year of extraordinary career
profile. Having established herself as pops premier highlights for Madonna, which shaped the kind
provocateur, the very last place youd have expected of artist she would become, using her spotlight
to find her was ensconced in the Disney studios, yet and fame to highlight issues and causes she was
thats exactly where she was, having landed the role passionate about while producing a body of work
of femme fatale Breathless Mahoney in Dick Tracy. which was the blueprint for every pop diva that
Filming the movie and recording the soundtrack came after her. With Like A Prayer, Madonna not
throughout 1989 meant that she would be absent only created the perfect pop album she also wrote
from the promo trail and would have to delay her pops New Testament.
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Read on any
device, any time!
Getty Images
MADONNA WITH...
STEPHEN BRAY BONDING OVER A LOVE OF CLASSIC MOTOWN, SOUL AND
FUNK, MADONNA AND STEPHEN BRAY CREATED A GROOVE
THAT ESTABLISHED THE SINGER AS THE ULTIMATE DANCE DIVA
M A R K L I N D O R E S
S
tephen Bray has a vivid recollection of the received a call saying Madonna was now pursuing a
first time he met Madonna. Oh, it was just career in music and needed a drummer for her band.
like thatHuman Leaguesong, only I was the Upon his arrival in New York Bray was impressed
waiter in a cocktail bar, he laughs. I was by how much headway Madonna had made. She
working at a bar and she came in to dance already had 12 or 14 songs written when I showed
with some friends. I bought her a gin and tonic as I up, and I just had to learn them, he says. Her time
felt shed earned it, having cleared the dance floor with The Breakfast Club [Madonnas first band] had
with her attention-getting moves. Madonna may helped develop her early songwriting skills as well
have emptied the floor on that occasion, but over the as performing. After The Breakfast Club had come
next 10 years, as the couple became firm friends, another band, Emmy; Madonna left when she felt
occasional lovers and musical soulmates, they created that her ideas were being ignored. Nonetheless, it
some of the Eighties greatest floor-fillers. had been her band (even its name was her childhood
Aside from being a waiter in the Blue Frogge club nickname) and she had a clear view of its direction.
in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Bray was a drummer in a She was playing raucous rocknroll, influenced by
band and a budding songwriter. Madonna became ThePretendersand ThePolice, says Bray.
a regular fixture at his gigs around the area. She Madonna and Bray began a very close working
wasnt really a musician back then; she was just relationship, consumed by their music, even living in
dancing, Bray says. She stood out, quite a lot. their rehearsal studio on New Yorks 8th Street. The
There were hardly any people at our shows but she Music Building was near Macys in Herald Square,
was always up the front dancing up a storm. In fact, Bray recalls. There were a lot of singers and bands
Im sure people started coming because they knew working in rehearsal halls and studios there. It
shed be there, and theyd come to watch her dance. was like living in a commune a good place, very
Having emerged as a local celebrity with a larger- artistic, you could just taste the creativity there. It was
than-life personality, Madonna felt stifled by her a fantastically romantic,bohemian artist lifestyle
smalltown surroundings and headed to New York playing gigs at Maxs Kansas City,Danceteria,
to further her career in 1978. Two years later, Bray CBGBs and the clubs of the time was pure heaven.
42
Madonna and Brays voracious appetites for New if shes not in love she definitely wont be writing love
York nightlife exposed them to many musical styles. songs. Thats why the love songs for Like A Prayer
Madonna scored a solo management deal with First Is A Kiss and Love Attack werent on the record.
Camille Barbone, and the pair began working on She didnt feel they were real enough at that time.
songs. Swayed by the hip-hop and Latin music they Stephen did co-write two of Like A Prayers strongest
danced to at the Funhouse and Paradise Garage, they songs, Express Yourself and Keep It Together, both
began to move away from the new wave of Emmy to funk-driven dance tracks inspired by the pairs love
more dance-oriented material. Those early days with of Sly & the Family Stone. The latter was an ode
Madonna were some of the happiest musical times of to family life and remembering your roots, while
my life we finished each others musical sentences, Express Yourself was a feminist rallying call to arms,
Bray said. I dont think Ive ever gotten along as well celebrating independence and encouraging being
with any othercollaborator in terms of writing. assertive. It became one of her signature songs.
Everywhere she went, Madonna carried a four-track They were to be the final Madonna/Bray songs
cassette containing Aint No Big Deal, Everybody, released by Madonna. In 1991, Get Over, a song
Dont You Know and Stay in the hope of scoring a they had written and recorded as a potential new
club hit. Her breakthrough came when Danceteria track on The Immaculate Collection, was released
DJ Mark Kamins played Everybody. Getting a great by former model Nick Scotti, while in 1996 Bray
response from the crowd, Kamins took it to Seymour released Pre-Madonna, an album containing the early
Stein of Sire Records, where he was working as an demos they had worked on in New York a move
A&R man. Stein signed Madonna on the spot. said to have enraged Madonna, and which put an
As she began working on her debut album with end to their working relationship.
producer Reggie Lewis, Madonna was dismayed by While many of her former collaborators have
how little say she had creatively. Madonna and Bray gone on to criticise Madonna for using them on
had a major falling out when he discovered he was her rise to the big time, Bray harbours no grudge
to play no part in her album, a decision he was very and would welcome the opportunity of seeing if their
hurt by. Dejected, Bray sold the publishing rights of old chemistry still exists. Ive gone down a different
Aint No Big Deal to July Fourth Music. After disco path into music theatre of late but I can still find my
act Barracuda scored a hit with it before Madonna, it way around a sequencer, he says. When people
was dropped from the LP in favour of Everybody. say Madonna exploited them, thats resentment of
Following her rise to superstardom and with more someone whos got the drive. It seems like youre
creative control, Madonna was keen to make amends leaving people behind or youre stepping on them,
with Bray and the pair began working together again. and the fact is that youre moving and theyre not. I
Stay was re-worked for Madonnas Like A Virgin had never met anyone so ambitious, dedicated and
album, which also featured Bray co-writes Pretender, driven she was really inspirational to be around,
Angel and Over And Over. and that still holds true to this day.
As Madonnamania gripped the world and
Madonna scored her first lead acting role in
Desperately Seeking Susan, she called upon her old LITTLE WONDER
friend to work with her on a song for the soundtrack. INTO THEIR GROOVE
They had begun a song which shared the films title
As the co-creator of some of Madonnas signature songs, Stephen Bray is one of her key
but submitted Into The Groove instead, feeling it
collaborators. Inspired by a shared loved of Motown and Sly & the Family Stone, the classic
would be better suited to the films nightclub scene. Madonna/Bray song structure is chorus/verse/chorus/verse/chorus before almost
Though it was the first Madonna song that they had without fail a killer bridge elevates the song to another level. These trademark bridges
written and produced together, it would go on to be rival the choruses for impact. Listen to Into The Groove (Live out your fantasy),
one of her defining hits, topping the charts worldwide Express Yourself (And when youre gone), Causing A Commotion (I hope you find
and Bray became one of Madonnas most frequent what youre looking for), Spotlight (Dont be afraid to fall), Cant Stop (Dont
producers throughout the Eighties. I would call her up be afraid to try), Wheres The Party (Dont want to grow old too fast), Keep It
and say I have another track for you, then we would Together (When I look back on all the misery) and Each Time You Break My Heart (I
get together, Bray recalls. Im used to collaborating see the look in your eyes). In most cases Madonna utilises the lower register of her
voice for the bridge, creating an even bigger contrast to the rest of the song.
with others, so we would work on a few songs, and
she would use some of them later. Major influence: Sly
After Madonna moved to LA following her & the Family Stone
marriage to Sean Penn, it was Bray she called to
help her work on True Blue. He produced Papa
Dont Preach and co-wrote and produced True
Blue, Wheres The Party and Jimmy Jimmy as well
as Causing A Commotion and Cant Stop for the
Whos That Girl soundtrack, Spotlight for the You
Can Dance album, and Each Time You Break My
Heart, which became a hit for Nick Kamen.
The ultra-poppy sound of the True Blue era was
directly influenced by where Madonna found
herself in her personal life newly-married and
optimistic of a happy-ever-after. However, by the
time they got together for 1989s Like A Prayer, it
was a different story; Madonnas marriage had
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44
45
Jean-Paul Gaultier
visit her brother
Christophers art
exhibition, Paris, 1990
HAVING
begun the between fashion model-type poses, rather as if the
Eighties as performer was being snapped for a magazine cover
an aspiring by a very slow photographer. It wasnt the first time
singer and voguing had had a brush with the charts Malcolm
dancer, McLaren had flirted with voguing on his Waltz
Madonna entered the Nineties as one of the most Darling album the year before but it had not quite
famous people on the planet. This next decade would such the impact it had when Madonna got interested.
become her most rewarding yet, both professionally Ostensibly part of the Im Breathless soundtrack,
as a businesswoman and personally as a mother. Vogue flew up to the top of the charts everywhere
As Madonna began the new decade in the UK and has since gone on to attain classic status. One
Top Five with the of her biggest-
sweet baroque selling singles
MADONNAS VOGUE PROJECT
photographs of stars such as Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, Veronica
46
Performing Vogue
at the 1990 MTV
Video Music Awards
wearing Michelle
Pfeiffers dress from
Dangerous Liaisons
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Keep It Together.
Opposite Page: the
infamous Gaultier-
designed cone bustier
many of the costumes for the tour, worked on his Meanwhile, November saw the release of
and Madonnas concept of mixing femininity with a Madonnas first greatest hits collection, The
little masculinity a very sexy mix, a very Madonna Immaculate Collection. Covering selections from
mix. This led to the creation of one of pops most Holiday to Vogue, it encapsulates Madonnas first
iconic pieces of underwear, and a legend in its own decade magnificently. As is the way with a greatest
right the conical brassiere. Having been spoofed hits compilation featuring all the highs of a career,
ever since, its become fancy dress shorthand two new tracks Justify My Love and Rescue Me
for Madonna, as recognisable as David Bowies were added just in case any further encouragement
Aladdin Sane flash, Adam Ants white stripe, or Geri was needed to purchase a peerless compilation of
Halliwells Union Jack dress. some of the best pop ever created. The album spent
Madonna nine weeks at No.
spoke to Vanity 1 upon its release
Fair around the I LIKE TO DO THINGS THAT RUB and went on to
POP_UP Blond Ambition redefined the live experience. The BBC
with outrage,
wound up both the
THATS WRONG I JUST LIKE BEING alone, becoming
the biggest-selling
Catholic Church CONTROVERSIAL, I GUESS solo female hits
and the Church of compilation of,
England, and had yes, all time.
threats of arrest and bans should she dare perform By this time the documentary about the Blond
in that area; even the Pope chipped in. Im sort of Ambition tour, following it from beginning to end, had
naturally a pain in the ass, she allowed. I naturally been edited by the filmmaker Alek Keshishian. Hed
like to do things that rub people the wrong way. No, been originally hired by Madonna to shoot some
thats wrong. Let me rephrase that. I just like being backstage segments for the singers HBO special,
controversial, I guess. Even that doesnt sound right. but then these developed into Truth Or Dare aka
But somehow it happens that way. Its more like Hey, In Bed With Madonna, for those outside America.
well, you know how they always say things are this From starting her tour in Japan during rainy season
way? Well, theyre not! Or they dont have to be. via the Dick Tracy premiere, with getting threatened
The tour went on to gross over $60 million from 57 with arrest if she pretends to masturbate onstage
shows. It was also filmed, and with over 250 hours again, its all there. With a cast including her tour
of footage available the idea was to commemorate dancers, an increasingly grumpy Warren Beatty
the tour with a documentary movie that followed (Turn the camera off? She doesnt want to live off
Madonna onstage and off, and work began on camera, much less talk, he muttered darkly at one
editing it into shape for future release. point), Al Pacino, Sandra Bernhard and in an
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At Wembley on the
Girlie Show Tour,
September 1993
infamous scene Kevin Costner, it went on to become Outside of Madonna, Maverick had a decent
the highest grossing documentary film at that point, amount of success with its roster: for instance, the first
making over $29 million. signing of grunge types Candleboxs 1993 self-titled
Speaking of the almost on-screen dissolving of her debut went quadruple platinum. However it was the
relationship with Beatty, Madonna told the LA Times, signing of Alanis Morissette in 1994 whose third
I dont think that if you let cameras follow you around album Jagged Little Pill became Mavericks biggest hit
for six months that youre giving up your soul. The of the decade, selling 33 million copies worldwide
world knows about everything in my life. They know that helped keep it afloat past being a Madonna
when I have an abortion. They know when I go out vanity vehicle. Maverick also released albums by the
on a date. So why is a doctor examining my throat Prodigy, Deftones, Meshell Ndegeocello and UK sister
suddenly off limits? trio Cleopatra
For some reason, who seemingly
Warren thought THE WORLD KNOWS EVERYTHING existed for
apologised from the stage to Kevin Costner for the scene where she
mimed throwing up after he jokingly described her show as neat
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01 VOGUE
From IM BREATHLESS (1990) 02 JUSTIFY MY LOVE
THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION (1990) 03 EROTICA
From EROTICA (1992)
In a now iconic video directed by David Fincher, Basically Madonna muttering fruitily over a Public The single itself, accompanied with a frisky video of
Madonna took inspiration from old-school glamour, Enemy breakbeat, it was originally based on a poem Madonna mincing about menacingly with a whip mid
homaging movie legends from the Twenties and by Prince protg Ingrid Chavez, and was co-written sado-romp, was the first time one of her lead-off
Thirties who are all now, frustratingly, dead. with Lenny Kravitz. It became her ninth No. 1 in the singles had not gone straight to the top, as this time
Equally as iconic would be her performance of the US, helped by the Jean-Baptiste Mondino directed she had to settle behind Boyz II Men and Tamsin
tune at that years MTV Music Video Awards, where video, which saw Madonna wandering down a Archer. The rest of the singles off the album were
she wore Michelle Pfeiffers actual dress from the hotel hallway in a nod to the 1963 film La Baie des all Top Tenners, but she wouldnt be hitting the Top
1988 film Dangerous Liaisons, in a eighteenth Anges, having a fling with her then-boyfriend Tony Three for another few years hardly a disaster.
century-themed routine. It has gone on to be Ward, and donning the garb that Charlotte Rampling Perhaps Erotica was simply overshadowed by the
regarded as Madonnas ultimate banger. wore in steamy thriller The Night Porter. rumpo-fest of the Sex book.
