Jamie's Madonna Blog

Madonna Educates a Generation about AIDS

2006-08-22T08:36:00.000-04:00

Madonna's recent decision to withdraw the video that was to accompany her soon-to-be released album, American Life, 'reminded me of one of the Queen of Pop's contributions that today is remembered as little more than a "footnote" in her career-if even that.
Since the moment the "tarted-up floozy," as Newsweek described her, erupted onto the nation's cultural radar screen in the mid-1980s, she has thrived on controversy. In 2003, the concern is her video's messages about George Bush and the American military at the same time that the United States is fighting in Iraq.
Two decades ago, the concern was AIDS.
The story of Madonna's involvement with the disease begins soon after she left her native Michigan and moved to New York City in 1978. She was only nineteen at the time and had little in the way of financial resources, as her father was unhappy with her decision to drop out of college before she earned her degree. So she was on her own.
Soon after arriving in the Big Apple, she met up with another teenager named Martin Burgoyne who was in a similar position. The gay designer, like Madonna, had plenty of talent but no money.
So the high-energy twosome pooled their meager incomes-hers from working as a hatcheck girl, his from bartending-to rent a small apartment on Manhattan's tough Lower East Side while they each pursued the elusive "big break."
Burgoyne soon became much more than Madonna's roommate, as he provided her with emotional support during a series of traumatic events in her life. When she was raped and again when she became pregnant and had an abortion-apparently on three different occasions-Burgoyne was there for her each time.
During the next few years, not only did Madonna begin to rise to stardom but AIDS emerged as the deadliest sexually transmitted disease in history. She began performing in New York clubs in 1981; the first cases were reported that same year.
People became so frightened that they refused even to be in the same room with an AIDS patient, and an activity as intimate as kissing a person with the condition was absolutely unthinkable, as the medical community was still uncertain about whether the HIV virus could be spread through saliva.
It was in this climate of mass fear that Madonna's friend Martin Burgoyne told her that he had AIDS.
From that moment in the summer of 1986 until he died late that year, she supported him both emotionally and financially.
Even though the ambitious young singer was, during this crucial stage of her career, doing everything in her power to make the leap from being merely a star to being one of a handful of superstars, she talked to her former roommate by telephone at least once a day and visited him several times a week-never hesitating to kiss him on the lips.
She also took full responsibility for Burgoyne's expenses, providing more than $100,000 to cover his medical bills and paying the rent on the new apartment where she moved him so he could be closer to St. Vincent's Hospital where he was being treated.
Madonna's commitment soon shifted from the private support of a friend to the public role of one of the country's most dedicated AIDS educators.
Her initial step was to become one of the first stars who was willing to talk with reporters about having a relationship with a victim of the disease.
"I cried like a baby when Martin told me," one newspaper story quoted her as saying. "I still cry when I think about it."
But, in her next breath, she went on to insist that-fear and stigma be damned-friends of AIDS patients should stand by them.
"I'll stick by Martin no matter what happens," she told the newspaper. "He was there for me when I needed him, and I'm going to be there for him now that he needs me."
Madonna's unflagging support was particularly challenging because of another man who had ascended into a major role in her life: Sean Penn.
She had met the young actor during the taping of her "Material Girl" music video in February 1985, and they had become husband and wife a mere six months later.
Although the marriage was plagued with a variety of problems including Penn's moodiness and hot temper, Madonna's commitment to Burgoyne added to the difficulties.
"It's ironic that a gay guy has come between macho Sean and his sexy, feminine wife," one friend told a reporter. "It sickens him that Madonna wants to continue her longtime friendship with a gay man who has AIDS."
The singer herself was quoted as saying, "Sean is scared I might pick up the virus. He keeps insisting that it's possible because not that much is known about AIDS. I tell him to grow up."
On several occasions, Madonna's AIDS activism led to conflicts with her husband. When she modeled in a fund-raising auction at Barney's department store and again when she attended another benefit specifically for Burgoyne, Penn refused to accompany her-both incidents were reported in the National Enquirer.
One very public confrontation played out on the lot of Universal Studios. According to published accounts, Penn screamed at his wife, "You're more concerned about your damn friends than you are about me. You spend more time worrying about your friends with AIDS!"
Madonna was undeterred.
She continued to support Burgoyne, even to the point that she purchased experimental drugs from Mexico for him. Her commitment never waned, and she was holding her friend's hand when he died in December 1986, at the age of twenty-three.
In the wake of her friend's death, Madonna focused on a second form of AIDS activism by encouraging her fans to be sexually responsible.
One of the innovative features of her 1987 Who's That Girl tour was incorporating multimedia components into the productions in the form of gigantic video screens that towered over her. The most memorable message to flash on those multi-story panels came in two dramatic words that no other musician had ever had either the will or the courage to mention, much less communicate so dramatically: "SAFE SEX."
She followed that special-effects extravaganza with other cautionary messages.
On dozens of occasions, she gave concert audiences practical advice about avoiding the HIV virus by using condoms, saying-both whimsically and directly: "Hold on, don't be silly. / Put a rubber on your willy!"
During one Madison Square Garden fund-raising event, she talked emotionally about the disease that killed Burgoyne, including the statement: "AIDS is a painful and mysterious disease that continues to elude us."
And the lyrics she wrote for the ballad "In This Life" expressed her continuing sadness from the loss of her young friend. "He was only twenty-three / Gone before he had his time," she began and then moved into the chorus, "In this life, I loved you most of all / Now you're gone and I have to ask myself / What for?"
At the same time that Madonna increased AIDS awareness at a level of public prominence that was matched by few-if any-other celebrities, she also made significant financial contributions to the effort to fight the disease.
It is impossible to know exactly how much money the superstar has given to the battle for a cure because many of her donations have been anonymous, but even a conservative estimate places the figure at more than $5 million.
Many people have strong opinions-not all of them good-about Madonna's music as well as her motivations for taking certain actions and for sending certain messages during her career.
But no matter what a person's feelings toward the megastar might be, we should have nothing but praise for her work as an AIDS activist.
During a time when the disease was ravaging the American population, this highly influential celebrity communicated important information to her fans-most of whom were, at that stage of her career, teenagers.
Indeed, by sending the messages and taking the actions that she did, this "tarted-up floozy" may well have saved the lives of an untold number of her followers.
(Source)

Madonna Speaks About Her "Big, Big Project"

2006-08-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

Move over, Angelina and Bono. Another superstar is bound for Africa, this one with money and spiritualism in a plan to care for orphans

Malawi, a Pennsylvania-sized country in southeast Africa, has four things in abundance: AIDS, malaria, drought and tobacco (its major crop). It also has a functioning democracy and little conflict. To date, therefore, it has not attracted much attention from the rest of the world. But that's about to change. Malawi is about to be hit by a force that has thrown much more robust countries for a loop. Her name is Madonna.
And being Madonna, she's not arriving in Malawi by halves. She has already committed to raising at least $3 million to fund programs particularly aimed at orphans there. Of Malawi's population of 12 million, about a million are orphans. Ground has just been broken on an orphan care center, which aims to feed and educate as many as 1,000 children a day. She has also formed a partnership with developing-world economic guru Jeffrey Sachs on programs to improve the health, agriculture and economy of a village nearby. She's financing—to the tune of about $1 million—a documentary about the plight of children there. And she has met with Bill Clinton to see if they can work together to bring low-cost medicines to the area, as well as partnering with several aid organizations. This, mind you, is all before Madonna has ever even set foot in Africa. (She plans to go in October.)
"For the last few years—now that I have children and now that I have what I consider to be a better perspective on life—I have felt responsible for the children of the world," says Madonna, taking a break between London concert dates . "I've been doing bits and bobs about it and I suppose I was looking for a big, big project I could sink my teeth into." The "better perspective" she attributes to Kabbalah, the study of Jewish mysticism. Her co-founder in the Raising Malawi project is Michael Berg, founder of the Kabbalah center in Los Angeles and one of the driving forces behind its growing popularity. And although it has no religious affiliation, the orphan-care center—which will be like a day camp for orphans, who often have relatives who will give them a place to sleep but cannot feed them—will offer programs based on Spirituality for Kids, Kabbalah's children's program. "One of the main precepts of Kabbalah is that we're put on this earth to help people," says Madonna. "And your job is to figure out how you can help, and what it is that you can do."
Madonna is the latest in a line of major stars who have been trying to cast some of their limelight onto the situation in Africa. Sachs, who Madonna called after she read his book The End of Poverty, has already worked closely with Bono and Angelina Jolie, among others. He knows people are cynical about celebrities' philanthropic efforts, but having met with Madonna (they had lunch and then he went to his first-ever Madonna concert), he's not. "Of course there are no doubt people who on a fling say something, but that's not what Madonna's doing, it's not what Angelina's doing, it's not what Bono's doing," he says. "In the very noisy and complicated world that we have, people that reach large numbers of people, like Madonna does, have an extraordinarily important role to play. When they're devoting their time, their money, their name, a lot of effort, a lot of organization skill to all of this, it makes a huge difference. The cynics are just wrong. They don't get it."
Source

Religious leaders slam Madonna stage crucifixion

2006-08-04T09:13:00.000-04:00

Madonna's plans to crucify herself on a mirrored cross during a Sunday concert in Rome have drawn fire from religious leaders.
The prospect of the scene taking place at the concert in Rome's Olympic stadium, some three kilometres from the Vatican, prompted Catholic officials to denounce the act as a publicity stunt in bad taste.
"To crucify yourself in the city of the Pope and the martyrs is an act of open hostility," Cardinal Ersilio Tonini was quoted as saying in the La Stampa daily.
Muslim and Jewish leaders also criticized the concert stunt.
"We deplore it, we feel it is an act of bad taste," said Mario Scialoja, president of the Muslim World League in Italy. "We express solidarity with the Catholic world," said Riccardo Pacifici, spokesman for Rome's Jewish community. "It's a disrespectful act, and to do it in Rome is even worse."
Source

Madonna sets up day centre in Malawi

2006-08-04T09:12:00.000-04:00

Madonna has pledged $3m of her own personal fortune to improve the lives of children in Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries.
She is to open a day care centre for orphans which will feed and educate up to 1,000 children a day.
It will also offer lessons in Kabbalah, the Jewish sect of which she is a devotee.
Michael Berg, founder of the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles, is the popstar's partner in the project.
Madonna, who is mother to nine-year-old Lourdes and five-year-old Rocco, has been featuring images of African children projected on to giant screens on her current Confessions tour.
"For the last few years - now that I have children and now that I have what I consider to be a better perspective on life - I have felt responsible for the children of the world," Madonna told Time magazine.
Source

Italian genes are Madonna's secret

2006-08-03T04:24:00.000-04:00

Pop superstar Madonna, who celebrates her 48th birthday on August 18, has claimed her enduring beauty is down to her Italian roots .When asked by Vanity Fair how come she still looks so great, Madonna replied: "I take care of myself, I don't abuse my energy and fortunately, I have good Italian genes" .The family of the American singer's father, Silvio "Tony" P. Ciccone, come from the central Italian region of Abruzzo .Madonna gave the interview to the Italian edition of the magazine ahead of next Sunday's massive concert at the Olympic Stadium in Rome .The gig is the only one on the Confessions Tour that she will play in Italy .She also told Vanity Fair that the horse-riding accident she had last year, in which she broke her hand, collarbone and fractured three ribs, has given her a new outlook on life ."While I was lying in bed (convalescing after the fall), I promised God that I wouldn't get depressed for no reason any more, I wouldn't be ungrateful or moan ."I've tried to keep the promise, although I did before the accident too. "But what has changed is that I have a new sense of awareness and gratitude for the possibilities I have to do what I do and for this energy I have" .As well as being proud of her Italian roots, Madonna is also a fan of the country's fashion .Dolce & Gabbana have been working with the singer for 14 years and they designed several of the costumes she wears during the Confessions set .Stefano Gabbana told another Italian magazine, Grazia, that making clothes for the star can be a stressful experience ."She made us crazy with the costumes she and the dancers wore for the song Holiday while on tour in 1992," he said ."First she wanted blue outfits, then she wanted them to be red. After she wanted them shortened and then lengthened again ."In the end she drove me to despair and I told her to 'go to hell'. I said it in Italian, but she understood perfectly". Another favourite designer, Donatella Versace, painted a different picture of Madonna, describing how the star helped her get over her brother Gianni's death ."She was the first person to phone me and when I arrived in Miami (where Gianni Versace was murdered), she was there waiting for me" .Grazia also reported on some of Madonna's demands for her hotel room during her stay in Rome .One of these is that a brand new lavatory be installed in her bathroom .
Source