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04 SECRET
From BEDTIME STORIES (1994) 05 TAKE A BOW
From BEDTIME STORIES (1994) 06 RAY OF LIGHT
From RAY OF LIGHT (1998)
With the lead-off single from 1994s Bedtime Take A Bow featured Madonna accompanied by an Lyrically Ray Of Light is based on an early Seventies
Stories, Madonna returned with a sound that orchestra the first time Babyface had worked track called Sepheryn by English folk music duo
nodded to contemporary R&B as well as throwing with one and featuring Japanese touches such Curtiss Maldoon (William Orbit had worked with
in an acoustic guitar for authenticity, managing as the recurring pentatonic strings. As a single it Maldoons niece). Madonna reworked it into one of
to sound the most relaxed and unforced shed only managed a lowly No. 16 in the UK, breaking her more colossal electronic toe-tappers aided by
been in years. She doesnt reveal what her babys her run of 35 consecutive Top Tenners, but spent a frantic hyper coloured Koyaanisqatsi-influenced
secret is, infuriatingly, but there you go. Starring seven weeks on top of the Billboard charts. As is video, directed by Jonas kerlund, which was
as a nightclub singer in the video, shes wearing tradition with Madonna videos, Take A Bow caused basically a day in the life of the earth to show that
considerably more than she had done for the controversy, this time with animal rights activists, we are rushing forward to the end of the century at
previous few years. who did not take well to the bullfighting theme. full speed. Its impossible to stay still to.
53
Of Evidence, in which she co-starred with William albums, starred in countless films and slept with some
Dafoe and Julianne Moore. It was universally panned of the biggest names in the entertainment industry,
and vanished instantly from the box office. Im Madonna walked on with a pair of knickers in her
disappointed in it, admitted Madonna later that year, hand, which she asked him to sniff. Then she lit up a
but Im not sorry I did it. I think I did a good job. But cigar and started swearing like a navvy. The episode
I got the blame for everything. It was like I wrote it, became the most censored show in US talk-show
produced it, directed it, and I was the only one acting history, yet also handily the surrounding controversy
in it, you know? gave the show one of its highest ratings ever.
Body Of Evidence was followed by the Abel Madonnas sixth album, Bedtime Stories, followed
Ferrera-directed Dangerous Game, a Maverick in October, having been heralded by the single
production co- Secret a month
starring Harvey before. This
Kietel and James ON BEDTIME STORIES MADONNA time Madonna
Russo. This time collaborated with
the critics were COLLABORATED ON A SELECTION OF Dallas Austin,
slightly kinder Babyface, Dave
TUNES DESIGNED TO MOVE TOWARDS
POP_UP Truth Or Dare and With Honors director Alek
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Madonna attends
the premiere of With
Honors, Los Angeles,
April 26 1994
55
Performing Bedtime
Story at the Brit
Awards at the
Alexandra Palace in
London, 1995
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with the whole sex thing, Madonna replied I feel David Foster, known more for his work with Barbra
Ive been misunderstood. I tried to make a statement Streisand, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago and on the
about feeling good about yourself and exploring your soundtracks to Top Gun and St Elmos Fire. This
sexuality, but people took it to mean that everyone yielded One More Chance (a UK No. 11) and Youll
should go out on a f***-fest and have sex with See (a UK No. 5). She also worked with Massive
everyone, and that I was going to be the leader of Attack and Nellee Hooper on a cover of Marvin
that. So I decided to leave it alone because thats Gayes I Want You. Their downtempo collaboration
what everyone ended up concentrating on. Sex is bookended the album, and was also a canny tip-
such a taboo subject and its such a distraction that Id of-the-hat to the sounds emerging from Bristol, such
rather not even offer it up. as Massive Attack cohort Tricky, and Portishead.
The almost-title- Something To
track Bedtime Remember helped
Story was a co- SOMETHING TO REMEMBER HELPED remind people
write with Bjrk, there was more
Nellee Hooper REPOSITION MADONNA AS A POP to Madonna than
POP_UP Others who took part in Evita hailed by some as
the best musical of the Nineties included Procol Harums
and Marius De
FORCE DURING THE ERA OF ONE-HIT her detractors
Gary Brooker, The Corrs Andrea Corr, and Jimmy Nail
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Picking up a Golden
Globe for the song
Masterpiece from the
film W.E., 2011
us to marvel at his take on Oh What A Circus, after the accident: People say that if she had been
having known the definitive David Essex version) and travelling with her sons, it would have been all right,
Jonathan Pryce as Juan Pern. Released on Christmas but thats bullshit. They dont draw the line like that
Day in the States, Evita also did excellent business at when I came to Europe to promote Evita, I was in
the box office, grossing $141 million worldwide, and Rome and the paparazzi didnt even give me time to
winning Madonna the Best Actress Motion Picture strap my baby into the car. We were driving at about
Musical or Comedy award at the 97 Golden Globes. 90 miles per hour, and we were being followed, and
With the birth of Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon flanked and surrounded. Princess Diana was, as
in October 1996, Madonna spent much of 1997 Madonna said herself to the New Musical Express,
retreating from the limelight to focus on being a mum, the only person who had it worse than me.
and have a well- The first
earned few months musical sign of
off. It was also RAY OF LIGHT WAS RELEASED IN post-motherhood
POP_UP Ray Of Light swept up the prizes, winning four Grammys
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Madonna in a still
from the video for
Ray Of Light, 1998
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KEEP IT TOGETHER
Prince! Britney! Gorillaz! Pet Shop Boys! Drake! All the stars of WAS (NOT WAS) ORBITAL
the ages have worked or been involved in an onstage snog-up Well... Not strictly the case, however a pre-fame Madonna Okay, not an actual collaboration, more of a remix. I mean,
with Madonna at some point over her career. Here are a few recorded vocals for the Was brother's tune Shake Your Head, light-up spook-spec techno brother duo Orbital only remixed
of the more interesting collaborations and dalliances she had but when they originally released it, they'd shorn her off the Bedtime Story into a tremendous banger. We could have
in the Nineties. track. Then in 1993, the brothers approached Madonna about singled out Junior Vasquez, Masters At Work, Stereo MCs,
VANILLA ICE releasing their version with her, and she refused. So then they Sasha, Luke Slater, Kruder & Dorfmeister, even producer
Mr Ice was literally still quite hot back in 1992, both famewise asked Kim Basinger, and it became a global hit. Fancy that! William Orbit, who remixed a fair few.
and lookswise. Although he may not have turned up on EVERLAST JIMMY NAIL
any of her tunes, you can see him mid-clothes falling off in Everlast was at the height of his faux-Irish bro-rap rock fame Well to be fair, it was the soundtrack to Evita, and it was not
Madonna's Sex book, and he also pops up in the Erotica video. as part of House of Pain, whose Jump Around had been just the Ain't No Doubt hitmaker, but also Jonathan Pryce,
LENNY KRAVITZ genuinely everywhere in 1992-3. He turns up on a remix of Antonio Banderas and Andrea Corr who featured on tracks
Len was still quite a new name back in 1990, after his Waiting and "drops" a verse with Madonna. It's not like they made a whole album together
1989 debut Let Love Rule had propelled his hippy ways TUPAC or anything. Imagine.
and throwback-rock to moderate success. He co-wrote and Believe it! Madonna made a demo of Bedtime Stories track DEEPAK CHOPRA
produced Madonna's Justify My Love, as well as wordlessly I'd Rather Be Your Lover with Shakur, the deceased-yet- In 1998, Deepak Chopra asked some chums to read the
ad-libbing along in the background. still-popular rapper. She settled on the version with Meshell mystical love poems of thirteenth century Persian writer Rumi
WARREN BEATTY Ndegeocello instead, but their version is up online now. for the snappily titled album Gift of Love: Deepak & Friends
Madonna and Warren were "a thing" back in the pre-celeb MASSIVE ATTACK Present Music Inspired By the Love Poems of Rumi. Madonna
couple portmenteau era - would they have been MadWar The Bristol then-three-piece provided the grittily luxurious pops up on the tune Bittersweet, and there's also people such
or Madotty? Hmmm - and as well as starring in Dick Tracy trip hop backing for Madonna's cover of Marvin Gaye's I as Jared Harris and Demi Moore involved across 36 tracks
together, he pops up to croon along with her on Now I'm Want You, which tops-and-tails her Something To Remember operating very much in the arena of New Age, but it's nothing
Following You. collection, released in 1995. particularly whistle-able.
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MADONNA WITH...
WILLIAM ORBIT GUIDING MADONNA THROUGH WHAT MANY FEEL IS HER
FINEST ALBUM, PRODUCER WILLIAM ORBIT HELPED THE QUEEN
OF POP SWAP SEXUALITY FOR SPIRITUALITY
M A R C A N D R E W S
T
he sheer breadth of work that Madonna collaboration between Madonna and Orbit who
has created with the assistance of producer finally met in the summer of 1997 miraculously
and songwriter William Orbit is remarkable. combined all of that and brought out the best in both
Their partnership may have been the longest of them. Together they fashioned a timeless, classic
collaboration of her entire career, and yet the work of spiritual pop art that embodied the hopes,
strangest thing about this hugely influential musical aspirations and newly mature investigations of a new
hookup is that it ran successfully for a number of years mother. Released in February 1998, the album was
without the two ever actually meeting. called Ray Of Light.
It all began in 1990, when Orbit then a visual The albums singles encapsulated its mastery, range
artist, studio owner and member of the band Torch and cosmic connections. The spooky yet sumptuous
Song was selected to remix Madonnas seductive Frozen picked up where Bedtime Story had left off;
sonnet Justify My Love. Two years later he was the kinetic killer title track won MTVs Best Video of
chosen to attach his edgy post-rave sound to the the Year Award. Then there was the stirring, wistful
Erotica single, yet events still intervened to stop electro-ballad The Power Of Good-bye, the new age
the two meeting, let alone booking studio time house banger Nothing Really Matters, and the era-
together. But as she moved into her second decade defining opener Drowned World (Substitute For Love).
as a global superstar it was becoming evident that NME gave the album 8/10, Entertainment Weekly
one of Madonnas greatest talents was being a rated it A-, and Rolling Stone awarded it four stars.
zeitgeist catalyst, knowing when to work with the But anyone assuming that the producer was the one in
right people and she was about to accelerate her charge would be dead wrong: The one with all the
relationship with Orbit at exactly the right time. equipment is assumed to be pressing all the buttons,
There had been reports Madonna was planning but she presses all the buttons, Orbit told GQ. She
an album of lullabies after the birth of her first child, hasnt shouted about her musical abilities but she is
Lourdes, in 1996, or that it would be influenced the consummate songwriter.
by her interest in Kabbalah, an esoteric offshoot of Sales-wise, Ray Of Light returned Madonna back
Judaism which had taken Hollywood by storm. Yet the to stratospheric numbers. Collecting an armful of
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Grammys for the album the following year, and commitments that took up the artists limited time, such
opening the show in full geisha garb, Madonna was as perfume ranges and teen fashion contests and
at last embraced by the music industry. Following the other such endeavours which are beyond my own
approval that met Ray Of Light, whenever there was limited understanding of pop star agendas. A month
anything Madonna required musically, Orbit was now later Orbit formally and remorsefully apologised
her go-to guy. for his outburst, tweeting: The MDNA comments. I
While in 1999 Madonna had yet to become should not have said them publicly. I see that and I
involved with James Bond, she got her hands on the regret that I said online. Not fair to M.
next best thing Austin Powers. Pilfering the Swinging This was to be the last time the two would work
Sixties vibe from his own Ray Of Light remixes, together. As it transpired, post-MDNA fallout, both
Orbit pulled off some nifty recycling for Beautiful Madonna and Orbit turned out to be winners of sorts.
Stranger. Kept at No. 2 in the UK by S Club 7s Bring Album extra Masterpiece, written for her full-length
It All Back, in the US her record company bizarrely movie directorial debut W.E. and produced by
decided to issue it only as a 12 dance single, Orbit, won her a Golden Globe for Best Song. Orbit,
adding to her record-beating tally of No. 1 Billboard meanwhile, threw Chris Brown one of the MDNA
Dance Club Songs. Madonna also called on Orbits offcuts Madonna had passed on: Dont Wake Me Up
trademark sound for a contribution to Ricky Martins wound up a platinum-selling single globally and one
debut English language album with Be Careful, which of the first bona fide crossover EDM hits in the US.
forged a whole new genre in Latina electronica. Since then Orbit has gone on to work with two
When Madonna decided to plunge back into other former Madonna BFFs, namely Britney Spears
movies that same year, it was Orbit again who came and, posthumously, Michael Jackson (teaming up for
to the rescue. For the soundtrack to her film The Next 2014s Queen collaboration There Must Be More To
Best Thing they tackled Don McLeans American Pie. Life Than This). While many still hold out hope for
While purists screamed musical murder, the cover further collaborations, it appears the pairs working
version hit the top of the charts in 13 countries. life together, stretched across three decades, came
McLean eloquently called it a gift from a goddess. to a close in an organic fashion. Whether or not that
A second track, the pensive Time Stood Still, lay remains the case, their trippy, hippychick electronica
almost forgotten on the movies soundtrack. opus Ray Of Light still shines as one of the greatest
Yet by the time of the next album, Madonna had albums of all time. Rolling Stone puts it at #367 in
a wild impulse to go rogue again with a new music their rankings, while Q more kindly opts for #17.
man, Mirwais Ahmadza, and Orbit only contributed With William, weve worked on stuff for so many
two tracks to the five-time Grammy nominated Music years that we kind of finish each others sentences,
album. Amazing, planned as a fourth single but Madonna said of her special relationship with Orbit.
ditched due to her touring commitments, was even He knows my taste and what I like. Magic happens
in Madonnas opinion too similar to Beautiful when we get into a recording studio together.
Stranger. The other Orbit offering, Runaway Lover,
found him playing catch-up to Mirwais hipster hooks.
Orbits sweeping, bleepy soundscapes had become LITTLE WONDER
ubiquitous and slavishly copied the world charts over IN ORBIT WITH WILLIAM
and Madonna, better than anyone, knew that.
Two years Madonnas senior, Orbit real name William Mark Wainwright found his
Yet this wasnt to be the end of the Madonna/Orbit
calling when he got a job at a London recording studio. After being spotted by a model
story though it would be another decade before scout he met fellow poser Hamish Bowles (now an editor for Vogue) and the duo started
they would finally team up again. After her trend- a band, Torch Song. Orbit set up his own recording outfit, Guerilla Studios, and throughout
catching return to R&B on 2008s Hard Candy failed the Eighties he orchestrated arty projects with a musical bent, including, funnily enough,
to connect either commercially or critically, despite Malcolm McLarens Deep In Vogue. At the end of the decade he formed Bassomatic who
4 Minutes with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland scored a Top 10 UK hit with Fascinating Rhythm. After that, he cranked out remixes for
attaining a No. 3 place, Madonna took stock again. Madonna, Prince and Lenny Kravitz while indulging in avant-garde pop with Strange Cargo
Leaving Warner Brothers after 25 years, she gathered and his electro take on the classics, Pieces In a Modern Style. After his groundbreaking
together an array of hip hitmakers for her 12th studio work on Ray Of Light he lent his talents to artists such as Blur, P!nk, All Saints and U2. He
is currently writing a book and painting with oils on canvas a true man of colours.
album, with Orbit rightfully back on board.
2012s MDNA, her first album on Interscope
Records, was Madonnas attempt to own a part
of the EDM movement, as electronic dance music
had finally come into its own in the US thanks in
part to her own earlier footwork. With six writing
and producer credits on MDNA, Orbit was clearly
Madonnas main music man again. Unfathomably,
none of his efforts were put forward as singles,
though tracks such as the gorgeous Falling Free
and the post-Guy Ritchie divorce kiss-off Love Spent
might have sat comfortably on a natural successor
to Ray Of Light. As fans and critics alike weighed
in on the choices of singles while the album quickly
slipped off the charts, Orbit weighed into the
fracas. On his Facebook page he launched into
an uncharacteristic rant about how the producers
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Eric Watson
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filter disco sound of French dance acts such as and, mostly, London, and necessitated Madonna
Daft Punk, Cassius and Stardust. The single opened hopping back and forth from America for sessions at
with Madonna, pitch-shifted to sound neither male Sarm East and Sarm West in Ladbroke Grove. The
nor female, imploring androgynously, Hey Mr DJ, results were worth the fuss. After the opening title
put a record on, I wanna dance with my baby. track came Impressive Instant, another blast of French
Headily affirmative, Music was compared to previous house, all vocoder, laser bloops and synths that found
Madonna singles that exulted in the power of music, an electronically-tweaked Madonna proclaiming, Im
especially the dance variety, such as Everybody and in a trance. It was the first song that Madonna and
Into The Groove. Music makes the people come Ahmadza worked on and recorded and was issued
together/ Music makes the bourgeoisie and the as a promotional single a year later, maintaining the
rebel, sang Madonna, who got the idea for the lyric, musics momentum in the clubs in fact, it was about
quite unexpectedly, after attending a Sting concert catching sight of someone at a club and realising
and watching as he switched from lukewarm solo theyre the one. If Runaway Lover had more of a
material to cherished renditions of ancient Police hits. Ray Of Light flavour, thats because it was one of
Everyone was practically holding hands... I mean, it two tracks on the album the other being Amazing
really moved me, she told Rolling Stone magazine. produced by William Orbit. I Deserve It was an
Madonnas own assessment of the song, featuring acoustic ballad with a hip hop beat and extraneous
as it did a mix of guitars, vocoders and analogue synth whirrs hick hop, to coin a phrase, or space-
synths, was that it was funky, folky, electronic and country (the albums front cover image was of
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Madonna on the
Drowned World Tour
in Los Angeles, 2001
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Madonna as a cowgirl). The lyric Its amazing away her dreams, her life. Turn to stone, lose my
what a boy can say/ I cannot stop myself/ Seems faith, went the sorrowful closing refrain, and Ill be
I love you more than yesterday/ I love you and no gone before it happens. What could she possibly
one else seemed to reflect Madonnas feelings have meant?
for her new film director boyfriend. Nobodys This record, more than any other records, covers
Perfect was a showcase for Madonnas ethereal all the areas of my life, she offered. I left off
vocoderised meditations on the partying on Ray Of Light. But Id
human condition. The beaty just had a baby, so my
acoustica of Dont Tell mood was complete,
POP_UP The hook to Hung Up was based, with permission, on Abbas Gimme!
Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight). It was only the second time Bjorn and
Me was followed like wonderment
by What It Feels of life, and I
Benny had granted such a request to use a sample: Fugees was the other
Like For A Girl, was incredibly
which went from THIS RECORD, MORE THAN ANY thoughtful and
dreamy to techno- retrospective
dancey. The latter OTHER, COVERS ALL THE AREAS OF and intrigued
was produced
by Guy Sigsworth
MY LIFE THE FRIVOLOUS SIDE AND by the mystical
aspects of life.
(Bjrk, Seal) and THE NON-FRIVOLOUS SIDE In contrast, Music
came prefaced found her living
by reflections a pretty low-
on the sexual key domestic
divide from singer existence, missing
Charlotte Gainsbourg. the energy and
Madonna admitted it was engrossing aspects of
addressed to her then-four-year-old daughter Lourdes, performing, dancing being on the road. So, she
as well as to herself. Its about me discovering that explained, part of the record is about that. And then
being an overachiever is not always to your benefit the other part is about love. So theres the frivolous
when it comes to relationships and dealing with men, side of my life and then theres the hopefully
because men are quite intimidated by women who non-frivolous side of my life. I usually make a record
accomplish a lot, she told The Face. Finally, there thats one or the other, and I feel I did both on this
was the downtempo orchestral trip hop of Paradise one. She concluded that Music was designed for
(Not For Me), and the typically adroit combination of crepuscular enjoyment, even if there were still paeans
acoustics and electronics that was Gone, shrouding to the belief that only when youre dancing can you
the album in an atmosphere of doubt and fatalistic feel this free. This is night listening, she said of the
despondency, Madonna singing about dreaming album. I think its too moody to listen to during
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controversial one, not for sexual imagery this time, April 2003, when she issued the first single from her
they wrote the 1988 song Heart for her although they never delivered it
Tennant and Lowe were invited to remix her single Sorry, but before that
but rather for its violence. In the video, Madonna ninth studio album, American Life. The result, once
rides around in a yellow car (with license plates more, of a collaboration with producer Mirwais, who
reading Pussy and Cat), running over men and used electronics and organic instrumentation as he
setting things on fire. Hardly surprisingly, the video did on Music, the single was part-club anthem, part-
was played just a few times before it was banned. It therapeutic confessional.
harmed the singles progress somewhat it peaked at Its a reflection of my state of mind and a view of
No. 7 and No. 23 respectively in the UK and US. the world right now, said Madonna at the time.
That June, Madonnas fifth concert tour the It seemed to reflect a new disillusion on her part,
Drowned World Tour started, going on to become a new post-9/11 world-weariness as she questioned
the highest-grossing concert tour of the year by a solo the shallowness of modern life and the hollow nature
artist, earning $75 million from 47 sold-out shows. of the American dream. Towards the end of the song,
If most musicians put a tenth of the creative energy all bleeps and beats, Madonna raps or rather
into their shows as Madonna has into this one, we lists some of the accoutrements of (her) wealth.
would all be a lot better off, wrote Alex Needham Critics, usually ardent supporters, responded harshly.
in the NME, while Slant opined: Though her cowgirl Blender magazine named American Life the ninth
image is easily her least significant incarnation to worst song of all time. Slant magazine called it a
date, Drowned World proves that Madonna is still trite, self-aggrandising and often awkward song
unmatched in her ability to lift cultural iconography about privilege, while Stylus found the plaint about
into the mainstream. commercialism and the emptiness of celebrity culture,
In November 2001, Madonna released her second from one of the worlds richest women, hypocritical
greatest hits collection, GHV2, a compilation of 15 rather than insightful.
singles from the singers second recording decade The first video for the song, directed once again
(I only wanted tracks that I could listen to five times by Jonas kerlund, featured Madonna, surrounded
in a row, she explained). The following year she by female soldiers, lobbing a hand grenade at
IM FEELING
SUPER-DUPER KEY RECORDINGS: SINGLES
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The Military/Army
section of the
Re-Invention Tour,
with costumes by
Arianne Phillips
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End production of the play Up For Grabs, the story of an art dealer
perhaps trying the beat had
to reclaim the ALL EVERYONE IS OBSESSED ABOUT more in common
idea of herself with techno.
as somehow IS BEING A CELEBRITY. IM SAYING Lyrically, it
revolutionary,
and not the
THATS BULLSHIT AND WHO seemed to
address the
tweedy American KNOWS BETTER THAN ME? fake allure of
wife of an Tinseltown,
Englishman living another case,
in the Home perhaps, of
Counties. She was Madonna having
portrayed on the her cake and
sleeve as a freedom fighter, guzzling the whole lot
all Che Guevara beret and military chic; she had down. Im So Stupid (I used to live in a fuzzy
been pictured a few months earlier, almost preparing dream, and I used to believe in the pretty pictures
the world for her latest look, on the cover of Vanity that were all around me) shifted her critical gaze
Fair magazine, posing in dark green and black towards herself. Third single Nothing Fails (UK
clothes and combat boots. No. 11, October 03) had an acoustic intro, and
This was a Madonna in belligerent mood, and keen featured lyrics from Welsh singer-songwriter Jem; it
to reveal all about her rejection of celebrity and its was followed by Love Profusion (also a UK No. 11,
attendant luxuries. I know it sounds clichd, she December 03), which came complete with a Luc
told Q magazine, but Ive had 20 years of fame and Besson video and found Madonna confused and
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kissing Britney and passing
on my energy, explained
Madonna. Its like a
mythological fairytale
uncertain, seeking answers to (American) lifes great electronically treated guitar. Despite getting mixed
existential imponderables, deciding, And the world reviews, American Life fared well commercially,
can look so sad. On Nobody Knows Me, via a topping the charts in several countries (including
vocoder, she declared, Ive had so many lives/ Since Britain and America).
I was a child/ And I realise/ How many times Ive In November 2003, Maverick released Remixed
died, and ended with her feeling misunderstood. & Revisited, a remix album containing four songs,
Intervention (Ive got to save in remixed form, from American
my baby/ Because he Life, as well as a previously
makes me cry) was unreleased song,
another downbeat Your Honesty,
electro-acoustic originally written
although the radio version actually lasts three minutes and nine seconds,
POP_UP The reason 4 Minutes is so titled was due to the songs length,
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gentlewoman:
Madonna does some
promo for her book
The English Roses
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Madonna with
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former Ethiopian
famine victim Birhan
Woldu at Live 8 in
London, 2005
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KISS ME
Indian Ocean earthquake. She also performed at the
Live 8 benefit concert in London in July 2005. There,
organiser Bob Geldof brought her together with
Birhan Woldu, the starving child who achieved global MADONNA, BRITNEY AND XTINA
GET PERSONAL
repute from the original 1984 CBC News report that
led to the formation of Band Aid and Live Aid she
and Madonna held hands while the singer performed
the first verses of Like A Prayer. Later, Madonna went
from saintly to coarse when she started swearing
repeatedly during her final song, Music. The date was August 28, 2003, the place was New Yorks Radio City Music
Hall, the event was the annual MTV Video Music Awards and a culturally
That October saw the release of Hung Up, the
dramatic pop event was about to take place. First came Britney Spears, the
first single from Madonnas 10th studio album, newly crowned Princess of Pop, dressed in white, singing Madonnas Like A
Confessions On A Dance Floor, the result of her Virgin. Then a second figure lifted her veil to reveal Britneys only serious
artistic liaison with British producer and musician young rival for pop primacy: Christina Xtina Aguilera. But there was more
Stuart Price (see page 42). The album regarded as excitement to come: Madonna emerged to the strains of Hollywood, then
one of Madonnas very best contained four singles: removed her jacket to reveal her honed musculature, stuffed her microphone
Hung Up, Sorry (a UK No. 1 in February 2006), Get down her top, and kissed Britney and Xtina flush on the mouth much to
Together (No. 7 in the UK in June 06) and Jump (UK the horror of Spears ex, Justin Timberlake, who the cameras immediately
No. 9, October 06). It was a successful, happy time panned to, to best immortalise his displeasure. According to Larry Rudolph,
for the star, a restatement of first (hedonistic) principles Spears longtime manager, that kiss happened and the world exploded.