Madonna's in good shape... and that's the bottom line

2006-08-03T04:21:00.000-04:00

For most women in their late 40s, wearing a purple leotard and matching stilettos would be more than a little unforgiving on the figure.
Not, however, if your name is Madonna.
Striding across the stage on the first London date of her tour, the 47-year-old singer's revealing outfit only highlighted her incredibly toned body.
But while attention in the past has focused on her muscly forearms, this time, it was another part of her anatomy that had the crowd transfixed.
Gyrating her body during one particularly hectic number, her perfectly toned derriere drew astonished gasps from the thousands of Madonna fans packed into Wembley Arena.
Without an inch of fat - or heaven forbid, cellulite - the singer's punishing exercise regime to prepare for the rigours of touring was clearly paying off.
This has included spending up to three hours a day in the gym, extensive yoga and pilates sessions, not to mention gruelling weight training exercises.
Gyrotonic Expansion System
She is also a fan of the Gyrotonic Expansion System, in which the singer's body is stretched and manipulated into shape to achieve optimum muscle definition.
On close inspection, Madonna also appeared to be sporting a figure-hugging pair of tights underneath her leotard, which were bizarrely cut-off at the knee.
The somewhat strange accessory helped make her legs look even muscle-ripped than normal, with her thighs looking incredibly taut and firm.
It is no wonder that Madonna needs to stay in shape.
Stretching over two hours, her show involves seven costume changes, more than 21 energetic numbers, not to mention hauling herself up and down a number of large stage props, including a massive crucifix.
Her gruelling exercise regime - and limb-twisting gyrations - have not however been without criticism.
It was suggested that her fitness routine was responsible for her developing a hernia, in which she had to have an operation in February.
She has eight London dates in total, before embarking on the rest of her European tour, including gigs in Germany, France and Denmar.
Source

Madonna Saves Crucifixion Routine for TV Special

2006-08-03T04:20:00.000-04:00

Madonna has won her battle to keep a controversial crucifixion routine in her Confessions concert in her upcoming TV special.
Religious leaders were outraged when they first heard about the part of the show where Madonna, wearing a fake crown of thorns, descends on a suspended mirrored, disco ball-type cross.
They urged the pop superstar to scrap the irreverent routine, but she refused -- and now the singer insists it remains when the concert special, "Live to Tell," airs in the U.S. in November.
Kevin Reilly, an executive at NBC -- the network on which the concert special will air -- says, "She felt like that was a cornerstone of the show. We viewed it and didn't see it as being inappropriate."
Source

Simpson Admits Single Was Influenced by Madonna

2006-08-03T04:19:00.000-04:00

Jessica Simpson has confessed her latest single was accidentally influenced by pop superstar Madonna's "Holiday."
After posting "A Public Affair" on her Web site in June, Simpson has received a barrage of criticism claiming the song is too close to Madonna's 1984 hit.
But Simpson retorts that's exactly what her fans need and is refusing to apologize for the retro sound.
She tells MTV, "I think people are ready to hear something that Madonna used to do. We all need to hear that every now and again.
"It wasn't a sample or something I meant to do, but she did influence me and still does today. I hope to have the longevity of her career."
Source

Madonna honored at London's Square of Fame

2006-08-03T04:16:00.000-04:00

LONDON, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- London's Wembley Arena welcomed its first honoree at its new Square of Fame when Madonna unveiled an honorary bronze cast of her hands.

The singer appeared at Tuesday's event to accept the honor and promptly left to prepare for her upcoming concert at the famed locale, the BBC reported.

"No matter how many concerts you do, you still have to do rehearsals," she told fans in attendance.

The 47-year-old singer is in the middle of 21 scheduled European dates for her "Confessions" tour.

The Square of Fame came about during the arena's recent $65 million refurbishment and is intended to represent a "Hollywood-style feature" to honor celebrities.

Its owner, Quintain Estates and Development PLC, has said it hopes to honor singers George Michael and Kylie Minogue in the next few months, the BBC reported.

Source

Here's a list of Madonna's incredible diva demands!

2006-07-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

It takes quite a bit to keep Madonna happy while she's on tour, or at least that's what her list of diva demands says.
The Queen of pop, who is currently on her Confessions world tour, is not only very particular about what throne she places her dierre on while in the loo, but also a must for her room are the three candles to protect her from negative looks and bad blood.
"The seat has to be inspected by her people, then installed - with an unbroken seal - by plumbers before every gig," the Mirror quoted a source, as saying.
The candles include one DNA Of The Soul candle, made of a blend of lemon, lemon grass, tea, cinnamon and myrrh, meant to "restore meaning to lives that often feel meaningless", the second a Power of Prosperity candle meant to give people the strength to keep their ego in check, and the third one, an Evil Eye candle, that protects her being from negative lances.
The 'Hung Up' singer also needs an Ein Gedi Dead Sea Foot Spa, with lavender and camomile Body Soak, to help her relax those hurting feet once she's off stage, unsalted Edamame - a type of Japanese pea to snack on so that she can maintain that stunning figure.
Also a must in the room is a love seat to relax upon while surrounded by the dozens of white roses that fill her dressing room at every venue.
And keeping with the white theme, the songbird also insists that everything in her room, including the wall, be draped in white - the symbolic colour of the mystic Jewish faith her faith, Kabbalah.
Another thing that needs to be in reach of the star, for whom cleanliness is next to godliness, are bottles of Kabbalah water.
Here's a list of Madonna's must haves:
1. New seat cover on her loo
2. Three Kabbalah candles to protect and keep her safe
3. White roses in the dressing room
4. An all white dressing room - including the walls
5. A love seat
6. Bottles of Kabbalah water
7. An Ein Gedi Dead Sea Foot Spa
8. Unsalted Edamame - a type of Japanese pea to snack on
Source

Is Clear Channel boycotting Madonna?

2006-07-25T08:46:00.000-04:00

Singer’s fans have organized a petition demanding justice for Material Girl

Is Madonna the subject of a Dixie Chicks-like boycott?
Songs from the Material Girl’s latest album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” have been hits around the world, but hasn’t fared as well in the U.S. Some fans are alleging that radio stations owned by Clear Channel — a company with strong ties to the Republican party — are refusing to play her music because of the pop star’s comments blasting George Bush and the war in Iraq. Madonna has been an outspoken critic of the war and during her current “Confessions” concert tour, makes obscene comments about President Bush. Clear Channel stations were said to be key in keeping the Dixie Chicks’ music off the air after one of them made highly publicized comments about being “embarrassed” to be from the same state as George Bush.
Nearly 5,000 Madonna fans have signed a petition that’s being sent to Clear Channel head Mark P. Mays, accusing the company of keeping the singer off the radio airwaves. “The evidence that there is a boycott from American Radio is too obvious for words ... Madonna rules the planet, EXCEPT for the USA,” according to the petition writer, who went on to note that Madonna holds the two top positions in the United World Chart, but a number of petition signers report that when they request Madonna’s music, they’re told by Clear Channel-owned stations she’s too old or not popular enough.
A spokesman for Clear Channel told the Scoop he had no comment on the alleged boycott. “It's not to say we won't have comment in the future — just not right now,” he said.
Source

Madge's beachwear

2006-07-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

MegaStar says: ‘Is that a shark or just a pale-looking mum having a nice family day out?’In case you’re not aware, Madonna’s Confessions tour hits Europe next week and the queen of pop is already making headlines.You didn’t expect her to arrive quietly, did you?The tabloids have snapped Mrs Ritchie taking some time out on a Miami Beach with her daughter Lourdes, but the saucy mum was covered up in white while she splashed in the sea.

Clearly looking like a lobster doesn’t go with her stage outfits.
The Mirror insists the Hung Up singer has already been making diva demands before Cardiff’s gig on Sunday, requesting a new loo seat for every night she’s there.
"The seat has to be inspected by her people, then installed - with an unbroken seal - by plumbers before every gig." And that's just one in a long list of peculiar demands, which includes three special Kabbalah candles," they blab.
By all accounts, the horse-loving loon has also asked for an Ein Gedi Dead Sea Foot Spa and bowls of unsalted Edamame - a type of Japanese pea – to snack on. Yum.
In between strutting her stuff and getting that pesky leotard on and off in between costume changes, it seems her Madgesty also plans on keeping her hubby happy, by asking for a love-seat in her dressing room.
Talk about multi-tasking.
Source

Madonna's toilet seat demands

2006-07-25T08:42:00.000-04:00

Madonna demands a brand new toilet seat at every concert she plays.
A source revealed to Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper: "The seat has to be inspected by her people, then installed - with an unbroken seal - by plumbers before every gig."Madonna's US spokesperson Liz Rosenburg has defended her seemingly outrageous demands.She said: "Who wouldn't want a new toilet seat wherever they go."The izarre request is just one of many of the singer's crazy tour demands.She also requires three candles to protect her from negative vibes and mean-spiritedness, a relaxing foot spa complete with lavender and camomile body soak, plenty of Kabbalah water, and a love seat.Madonna, 47, also insists her dressing room is covered with white drapes and white roses - the symbolic colour of her Kabbalah faith.The UK leg of her tour kicks off in Cardiff, Wales, on Sunday (30.07.06).
Source

Leonardo DiCaprio Helps Handicapped Madonna Fans

2006-07-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

Leonardo DiCaprio came to the rescue of two wheelchair-bound fans caught in a crowd surge at a Madonna concert in New York City last week. Quadriplegic Francesco Clark, 28, had a front row seat at the Madison Square Garden gig, when fans lunging towards the pop superstar nearly knocked him out of his seat.
Clark's friend Elisa Lipsky-Karasz tells PageSix.com, "He couldn't see anything because people were all standing around him. He tried to move to the front, but no one would budge, and nobody cared. Then the security guard came over and was being rude and told him to move. At that point, DiCaprio came over and said, 'Why don't you come sit with me and I'll just move over?'"
Soon afterwards, the star moved another wheelchair user to a less raucous area next to his seat at the end of the stage's catwalk.
Source

Robbie risks Guy's wrath over 'Madonna' track

2006-07-24T08:46:00.000-04:00

Robbie Williams reportedly risks incurring the wrath of Guy Ritchie by trawling over the Lock, Stock director's past love life on his latest album. Music industry sources told the Mirror newspaper that the track She's Madonna is not based upon Guy's super star wife Madge, but on a relationship he had with a former lover, who he ditched to date the queen of pop. Robbie, who dated TV presenter Tania Strecker after she was dumped by Guy, allegedly decided to base the song on the line his love rival used to end his own relationship with the leggy Dutch model. Guy supposedly ended his romance with Robbie's subsequent conquest with the words: "Look, you know I really love you, but she's Madonna." An unnamed source told the Mirror: "It seems Robbie always had this conversation in the back of his mind for a song." The cheeky singer has even got Madge's approval for the track, the source claimed, although he added that it was unlikely the pop diva was aware of its true meaning. A second source told the Mirror that Guy was "not going to be happy" that his past love life was being dredged up. "Although everyone concerned has moved on, it's a bit out of order that Robbie has used it as the basis for one of his songs," the source remarked.
(Source)

Like A Prayer tops video poll

2006-07-24T08:40:00.000-04:00

Madonna's Like A Prayer video has been voted the most groundbreaking of all time.