He added: Madonna had been very, very, very rigid about the rehearsals.
after her collaborations with Gallic brainiac Mirwais.
She would never address me by name, she would just say, You make sure
Have you ever met Mirwais? she asked the Britneys here at 10 oclock. Madonna was ecstatic with the results of the
journalist from the Observer magazine. Jean-Paul gruelling rehearsals. In fact, there was more kissing when, following the
Sartre comes to mind. Hes very intellectual, very performance, Rudolph found himself in an elevator with Madge. He recalls
analytical, very cerebral, very existential, very her wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a big smacker on the
philosophical. You have to be in the mood for it. I lips. Her words to the manager: You see, Larry? It was all worth it.
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ceremony fellow inductees and Michigan natives, relatively silent partner Chad Hugo. Timbaland and
legendary proto-punks The Stooges, performed her Williams had a hand in every one of the dozen
songs Burning Up and Ray Of Light. She also thanked tracks on Hard Candy, and Madonna spoke highly
Christopher Flynn, her dance teacher from 35 years of her collaborators. I think Pharrell is a natural
earlier, for encouraging her to follow her dreams. musician, she said, just after production on the
March 08 also saw the release of 4 Minutes, the album was completed and the record had just hit the
lead single from her imminent, shops. I like his inventiveness he
brand new studio album, would grab my acoustic
Hard Candy. Jointly guitar, which he
produced by couldnt play, but
the stellar Tim start playing
POP_UP Justin Timberlake was impressed by Madonnas stash of ideas
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Finally, she spoke about the Timbaland Effect. He respectively in the UK and the accompanying tour
would seem like he was disappearing from the room, confirmed Madonnas supremacy in her third decade:
then he would take his headphones off and suddenly on the Sticky & Sweet Tour, Madonna performed
blast something on the speakers and give the thumbs to over 3.5 million fans in 32 countries, grossing a
up. He was sort of a silent godfather to the project. total of US$408 million, making it the second-highest
Riffing on the individual tracks, Madonna described grossing tour of all time (behind The Rolling Stones)
LP opener Candy Shop as cheeky and fun it sort and the highest-grossing tour by a solo artist (she was
of represents the sassy side of me. More generally later superseded by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd).
of this album of R&B club bangers and rhythmically Madonnas escapades and achievements in the
audacious pop, she said, I felt more introspective Noughties were a statisticians dream. She concluded
because I was writing with Pharrell and Justin. On her contract with Warner Bros with her third greatest-
Confessions, which I wrote all the lyrics to, I wanted hits collection, Celebration, in September 2009. It
POP_UP The original title for Hard Candy was Black Madonna, and
a photoshoot was done, but Madonna changed her mind: I thought,
to stay away from anything serious, even though contained ravey new song Celebration (UK No. 3)
confession implies seriousness. I just wanted to make and the team-up with rapper Lil Wayne, Revolver
twenty five percent of the world might get this. Its not worth it
a frivolous dance record, and with this one I had to (which fared less well, failing to chart high anywhere
dig deeper and go to a different place For me, its except Italy), along with 34 hits spanning her career
a true collaboration, intellectually and artistically. with the label. Celebration reached No. 1 in Canada,
If any criticism could be levelled at Hard Candy, Germany, Italy and the UK. She paid tribute to
it was that it was an exemplary Timbaland/ Michael Jackson who died that June at the 2009
Neptunes album, but a less good Madonna one MTV Awards in September, and she ended the 2000s
her personality was somewhat subsumed beneath as the best-selling single artist of the decade in the US
their trademark beats and studio tricks. Kerri Mason and the most-played artist of the decade in the UK.
from Billboard liked the new sound and the musical She also was the third top-touring artist of the decade,
direction taken by Madonna but was worried that behind only The Rolling Stones and U2.
she had become a producers puppet while Stephen Dazed & Confused asked her whether she saw any
Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic complained, Theres advantage in getting older, and her reply suggested
a palpable sense of disinterest [in Hard Candy], there was plenty of life in her yet. Its an advantage
as if she just handed the reins over to Pharrell and in terms that youve got a lot more experience and
Timba/Lake, trusting them to polish up this piece of you tend to not make the same mistakes. And you feel
stale candy. Commercially, it was hardly a dud: it a bit wiser and less impulsive, she said. Its great to
debuted at pole position in 37 countries and was feel experienced. But I also work with people who are
the 11th best-selling album worldwide in 2008, half my age, so I feel I have to work even harder to
shifting more than four million copies. It bequeathed keep up with everybody but the fact of the matter is
three singles 4 Minutes, Give It 2 Me and Miles I can kick all of their asses! I guess Im okay for now.
Away, the latter pair reaching No. 7 and No. 39 It does keep the flame under my foot, though.
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FROM
7.49
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Stuart Price,
R
eleased in 2005, Madonnas 10th studio tracks sounding like disco on acid for a musical she
album, Confessions On A Dance Floor, saw was developing called Hello, Suckers! That musical
her team up with a little-known British DJ and never happened, but Madonna was intrigued by
producer called Stuart Price. Up until then Prices modus operandi, and it was decided that they
the boy from Reading was a cultish attraction would join forces for a new album.
thanks to his pseudonymous work as Jacques Lu Cont Madonna later compared her and the young DJ/
and Les Rythmes Digitales, as well as his retro-pop producers relationship to that of siblings. It certainly
project Zoot Woman, his joint production (with former wasnt a case of untouchable icon meeting fawning
Madonna producer Nellee Hooper) of P Diddys admirer. I wasnt really a fan [of hers] when I was
2003 single Lets Get Ill ft. Kelis, and the occasional growing up, said Price, who was more into British
remix, notably of New Orders Guilt Is A Useless electronic artists such as Pet Shop Boys and Erasure,
Emotion. But his involvement with Madonna propelled to Mixmag. Those, he said, were the people who
his reputation skywards, while also confirming her made me go and get my first keyboard. If anything,
ability to divine the potential in a collaborator, his parents both classically-trained pianists had
even one without a name. Indeed, the follow-up more impact on the him than the queen of disco-pop.
album, 2008s Hard Candy, fared far less well than It was mainly Bach, Liszt, or Chopin, he told studio
Confessions, despite the presence behind the studio software company Universal Audio. Pop music
console of Timbaland, The Neptunes, Danja et al. wasnt really around in our house. After hearing The
Actually, Confessions wasnt the first time Price Human Leagues seminal 1981 synthpop opus Dare
had been on Madonnas payroll. He had been at the age of 19, he discovered Orbital and their
employed as the musical director for her 2001 techno ilk, followed by idiosyncratic electronicists such
Drowned World Tour after remixing some of the as Thomas Fehlmann and Polygon Window. It was
tracks on 2000s Music; he reprised the role for her only around the time of Justify My Love when it
2004 Re-Invention World Tour (as he would for her became obvious she was using these good producers
2006 Confessions Tour). This time around, Price was and coming up with unique music that he began to
contacted by Madonna and given the task of creating appreciate Madonnas contributions.
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Confessions was largely recorded in Prices records when we were making this album obviously
tiny home studio a converted loft space in West Abba and Giorgio Moroder so to me its more of
Kilburn, London. It wasnt anyones idea, he said an homage to other peoples records than mine,
of the choice of location. We wanted to experiment Madonna explained.
with ideas, and seeing as I do all my other music here Future Lovers paid such explicit homage to Donna
it made sense for her to come over. When you work Summer and Moroders I Feel Love that Madonna
out of your flat youre less concerned about the money chose to mash it into her performance of the song
you have to spend on a studio, and more relaxed during 2006s Confessions Tour. This was Madonna
because you dont feel silly messing around with the Danceteria club kid, reclaiming her electro-disco
ideas in front of people you dont know. roots there was even a track entitled I Love New
Madonna concurred: I couldnt have made this York that reeked of Studio 54 with the faintest trace of
record anywhere else but up here, she said of Prices CBGB. Let It Will Be was a rumination on fame with
modest studio. The nature of the space didnt just a propulsive groove and pizzicato string motif. How
appeal to her; she saw it as crucial to the process, as High explored her own notoriety, but the music was
well as a reminder of her roots. Where you record strong enough, poppy enough, to avoid accusations
is very important, she mused to Simon Garfield in of self-indulgence. Forbidden Love no relation to
The Guardian. It cant be too nice, it cant be too the song from Bedtime Stories evinced the influence
expensive, it cant have a view to an ocean or a field. of EDM and Daft Punk. Jump bore elements of Ibiza
Id rather be in a prison cell with Pro Tools. I dont techno and Pet Shop Boys techno-pop. Push carried
want to know whats going on in the rest of the world. lyrical and melodic hints of The Polices Every Breath
I want it to be exactly as it was when I wrote my first You Take. Isaac featuring vocalist Yitzhak Sinwani,
song, in a small space with hardly any frills. I want who sang portions of the Yemenite Hebrew poem Im
it always to be straightforward. I cant deal with the Ninalu in the track was an exotic digression, while
pressure of how much things cost. Otherwise I think, Like It Or Not closed the album in affirmative style.
Oh God, Ive got to turn out 12 No. 1 hits to justify Madonna alluded to her tabloid-baiting incarnation
how much the space costs. (You can call me a sinner/ Or you can call me
The sessions went well: Price described them as a saint) and added a commitment to uphold the
very relaxed, explaining that Madonna would boundary-pushing obduracy of her younger self.
arrive at around 3pm every afternoon, ready to This is who I am, she declared, unbowed, You can
work, having been up all morning in meetings with like it or not. You can love me or leave me, cause
her publishers, publicists and accountant. By the Im never gonna stop. Thanks in no small part to
time she gets to mine its like the end of her day, he Stuart Price who managed to tap into and tease
added. She hasnt got time to waste so you get used out Madonnas essential Madonna-ness with the 12
to working fast. You dont f*** around. million-selling Confessions Madonna had one of the
If the process was breathless, so was the end most successful albums of her later career.
product. There is an urgency to Confessions
missing from predecessor American Life (2003); that
sense of pace, of a headlong rush, was enhanced LITTLE WONDER
by the way the tracks were sequenced together to TRANSATLANTIC MADONNA
run as one continuous piece of music, or mix the
Stuart Price has described Madonna as the greatest hands-off producer ever, despite
album played like an hour-long nightclub DJ set. The
the fact that she avoided most of the gadgetry on the studio console. Most people think
album artwork, featuring Madonna, in a purple-pink producers should be pressing the buttons but she doesnt pretend to do any of that, he
leotard, apparently poised to do a workout at the revealed to Mixmag. She just sits on the couch and tells you when youre not being very
dance studio in Saturday Night Fever, was steeped in good. Madonnas sense of humour, according to Price, is very English indeed. They spent
Seventies retro-kitsch, and indeed on Confessions, most evenings on the Re-Invention Tour quoting every line from The Office. Indeed,
Madonna who sang on Into The Groove, Only when the pair glimpsed Ricky Gervais at 2005s Live 8 show, she and Price darted over,
when Im dancing do I feel this free reasserted Madonna shouting, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky, we know all your lines, weve seen all your shows
the primacy of the dancefloor. After the somewhat and we think youre really funny! Apparently, a poker-faced Gervais turned around and
politicised American Life, her intention was simply to said, Sorry, whats your name?
make people dance, and smile. I just want people
to hear it and go, Oh my God, she told the
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BITCH IM
BIG BUDGET MOVIES,
nNa
EMBARRASSING MISHAPS AND
A CELEB-HEAVY COMEBACK
HAVE FORGED YET ANOTHER
UNEXPECTED ERA FOR THE
QUEEN OF POP, BUT CAN
MS. CICCONE SUSTAIN HER
CREDIBILITY AND MAKE IT
THROUGH THE CURRENT
DECADE UNSCATHED?
R I K F L Y N N
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Youre
gonna love this/ (with obligatory black tape nipple crosses), neon sock
You cant touch this/ puppets (why not?), a crew of achingly hip dancers
Cause Im a bad (with whom Madonna holds her own admirably) and
bitch The opening plenty of bohemian micro-happenings that conjoin
lines of Bitch, Im to storm our eyes in an immoderate assault of colour
Madonna, the third single from Madonnas most and plenty of front and thats without mention of
recent studio album Rebel Heart, set out her stall the literal flash-flood of celebrity cameos a ploy that
without reserve, regardless of the much-publicised seems almost obligatory these days. Collaborator
hiccups that the present decade has brought the Nicki Minaj offers up her urban interruptions via a
veteran entertainer thus far. Its electro-pop with the widescreen TV, Miley Cyrus flips us the bird as only
club as its intended domain nothing unusual there she can (with both hands), the songs co-writer Diplo
but with that title and those lyrics, its hard to shake is standing on the bar, Beyonc respectfully vogues
the feeling it was to the beat, and
purely built to Katy Perry, Kanye
antagonise and THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR. SHES West, Chris Rock,
theres a growing Rita Ora and
STILL HERE. SHES STILL THE
POP_UP The video for Bitch I'm Madonna was painstakingly
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Madonna performs
with dancer Brahim
Zaibat at Hyde Park,
London, July 2012
Rewind to the beginning of the decade, and Her entrepreneurial activities continued in earnest.