The controversial 1989 promo prompted a huge public outcry and was condemned as blasphemous by the Vatican.Like A Prayer topped an MTV poll to find the top 100 videos that broke the rules.
Madonna features three times in the top five.Her Ray Of Light video is fourth in the list, with Vogue in fifth place.Britney Spears is second with her 1999 debut Baby One More Time.The video of Spears performing a raunchy dance routine dressed in school uniform made her a pop superstar.Michael Jackson is third with Thriller.The release of the zombie horror in 1983 was a global news event. Thriller still holds the record for the longest music video ever made.Jacko`s duet with sister Janet on Scream, 12 years later - said to be the most expensive music promo in history - is sixth.MTV commissioned the poll of more than 10,000 viewers to mark the channel`s 25th anniversary.Robbie Williams` Rock DJ, seventh in the list, featured the pop star peeling off his own skin and was deemed so shocking that MTV could only broadcast it in its entirety after the 9pm watershed.The leotard-wearing ladies working out in Eric Prydz video Call On Me were eighth.Jamiroquai was ninth with Virtual Insanity, which appeared to show singer Jay Kay dancing in a room with moving walls.The Spice Girls complete the top 10 with their debut hit Wannabe, unique in video history because it was filmed in one continuous take."25 years on from the birth of MTV, we can say that, contrary to all fears at the time, video definitely did not kill the radio star," said Mardi Caught, vice president of talent and music for MTV UK and Ireland."In fact, video has helped make music stars more vibrant, creative and impactful. Videos like Thriller and Like A Prayer aren`t just great promos - they`re pieces of pop history that broke new ground and are irrevocably wrapped up in how we perceive the artists themselves."And it`s great to see that the legacy of great video-making is very much alive and kicking with newer, more cheeky videos like Call On Me and Rock DJ being recognised too.":: The full list will be unveiled in
The Top 100 Videos That Broke The Rules which airs on MTV from 3.30pm on August 1.Top 10 Videos That Broke The Rules
1. Madonna - Like A Prayer (1989)
2. Britney Spears - Baby One More Time (1999)
3. Michael Jackson - Thriller (1983)
4. Madonna - Ray Of Light (1998)
5. Madonna - Vogue (1988)
6. Michael and Janet Jackson - Scream (1995)
7. Robbie Williams - Rock DJ (2000)
8. Eric Prydz - Call On Me (2004)
9. Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity (1997)
10. Spice Girls - Wannabe (1996)
(source)

Who's that girl? Madonna wraps up for the beach

2006-07-24T08:37:00.000-04:00

On a beach dotted with bikini-clad women, there is only one way to stand out.
But although she's notorious for cavorting semi-naked, Madonna had little choice but to cover up at a beach in Miami with her daughter Lourdes, who wore a normal swimming costume.
The queen of pop walked between the beach and her hotel wrapped in white cloth from head to toe, looking unusually modest and perhaps more like an Arab woman than a sunbather on a Miami beach.
The dramatic towel wrap-up, one can safely assume, was to protect her from the sun.
Not one to tan, Madonna is on her World Confessions tour and is no doubt keen to stay milky white.
(Source)

HQ 'Hollywood' Stills......

2006-07-22T09:34:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge!

Madonna clears up adoption rumours

2006-07-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Madonna has cleared up rumours she and husband Guy Ritchie are planning to adopt a child by revealing she's actually planning to play mum to an African village.

The pop superstar set tongues wagging when news broke about her reported links to African adoption agencies last month.

More recent reports even suggested the singer and her movie maker husband were even seeking new dad Brad Pitt's advice on adoption after he became the legal guardian of girlfriend Angelina Jolie's two adopted children.

But now Madonna has revealed, through her aides, she has much bigger plans.

In a statement released yesterday, a spokeswoman says, "Actually she is adopting a village of children... Madonna is participating in the building of a school and home for hundreds of kids in Malawi, Africa and that is her current passion and commitment."
(Source)

Madonna concert to air on NBC in November

2006-07-22T08:58:00.000-04:00

PASADENA, Calif. - Madonna is bringing her "Confessions" tour to network television. A two-hour special will be taped this summer at Wembley Stadium in London and shown in November on NBC.

"Madonna is one of the greatest artists of our time and never fails to generate excitement," NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said Friday. "We think this is going to be a big event for television."

The network is billing Madonna's special as the first-ever broadcast network performance by the Grammy-winning singer.

The special will feature songs from Madonna's latest album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor," along with some of her greatest hits.

Her tour, which opened May 21 in the Los Angeles area, is scheduled through early September, with stops including Chicago, Montreal, New York, Boston, Rome and Paris.

(Source)

American radio hangs up on Madonna

2006-07-22T08:56:00.000-04:00

Madonna is in the midst of a sold-out North American trek that may end up being the top-grossing tour ever by a female artist. But this on-the-road success is not carrying over to American radio, which largely snubbed the first three singles from her latest album.

"Hung Up" got middling airplay on mainstream top 40 outlets, "Sorry" was barely played, and "Get Together" has been all but ignored by pop stations. (Her album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor," has sold a healthy 1.5 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.)

Naturally, the disconnect has left executives at her Warner Bros. label -- and more than a few fans -- wondering, what gives?

More than 3,300 fans have signed an appeal at http://www.petitiononline.com. The "End the Madonna on U.S. Radio Boycott" petition is addressed to Clear Channel Communications CEO Mark P. Mays.

Message boards at Entertainment Weekly and VH1, among others, are rife with everything from support for Madonna to conspiracy theories about why she can't crack the radio dial.

Warner Bros. was aware that the songs on "Confessions" could present challenges at mainstream top 40 radio, acknowledges Tom Biery, the label's senior VP of promotions. "Top 40 radio is so hip-hop-driven," he says. "We were coming in with a global pop star who made a dance record."

Guy Zapoleon, president of radio consulting firm Zapoleon Media Strategies, calls it an "interesting dilemma for the woman who certainly held the 'Queen of Pop' title for almost 15 years." Madonna's ability to redefine herself is well-documented, and Zapoleon says that this has helped her keep a "leading edge" to the new group of pop music fans that comes along every three to five years.

But this time, Madonna may have turned left while the pop climate was turning right. Other pop chameleons such as Nelly Furtado and Mariah Carey reinvented themselves with recent rhythmic/hip-hop-leaning singles. Madonna opted instead to return to her dance-pop roots.

According to Dom Theodore, regional VP of programming for Clear Channel and program director of top 40 WKQI Detroit, today's programmers consider each Madonna song on a case-by-case basis to determine if it fits mainstream top 40, adult top 40 or both. Or neither.

For Theodore, the sound of "Confessions on a Dance Floor" skews more retro-adult top 40 than mainstream top 40, while recent club tracks like Rihanna's "SOS" have "more hip-hop credibility." The Rihanna jam may reference an early-'80s dance hit (Soft Cell's "Tainted Love") but Theodore believes it does not have the same "retro '70s feel" as the Madonna tracks.

Madonna has had no such problems internationally. Since its release last November, "Confessions on a Dance Floor" has topped the charts in 29 countries and sold more than 8 million copies worldwide, according to Warner Bros.

George Ergatoudis, head of music at BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom, says that while U.S. mainstream top 40 radio may be driven by urban, rock and straight-ahead pop, dance records -- house music, in particular -- are very much part of the top 40 radio culture in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Except for dance radio outlets like KNGY San Francisco, KNRJ Phoenix and KNHC Seattle, Madonna is missing from the terrestrial radio landscape in the United States.

As Warner Bros. gears up for the release of the album's fourth single, "Jump," Biery remains optimistic, especially since the song was heard in TV and radio spots for the hit film "The Devil Wears Prada."

(Source)

Various HQ Photo's

2006-07-19T08:38:00.000-04:00

From the amazing Madonna.nu (We Hope You Come Back SOON!!
To check out other HQ images of Madonna be sure to check out sites Allaboutmadonna & Madonna-Connexion!!

Amazing Fan Shot Footage from the Confessions Tour

2006-07-19T08:10:00.000-04:00

These amazing video's were shot 06/29/2006 NYC

Madonna looks amazing thanks to £7,000 vibrating plate

2006-07-19T08:01:00.000-04:00

With her heavily muscled arms, you would be forgiven for thinking it is the result of a punishing exercise regime at the gym.

But it seems the Queen of Pop's incredible shape is, in part, thanks to The Power Plate - dubbed the 'miracle' machine.

And for those who have spent years trying to beat the wobble, the news is sure to send out good vibrations.

The new exercise machine removes the need to actually work out.

Manufacturers claim that the vibrating platform offers the same benefits of an hour-long sweaty gym workout in just 15 minutes with the machine burning the calories for you.

The Power Plate is said to be responsible for the incredible shapes of not only Madonna, but also star such as Claudia Schiffer and Natalie Imbruglia.

But the "miracle" machine doesn't come cheap - at £6,995 it costs far more than the average annual gym membership.

After the muscley 47-year-old Queen of Pop bought the vibrating exercise platform, sales have reportedly soared.

A smaller version at John Lewis for £2,599 is currently the store's fastest selling fitness product, with one a day being snapped up, despite its princely price tag.

And in Harrods, around 20 machines are sold every weekend.

The plate works by giving the body muscles a high speed workout, as the vibrations make them contract and relax up to 50 times a second.

It may feel like standing on a spin dryer, but celebrities including Jonathan Ross, Colin Montgomerie, Sadie Frost and Donatella Versace are all fans.

The machine is also being used by several premiership football teams, including Manchester United and the German team trained with it during the World Cup.

Originally developed by Russian scientist Vladimir Nazarov, whole vibration training was used to prevent astronauts' muscles and bones wasting when they were in space.

Later, Russian ballet dancers discovered that vibration could aid the healing of their injuries by increasing their muscular strength.

Dutch Olympic trainer Guus van der Meer used this research in 1999 to develop the machine for the health and fitness sector.

In addition to increasing strength and toning the body, makers boast that it can improve blood flow and reduce cellulite if used for 15 minutes, three times a week.

Instead of jogging or power walking, users are instructed to do gentle exercises like squats or stretches on the platform.

Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, it is now being made available in gyms across the UK and has been recommended for osteoporosis and arthritis sufferers as it puts no strain on the joints.

A spokesman said: "Power Plate offers the benefits of regular exercise - a toned body, better flexibility, improved circulation which helps reduce the appearance of cellulite, increased stamina and improved fitness and well-being."

But fitness experts remain sceptical about the benefits of the machine.

Chief executive of the Fitness Industry Association, Andree Dean said: "It should only be used in conjunction with other types of exercise.

"It's great for those short of time, but it is not a quick fix and people shouldn't think that if they use it, they don't have to go to the gym anymore.

"It certainly does not provide cardiovascular exercise, which keeps the heart and blood circulation system healthy."

(Source)

Madonna, other fortysomethings still look hot

2006-07-19T07:59:00.000-04:00

There are a hundred reasons to still be crazy for Madonna - not the least of which are her abs, svelte thighs and toned butt.

Watch the Queen of Pop strut around on stage and it will be obvious that two kids and four decades have done little to keep Madonna from striking the sexiest of poses.

At nearly 48, Madonna is one hot mama. And that sex appeal has made her beloved by women of all ages, especially her peers.

"What Madonna says to women in particular is that at age 47 it can be done," says Deborah Wilker, a veteran entertainment journalist and bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter. "You don't have to get married and live in the suburbs and look like (expletive)."

The message, according to Wilker, is "43 or 44 is like the new 31. I think a lot of women find that very inspiring."
(CLICK HERE TO READ MORE)

Madonna and Ritchie 'back on track'

2006-07-19T07:58:00.000-04:00

After enduring a rough patch in their relationship, Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie are stronger than ever and are even considering adopting a child.

Guy's father John Ritchie caused headlines earlier this year when he spoke about the celebrity couple's marital strife, but now claims the family is back together.

He tells American publication In Touch Weekly, "Their marriage is back on track. I know that Madonna is away a lot at the moment and leaving Guy alone, but it just isn't a problem.

"He knows that will happen and he is not worried about it at all. He doesn't mind her working. Their marriage is back on track."

The elder Ritchie even addressed rumours that the couple may be adding to their family saying, "I love my grandchildren, and of course nothing would make me happier than if they do adopt.

"How lovely to have another one, it sounds like such great, great fun.

"I'm sure both Rocco and Lourdes would love it as they are so close and another sibling would be super."

(Source)

Robbie pens ode to Madge

2006-07-16T08:13:00.000-04:00

Robbie Williams has teamed up with the Pet Shop Boys to write a track about legendary pop star Madonna for his new album.

The former Take That singer penned the song 'She's Madonna' for his new album, '1974', but apparently had some reservations about the lyrics.

According to Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant, Williams was worried the Queen Of Pop might take offence to the tune, but apparently she is a fan of the track.

Tennant said: "Apparently she likes it. Rob feared she'd think he was stalking her."

Meanwhile, the singer reportedly had a vitamin injection in his bottom last week to help him perform on his current world tour.

According to Bang Showbiz, Robbie was so tired after several nights of passion with female fans in Europe, he had to have a boost to help him with his high-energy performance.
(Source)

One of the GREATEST video's of ALL TIME!

2006-07-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

I LOVE..........HUNG UP Part II

2006-07-15T10:37:00.000-04:00

Here is the making of 'Hung Up'

I LOVE.......................HUNG UP

2006-07-15T10:32:00.000-04:00

Madonna in the new OK! Magazine

2006-07-10T05:54:00.000-04:00

In the new issue of OK! Magazine (US) there is a 4 page interview with Madonna! Click the images below to read the article.....

MADONNA DENIES QUITTING KABBALAH

2006-07-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

Pop superstar MADONNA has quashed rumours she's leaving obscure Jewish sect Kabbalah over concerns for her finances and family relations. The MATERIAL GIRL singer is reportedly fed up of the financial burden of championing the Jewish belief system, and also fears the teachings are compromising her relationship with husband GUY RITCHIE and her children. One area of alleged contention is Christmas - which the family currently do not celebrate. Madonna would now reportedly prefer her kids not to be alienated from conventional customs. Adding weight to speculation of a religious rift, pals claim the singer is thinking of ditching Kabbalah's trademark bracelet. However, a spokeswoman for Madonna insists she has no plans to cut any strings. She says, "As far as I am aware, it is completely untrue."
(Source)

AMAZING VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM '84

2006-07-08T07:48:00.000-04:00

From Madonna's performance on TV show... 'The Dance Show'

Promo Video for 'Swept Away'

2006-07-08T07:43:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite performances from the 'Confessions Tour'!!

2006-07-08T07:41:00.000-04:00

Great Amateur Cam. Footage / Madonna / Coachella

2006-07-08T07:37:00.000-04:00

Here is great footage of Madonna performing 'Let It Will Be'

Great Rankin Out-takes (1998)

2006-07-08T07:17:00.000-04:00

Madonna-Connexion.Com recently posted some excellent Ian Rankin out-takes from his photoshoot of Madonna ('98) be sure to check out their site for other great out-takes and various other High Quality photos by clicking HERE!!

Madonna plans another raunchy showstopper

2006-07-08T07:06:00.000-04:00

Madonna is planning another raunchy performance for this year's MTV Video Music Awards.The singer caused a media frenzy after kissing Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the awards three years ago - and now hopes to cause further controversy with Jessica Simpson and Lindsay Lohan.A source told The Sun, "Madonna's people contacted Jessica's representatives a few weeks ago and the talks are progressing well. With both Jessica and Lindsay's stock rocketing Madonna thinks they would be perfect to perform with."She's planning something even more sexy than a lesbian kiss. The whispers are all about a bondage-inspired show. Madonna will keep the details hushed up until the night."
(Source)

MADONNA + GUY TO ADOPT?

2006-07-06T09:27:00.000-04:00

Pop superstar MADONNA is considering adding to her family by adopting a California baby, according to new US tabloid reports. The singer and husband GUY RITCHIE have made tentative plans to begin the process of adopting a baby from Vista del Mar, California, according to a report in National Enquirer. According to sources, the couple will concentrate on their adoption plans once Madonna's Confessions tour wraps up in Japan in September (06). A source tells the Enquirer, "They've begun the application process and currently are undergoing evaluation typical of adoptive parents. "So far they've been interviewed and fingerprinted to begin the process." Madonna and Ritchie already have a five-year-old son, ROCCO, together and the singer also has a nine-year-old daughter, LOURDES, by former lover CARLOS LEON.
(source)

MADONNA CATCHES EX-BOYFRIEND ON BROADWAY

2006-07-06T08:49:00.000-04:00

Pop star MADONNA took time out from her Confessions tour to see ex-lover CARLOS LEON performing in a Broadway musical. The singer dated the former personal trainer from 1994-1997 and he is the father of her nine-year-old daughter LOURDES. Leon was performing a small role in the THREEPENNY OPERA on 24 June (06). A source tells American publication Us Weekly, Madonna sat sixth row centre during the performance and sent text messages during intermission.
(source)

MADONNA AND HER CREW FIND THEIR 'PERSONAL STYLE' AT H&M

2006-07-05T08:10:00.000-04:00

Madonna and her entire 150 person crew for the Confessions World Tour each found clothes that reflect their own individual styles while shopping at H&M. The international fashion retailer agreed to provide a complete wardrobe for Madonna and her 'touring family' as part of a long term agreement that includes an upcoming advertising campaign between H&M and the Material Girl.

With H&M and their world famous designers specializing in clothes for all family members, it seemed an ideal combination for the musicians, dancers, makeup artists, management and crew members of Team Madonna to have the opportunity to find exactly what they needed once they got offstage. The entire team was given the chance to choose from H&M's latest collection which included Victorian romantics, British classics and couture inspired pieces.

In addition, Madonna worked with H&M designers to create a unique track suit to wear while she's on the road. The tracksuit comes in black, white and purple. The top (€29.90) is narrow and feminine with a yoke and gathering and the trousers (€19.90) are fitted at the top with wide legs and detailed with zippers. 'We are pleased to be able to offer this track suit to our customers by mid-August' stated H&M's head of design, Margareta van den Bosch.

In H&M's upcoming advertising campaign, the dancer Sophia chose a black shiny nylon jacket with metallic press buttons teamed with loose fit jeans. Fellow dancer Cloud wore a striped and grey melange T-shirt with jeans and a matching hat. Madonna's very chic makeup artist Gina Brooke wore a black pencil skirt with a matching couture style blouse and sky high heels. Dave the Rigger chose a plain T-shirt and &denim jeans and tour production manager Chris chose a checked cotton shirt to his &denim jeans. Madonna's manager Angela Becker selected a silk camisole and black slacks under a grey melange wool vest.

H&M's autumn collection is built around four trends: mix and match for a complete look. Retro couture inspiration - chic, coordinated, romanticism with reference from the turn of the century, Classics of the classics - British style tailoring and knitwear updated in unexpected materials and color combinations, 1980's music scene - sleek rock style.

The advertising campaign is scheduled to begin in August.
(source)

More of my opening night NYC Pics

2006-07-03T12:52:00.000-04:00

My Hartford & NYC Opening Night Pics

2006-06-30T20:22:00.000-04:00

More to come later :)

Madonna to get bill for police escort from Montreal airport to hotel

2006-06-22T06:38:00.000-04:00

MONTREAL (CP) - Musical superstar Madonna is about to learn the cost of a Montreal police escort.

Madonna is performing tonight and tomorrow at Montreal's Bell Centre. They are her only Canadian concerts. The 47-year-old singer will be sent a bill for the motorcycle cops who escorted several black limousine SUVs on Tuesday from the airport to the swanky St. James Hotel in Old Montreal.

As admiring fans waited by the freshly laid red carpet, the American singer entered through a side service entrance.

She later exited through the front door but didn't respond to the enthusiastic screams of fans.

A TV news helicopter aired the 10-kilometre journey along city highways.

Local taxpayers will pay for police protection outside the arena, as is customary for these type of events.

(source)

The many faces of Madonna

2006-06-20T07:49:00.000-04:00

The Material Girl's knack for reinvention commands respect, even when you don't believe in the latest role she's playing
- Time goes by so slowly

Madonna (Hung Up)

- - -

Why do we care?

Or rather, why do we still care? More than two decades after she first lit a fire under pop music's butt - and 13 years since she last played our city - the coming of Madonna is cause for mass hysteria.

Her two dates at the Bell Centre next week sold out in under an hour, despite exorbitant ticket prices (up to $350). Her new album, the disco-reviving Confessions on a Dance Floor, is sitting pretty on the charts, furthering the comeback of the Farrah hair flip and the Flashdance bodysuit.

Perhaps the clerk at Chapters said it best when I handed him a copy of the December issue of Rolling Stone magazine, featuring Madonna on the cover.

"That's hot," he offered, eyeing the busty vixen-in-red, crawling toward the camera. "Is that a new photo?"

It was, of course, but it is hard to tell. At 47, married mom Madonna is prancing around like, well, like the 18-year-old girl who landed in New York City in 1977, with dreams of being a dancer.

But don't let the tomfoolery fool you - she may be as cool, but she's also as calculating as ever. After tanking with her 2003 album American Life, Madonna wanted her throne back. So she took it.

Yes, just like that. She's a powerful woman with a history of power moves. Confessions on a Dance Floor may be her safest album yet, musically and thematically, but with single-minded purpose, it achieves its goal.

For a compulsive button-pusher like Madonna, it is notably devoid of controversy. We are far from the early- career naughtiness of Like a Virgin; the defiance of Papa Don't Preach; the race/religion-baiting of Like a Prayer; her sexploits of the early '90s; and, most recently, the socio-political existentialism of her American Life album.

Not that she has nothing left to say - Madonna has always had an angle. Reinvention is her middle name, with everyone from diehard fans to music critics and academics giving props where props are due.

"When people talk about her ability to reinvent herself, they are talking about marketing - her ability to be interesting, sell herself and make money," said Rachel Dubrofsky, Ph.D. in communications.

As contrived as they can seem, Madonna's myriad incarnations command respect. She has manoeuvred the pop landscape with cunning and ever-prescient timing. She is a master of guise. We don't always believe her, but we are amazingly willing to indulge her.

She is a key figure not only in pop music but in pop culture, according to Dubrofsky.

"She is vitally important if you want to talk about women and pop culture. She is the nexus point for all our different ideas about women, not because she has done so much or is empowering, but because of all the ideas about women she has played with. ... You can't not discuss Madonna."

Need proof? Let's try:

Didn't last long, did it? Still here? Let us proceed.

Much of Madonna's mystique was created in the first 10 years of her career, between her 1983 self-titled debut and the double whammy of her 1992 Erotica album and the accompanying Sex book - triple whammy if you count the 1991 tour documentary Truth or Dare.

In the process, she went from provocative ingenue to voguing dominatrix, playing with good-girl/bad-girl dichotomies every step of the way.

By the early '90s, the pope was outraged, MTV was camera shy, Toronto had embarrassed itself once again (threatening to arrest her for indecency at a concert), and "Madonna-ology" was a budding field of academia.

The talk got heated. Feminist theorist bell hooks included an essay called Madonna: Plantation Mistress or Soul Sister in her book Black Looks: Race and Representation (1992). Needless to say, hooks's opinion leaned toward the former.

Madonna was not working alone, Suzanna Danuta Walters suggested in her book Material Girls: Making Sense of Feminist Cultural Theory (1995):

"Accompanying Madonna's own elaboration of superstardom has been a sustained effort - by the mass media and academics alike - to continually produce and reproduce this cultural icon.

"Madonna is understood variously as an icon of feminist sensibility, a campy cult figure for both gay men and gay women, a personification of commodity capitalism and its capacity to make human beings into objects for sale and circulation, and a player with codes and conventions. Many critics see her as all these things: the postmodern Circe herself, embodying all the contradictions of a society fascinated by fame, ambivalent about sexuality, hostile toward women."

So here we are, 20-some years down the line. Madonna has stuck to her game plan, and we have all grown up in the process. Her early-career transgressions behind her, she has graduated to matron pop saint. And that, somehow, is exciting.

"What is really interesting is her concert," said Will Straw, professor of communications at McGill University. "All kinds of people are going to see her (perform), people in their 40s. She's like Springsteen. ... People want to touch the legend."

Like many, Straw professes himself to be a fan, impressed by Madonna's continuing ability to navigate the perilous waters of representation. "There's a sense of self-invention," he said. "At certain points, she had to pander to stereotypes of femininity, but she always pulled the rug out from underneath. She has always moved between the mainstream and the margins, and kept a traffic going in between."

As far as she's gone in any direction, Madonna has always come back, answering each extravagance with a concession, and always respecting the bottom line - ka-ching!

Confessions on a Dance Floor is an atonement. It's the party jam that the DJ throws on after inadvertently clearing said dance floor - which Madonna did on American Life.

She was quick to backtrack when her confrontational, U.S.-critical video for American Life's title track drew heat. Not willing to risk a Dixie Chicks-style crucifixion, she pulled the video before release, replacing it with a watered-down version that had her singing in front of flags from around the world. Her fighting days, it seems, are behind her

There are no such conundrums on the new album. It's a straight-up dance record that hearkens back to her clubland roots.

"I want to make people feel like they're inside a disco ball," Madonna told Rolling Stone in December.

Who can argue with that?

She pulls out old tricks on her new Confessions tour - including singing Live to Tell while hanging from a giant, Vegas-style cross. At this point, such displays are accompanied by a virtual nudge-wink.

Madonna is no longer pushing buttons; she's playing herself back when she did. And next week at the Bell Centre, people will be only too happy to play along.

Madonna performs Wednesday and Thursday at the Bell Centre. Both shows are sold out.