Madonna was nowhere to be seen. Her closing Aside from the unveiling of her Eighties-inspired
statement in a 25-year relationship with Warner Material Girl fashion line, launched with daughter
Bros, 2008s Hard Candy, had debuted at No. 1 Lourdes, she released a range of MDG sunglasses
in 37 countries, sold over four million, given her her with Dolce & Gabbana and appeared in several ad
37th Top 10, won her two Grammys and spawned campaigns. On top of that, she cut the ribbon for her
the highest grossing tour ever by a female solo artist global fitness brand Hard Candy Fitness, with the first
(knocking her own Confessions Tour off the top spot). centre opening in Mexico City in November. Whats
While it was clearly business as usual on the musical more, she found time to make trips to both Malawi
front, Madonna still had had to weather the seemingly and Brazil to follow up her humanitarian projects.
endless media storm surrounding the adoption of her Madonnas main focus throughout 2010, however,
second Malawian child, Mercy James, something was her second movie production in the directorial
that hasnt let up chair. W.E. was
to this day. On a big budget
top of that, she W.E. WAS HER SECOND MOVIE feature that told
was preparing to the story of the
POP_UP Though Madonna was buried in work for W.E., 2010
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the Super Bowl
XLVI half-time show
with a spectacular
performance of Vogue
As movie director she may have disappointed, but In December 2011, almost exactly a year after her
a redeeming factor came with the singular Madonna initial Facebook teaser, Madonna announced that
track on the W.E. soundtrack. Masterpiece, a William her new album would arrive in spring 2012. The
Orbit composition and further proof of the duos unofficial yet seriously heavyweight launch of MDNA
ongoing compatibility, would go on to win a Golden came with the Super Bowl in February, where she
Globe in 2011 for Best Original Song (and would performed at the halftime show, viewed by over 100
later feature on next album MDNA). million (higher figures than the actual game). It was
The awards ceremony itself would not pass without the most-watched item in US TV history.
incident, particularly with Ricky Gervais continuing I have 12 minutes and 40 seconds to do something
his ratings-boosting tenure as compere-cum-hired- extravagant and exciting in the middle of something
mickey-taker. No-one was safe from a roasting, but as thats quite sacred to all of America, she had told
Gervais quickly discovered, one takes on Madonna the Los Angeles Times prior to the performance.
at ones peril. His It seemed the
seven minutes, lasted for 12, and was taken down in eight. The industry
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Madonna and CeeLo
Green closing the
Super Bowl show
with Like A Prayer
breakdancers and segued into a mash-up with pop The albums title, a triple entendre and seditious
pranksters LMFAO; MDNAs lead single, Give Me for its blatant ecstasy reference, is somewhat of a
All Your Luvin, dropped at the height of the show, red herring. Yes, there are plenty of reach-for-the-
complete with collaborators Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. lasers moments and EDM is its central thread, but
and cheerleaders (to remind the audience they were lyrically MDNA concerns itself in the most part with
at an American Football game and not a Madonna her divorce from Guy Ritchie. Wake up ex-wife/
show); and finally a marching band led by CeeLo, This is your life, begins I Dont Give A, before she
who duetted an abridged Open Your Heart/Express opines, Lawyers suck it up/ Didnt have a pre-nup.
Yourself medley with Madonna, before joining her in I tried to be your wife/ Diminished myself. Its one of
a stirring rendition of Like A Prayer, again sung with several candid references to the split, none of which
a gospel choir. The performance was solid albeit are open to interpretation.
obviously-choreographed but didnt pass without The album also marked the beginning of
controversy. This Madonnas
time M.I.A. was reported $120
the troublemaker, MADONNA HAD LOST NONE OF HER million, 10-year
at the Super Bowl led to her being fined a reported $16 million by
POP_UP M.I.As raised middle finger during a deleted rude lyric
92
a European sensibility, she mused. People say that Following Masterpiece on MDNA was this sublime
about my songs as well. I like working with people synth curioso. On an LP that candidly addressed her
divorce with Guy Ritchie, as the albums curtains
who are well-read and know whats going on in
close, this final track seems to lay those demons
the world with Martin Solveig we always end up to rest: Deep and pure our hearts align/ Then
getting in to discussions about foreign films. When Im Im free, Im free of mind/ I let loose, dont need
working with people I cant just write music, I have to to know/ Were both free, were free to go. A
be able to talk about life and the world, and art. candidate for her track of the decade thus far
The Demolition Crew, Klas hlund and a few others and more proof that Madonna is at her best when
had a seat at the table too, but the general consensus offering uncomplicated expressions of the heart.
came back that the pick of the tracks were those
produced by seasoned Madge confidante William
Orbit. The minimal, haunting electronica of Gang
Bang is a league above with its stark build and the
03 BITCH, IM MADONNA
From REBEL HEART (2015)
Madonna offers up her grand statement of the
bileful lyrics (almost certainly aimed at Ritchie) that 2010s with this zeitgeist-chasing dancefloor single.
portray a jilted bride. Co-writer Mika took to Twitter Trap pioneer Diplo is on production duties, Nicky
saying the track was weird as f***, underground Minaj crashes in halfway through and the all-star
and lyrically cool; its amazing and bizarre. I love it, video is so far up in your grill its impossible to take
she sounds so good singing words so harsh. Orbit your eyes off it. Her 46th single to reach No. 1 on
agreed. We were all dancing around the control the Billboard dance chart, Bitch, Im Madonna is
room It was a total atmosphere of spontaneity. the perfect item to soundtrack her crusade against
ageism and sexism in the music industry and it
Dirty synths dominate Some Girls, with a nod
leaves the Spice Girls coughing in its dust.
to Eighties clubland, while the classy Love Spent
another divorce song and vocally reminiscent of her
younger self deliver a punch last heard on Hung
Up. Theres even a banjo. Then Masterpiece gives 04 GHOSTTOWN
From REBEL HEART (2015)
way to what is perhaps the pairs finest moment here, From its sensuous intro through to its crashing final
Falling Free, a wonderful synth oddity that positions chorus, the second single from Rebel Heart evokes
Madonnas voice front and centre. Closing the album, a disarming post-apocalyptic mis-en-scene, mirrored
in its stunning Jonas kerlund video. When I
it provides a jarring simplicity and in many ways
write with people, we always try to come up with
stands alone in her catalogue. It certainly provides a theme, Madonna explained. This one is about
respite to the fuller productions elsewhere. I like to the city after Armageddon. The burnt out city, the
have something that is just slammed with noise and crumbling buildings, smoke still lingering after the
sound and bass and drum, sensory overload, she fire. A favourite of critics and fans alike, Ghosttown
told The Sun. And then create something like Falling stands up as a Madonna ballad of the finest order.
Free, which is stripped back and all you can really
hear is my voice and the lyrics.
British critics and bloggers got a first taste of MDNA The critics were hardly awed by what they were
at Londons Abbey Road studios. NME called it a riot hearing. Large chunks of MDNA are shockingly
of uncontrolled emotions, and they were right on the banal drably competent tunes better suited to D-list
money. So how did it fare? While the record followed Madonna wannabes, wrote Pitchfork. The Guardian
its predecessor to the top spot in its first week (her called it neither triumph nor disaster, while Rolling
eighth album to do so), it plummeted soon after and Stone offered a deeper analysis: Theres something
earned the rather dour title largest second-week remarkable about Madonnas decision to share her
percentage sales drop for a No. 1-debuting album. suffering the way she once shared her pleasure.
Orbit, as mentioned in our Collaborators feature Her music has always been about liberation from
on page 63, perhaps imprudently aired his feelings oppression, but for the first time the oppression is
about the artists other pressing commitments in internal: loss and sadness. Hot and cold reviews
public. He later apologised. aside, MDNA made No. 1 in 40 countries and
93
earned Madonna three Billboard awards. Give Me September saw the release of the MDNA live
All Your Luvin became her 38th Billboard Top 10, album. The tour had grossed $305 million thanks
lengthening her lead as the artist with the most Top to 88 sold-out shows. Despite relatively poor album
10 singles in the charts history. The tour that followed sales, Madonnas share of live revenue still helped
was the 10th highest-grossing tour of all time. MDNA elevate her to the top of Forbes List Of The Top-
may have fallen well short of her A-game, but it was Earning Musicians for 2013.
none too shabby a result nonetheless. By January the tabloids were baying for blood, this
A major milestone arrived as the year came to an time declaring Madge try-hard as they taunted her
end. October 2012 marked the 30th anniversary outings with new boyfriend Timor Steffens, 29 years
of the release of her debut single Everybody. She her junior. Unfazed, Madge put in a superb showing
celebrated onstage in San Jose while on tour, by at the Grammys, where she sang a rejigged Open
dropping to her knees in thanks to her fans, before Your Heart, and soon after, joined Miley Cyrus for her
making a rousing MTV Unplugged
speech that show. Their
introduced a rare MADONNA PUT IN A SUPERB country-tinged
performance of the rendition of Dont
SHOWING AT THE 2013 GRAMMYS
including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Queen Latifah as 33
94
95
In a Givenchy
matador outfit
at the Grammy
Awards, 2015
96
flanked by dancers in bull headdresses. It was the imagination. In her words a political statement
Schumers Madison Square Garden show, Madonna
most watched performance of the night. In the UK, she in her continuing fight against ageism, to others a
took the song to the BRITS, a performance that made desperate attempt to shock. Joan Collins called it
headlines for entirely different reasons when her cape ludicrous on morning telly; Put. It. Away, tweeted
failed to release and she took a nasty tumble it Piers Morgan but Madonna cared none. Im not
hardly covered her in glory. More bad press followed afraid to pave the way for all girls, she wrote. We
in April when her impromptu snog with Drake at cannot effect change unless we are willing to take
Coachella made the Twittersphere audibly wretch. risks. By being fearless and by taking the road less
Later, when she literally got her leg over the Tidal travelled by. Thats how we change history.
table to sign up to Jay-Zs streaming service, for many In August 2016, the Material Girl celebrated her
it was more clumsy cougar than scrummy mummy. 58th birthday dancing the night away in Cuba. When
To add to her woes, Rebel Heart had crawled out voted Billboards Woman Of The Year for 2016,
the gates at a snails pace with two non-charting her speech silenced the crowd. Age is a sin in the
misfires: the ho-hum electro-disco of Living For Love world of music, she declared. People say that Im so
(featuring Alicia Keys on piano) and the marginally controversial, but I think the most controversial thing
superior Ghosttown. It was her first album where big that Ive done is to stick around.
hits were notably absent. That headline-grabbing A challenging new era is upon us and Madonna
Bitch Im Madonna vid looked like it would turn her has yet again put herself on the frontline and that is
fortunes around when the track made No. 1 in the why she still wears the crown.
97
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form opposite
ENTERING CODE MADONNAP QUOTING CODE MADONNAP
I
love to work with the weirdos no one knows The initial Madonna/Mirwais alliance hit a
about, the people who have raw talent roadblock: Mirwais barely spoke any English. His
and are making music unlike anyone else manager had to turn translator before Impressive
out there, Madonna informed Billboard in Instant, M&Ms first joint work, slid into view. Yet
August 2000 on the eve of the release of working with the biggest English-speaking pop star
her new album, simply titled Music. After the blissful in the world didnt faze Mirwais. I was relaxed, he
reception that met Ray Of Light, expectations were told Keyboard magazine. I knew she was asking me
high yet we were about to discover yet another to do what I do, she was interested in me for my own
facet to Madonna. Leading up to Ray Of Light I was work, and not for my ability as a performer, or for
in a quiet space, going through lots of changes, she what Id done for someone elses songs. We were in
reflected. Then, almost without warning, I felt like I tune, on the same wavelength.
needed to explode. I felt like dancing. The collaborators second attempt infused his acid
Madonnas Maverick Records employee and future rock with her epiphany about the healing power of
manager Guy Oseary had pitched his boss a demo music, after attending a concert by her yoga buddy
by French disco scientist Mirwais Ahmadza. With Sting. Released in August 2000, a month before the
William Orbit busy with Blur, All Saints and Mel C, album of the same name, the Music single reached
Madonna substituted Paris for London. After Ray Of No. 1 in 25 countries and still stands as Madonnas
Light everyone was working with [Orbit], Madonna last US No. 1. Entertainment Weekly noted the
complained. I had to move on. I dont want my Grammy-nominated single recaptures the simple
records to sound like everyone elses. Thats boring. perfection of Holiday and brings her career full
Half-Italian, half-Afghan and pushing 40, Mirwais circle. According to GQ, Music has turned her
had been a member of Eighties new wave band into a critical darling for perhaps the first time in her
Taxi Girl. His electro techno prototype Disco Science career. When they added, was the last time you
appeared on the Snatch soundtrack from her soon-to- heard the word bourgeoisie on a No. 1 record?
be-husband Guy Ritchie, with Madonna declaring her Mirwais, rebranded one cool ass French dude by
new musical mentor the future of sound. Madonna, called Musics chart-topping success in the
100
US a small victory for underground music proof of the record with Mirwais, she told The Observer,
that you can make profit with creativity. With the and then it turned out to go in the other direction,
iconic video (directed by Jonas kerlund, who had because the first song resonated so monstrously.
done Ray Of Light) introducing America to comedian Produced by another cult dance name, Stuart Price
Sacha Baron Cohen via his Ali G character, Music (then of Les Rythmes Digitales), that song, Hung Up,
danced its way to becoming the second biggest would top the charts in 41 countries. Her new, less
club hit of the decade. Only Madonnas own Abba angry, more fun album Confessions On A Dance
valentine, Hung Up, released half a decade later, Floor was a virtual reboot, with only two Mirwais
would be able to top it. contributions, Future Lovers and Let It Will Be, sneaked
The Music album, dubbed fresh by Spin, on. Two others were siphoned off as bonus tracks.
radical by Q and a lick of pop genius by Mojo, The final death-knell to the Madonna/Mirwais
was released a month later. While three Orbit tracks collaboration came when Its So Cool, a leftover from
made the cut, the bulk of Music was Mirwaiswork. American Life, was ungraciously dumped as an iTunes
Electro-folk second single Dont Tell Me, co-written bonus track for 2009s Celebration compilation. The
with Madonnas brother-in-law Joe Henry, proved to future had already shapeshifted. Yet when Rolling
be one of her most endearing hits. Stone reassessed Madonnas 50 Greatest Songs in
With the success of 2001s Drowned World Tour, 2015, they ranked Music at No. 9 and Dont Tell Me
her first in eight years, it was as if Madonna could at No. 27. Miraculously, three American Life tracks
do no wrong, thanks in no small part to Mirwais appeared too I Deserve It at No. 32, Hollywood at
input. Prior to the arrival of her ninth album, the pair No. 44 and Die Another Day at No. 50.
formulated a bristling techno title song for Die Another Whereas William Orbit had inspired Madonnas
Day. Hitting the Top 10 in late 2002, the Bond spiritual side, Mirwais fostered her political resolve
theme would earn a Golden Globe nomination, two although its questionable whether this was more
Grammy nominations and usher her into the record Guy Ritchies influence. Whats beyond debate is
books as the artist with the most top 40 singles in the that besides adding Music and Dont Tell Me to her
US (44), beating Aretha Franklin. arsenal of hits, Mirwais irreversibly made Madonna
The following April, Madonna released her new seem a little like a weirdo too, often wonderfully so.
single and album, both called American Life her I think provocation is a really important element of
riskiest album sonically, lyrically and visually. It is also pop music because without it, music isnt exciting,
only the second album of her career to be entirely Mirwais said of the futuristic, if sometimes flawed,
produced by one person, after Nile Rodgers on Like A collaboration. Everybody wants to be underground,
Virgin two decades earlier. It is something she would to be the next Bjrk and for me thats the mainstream
ominously never repeat again. now. Its more interesting to invert the process. It raises
American Life spluttered further into avant-garde, the level of music and thats the future. Madonnas
lo-fi Euro-techno complete with vocodered vocals. interesting because she understands that.
Nouveau British Madonna preached, and even
rapped, about life, love and lattes, while on the
cover she struck a curious pose as Che Guevara with LITTLE WONDER
a gun. Although filmed long before the Iraqi war BACK TO THE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
broke out, the apocalyptic video again by Jonas
After working with Madonna, Mirwais lent his production talents to NYCs electroclash
kerlund was released in the middle of the combat
gods Fischerspooner for their 2005 sophomore album Odyssey, remixed Franz Ferdinand
operation, and Madonna was caught in an immediate and Mika, then zipped back to his roots in 2009 to produce/co-write the first all-Arabic
media storm. The singles success was undermined, electropop album. Arabology was released in France by Lebanese singer/composer Yasmine
if not sabotaged by Madonna herself, who sensed a Hamdan as Y.A.S (despite including a rare sample from Kraftwerk, the album stiffed). He
shifting political climate and censored her own video. also contributed to Uffies underrated debut album Sex Dreams And Denim Jeans. Lead
Matthew Rettenmund in his Encyclopedia Madonnica single ADD SUV featured Pharrell Williams. Not only was the track sonically an open
tome pointed out not only was it a total loss on a homage to Music, but the videos car-meets-cartoon similarities were hard to ignore.
major creative statement, it was a rare example of While his second solo album, Production, was released pre-Madonna in 2000, Mirwais
Madonna flinching under a barrage of criticism. has long been dealing with difficult third album syndrome. On his Facebook page in mid-
2016 he promised a new release some day soon
Compounding the issue was that, despite hitting
No. 1 in 13 countries, the American Life album Mirwais accompanies
Getty Images
101
102
WITH A JOURNEY
that has taken Despite the huge success of The Virgin Tour, plans to
her from the extend it beyond the US were axed when newlywed
dancefloors of New Madonna vetoed the idea in favour of making a new
Yorks nightclubs album and film, enabling her to spend time in her new
to the stages of the Malibu mansion with Sean Penn. By the time she was
worlds biggest stadiums, Madonnas reputation as a to head out on the road again, stadium rock was at
live performer is unrivalled. Her 10 spectacular world its zenith and she had to come up with something that
tours have broken boundaries, pioneered the way live would enable her to operate in a field dominated by
music is presented and entertained millions, leading acts such as Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Queen.
to her being named the most successful touring solo The Whos That Girl Tour saw Madonna introduce
artist of all time by Billboard for the $1.31 billion she elements of Broadway shows and Hollywood musicals
has grossed from touring since records began. into her live act something which she would later
Kicking off on April 10th 1985, Madonnas first utilise on a much grander scale. By now a streamlined
foray into the live arena, The Virgin Tour, was frothy, sex siren, Madonna presented herself as a much
fun and flirty, perfectly encapsulating her Boy Toy more polished performer, showing off her gym-honed
persona of the time. In a show which appeared to be figure in costumes inspired by the characters she
tailor-made for her legions of wannabes, Madonna portrayed in her videos. Madonna was praised for
thrilled her fans by bringing to life the sassy star of her vocals and slick choreography, and the Whos
her videos, performing all her hits in a series of outfits That Girl Tours production values were seen as a
bearing all her trademarks bare midriff, cut-off genuine breath of fresh air. The stage incorporated a
tights, lace underwear, crucifixes and rosaries, all of grand staircase, a moving walkway and giant video
which were enthusiastically copied by her audiences. projections, injecting the element of spectacle to a
As these live shows were the first time that genre not known for its stimulating visuals.
Madonna was actually seeing the scale of her The way in which Madonna had flirted with the
fanbase first-hand, the hysteria was overwhelming. idea of playing different characters and introducing
That whole tour was crazy, she told Rolling Stone. I an element of theatricality proved to be the impetus
played a small theatre in Seattle and the girls were all for her next tour a show which would transform the
wearing flap skirts and tights cut off below their knees way music was presented in a live setting. The Like
and lace gloves and rosaries and bows in their hair A Prayer album had presented a more personal and
and big hoop earrings. I was like, This is insane! confessional side to her music and Madonna wanted
After Seattle, all the shows moved to sports arenas. to carry that over into her concerts, incorporating
104
BLOND AMBITION WAS Weimar cabaret, the seedy S&M underworld of the
THAT SUCCEEDED IT
with the Drowned World Tour, Madonna was a
married mother of two and the new show revealed a
rebranded performer. The sexual overtones had been
ditched: instead, the Drowned World Tours shock
factor came courtesy of artfully orchestrated scenes of
music, fashion, theatre, dance and art to create ultra-violence, as images of Madonnas bloodied and
a show in which the setlist would tell a story and bruised face and a Manga cartoon rape scene were
possess more emotional intensity. flashed across the video screens, while onstage the
The result, 1990s Blond Ambition Tour, was and show was split into cyberpunk, geisha, cowgirl and
still remains the blueprint, in many ways, for every flamenco-themed segments.
pop show that has succeeded it, the first to split the Although visually impressive, Madonnas decision
show into acts, each with different sets and costumes. to focus almost exclusively on the Ray Of Light and
With her headset mic, ponytail and Jean-Paul Gaultier- Music albums for material proved to be something
designed conical bra Madonna played the erotically- of a self-indulgent mistake, as the more introspective
charged automaton, the hermaphrodite-flanked harem album cuts fell rather flat in the vast auditoriums
girl, the Twenties chanteuse, the good-time gal and in which the tour was playing. Critically, the show
the S&M siren in a show which combined her greatest lacked the fun factor that had come to be expected
hits with visual cues from sources as widespread from the Madonna live experience, and it left many
as Cabaret, A Clockwork Orange and Fritz Langs fans left feeling short-changed particularly as this
Metropolis. Given the cinematic nature of the show, was the first tour on which Madonna had enforced
Madonna decided to immortalise it by having it filmed her elevated ticket prices.
and released as a concert film. However, that idea While the Drowned World Tour had been an artistic
metamorphosed into Truth Or Dare (aka In Bed With statement, for her next global jaunt Madonna decided
Madonna), a revealing music documentary depicting to begin to make peace with her past and get back
life on the road with her touring family. into her groove. Following the underperformance of
Having found Blond Ambition physically and her American Life album she almost certainly knew
emotionally exhausting, Madonna had vowed that it would be wise to reintroduce some of the
never to tour again a decision she reneged on classic hits back into the show, and this she agreed
when the controversy over her Sex book in 1992 to on the condition that she could perform the older
overshadowed her Erotica album. Intensely proud of material with brand-new arrangements. It was an
the record, Madonna felt that heading back out on idea which not only shaped the show, but also gave
tour was her best option of showcasing it properly. it its name The Re-Invention Tour. Although this
Influenced by the circus and burlesque, 1993s The time round it was billed as such, performing her
Girlie Show was a gloriously theatrical homage to older material in remixed or rearranged form was
Hollywood icons such as Marlene Dietrich, Audrey something Madonna had always done to try to make
Hepburn and Gene Kelly, the decadence of disco, the live show a more unique experience for her fans,
the heady hedonism of the Hair musical, inter-war as well as keep them fresh for her while on long
From her now infamous performance of Like A Virgin at the first MTV Video Music
Awards in 1984 to her homage to that performance to commemorate its 20th
anniversary in which she locked lips with Britney Spears, Madonnas appearance at
an award show is guaranteed to make it headline news.
Aside from the MTV Awards, at which she has delivered four more incredible
performances Express Yourself, Bye Bye Baby, Ray Of Light and her iconic 1990
rendition of Vogue dressed in full Marie-Antoinette regalia Madonna has graced
the stages to deliver show-stopping performances at the Academy Awards (Sooner
Or Later in 1991 and You Must Love Me in 1997), the MTV European Music
Awards (The Power Of Goodbye, Music and Hung Up), the Grammys (Nothing
Really Matters, Music, Hung Up with Gorillaz, Same Love/Open Your Heart with
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and Living For Love), the American Music Awards (Take
A Bow with Babyface in 1995), the Brits (Bedtime Story in 1995 and Living For
Love, with that infamous fall, in 2015). Her most recent performance was at the
2016 Billboard Music Awards where she performed Nothing Compares 2 U and
Purple Rain with Stevie Wonder as a tribute to Prince.
105
RAYS OF LIGHT
spectacular performance at the Super Bowl Halftime
Show, was visually a vast improvement on Sticky &
Sweet, but some felt that the show suffered thanks to
Madonnas insistence on showcasing her latest album
in this case, not her strongest effort. As well as the
It was being exposed to her fanbase for the first time during her Virgin Tour and lacklustre new material, reinterpretations of older hits
being shocked by the level of influence she had over them as they turned up such as Like A Virgin and Hung Up also fell flat.
dressed as clones of herself that inspired Madonna to use her voice and influence Supporting an album she was genuinely invested
to highlight important issues. Writing with the tours musical director Pat Leonard on in has always brought out the best in Madonna as a
the road, she penned her first social consciousness song, Love Makes The World
Go Round, and debuted the song at Live Aid in July 1985 her first appearance
live performer, and 2015s Rebel Heart Tour was a
at a benefit concert. Since then, she has used her musical muscle to lend support at major return to form. This time, she allowed herself to
countless benefits including Rock For The Rainforest in 1998, Tsunami Aid and Live reveal a warm, funny and more vulnerable side, and
8 in 2005, Live Earth in 2007, and Hope For Haiti Now in 2010. now seemed completely at ease with her past and
In December 2016 she held an auction and performed her acclaimed Tears Of A present. Revisiting rarely-played hits such as True Blue,
Clown show in Miami an evening of music, art and mischief, as she described it Whos That Girl and Deeper And Deeper, as well as
in support of her Raising Malawi Foundation in order to raise funds ($7.5 million,
tracks from her best album in years, the Rebel Heart
no less) to equip and staff a hospital in the country. Having first performed the show
in Melbourne in March 2016, the show a mixture of stand-up and rarely-played Tour proved that when it comes to putting on a show,
album tracks was so well received that Madonna now has plans to perform it in Madonnas immaculate connection to her audience
various cities to raise more funds for her charity. was stronger than ever.
106
Getty Images
Madonna and
Warren Beatty in
the action comedy
Dick Tracy, 1990
108
109
ww
CPP05.Films.For Print.indd 109 19/01/2017 14:55
F I L M S
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ASIDE FROM
her 13 studio albums and treatment of the films sexual content (and the brutal
mammoth touring schedule, rape scene). When the film was eventually released
humanitarian work and general no doubt a deliberate move to capitalise on her
extra-curricular activities, Madonna fame in the wake of second album Like A Virgin she
has somehow found time to add attempted to buy out the director, Stephen Jon Lewicki.
just short of 30 full-length feature films to her on-screen When he declined, she tried (without success) to get
CV. In fact, there have been very few years in her the film banned. She aired her indignation in no
career thus far in which she hasn't been involved in a uncertain terms as she exited a pre-release screening.
movie in some way or other. And while she invariably Even so, her resolute ambition to someday walk the
divides both critical and audience opinion, it goes red carpet was plain to see. Turn back the clock to the
without saying that even the finest stock Hollywood end of the Seventies and the young New Yorker was
has to offer has felt the sharp end of the critics desperate to land a role. She had written a three-
pen at some point or other and by no means all page letter to Lewicki in response to his newspaper ad
said A-listers have been vindicated with a Golden scouring the city for a female lead: I was born and
Globe. Still, raised in Detroit,
notwithstanding Michigan where I
her successes on NOTWITHSTANDING HER SUCCESSES began my career
screen, Madonna in petulance and
ON SCREEN, MADONNA SEEMS
POP_UP On the soundtrack album that accompanied Vision
imprisoned by
and denigrated for
PERPETUALLY IMPRISONED BY AND it began, offering
a chucklesome
her failures. In DENIGRATED FOR HER FAILURES glimpse into the
many cases, shes character wed
forced to carry all come to know
the can for an entire productions failure, regardless inside-out. By the time I was in the fifth grade, I knew
of her role within it. In reality, when appointed to the I either wanted to be a nun or a movie star. Nine
right role, shes an actor who can shine. And in one months in a convent cured me of the first disease. Its
particular case she had some pretty big shoes to fill a revealing read.