(source)

Amazing Klein Out-takes

2006-06-20T07:39:00.000-04:00

The first set is from the 2003 'W' Photoshoot & Re-Invention Tourbook shoot (2004)

And this last set is from the 'COAD' 'Rolling Stone' shoot era... (2005)

Madonna Releases New Documentary DVD/Live CD "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret"

2006-06-20T07:36:00.000-04:00

Warner Bros. Records announced today that "I'm Going To Tell You A Secret," Madonna's provocative documentary of her stunning and highly acclaimed Reinvention Tour is scheduled to be released on June 20th, 2006. Directed by Jonas Akerlund, the DVD/CD package contains spectacular performance footage of many of her major hits and also reveals Madonna's intimate journey behind the scenes with her touring family and real family as they travel around the globe.
"Secret" gives Madonna fans an insider view of Madonna at work beginning with dancers' auditions and reveals the process of putting together an elaborate stage spectacle. In addition, the documentary shows an up close and personal view of the artist's daily life while out on the road as well as beautifully filmed sequences of the Material Girl performing some of her biggest hits including "Like A Prayer," "Vogue," "Music," "Holiday," and a profoundly moving version of the John Lennon hit "Imagine." These songs and others are also part of the separate CD, which is included in the "Secrets" package. "I'm Going To Tell You A Secret" was originally aired on MTV.
(source)

MADONNA 'TURNS DOWN MILLIONS' FOR SEX PILL AD

2006-06-20T07:34:00.000-04:00

Pop superstar MADONNA has reportedly turned down $3.6 million (GBP2 million) to promote a new diet and sex pill. The MATERIAL GIRL declined an offer put to her by a UK firm to advertise the Slimnsexy tablet, which it is claimed aids weight loss while increasing libido. Company boss JAMES DIXON tells British newspaper the Daily Star, "We thought it wasn't bad for 10 minutes' work. "But it was deemed too raunchy for her new lady-of-the-manor image. "It seems basques and crucifixions are OK but talking about her sex life isn't."
(source)

Great Footage from the Confessions Tour!

2006-06-18T09:11:00.000-04:00

Below is some great footage that I found while searching YouTube.Com... be sure to check it out! Also, be sure to check out my site entirely devoted to the 'Confessions Tour' by clicking HERE.

Madonna's new video 'Get Together'

2006-06-17T17:58:00.000-04:00

Madonna can out-do any 18-year-old!

2006-06-17T17:57:00.000-04:00

London, June 16 (ANI): Madonna's rep has hit back at claims that she is too old to represent H and M's new line of clothing, saying that she can out- perform any 18 year-old when it comes to doing things on stage.
Their upcoming clothing line is mainly targeted at young teenage girls, which is why advertising experts feel that the youth will not be able to associate with the pop diva.
"These kids trade in stars every two or three years, and many don't know Madonna," the Sun quoted ad legend Jerry Della Femina, as saying.
Madonna's spokeswoman however warned that the company will be at a huge loss if they decide to replace her with someone younger.
"I defy any 18-year-old to do a quarter of what Madonna does on stage. I hope Jerry Della Femina takes a nice pill," she said.
(source)

Madonna and Lohan plan duet

2006-06-17T17:55:00.000-04:00

Madonna and Lindsay Lohan are keen to record a duet together, according to reports.The pair have grown to be friends recently, and are now planning joint projects.As well as the song, a movie could also be in the pipeline. One source said: "They're helping each other. Madonna is giving Lindsay advice on her music career and Lindsay wants to work on film with Madonna."
(source)

Madonna: I'm Going to Tell You a Secret

2006-06-14T08:04:00.000-04:00

Jonas Akerlund's 2005 kinetic yet personable documentary of Madonna's 2004 Re-Invention Tour lacks the dishy delights of the diva's 1991 Truth or Dare doc. Instead, a more worldly Madge struggles to become a less sound-bite-reliant, more sincere person. The bonus live CD proves that she's a better singer.
(source)

MADONNA AND SPEARS HAVE FRIENDSHIP FALLOUT

2006-06-14T08:02:00.000-04:00

MADONNA has ended her friendship with BRITNEY SPEARS, after the TOXIC singer announced she was no longer studying Kabbalah, according to media reports in the US. The HUNG UP star had reportedly taken Spears under her wing and spent a great deal of time and money educating her about the mystical offshoot of Judaism. Spears revealed she was quitting Kabbalah on her personal website, where she declared her new "religion" was caring for her son, SEAN PRESTON. According to The Scoop website, Madonna is also demanding Spears return a 12th century book on the religion she gave to the singer as a wedding gift. A source says, "Madonna spent months teaching Britney the Kabbalah system, and splashed out thousands on the ancient scripture for her. "She feels she has wasted time, money and precious gifts on Brit." Spears, who was raised a Baptist, has allegedly been working with a "Christian life coach" to help her through recent emotional rough patches.
(source)

MY Confessions Tour Site....

2006-06-08T20:21:00.000-04:00

This is just a quick reminder to everyone that my site Madonnasconfessionstour.com is up and running... there you can find all the latest news, pics & press about Madonna's tour... Also, If you would like to submit your concert reviews, pics & articles you can do so by emailing me at jamies.madonna.blog@gmail.com
To access the site click on the image below!
THANKS!!

Madonna Designs H and M Track Suit

2006-06-08T20:19:00.000-04:00

Well, the fashion world can finally lay to rest those pesky "Madonna's going to design a line for H and M" rumors that have been swirling around for the past few months.
It was announced on Thursday, June 8th that Madonna and the band, dancers and crew members on her "Confessions On A Dance Floor" world tour (known collectively as "Team Madonna") will be sporting trendy togs from Swedish retail giant H and M's 2006 collection offstage - and that Madonna herself designed a track suit that will be available exclusively in H and M stores in mid- to late August. (Designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, of course, did Team Madonna's onstage attire.)

"Partnering up with H and M feels like a perfect fit," said Madonna, whose tour is scheduled to travel the globe from May 21st through the end of September. "We'll get to express ourselves in our own individual ways. The dancers and I are excited to go shopping together."

While it's unlikely that you'll actually see the Material Girl browsing the racks at an H and M outlet herself, you will see her running between gigs outfitted in the Madonna track suit, the exact description and price of which won't be unveiled until she begins appearing in ad campaigns trumpeting her design starting in August.

"This is a thrill for H and M," said Margareta van den Bosch, the company's head of design. "Aside from being great fans of Madonna's music and fashion sense, we admire her ability to always be ahead of the trends in everything she does. We look forward to seeing how her touring family translates H and M's seasonal trends to their own personal looks."

We, on the other hand, are imagining the juicy "Confessions On A Tour Bus" tell-all Madonna's track suit would write, if only it could.

(source)

H&M to supply Madonna's offstage wardrobe

2006-06-08T20:17:00.000-04:00

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Onstage, Madonna wears designs by Jean Paul Gaultier; offstage, the 47-year-old pop star and her "Confessions" world tour entourage will choose clothing from H&M's 2006 collection.

Hennes & Mauritz AB, a fashion retailer with over 1,200 stores in 22 countries, announced Thursday that it will supply a complete offstage wardrobe for the Material Girl and her tour band, dancers and crew members.

"Aside from being great fans of Madonna's music and fashion sense, we admire her ability to always be ahead of the trends in everything she does," Margareta van den Bosch, H&B's head of design, said in a statement.

"We look forward to seeing how her touring family translates H&M's seasonal trends to their own personal looks."

The collaboration also will include a specially designed Madonna tracksuit that will be in stores in mid-August and an ad campaign featuring the singer and her dancers, the company said.

"Partnering up with H&M feels like a perfect fit. We'll all get to express ourselves in our own individual ways," Madonna said in a statement. "The dancers and I are excited to go shopping together."

Her "Confessions Tour," which opened May 21 in Los Angeles, is scheduled through Sept. 3, with stops including Chicago, Montreal, New York, Boston, London, Rome and Paris.

(Source)

Madonna's getting dressed: Singer inks deal with Europe's biggest fashion retailer

2006-06-08T16:41:00.000-04:00

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- Hennes & Mauritz AB, Europe's largest fashion retailer, said Thursday it has signed a deal with singer Madonna, under which H&M will supply a complete off-stage wardrobe for her entire entourage.

"Partnering up with H&M feels like a perfect fit. We'll all get to express ourselves in our own individual ways," Madonna said in a statement.

H&M said that off-stage, Madonna and the team -- including the band, dancers, crew members and -- participating in the Confessions World Tour will be free to choose clothing from H&M's 2006 collection.

The tour started May 21.

On stage, Madonna will be dressed by designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, H&M said.

"This is a thrill for H&M. Aside from being great fans of Madonna's music and fashion sense, we admire her ability to always be ahead of the trends in everything she does," said H&M's head of design, Margareta van den Bosch.

"We look forward to seeing how her touring family translates H&M's seasonal trends to their own personal looks," van den Bosch said.

Madonna has a long history of cooperating with Swedes, including music video director Jonas Akerlund and top music producer and song writer Anders Bagge.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/08/madonna.clothes.ap/index.html

Madonna: Behind the video

2006-06-05T08:02:00.000-04:00

MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS NOW AN EXPECTED ELEMENT OF POP STARS' STAGE PERFORMANCES
Every night, Jason Harvey pushes Madonna's buttons.
No, he's not the pop diva's latest boy toy. He's ``the video guy.''
Backstage, the 36-year-old engineer from Milton Keynes, England, works multiple keyboards in a booth that is a virtual traveling TV station. This is where he pushes her buttons. Using software from San Jose's Adobe Systems, he sets in motion multiple video streams that fill giant screens hovering over, around and beneath one-inch plexiglass stages the preening Madonna dances on.
``The biggest one is at the end. You mess up and the show wouldn't end properly. That's the one I always worry about,'' Harvey said hours before Madonna's second San Jose performance Wednesday night at the HP Pavilion, and minutes before the 47-year-old cultural icon breezed by for a sound check. (Her arrival followed a quick security sweep: Everyone was asked to clear the walkway to the stage.)
Harvey, with spiky, red-tinged hair and sporting a ``The Who'' T-shirt, would slip unnoticed through any fan gauntlet. But he is much more than a tech roadie. In this multimedia age, Harvey is someone Madonna would not want to miss the bus -- or jumbo jet. With ``Confessions'' tour ticket prices that start over $100 -- stage-hugging seats to Madonna's shows go for $350 -- fans expect an experience more akin to a Broadway extravaganza than a pop singer strumming a guitar on a stage.
And in this video-everywhere world, where 9-year-olds are posting their own cinema vérité on Web sites like YouTube, a performer, especially of Madonna's stature, who doesn't offer a seamless and sophisticated big-screen experience is like a singer out of tune.
``The audience expects a multimedia artist because they are multimedia consumers,'' observed Tom Randolph, president of FrameFree, which makes digital imaging software used by bands, DJs and club owners. ``The new bands, the Indies, have to do it or else they won't stand out.''
The Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View recently updated its sound and screen system, and put new screens over plaza restrooms and dining areas, on the lawn and on stage.
``It's theater,'' Harvey observed.
Video accompanies 21 of Madonna's 22-song concert and includes a montage of President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Saddam Hussein and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, a sketch of the New York skyline that appears to be drawn real-time as she sings, ``I Love New York,'' and a rider falling off a horse, referencing her 2005 accident. (There are also X-ray and MRI images of her bones taken after the accident, an inside Madonna joke, Harvey said.)
Harvey's operation includes a nine-person crew, 22 hard drives, six digital video cameras and two miles of video cable. He manages and manipulates images and video using Adobe Production Studio ($1,699), a suite of software including Adobe's After Effects, Premiere Pro and Photoshop programs.
``It's the savior,'' Harvey said of the software. ``Without it I'd be dead in the water. We would not be able to do our jobs.''
The video setup for Madonna's shows was created during a 12-week development process, which included creating and selecting video produced by independent studios, choreographing the images with Madonna and her 22 dancers and last minute ``tweaks and twiddles.'' For each show, Harvey runs three identical versions of the video performance; should there be any glitch, he can switch to a backup in a mouse-click.
``There is no room for failure,'' he said. ``The show has to go on.''
A simple text change in Los Angeles required reworking an entire section of video, which is made up of multiple video streams and images that flow from one giant screen to another. ``Those streams had to be changed because they all segue into each other,'' he said.
Harvey, who once did TV and corporate production work, became a video rocker 10 years ago, a time when most of what he did was beam the image of performers on giant screens at large venues.
``Ten years ago, we were very limited by the technology available to us. Digital was very, very expensive. You couldn't really take it on the road. Most of the playback was controlled by VCR machines and laser disc machines,'' he recalled.
Harvey, whose business is called Short & Spikey (www.shortandspikey.com), has since worked with numerous pop artists, including Cher, Paul McCartney, Pink and Elton John.
He calls his 60-performance tour with Madonna ``a walk in the park'' compared with Cher's marathon 325-show ``Farewell Tour.''
``It just went on and on and on,'' Harvey said.
Still, the hours can be grueling on any tour. A day off is often a travel day, and when the performers wrap up a city, Harvey is frequently working until 3 a.m. to make sure everything is packed and ready to be transported to the next venue.
Each artist sets a different back-stage tone. The singer Pink, for instance, ``gives everyone a hug before the show,'' Harvey said.
Madonna's journey to the stage is like a trip to the office: She's all business. Before the San Jose show, she made small changes to the routine.
``The lady is a perfectionist,'' he said. ``She works 110 percent, and that's what she expects from all of her people.''
Shortly before showtime, Madonna, sporting her trademark designer track suit, dropped by the video crew. ``She said `hi' to everybody and `have a good show.' We were all quite shocked,'' said Harvey, who noted the queen of pop tends to keep to herself. ``It was lovely to hear.''
All artists, though, have one thing in common: They want control, and can sometimes have an uneasy relationship with technology, approaching streaming images to a Web site or mobile phone very cautiously. They also demand complete artistic control of what happens on stage, or above it on the big screen.
``They are normally pretty outspoken about what they want -- and don't want,'' said Harvey, who likes to fiddle with different video effects, sometimes to the chagrin of the pop stars.
He's been told, ``If you ever show that again, you are going to die -- or something unprintable,'' he added. ``Some days you have to step over the line to be told never to do that again. That's part of being creative.''
Other days, artists realize how important it is to have Harvey around. He became Cher's traveling tech support guru, for example.
``I'd be out there fixing her VCR on her private tour bus,'' Harvey said.
(source)

Lohan asks Madonna for London house help

2006-06-05T08:01:00.000-04:00

Lindsay Lohan wants to move to London to be closer to her new man, and has enlisted the help of Madonna.The 19-year-old is seeing Jamie Burke, who was introduced to her by model Kate Moss. "I'm getting a place in London - I kind of like a boy there," Lohan said.The Daily Mirror reports that after Madonna's gig in Las Vegas last weekend, Lindsay spoke to the singer about moving to London. A source said that Madonna was telling her where to live, the best shops and the best places to party.
(source)

Carey rejects Madonna 'cabaret' ideas

2006-06-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Mariah Carey has dismissed suggestions her upcoming tour will be a theatrical extravaganza inspired by Madonna, insisting her biggest priority is song choice.
The Honey hitmaker sparked concern among die-hard fans after her musical director - American Idol judge Randy Jackson - revealed on a US talk show they had been inspired by the Madonna's Confessions tour, which kicked off last month.
But Carey is adamant her show will be more focused on classic vocals than publicity stunts, and is spending hours deciding her set list.
She tells MTV, "It's about the music, the songs and connecting with the fans.
"Here's the thing, a lot of people just do their new stuff, and I can do that, but I'm the kind of person who hates to disappoint people, and there are just some people who won't be happy unless they hear a specific song.
"So I'm trying to take certain songs that are, dare I say, classics, to new places.
"We're going way back, and it's not necessarily all number one hits."
(source)

Madonna: The Next Face of H&M?

2006-06-05T07:54:00.000-04:00

Madonna looks set to replace Kate Moss as the Swedish retailer's top model.

Madonna and H&M aren't confirming anything, but rumor has it that the pop icon could be the next face of the fashion chain. If she signs the deal, Madonna would take over the job from Kate Moss, who was dropped last September after the Daily Mirror printed images of Moss using cocaine while in the studio with then-boyfriend Pete Doherty. Kylie Minogue, Claudia Schiffer, Sophie Dahl, and Cindy Crawford have all modeled for H&M.

(source)

Madonnatribe.com has published scans from the tour merchandise catalog and on the back is a message to H&M...Interesting

MadonnasConfessionsTour.com

2006-05-21T06:34:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys I just wanted to let you all know that my site http://www.madonnasconfessionstour.com is up and running!!! Im really excited about the new site and I hope to bring all my readers all the latest news, pics, scans & more from Madonna's new tour! If you would like to contribute to the site YOU CAN by emailing me HERE Im looking for Scans, Pics & anything relating to the Confessions Tour! Currently the site will contain no general Madonna news all the general news regarding Madonna will be posted here! So to access the new site you can do so by clicking on the link above or on the image below!!!

Sorry about the lack of updates

2006-05-17T19:59:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys-
Sorry about the lack of updates lately on the blog! Ive been busy lately and preparing for Madonna's new tour! I also have some exciting news I have started the creating a new site http://www.madonnasconfessionstour.com so be sure to check that out and if you would like to submit news, articles, pics or anything relating to the tour you can do so by emailing me at jamies.madonna.blog@gmail.com !! Also, if you are a webmaster of a Madonna site and would like to be included in the links section of the site please feel free to email me your site banner and a brief description of the site!

The $10,000 Lashes

2006-05-06T12:50:00.000-04:00

By now you’ve seen the $10,000 mink and diamond eyelashes that Madonna has been wearing during her new promotional tour, but did you know she actually helped create them? Gina Brooke, her makeup artist (who is the artistic director for Shu Uemura), told the whole story to the SF Chronicle:
She and I were in her bathroom getting ready for her to go to the Roxy, and she had all these diamonds, all this jewelry from different companies that she was deciding which ones to wear, and I was just thinking how much her eyes are like jewels and I just said something like, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to have real, flawless diamonds on the lash line?’ and she says ‘I love it! Can we do it tonight?’ I was thinking it might be something we might try at some point, not right then and there.
But the great thing about working with her is that people will stop whatever they are doing and help you, so I called a friend who immediately got a jeweler to cut them, and just as she was about to leave, she literally had her shoes on and was ready to walk out the door, the doorbell rang. So we sat there on the floor and I glued about 10 or 12 of them along each eye, and I was fanning them dry as she put her coat on. She wore them on her last two tours, and to this day, not one diamond has fallen off, and no Neiman Marcus sells a similar pair.’
For those not willing to pay $10,000 for the genuine lashes, Shu Uemura is selling them faux for only $25.

Q: So how much input do you have in helping Madonna create her many looks — does she come to you for suggestions or ask you to experiment with different effects?
A: It’s a collaboration. Depending on the event, I’ll call the stylist and ask about their idea, we have creative meetings — I’ll present ideas on storyboards or lists. For “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” I made a huge book of everything I could find from the ’70s, from “Saturday Night Fever” or whatever, and then say, “What about this,” or “That color would look great on your eyes.” Then later she’ll decide what exactly it is that she wants.
Q: Why do you wear a miner’s light on your head whenever you’re applying makeup?
A: Lighting and makeup go hand in hand. One of the first things I’ll do at a photo shoot is walk up and introduce myself to the DP (director of photography) and talk about what the lighting is going to be like and adjust my light accordingly, I came up with this prototype, it’s not really a miner’s hat, but it allows me to work with my hands free. I always recommend that women do their makeup by a window because if you do your makeup in the house, in the bathroom, and it looks gorgeous, then you might get out in the car, look in the mirror and say, “Wait a minute, that blush looks way too heavy.’

Source

Madonna Stars in 58-Page Photo Spread

2006-05-06T12:42:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK - Madonna is back in the saddle again. The Material Girl/Mom, who broke nine bones in a horse riding accident last year, stars with six Andalusian stallions in a 58-page photo spread in W magazine's June issue, on newsstands May 19.
On the magazine's cover, she wears equestrian-inspired garb, complete with a riding crop and fishnet stockings.
Madonna, 47, suffered three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand after falling off a horse on Aug. 16.
Her "Confessions Tour" kicks off in Los Angeles on May 21. She will be supporting her 2005 album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor."
(Source)

Madonna's W Spread is now online

2006-05-06T12:32:00.000-04:00

Be sure to check out Madonna & Steven Kleins latest collaboration by clicking the link below!
http://www.style.com/w/feat_story/050306

More Pics of Madonna @ Coachella are now online!

2006-05-04T07:23:00.000-04:00

Click the image below to access many more new photo's of Madonna from Coachella!

Madonna's Horsing Around

2006-05-04T07:20:00.000-04:00

USA Today brings you the first look at the brand new W Magazine cover story featuring Madonna photographed by Steven Klein. The new issue will hit the newssstands on Friday, as M-Tribe told its readers the other day. The new cover stroy reads "Madonna Rides Again - The Ultimate Fashion Icon Star in a 58-Page Photo Portfolio by Steven Klein".

Who's that girl?. "Madonna's multiple personalities collide in the upcoming issue of W Magazine, on stands in New York Friday (nationwide on May 19). The singer's proper English horsewoman meets the sexy Material Girl and Boy Toy in a 58-page photo spread. The singer, 47, joined six stallions on a Hollywood soundstage for a shoot with photographer Steven Klein, their second collaboration for W. Just eight months ago, Madonna was injured when she was thrown from a horse.

Among the images: a topless Madonna in fishnet stockings, long leather gloves and riding crop; the singer dressed in black, cavorting with a horse on the sand; Madonna pulling a horse's tail.

Madonna's Confessions tour kicks off May 21 in Los Angeles."
USATODAY.COM

Pics of Madonna @ Coachella!

2006-05-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

Click to enlarge!
& more to be added to my flickr page later so be sure to check that out!

Pics From Coachella Day 1

2006-04-30T07:17:00.000-04:00

More to come soon!!!

Confessions Vs. Tommy

2006-04-29T09:51:00.000-04:00

I found the article very intriguing... Thanks to Rob from the Madonnamad forums for the Excellent article!
"I mean the fact that the COADF artwork is based on the movie "Tommy" which poses a VERY distinct paralel with Madonna's own life before, during and right after the "American Life" album. Let me try and explain:

First the story for the film version of Tommy in a nutshell:

Tommy is the fictitious biography of Tommy Walker. Tommy's father, Captain Walker, had been listed as missing in action during World War I, but he returns unexpectedly in 1921 kills his wife's new lover in front of the seven-year-old Tommy. Tommy's mother and father enjoin him that "you didn't hear it, you didn't see it ... you won't say nothing to no-one", and Tommy retreats into deafness, dumbness, and blindness as a consequence. He has a vision of a tall stranger dressed in silvery robes with a golden floor-length beard, and the vision sets him on an internal spiritual journey, learning to interpret all physical sensations as music. During the remainder of his childhood Tommy's parents seek out various treatments and cures for him, while Tommy suffers sexual and physical abuse at the hands of several extended family members. On Christmas, his parents despair about the fate of Tommy's soul, as they realize he is unaware of Jesus or prayer. However, Tommy learns to play a pinball machine and soon becomes the master of the game and an international celebrity. His parents eventually locate a doctor who promises a "miracle cure", but all tests indicate that Tommy is actually capable of sight, speech, and hearing, and that his condition is due to an "inner block". Tommy is finally cured when his mother, frustrated that Tommy seems only to see his own reflection, shatters the mirror in a fit of rage. Tommy's cure becomes a public sensation and he attains guru-like status. Thereafter he assumes a quasi-messianic mantle and tries to lead his fans to an "enlightenment" like his own (requiring followers to play pinball while wearing eyeshades, earplugs, and a cork), but the heavy-handedness of his cult and the exploitation of its followers by his family and associates causes his followers to revolt against him.

My perspective on this in relation to Madonna:

Storywise Tommy is much like Madonna's life, of course not literally but you'll know what I mean. Madonna has said time and time again that she was "trapped" in a certain state of mind, obsessed with the superficial aspects of life, glamour/fame etc, etc. Battling with her own religious demons, dogma's and questions. Then after releasing herself from the "inner block" she found hapiness and was "cured" of this mindset (thanks to kabbalah? ). She then set about to share this enlightenment with others (promoting kaballah in various ways, among them the "American Life" album) becoming a public sensation and getting guru-like status for her own "cult" with "merchandise", books, red string etc. But then due to the money factor and people getting sick and tired of the overkill of indoctrination and focus on that aspect of her life people started to revolt and call what she considers her saviour a cult and craze and question her sanity. I think Madonna's use of the movie "Tommy" is a sarcastic comment and view on what happened to her the last couple of years before "COADF". How many times has she not said that "she's been blind, but now she has seen the light", JUST like Tommy.