Its telling that Madonnas aspirations towards A brief cameo as a club singer in rite-of-passage
film stardom were buy no means a late addition to movie Vision Quest (Crazy For You in the UK)
her portfolio. In fact, her first starring role was very followed, but her first taste of real success came later
early on in her career and ran in tandem with her in the year when she landed her first major role in the
music. Released in 1985 (but filmed far earlier in Eighties classic Desperately Seeking Susan. Co-star
1979), A Certain Sacrifice was a gritty low-budget Rosanna Arquette was cast as a bored housewife
independent shot on Super 8, and one from which who becomes obsessed with a grifter named Susan,
Madge took home a mere $100 to cover her rent. a felicitous role for Madonna. Not only did the film
She would come to regret her participation in that introduce her acting potential to the world, but it also
particular roughshod indie, likely in part down to the brought pop masterstroke Into The Groove to its ears.
110
Dick Tracy
Getty Images
Getty Images
Shanghai Armed and dangerous
Surprise as ex-con Nikki Finn in
1987's Whos That Girl?
Desperately Seeking Susan took almost $30 million at Mahoney an embodiment of the quintessential sassy
the box office and made it into The New York Times blonde, with a fine stock of suggestive comebacks.
Top 10 films of 1985. Not bad for a rookie. The film premiered at the Walt Disney World Resort
The following year came the George Harrison- in Florida and went on to enjoy the third-highest
produced flop Shanghai Surprise, notable only for opening weekend figures of the year with well over
the fact that Madonna stars opposite newly-wed $160 million taken worldwide. Dick Tracy was
sweetheart Sean Penn. Billboard described her nominated for seven Academy Awards, three of which
performance as unbearable; the less said, the it won. While none went to Madonna per se, her
better. Moving swiftly on to an item of far greater performance was generally well received.
interest to movie fans, the screwball comedy Whos The plaudits continued with the 1991 Blonde
That Girl, despite failure at the box office, was a vast Ambition Tour documentary In Bed With Madonna
improvement. With Madonna cast as a streetwise (Truth Or Dare in the States), a cinematic triumph
delinquent, it proved once again that the singer had a thats both eye-opening and funny. This pop-umentary
flair for comedy timing albeit without the captivating offered a candid glimpse at behind the scenes
naivety seen in Desperately Seeking Susan. operations on the road with one of the worlds most Of Congress, who praised the movie as a fascinating, under-reported
POP_UP A League of Their Own has been preserved by the Library
Madonna was singled out by The New York Times celebrated pop stars. It became, at that point, the
aspect of American sports history and both funny and feminist
as one of the films saving graces, even though the highest-grossing documentary of all time, and further
majority of critics turned their noses up: The question prompted some to suggest that Madonnas best role
posed by the films title was Whos that girl? said was in fact that of Madonna.
Rolling Stone. The answer provided by the box-office Woody Allens Shadows And Fog did nothing to
receipts was, alas, The same one who appeared in change their minds. Brooding, claustrophobic and
Shanghai Surprise and bored us to death. Madonna shot in black and white, this Kafkaesque neo-film
took a Golden Raspberry for Worst Actress yet the noir depicted the search for a murderer over a single
soundtrack flew off the shelves, selling over six million night. Filmed on the largest set ever built in New York,
copies. In 1989 her upward trajectory was slighted it boasted an equally sizeable cast that included such
by yet another dud. She received another Razzie names as John Cusack, Jodie Foster, Mia Farrow, Lily
nomination for Worst Supporting Actress in the period Tomlin, John Malkovich and Allen himself. Alas, size
comedy Bloodhounds On Broadway a film that isnt everything and unlike much of Allens output, the
cost $4 million but only scraped in $44,000 in ticket film proved to be a little too arduous for most.
sales. Many began to advocate she stick to music and Something more light-hearted was required, and
give the movie business a wide berth. 1992s baseball comedy A League Of Their Own
Madonnas film career is inconsistent, to say the was just the ticket. It also revealed Madonna could
least, and the Nineties were no different. Dick Tracy stand up to any one of her big name co-stars Tom
was a hit to get the decade off to a flying start. Hanks, Geena Davis and Lori Petty. From home run to
Warren Beattys adaptation of the Thirties comic universal ridicule, the erotic misfire Body Of Evidence
strip featured Hollywood heavyweights Al Pacino that followed, complete with cringeworthy candle wax
and Dustin Hoffman, and Madonna herself put in sex scene, was nominated for no less than six Golden
a confident turn as Club Ritz songstress Breathless Raspberries (Madonna won Worst Actress).
111
The Next
Best Thing
Experimental film-within-a-film Dangerous Game
a co-billing with Harvey Keitel and James Rosso
was cued up next to try and recover what was
left of Madonnas reputation. Perhaps it was fear of
further ridicule that got the better of her, but having
seen the final cut she didnt attend the premiere,
and bad-mouthed the film pre-release. Director Abel
Ferrara blamed her for its failure; Madonna killed
it, he commented. Yet another lemon for the list,
Getty Images
and perhaps the reason why two non-committal roles
followed: a singing telegram girl in comedy Blue In
The Face and a bit part in Spike Lees Girl 6.
Despite this run of box office mediocrity, Madonnas
dream role was just around the corner. When word
reached her camp that a cinematic recreation of Tim
Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webbers epic musical Evita
was in the offing, she was quick to act. She put pen
to paper yet again in an eight-page letter that assured
POP_UP Over Evitas complicated 20-year gestation the role
of Eva Pern had been linked with Barbra Streisand, Elaine
her all, said Parker. And she has kept her promise.
It was a role she was born to play, perhaps because,
as two powerful women, they both possessed a strong
sense of aesthetics and an irresistible charm.
It seems Parker had been right to have faith where
others would not. Despite protests in Argentina that A League Of
Evita would tarnish Perns almost saint-like image, Their Own
it was Madonna who made the breakthrough. After
several failed attempts to gain permission to film on
the iconic balcony in Buenos Aires Plaza De Mayo,
it was she who managed to persuade the Argentinian With relentless negative press and constant protests
president. I think up until that point, all he had to go overshadowing the film, Madonna made sure her
on was hearsay, she told Roger Ebert. The stage groundwork was thorough. An Argentinian journalist
version of the musical portrays a very one-dimensional whom I met in London has agreed to meet me in
version of her. It doesnt show her in a very humane [Buenos Aires] and arrange interviews with people
way; it doesnt show any vulnerability, it doesnt who knew or worked with Eva, as well as some anti-
explain her past. Alan Parker had the chance to do Pernists, she wrote in Vanity Fair. Most are very
that in a movie, and I explained that to the president. old and Im sure a good number will be suspicious
of me. I can hardly blame them if the me they know
is the one theyve read about in newspapers. I am
prepared to disarm all and get them to share their
deepest, darkest secrets about Eva.
EVITA-DREAM OR NIGHTMARE?
Aside from interviews, meeting historians and
immersing herself in Evas life, Madonna even went
as far as trying Evas favourite meal and visiting her
grave. She took two years away from music to focus
Evita was fated to be quite literally a bumpy ride. Firstly, huge crowds of screaming fans on the role, and it showed. Im in a state of shock,
shadowed Madonnas every move I have bone-crushing entrances and exits whenever I go out, she wrote when filming was over. I think it will take
she declared in a revealing diary commissioned by Vanity Fair. As a result, she referred to her hotel me months to recover and a very long time before Im
room as my prison cell and chose to sleep in a smaller room on the floor above to avoid the able to digest all that has happened to me these past
constant noise outside her suite. five months My life will never be the same.
To add to that, just as filming commenced, she fell pregnant. While some keen-eyed cinema-goers Eva Pern was without doubt a defining role for
noticed the odd change from scene to scene, she got away with it. Regardless, pregnancy was the
Madonna and it would go a long way to restoring
least of her worries: the protesters were everywhere. On the way to her hotel shed spied vicious
graffiti: Evita lives, get out, Madonna. The worlds press was relentlessly negative throughout, the publics opinion of her abilities. Its a relief to say
and the local papers supported the Pernist protesters. Ive got to stop reading the papers, she that Alan Parkers film is pretty damn fine, well cast
stated. I am portrayed either as a stupid c*** who doesnt deserve to play Santa Evita or a spoiled and handsomely visualised. Madonna once again
American movie star who has no interest in the truth I sometimes think my phones are tapped, confounds our expectations, wrote Time magazine.
and wonder if every employee in this hotel is on the take, she went on. There are camera lenses Love or hate Madonna-Eva, she is a magnet for
trained on me at every window. She even mentions that certain factions of the Argentinian press the eyes. Evita grossed $141 million worldwide,
tried to frame her for murder in a staged car accident. far exceeding its budget, and Madonna bagged a
When many would throw in the towel, Madonna was unshakable. None of this discourages me, Golden Globe for Best Actress.
she declared defiantly. In reality, Madonnas laborious research and all-round dedication to learning From the sublime to 2000s comedy-drama The
everything there was to know about Eva Pern meant that, by the time filming began, she probably
Next Best Thing, a major financial and critical disaster
knew more about her quarry than the majority of her detractors.
On March 20th 1996 Madonna finally stepped out onto the infamous balcony of the Casa Rosada thats best forgotten as was an ill-fated project
in front of thousands of people and sang Dont Cry For Me Argentina. I raised my arms and looked made with husband/director Guy Ritchie, 2002s
into the hungry eyes of humanity, and at that moment I felt [Eva] enter my body like a heat missile, horror-show remake Swept Away, a rom-com that has
starting with my feet, travelling up my spine, and flying out my fingertips, into the air, out to the tarnished the stars credentials ever since. Striking a
people, and back up to heaven. Bravo. pose is not the same as embodying a person, and a
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role like this one requires the surrender of emotional To her final film thus far and her second as director.
control, something Madonna seems constitutionally 2011s W.E. is a biopic that told the story of the
unable to achieve, came the death toll from The New relationship between American socialite Wallis
York Times. Five Golden Raspberries followed. Simpson and King Edward VIII. Wallis was another
The Noughties continued with more misfires, a woman to whom Madonna could clearly relate; She
cameo in a Bond film, another documentary, two was a powerful woman, she told Harpers Bazaar.
films (and relative success) as Executive Director and So it makes sense that people would make things up
her directorial debut but for music fans, 2005s Im about her. When women are perceived as powerful
Going To Tell You A Secret was the one. This second and doing something they arent supposed to be
documentary followed the Re-Invention World Tour, doing, they are often portrayed as sexual predators.
with her spirituality (Kabbalah) very much in focus. The comparisons were obvious.
From auditioning dancers through to shows in Israel Several promotional outings for W.E. preceded
disrupted by protests, its a compelling production. the Venice Film Festival premiere and a full-scale
Next came two projects that occupied polar US release followed a few months later. But despite POP_UP Madonna has a further directorial (co-)credit: a 17-minute short
opposite ends of dedicating all film from 2013, secretprojectrevolution, aiming to tackle human rights
issues via a social media project, Art For Freedom. See it on YouTube
the spectrum. For of her energies
2006 animation WHEN AT HER FINEST, MS. CICCONE to the film and
Arthur And burning up
The Invisibles, HAS PUT IN ONE PROFOUNDLY $18 million in
Madonna took
on the voice of
MOVING PERFORMANCE AND SOME the process,
W.E. received
Princess Selenia, ROCK SOLID SUPPORTING ROLES a lukewarm
before raising response. At
awareness about one end of the
HIV in Malawi via 2008s I Am Because We Are, a spectrum, The Daily Telegraphs David Grittens
documentary that depicted the lives of orphans in the non-committal review called it a bold and confident
country. Madonna the documentary-maker came, story about an American womans obsession with the
saw and conquered the worlds biggest film festival Windsors, while at the other, The Guardians Xan
yesterday with a powerful polemic on the effects Brooks skewered it as a primped and simpering folly,
of disease and poverty on Malawi, praised The preening and fatally mishandled. Ouch.