She visualized it by using several style elements from the movie Tommy, in which you can see tommy and his mother for instance going from church group to church group (one even adoring and praying to statues of Marilyn Monroe), seeking refuge in drugs (the acid queen), and eventually Tommy starting his own cult based around pinball, using that pinball as a trademark sign used in "religious symbols", merchandise etc, etc. You could even go as far as to say that the discoball she is holding in several shots is a refference to the pinball Tommy is holding and adoring in "Tommy"."

Here are some visual relations between the movie Tommy and the COADF artwork:

pinball versus discoball on display

Tommy can only see his true self in the mirror, but it's also his "cage". The position of the mirrors for the COADF shoot is an exact replica of certain shots in the movie "Tommy".

Tina Turner as the acid queen, Madonna in the exact same outfit, also dancing wildly. Also look at the handwritten writing on the tina turner single cover. Look familiar?

In the movie a mirrored effect was used in certain scenes, which was also used in the LIWB footage for the Koko performance

Tommy's mother, consumed by superficial things such as good looks, clothes, glamourous lifestyles etc at one point resides in a completely white room, as does Madonna in part of the COADF shoot

Later, when she breaks Tommy's curse/cage she is seen wailing across the room trying to get HIM and herself out of their current state of being. Madonna is also seen throwing herself at the door...

After Tommy's cage is broken and he is back to normal again and starts his cult, Tommy's mother abandons all the things she was so consumed by. She rejects superficial things and goes through life without make-up, fancy clothes and hides her hair under a scarf. Which reminded me of this picture of Madonna from the shoot

Didn't Madonna's team say something about hundreds of discoballs on stage? And a cross is part of the show now for sure, look at these two pictures from the movie Tommy again and tell me what you think...

Madonna: Queen of the Desert

2006-04-29T09:43:00.000-04:00

Now in its seventh year, the two-day Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will overrun the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California, this weekend with an eclectic mix of music, art installations--and, oh, a certain leotard-loving pop icon named...Madonna.

While much as been said about the multiplatinum artist's scheduled Sunday performance in the dance music-friendly Sahara tent, Coachella's forward-thinking, wide-ranging line-up is still the main draw. The 80-something bands include '80s synth giants Depeche Mode, Iceland's Sigur R�s, heavy art-rockers Tool, Orthodox Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu and new hotshots like Infadels, Gnarls Barkley and Youth Group.

A poll on the Coachella.com message boards has mysterious French dance duo Daft Punk tagged as the performer to see this year, beating out Madge with nearly three times the votes. (Of course, some band named "other" is also racking 'em in. They must rule!)

"It's different. We've never had an artist who's sold 100 million records play Coachella," says festival founder Paul Tollett, who made the offer to Madonna after floating the idea by a couple of close friends. "To me it makes so much sense to have her in the deejay tent."

The Madonna booking came when Tollett was looking for a marquee name to anchor the Sahara tent's Sunday lineup, which has been modified to handle a larger crowd for the Confessions on the Dancefloor performer. Offers went out to Madonna, Daft Punk and Massive Attack, the latter two who haven't appeared on a stage in years.

"I was hoping for one or two of those. Instead all three came in. Any one of them would have been great on their own," he says.

With Madonna, Tool and Massive Attack. leading the lineup, Sunday's installment has sold out. Organizers say tickets are still available for Saturday's show, which is headlined by the aforementioned Depeche Mode, Daft Punk and Sigur R�s, as well as Kanye West, Franz Ferdinand, Common, My Morning Jacket and Damien Marley.

Scottish deejay Mylo, performing on Sunday, seems to take the attitude of most attendees. "I'll be looking forward to Madonna," he says, "And I'll definitely be there to witness the very rare occasion that is a live set from my beloved Daft Punk. I just completely love festivals. It's the madness and unpredictability of people in large numbers that attracts me."

So it's not all about Madonna. No matter what she may have to say about it.

Tollett is equally thrilled about other aspects of this year's fest: a Myspace-esque Website that allows ticketholders to communicate (you get access only after purchasing a ticket); how Tool, one of the headliners from the festival's 1999 debut is using this year's Coachella to end a lengthy hibernation; and how booking It Band of the moment Gnarls Barkley was a good (and kinda lucky) idea. The collaboration between soulful rapper Cee-Lo and producer Danger Mouse made U.K. chart history this year when their "Crazy" topped traditional singles charts based on digital download sales only. Gnarls Barkley's debut album St. Elsewhere comes out May 9. They are on the bill for Sunday.

"I've got some of this booked in October or November," says Tollett. "And someone like Gnarls Barkley isn't really happening yet. But come April, look at them now. And some of these smaller bands have started happening too. That's when it gets exciting, when we can bring it all together."

Madonna spilling 'Secrets' CD/DVD in June

2006-04-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Madonna will release her documentary "I'm Going To Tell You a Secret" as a CD/DVD package June 13 via Warner Bros.
The film, directed by Jonas Akerlund ("Ray of Light"), chronicles the diva's 2004 Re-Invention Tour. The release will also boast a 14-song CD of music culled from the film and concert, including "Holiday," "I Love New York," "Like a Prayer" and a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine."

The DVD will include never-before-seen footage from the documentary as well as the director's cut of Madonna's controversial music video for 2003's "American Life" single. The artist canceled the release of the original clip shortly before its U.S. premiere.

Before the bow of "Secret," Madonna will hit the road with her Confessions Tour, beginning May 21 at the Forum in Los Angeles. First up is her first-ever festival appearance this weekend at Coachella in Indio, Calif.

Reuters/Billboard

Madonna adds heat to festival

2006-04-29T09:40:00.000-04:00

Imagine if Elvis had decided to make a pit stop at Woodstock.

It's perhaps the best way to put into perspective the hotly anticipated performance by Madonna -- perhaps one of the most famous faces on the planet -- at this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, a two-day musical extravaganza best known for its lineup of indie-rock bands and dance-oriented DJs.

Outside of Madonna, the biggest acts on the bill this weekend are Depeche Mode and Tool -- though successful, hardly on the superstar pop level of Madonna. Others include the punk rockers Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Orthodox Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu and the electronica dance duo Daft Punk.

Certainly Madonna's appeal is universal, and organizers of the festival, running Saturday and Sunday, are pleased as punch. But not everyone feels the same.

Coachella's Web site message board heated up when Madonna announced she would play the festival, prompting some unseemly posts such as "I hope Madonna chokes on a crumpet."

Some fear a logjam of humanity at the smaller stage where she's set to appear -- the "Sahara" dance tent, catering to an audience and a feel more in line with the her recent works rooted in the same electronica genre.

Paul Tollette, co-founder of Goldenvoice, the company that puts on Coachella, acknowledged that adding Madonna to the bill has presented some logistical challenges -- more people craning their neck to see her. To address that, he's put in place some spatial changes at the Sahara tent to accommodate more people -- more than the thousands that usually fit inside.

"There will be some people here specifically for her," Tollette said, adding the caveat "They'll be overwhelmed by Coachella people."

Tollette admits that many people can't understand why Madonna -- whose summer tour this year is perhaps the most anticipated -- would play there.

But Tollette added: "She knows a lot of the DJs that have played the Sahara tent, so this isn't anything new for her."

(Source)

Info. about Madonna's next single revealed!

2006-04-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

From Madonna.com

Madonna's new single announced!
Us, at Madonna.com, are happy to confirm that the third single to be taken from Madonna's Confessions On A Dance Floor album is Get Together!!! The official release date for this new single is to be announced very soon.

The maxi-single will includes remixes by Jacques Lu Cont, Danny Howells, Tiefschwarz and James Holden.

Keep checking Madonna.com for more related info

Come Join My Madonna Photo Flickr Group

2006-04-25T20:18:00.000-04:00

Click on the image below to gain access to my new group devoted entirely to Madonna photo's !
hope to see you there :)

Madonna, Melissa Etheridge among artists to auction tickets for Katrina benefit

2006-04-15T06:44:00.000-04:00

Madonna, Melissa Etheridge, Elton John, Céline Dion, INXS, Gretchen Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Ozomatli, and many others will auction off tickets to their summertime concerts to raise money to replace musical instruments and equipment destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Most auctions will also include a guitar signed by the artist. More than 65 auctions are already under way, with new ones being launched each week. For more information visit www.ticketmaster.com
(Source)

`Madonna: Live' a must-see this weekend for Madge fans

2006-04-15T06:43:00.000-04:00

"Madonna: Live," 9 p.m. Saturday, BBC America: The pseudo-debutante accent. The Farrah Fawcett-from-the-'70s hair. The ropy, muscular frame of a professional yoga teacher. And the pugnacious honesty of girl from Michigan. Yep, it's Madonna we're talking about, and if you're even remotely a fan, you'd better plant yourself in front of the TV Saturday night. Madge, as the English press calls her, performs two songs from her terrific "Confessions on a Dance Floor" album and sits down for a meaty, entertaining interview with a British broadcasting institution, Michael Parkinson. Imagine a talk-show host with the skeptical, dry wit of David Letterman, the in-depth knowledge of James Lipton and the avuncular, intelligent good humor of CBS anchor Bob Schieffer, and you still don't capture what has made "Parky" a British TV icon for decades. Unafraid and with a twinkle in his eye, he asks Madge about her tantrums, her marriage and her status as a gay icon. And he's having none of it when she says she has never set out to shock. Madge's moment is preceded at 7 p.m. on BBC America by the Brit Awards, a zippy awardsfest that usually puts our tedious Grammys to shame.
(Source)

Madonna Tour Tickets Selling Quickly

2006-04-12T08:02:00.000-04:00

Initial ticket sales for Madonnna's upcoming Confessions tour have been predictably huge, with shows added in several cities and virtually all dates selling out.

The tour, which begins May 21 in Los Angeles, has sold out four shows in Paris at Bercy Stadium beginning Aug. 27, seven shows at London's Wembley Arena beginning Aug. 1, two shows at the 40,000-capacity Amsterdam Arena beginning Sept. 3, and four shows in New York's Madison Square Garden beginning June 28, as well as doubles in Los Angeles, Montreal, Miami and Chicago.

Also sold out are Las Vegas (May 27), Philadelphia (July 12), Hartford, Conn. (June 25), Phoenix (June 8) and San Jose (May 30).

Tour producer Arthur Fogel, president of TNA International, tells Billboard.com there has clearly been no resistance to ticket prices that range from $50 to $350. "What you have is a recognition that she creates and delivers a spectacular show every time she goes on the road," says Fogel. "And this tour will be no different."

With a gross potential in the $200 million range, Confessions could be the top-grossing tour ever for a female artist. In 2004, Madonna's Re-Invention tour grossed $125 million and drew more than 900,000 fans to 56 shows.
(source)

Sound Of Music Fan Madonna Took Guitar Lessons

2006-04-11T08:16:00.000-04:00

Pop superstar Madonna took guitar lessons so she could play 'The Sound Of Music' to her children Lourdes and Rocco. The 'Material Girl' took lessons three times a week for four months in 2001, and was soon out-strumming her film-maker husband Guy Ritchie. Madonna's guitar teacher tells, "I taught Madonna the scales. She wanted to learn 'The Sound Of Music' for her kids. She also wanted to play early David Bowie songs. She was very good and worked very hard." (wenn)
(http://au.launch.yahoo.com/060411/10/nhx7.html)

Madg-ical! MSG tix

2006-04-11T08:12:00.000-04:00

Faster than a ray of light, Madonna sold out every ticket - even those going for $400 a pop - to her initial run of shows at Madison Square Garden for her upcoming "Confessions" tour.
Ten minutes after they went on sale yesterday morning, all seats were gone for the first two announced New York dates, June 28 and 29.

A short time later, the promoter announced two more dates, July 2 and 3, and those sold out by early afternoon.

A fifth show has just been added for July 18. Tickets for that date go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

The 47-year-old material mom also quickly sold out all seven shows at London's Wembley Arena, four concerts in Paris, plus all dates in Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal and Chicago.

Fans who've been shut out shouldn't give up. It's common for seats held for various production and promotion purposes to be released for sale closer to the concert dates.

Madonna's dance-oriented "Confessions" show opens at Los Angeles' The Forum on May 21.
(Source)

First two shows sell out in under an hour…

2006-04-07T08:01:00.000-04:00

Two further Wembley Arena shows have been added to Madonna’s Confessions tour after the first dates sold out in under an hour this morning.