Guardian. Later that year she was in the directors Its hard to fathom why Madonna gets such a hard
chair for the first big film production to come out time for her flirtations with film when almost every
of her Semtex Films company. Despite a cast that actor shes starred alongside has made a turkey or
included Richard E Grant and several British soap two in their time. Not only has Ms. Ciccone put in
stars, Filth And Wisdom a comedy romance that one profoundly moving performance and some rock
portrayed three flatmates trying to make ends meet in solid supporting roles when at her finest, but shes not
London was slammed. Madonna would do well to afraid to take on challenging projects and for that
hang on to her day job, sneered The Telegraph. we applaud her. Lets just hope the next shoe fits
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18/01/2017 12:02
3
Time Stood Still
2000
Be Careful 4 THE NEXT BEST THING SOUNDTRACK Santa Baby
1999 1987
Not yet done with Be Careful The A Very Special
William Orbit as her 1999 Christmas charity
in-house producer, 5 RICKY MARTIN album featured
Guilty By Association
Aint No Big Deal 1995
1984 Madonnas brother-in-law, alt-country
Surprisingly, there are only a handful of singer/songwriter Joe Henry, is the bright
unreleased tracks by Madonna that have spark who penned the backbones for two of
publicly seen the light of day over the last her more enduring, if less glitzy hits: 2000s
four decades, such has been the creative Dont Tell Me and 2006s Jump (which also
control the Material Girl exerts on her own sneaked its way onto the The Devil Wears
material. An early example is the post-disco Each Time Superpop Prada soundtrack). One of her rare duet
swirl of Aint No Big Deal, recorded in her You Break 2005 partners alongside Prince, Britney Spears,
early days, remixed in 1984 and finally My Heart Music and American Ricky Martin and Stevie Wonder (for 2017s
released in 1986 as a fan curiosity on the 1986 Life producer Mirwais Prince TV tribute), Joe cajoled his in-law into
B-sides of both Papa Dont Preach and its Its 1986 and Ahmadza snuck one joining him on a Vic Chestnutt song for the
successor single, True Blue, as if it deserved Madonna is at the track onto Confessions lo-fi charity album Sweet Relief II: Gravity Of
revisiting twice. Another lesser find is Your peak of her million- On A Dance Floor The Situation, aiding musicians in need of
Honesty, a demo-like track from the 1994 selling powers. Future Lovers, used as health care. Arguably the closest Madonna
Bedtime Stories What does she do in her spare time? She the opener for her 2006 Confessions tour, has yet come to
session that her then- uncovers a hot British male model called thrillingly intertwined with Donna Summers I country music, the
manager remembered Nick Kamen and with writing buddy/ Feel Love. Two of his creations were deemed aptly named Guilty
fondly, and she drummer ex Stephen Bray, hands him a hit unsuitable: one was Fighting Spirit (a bonus By Association
encouraged her star single. Listen to Madonnas almost identical track on the limited edition), but the one to attests to the fact she
client to include it on version from the True Blue sessions and also cherish is Superpop, probing the perils of can genre-hop with
2003s somewhat to Kamens 1988 single Tell Me, with vocals pop culture years before Gaga tried and the best of them
slapdash Remixed & from the boy toys gal pal and production by failed with Artpop while nodding musically because she is the
Revisited EP. Patrick Like A Prayer Leonard. to Daft Punk and lyrically to Frida Kahlo. best of them.
18/01/2017 12:02
CAUSING A COMMOTION
THE QUEEN OF MTV WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO
CREATE A VISUAL IDENTITY AS SIGNIFICANT TO
HER LEGACY AS HER MUSIC. WITH OVER 70 MUSIC
VIDEOS TO HER NAME, MADONNA HAS USED
HER VIDEOGRAPHY AS A PLATFORM TO EXPRESS
HERSELF LIKE NO OTHER
M A R K L I N D O R E S
1983.2016
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A classic still from
Papa Dont Preach
ITS HARD TO
imagine, given the sheer magnitude her videos as narratives to elevate the messages
of Madonnas iconic videography, contained within her music. In Papa Dont Preach, the
that when she started out she was first of her mini-movies, she was compelling as the
regarded as a faceless dance act with vulnerable pregnant teenager. It was a similar story
no videos and no photographs on with True Blues other videos, the sexually-charged
her record sleeves. Her early anonymity could have peepshow performer of Open Your Heart and the
understandably led anyone listening to ask to quote Latin love story of La Isla Bonita.
one of her most famous hits whos that girl? Soon, Following a further detour into film with Whos
though, that question would be rendered null and That Girl, the media began questioning why a star so
void, as within a matter of months that girl was MTVs dynamic in her videos was unable to replicate that
First Lady, a natural star who was seemingly born to onscreen presence to her film roles. 1989s Like A
be in front of the camera. Prayer, once again directed by Mary Lambert, was
A simple clip, shot in grainy black and white, of by far her most controversial to date, with a racially
Madonna lowering her sunglasses at the beginning motivated murder, stigmata, Madonna kissing a black
of the Lucky Star video heralded the arrival of the saint on an altar and dancing in front of a field of
woman who would come to define the video age. burning crosses among the scenes the media picked
As Burning Up and Lucky Star swiftly became MTV up on. Badonna, as they called her, had gone too
POP_UP The wider publics first glimpse of Madonna sliding
mainstays, Madonnas in-your-face attitude and far. The video was banned around the world and cost
her sunglass down her nose in Lucky Star was a nod to Sue
Lyon in Lolita and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffanys
streetstyle already saw her rivalling Prince and Madonna a huge sponsorship deal with Pepsi.
Michael Jackson for airtime. By Borderline, she The video may have hit Madonna financially, but
was a walking billboard for her graffiti artist friend it was very lucrative in what it taught her about the
Keith Harings fashions, the achingly hip downtown music business and the media. The acreage of free
diva who embodied the essence of New York cool. publicity she received from the Like A Prayer debacle
Directed by Mary Lambert, Borderlines heavy rotation instilled in her the controversy-equals-currency ideal
on MTV fuelled the songs success, delaying the something she implements with great success to
release of Madonnas second album. this day. Whether intentional or not, Like A Prayer
During the interim, Madonna and Lambert signalled the most interesting, subversive period of
collaborated on a pair of videos that would cement Madonnas career.
her ascension into superstardom the girl-on-a- For the next five years, her videos marked her
gondola romp of Like A Virgin, which debuted her out as a true maverick, constantly delivering bold,
infamous wanton bride persona, and the wry fearless videos designed to provoke reactions, good
pastiche of Marilyn Monroes Diamonds Are A Girls or bad, and incite discussion on matters important to
Best Friend in Material Girl. her. As the medium of the music video had evolved
By the time Madonna returned in 1986 with a into a major promotional opportunity, a whole new
sleeker new look, she had made the transition into generation of talent was emerging as a host of
films with Desperately Seeking Susan, an experience talented creatives battled to make their marks as
which altered her view on video making. As her videomakers. As the biggest, most daring star in the
music was becoming more issue-led, she began using world, Madonna had her pick of the bunch.
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Like A Prayer
Take a Bow
Hung Up
Ray of Light
with astonishing results; and Human Nature, her first videos which seemed predominantly violence-led.
Madonnas greatest-ever video: Billboard, Rolling Stone
POP_UP Most people, it seems, are agreed on what is
collaboration with Jean-Baptiste Mondino since Justify Guy Ritchies What It Feels Like For A Girl featured
My Love, was an S&M-inspired kiss-off to Madonnas Madonna staging robberies, joyriding, blowing
detractors. She spends the clip in a latex catsuit being up a petrol station, mowing down pedestrians and
forced into a box before emerging free at the end to deliberately crashing her car into a lamppost. This
deliver a defiant Absolutely no regrets straight to streak continued with Die Another Day, directed by
camera as if speaking directly to her critics. Swedish outfit Traktor. Costing $6 million, the video
Following a period in which she achieved success saw Madonna under interrogation in a prison, with
with Evita and became a mother, a rebranded depictions of violent beatings and fight scenes which
Madonna emerged in 1998 with Ray Of Light, the referenced the 2002 James Bond film from which the
confrontational provocateur having been replaced by song came.
a serene, spiritually-sound Madonna. Her stunning With the war in Iraq playing heavily on her mind,
comeback video Frozen saw her team up with Chris Madonna chose to release an anti-war video to
Cunningham for a stark, gothic piece in which, almost launch her American Life album in 2003. However,
unrecognisable and dressed entirely in black, she the graphic depictions of the horrors of war and an
mutates into a rabid dog and a pack of ravens. easily-misunderstood message forced her to withdraw
In complete contrast, Jonas kerlunds visionary the video prior to release. The move derailed her
genius was in peak form for Ray Of Light which entire album campaign; instead of being led by one
featured a golden-hued Madonna dressed in a simple of her greatest artistic statements, it was led by one of
indigo denim jacket performing the song as the her worst a hastily put-together video of Madonna
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Turn Up The Radio
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Material Girl had already inspired Lacy layers and
necklaces. She just puts a lot of junk on your wrists until youre
A punky Madonna
with Sean Penn just as her musical output, it was
after the release of the beginning of a career-long
True Blue, 1986
fascination with her evolving style,
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Everyone accuses me
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of reinventing myself, but
the truth is that I just get a
new haircut every year,
which is something I think
everyone should do
which has often been described as a premeditated
effort of reinventing herself. Everyone always
accuses me of reinventing myself, but the truth is that
I just get a new haircut every year, which is something
I think everyone should do, Madonna later told MTV.
Its really good to change. Its really good for the
head, not to get stuck into one way of thinking, like
this is how I look, this is my image. It sort of wakes
you up and makes you dress another way, think
another way and carry yourself another way.
On the subject of hair, by 1989 Madonna had
gone back to her roots figuratively and literally with
the release of her stirring, confessional opus Like A
Prayer. Sporting cascading natural brunette curls
and minimal make-up in the video, her stripped-back,
natural look was the perfect visual for her deeply
personal new album.
Her style was soon switched again though as
Madonna landed the role of Breathless Mahoney in
Dick Tracy, requiring her to reach for the bleach to
play the vampy torch singer. Although she begged Crucifixes and a
director and co-star Warren Beatty to change the wedding dress on
character to a brunette, he insisted she went back to the Virgin tour,
May 21, 1985
blonde. Being blonde definitely is a different state of
mind, Madonna said. I cant quite put my finger on
it but the artifice of being blonde definitely has some
sort of sexual connotation.
Madonnas theory went some way to explaining
Maripol
why her style became much more bold and sexual As a struggling artist in New York, Madonna relied on her
at the dawning of the Nineties. Newly blonde, close friends to help her create the image which would
newly divorced and newly liberated, Madonna capture the imagination of the world. With performances
booked at New York citys hippest nightspots, the way
released Vogue, a dancefloor classic with a suitably
Madonna looked was as important as her sound. Luckily,
stylish black and white video and hit the road for close friends such as Keith Haring and Maripol were on
her groundbreaking Blond Ambition Tour, sporting hand to customise Madonnas outfits for photo shoots and
costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Madonnas corset and performances. Famed pop artist Haring would paint on
conical bra instantly became one of her most iconic Madonnas clothes, while Maripol would accessorise her to
looks, exemplifying the burgeoning synergy between the max, with rubber bracelets, crucifixes and that infamous
Boy Toy belt buckle.
music and fashion. The costumes made Gaultier a
My source of inspiration was always the street, which
household name, even with people who otherwise was why I did the industrial jewellery, says Maripol. We
didnt know one iota about fashion, such was their were in the middle of punk at that time, and the crosses
far-reaching influence. looked great with the chains and the safety pins. Then,
As the decade progressed and Madonna explored around the release of Like A Virgin, I was hired as her stylist.
more sexual avenues in her work with the Justify The pair worked together for the next two years, with
My Love video, the Erotica album, risqu magazine Maripol designing Madonnas jewellery and stage costumes
for The Virgin Tour, the 1984 MTV Awards performance and
spreads and the Sex book, people began to
advised on Madonnas wardrobe on Desperately Seeking
comment more on what she wasnt wearing. Feeling Susan and even launching her own Madonna-inspired
misunderstood, Madonna explained that she was jewellery range which was sold at Madonnaland in Macys
inspired by a European art-house sensibility where department store in New York.
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128
ENDED UP A NUN OR
like Gandhi and I AM MY OWN
THIS. ON HER NAME,
Martin Luther
King and John EXPERIMENT. I AM
VANITY FAIR, 1991 Lennon but
I want to stay MY OWN WORK OF
Being blonde is definitely a different
state of mind. I cant really put my
alive! On
greatness, Sirius ART. ON HOW SHE
finger on it, but the artifice of being
blonde has some incredible sort
of sexual connotation. Men really
Satellite Radio
interview, 2007
SEES HERSELF
respond to it. I love blonde hair but
it really does something different Poor is the When I IM A SHOWGIRL.
to you. I feel more grounded when man whose was growing AFTER 20 YEARS IN
pleasures
I have dark hair, and I feel more up, I was
ethereal when I have light hair. Its
depend
on the religious, in SHOW BUSINESS,
unexplainable. I also feel more Italian
when my hair is dark. On the power
permission of a passionate, IVE LEARNED TO
another adolescent
of image, Rolling Stone, 1989 ROLL WITH THE
way. Jesus
Christ was PUNCHES. ON
I WONT BE HAPPY like a movie EXPERIENCE
UNTIL IM AS FAMOUS star, my Better to live one year
favourite idol
AS GOD. ON WORLD of all. On
as a tiger, then a hundred
as sheep. On her life
DOMINATION religion philosophy, Spin, 1996
129
MOMENTS
M A D O N N A
F A C E S T H E
F I N A L T A B O O
D E C 9 , 2 0 1 6
There have been so many seismic moments in the life of Madonna,
its sometimes hard to keep track. From her initial unschooled
transmission to the UK via the grubby Haienda dancefloor through
to her record-breaking, super-polished Super Bowl show last year, the
list, as they say, goes on. Any one of those myriad moments would do
the job here, but to close out this special celebration of the Queen of
Pop weve chosen a moment that in many ways outstrips them
all. When Madonna was awarded Billboards Woman Of The Year, she
delivered a truly compelling speech that decried ageism in the music
industry perhaps the final cultural taboo left undisturbed. In a year
when the worlds press had relentlessly attacked the star for her choice
of clothes, her body and even her very existence, forever referencing
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the number of years shed been on the planet, she rose above with
words that silenced them all. Watch it, its inspirational.
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