The tickets went on sale at 9am, and the performances scheduled for August 1 and 3 were snapped up in around 50 minutes. Not bad going when you consider that Wembley Arena can pack in 10,000 fans for each night and prices range from £80 to a whopping £160 for a ticket. Three further dates were then announced for August 9, 10 and 12.

Madge will also head to Cardiff for a single date at the 60,000-capacity Millennium Stadium on July 30, but tickets will not go on sale until April 21.
(Source)

Madonna set to rough it in the California desert

2006-04-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

LOS ANGELES (Amusement Business) - Madonna's not in the habit of performing at rock festivals. In fact, the Material Girl's never played any festivals. So it's understandable that the pop diva's recent addition to the April 29-30 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in southern California might've caused a double take or two.

I did get a few calls (asking) 'Are you sure it's the Madonna?" Paul Tollett, co-founder of Los Angeles-based promoter Goldenvoice, says with a laugh.

Not that the Indio, Calif., festival -- about 130 miles east of Los Angeles -- hasn't had its share of name-brand acts. Recent years have seen such mainstream bands as Coldplay and the Red Hot Chili Peppers emerge as headliners. This year's main acts include Tool, Depeche Mode, Franz Ferdinand and Daft Punk. But the inclusion of a top-40 staple like Madonna has set tongues wagging in the indie music world -- a fact that page after page of debate on the festival's Internet message board will attest to.

It's all a far cry from 1999. That's the year Tollett and his late partner Rick van Santen raised the curtain on Coachella -- and almost brought it down just as quickly. The inaugural festival sold just 38,000 tickets that October and was, as Tollett flatly states, a money loser.

"It almost put us out of business," he recalls. "But we just toughed it out. The next year drew something like 48,000. So we could see that it was growing."

It was a gamble Tollett and van Santen, who died in December 2003, had been eyeing since 1993 when they promoted a Pearl Jam concert in Indio (current pop. 59,000). Maybe it was the view from the sprawling Empire Polo Field, with its mountain-range backdrop, but as Tollett puts it: "That place was aching for a big festival."

Now in its seventh year, Coachella saw some 100,000 visitors come through the turnstiles last year. Single-day tickets for the event -- which features continuous music across five stages -- go for $85, but Tollett estimates that 85% of the tickets sold are of the two-day, $165 variety. Two-day passes mean overnight stays, of course. And with that comes the inevitable problem of accommodations.

With every available hotel room and house for rent booked well in advance, about 10,000 of this year's attendees will be spending $35 each to camp at a Goldenvoice-operated site adjacent to the festival. It's a fact that Tollett says is born more of pragmatism than anything else.

"We wish there were twice as many hotel rooms," Tollett says. "Whereas you've got festivals like Bonnaroo (outside Nashville) that are more of a full camping experience, (Coachella) is more like . . . there's no place to stay, so you camp."

And what kind of music fan will you likely find occupying those tents?

While the age of the average attendee varies, Coachella appeals to "more of a twentysomething crowd," says Billboard staff writer Todd Martens, a four-year veteran of the festival. "Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo draw more of a hippie crowd. I think Coachella tries to tap into the more musically adventurous."

Tollett and van Santen cut their teeth promoting Lollapalooza tour stops in the early '90s. That experience, and a familiarity with the southern California rave scene, helped form the basis for the festival's booking philosophy, which features generous helpings of electronica and dance alongside what routinely amounts to every up-and-coming indie rock band in a given year.

"We try not to repeat as much from what we've done in the past as much as we can help it," Tollett explains. "And we try not to use artists who have played too much in this area. Coming up with delicacies always helps the show."

Some of those delicacies in the past have included Radiohead, Bjork, the White Stripes, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Morrissey, the Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold, the Chemical Brothers and a much-heralded 2004 reunion of indie icons Pixies.

Aside from the campsite, which requires Goldenvoice to provide such services as showers, security, etc., the festival presents myriad logistical challenges.

"There's sort of an art to the whole fence, toilet, concession thing that's sometimes looked at as no big thing," Tollett says. "But it's taken years for us to get it down to the way we need it."

Thus far, Goldenvoice has managed to keep its sponsorships limited and low-key. Heineken serves as the major beer sponsor for the festival, while Virgin Megastore runs a mini-store, but the stages remain logo-free to this point.

On the marketing front, the festival has blended a grassroots approach that sees flier teams hitting related events across the country with an increasing emphasis on Internet promotions, whether through its own heavily trafficked site or through banner ads purchased on other music sites.

There's also limited radio advertising in the greater Los Angeles area via rock outlet KROQ. But in the end, it's word-of-mouth among die-hard music fans that has driven the festival's success.

More than 60% of this year's crowd is expected to come from outside California, and a look at the http://www.community.coachella.com Web site -- a kind of mini MySpace for festivalgoers -- shows contingents will be coming from such far-flung locales as Japan, Ireland and Brazil.
(Source)

Madonna's back

2006-04-07T07:58:00.000-04:00

The Material Girl is living up to her nickname for her new tour.

Ticket prices for Madonna's new ''Confessions Tour'' -- which opens in Los Angeles on May 21 and makes a stop at Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena July 22 -- start at $57, which is reasonable enough. But reserved floor seats top out at $352 a pop.

''I'm going to turn the world into one big dance floor,'' the 47-year-old singer said in a statement.

It is Madonna's first tour since the 2004 ''Re-Invention Tour.'' She will be supporting her 2005 album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, which include the hits Hung Up and Sorry.

Madonna has plenty of hits to choose from: Lucky Star, Burning Up, Holiday, Papa Don't Preach, Like A Virgin, Like A Prayer, Vogue, Express Yourself, Ray Of Light, Music and many more.

As previously announced, Madonna will make her first festival performance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 30.
(Source)

Australian fans petition for Madonna gig

2006-04-07T07:54:00.000-04:00

Australian Madonna fans are petitioning the superstar to include their country in her forthcoming world tour, after a 13-year absence.

Her Antipodean fans signed a similar petition in 2004 ahead of her Drowned World tour, but to no avail.

Madonna has avoided Australia since her Girlie Show tour in 1993, because the birth of her two children Lourdes and Rocco has made travelling long-distance difficult.

After the Hung Up hitmaker announced dates in the US and Europe for her upcoming Confessions world tour, her Aussie fans quickly began a desperate plea for her to perform down under.

A Warner Music Australia spokeswoman says, "We are doing everything in our power to encourage Madonna to include Australia on her Confessions tour."

Last year, Madonna said, "If I go to Japan I'll go to Australia, I promise."
(Source)

Some HQ Promo Tour Images

2006-04-06T09:47:00.000-04:00

Click the images to enlarge

Confessionstour.com site launched!

2006-04-03T19:27:00.000-04:00

Click the image to access the official website for Madonna's tour!

Confessions Tour Dates Announced!

2006-04-03T19:22:00.000-04:00

Here are the dates that have been officially announced so far, additional dates for these venues will follow, as will the dates for Japan:

NORTH AMERICA:
May 21 Los Angeles Forum
May 27 Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena
May 30 San Jose HP Pavilion
June 05 Fresno Save Mart Center
June 08 Phoenix Glendale Arena
June 14 Chicago United Center
June 21 Montreal Bell Centre
June 25 Hartford Civic Centre
June 28 New York Madison Square Garden
June 29 New York Madison Square Garden
July 08 Boston TD Bank Garden
July 12 Philadelphia Wachovia Center
July 16 Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
July 22 Miami American Airlines Arena

EUROPE:
July 30 Cardiff Millenium Stadium
August 01 London Wembley Arena
August 03 London Wembley Arena
August 06 Rome Olympic Stadium
August 20 Dusseldorf LTU Arena
August 22 Hannover Niedersachsen
August 24 Horsens (Denmark) Forum Horsens Outdoor
August 27 Paris Bercy Stadium
August 28 Paris Bercy Stadium
September 03 Amsterdam Arena

First look at thte 'Confessions Tour' Promo Poster

2006-04-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

Here is a first look at the promotional poster that is promoting Madonna's Madison Square Garden dates!

More & More EXCITING tour rumors!

2006-03-29T06:46:00.000-05:00

Source:thesun.co.uk
"I have managed to obtain the first details of Madonna’s forthcoming world tour.
And if you thought re-Invention was special, this one is shaping up to be even more spectacular.
Her Madjesty is recreating wild scenes from notorious New York nightclub Studio 54 — famous for its debauched antics and drug-fuelled dancing in the Seventies.
The Queen of Pop is even learning to krump — a cool hip-hop dance based on body-popping and breakdancing.
And I reckon krumping — also known as clowning after its inventor, hip-hop dancer Tommy The Clown — could be as big as the Vogue craze she started in the Eighties.
The dance featured in Rize, a documentary by film-maker David LaChapelle.
A source said: “Madonna has been practising krumping ever since she filmed the videos to Hung Up and Sorry.
“It started as un underground dance in gangland LA and Madonna now wants to make it her own.
“Madge has ordered a unique spinning platform to be designed so she and her dancers can recreate Studio 54’s extravagant scenes.
“She has also ordered dozens of disco balls to decorate the stage with authentic Seventies lighting.”
The show will open with a Disco Queen section, featuring girls in sparkling suits, male dancers dressed as pimps and more dancers roller-skating.Another section, American Land, will indulge Madonna’s obsession with horses, with video walls showing footage of her riding scantily clad in the pouring rain.
A third part, Oriental And Eastern, will see Madonna joined on stage by a Kabbalah singer to perform a remix of her brilliant album track Isaac.
One section will have a Parkour specialist — the wacky sport on the BBC promotional film with a bloke running across London rooftops. Madge will also showcase some new music, if her label Warner give the go-ahead.
And I have the provisional setlist on above right to prove it.
Producer Stuart Price has been working on Keep The Trance and History, which I hear are both killer tracks, and he has completely reworked Erotica and Who’s That Girl, which are almost unrecognisable.
Madonna has had her wardrobe designed by old allies Jean Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana, with her jewellery and accessories by Lacroix.
Madge has been locking herself away for 13 hours a day perfecting her routines for her most dance-oriented show ever.
She has also started a strength-building diet and is jogging to get into shape for the gruelling two-hour shows which kick off in LA this May.

Set List :
Hung Up
Where’s The Party?
La Isla Bonita
Music
Love Profusion
Get Together
Isaac
Erotica
Nothing Really Matters
Jump
Everybody
Dress You Up
I Love New York
Holiday
Bedtime Story
Hollywood
Skin
Ray Of Light
Sorry
Borderline
Keep The Trance (new track)
History (new track)
Like A Virgin "

Madonnatribe :
"Here are even more reports from the rehearsals of Madonna's upcoming tour, once again before going on reading this news item please be aware that the following is, obviously, a spoiler of the live experience.

We've just heard about the opening section of the concert that is currently being rehearsed, that is one of the most amazing and strong moments of the entire show.

It starts with "Future Lovers" from "Confessions On A Dance Floor", filled with elements strongly reminiscent of the vibe of Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", an amazing, full of energy number and a great opening.

In the current setlist a regular "album" version of Madonna's next single "Get Together" is following, and after that the long-awaited "Like A Virgin" is performed in a totally reworked dance version - to die for.
Then goes "Jump", again rehearsed just like the album version, that ends the first part of the show.

It may be boring to ask our readers to keep in mind that things - especially at this stage - are subject to change, but you see, this is exactly what has just happened, as we've just learned that in the current revised setlist one of the songs we were hinting about, the very awesome "Deeper And Deeper", is not the song from "Erotica" performed in the show anymore."

"Here are even more reports from the rehearsals of Madonna's upcoming tour, once again before going on reading this news item please be aware that the following is, obviously, a spoiler of the live experience.

We've just heard about the opening section of the concert that is currently being rehearsed, that is one of the most amazing and strong moments of the entire show.
It starts with "Future Lovers" from "Confessions On A Dance Floor", filled with elements strongly reminiscent of the vibe of Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", an amazing, full of energy number and a great opening.

In the current setlist a regular "album" version of Madonna's next single "Get Together" is following, and after that the long-awaited "Like A Virgin" is performed in a totally reworked dance version - to die for.
Then goes "Jump", again rehearsed just like the album version, that ends the first part of the show.

It may be boring to ask our readers to keep in mind that things - especially at this stage - are subject to change, but you see, this is exactly what has just happened, as we've just learned that in the current revised setlist one of the songs we were hinting about, the very awesome "Deeper And Deeper", is not the song from "Erotica" performed in the show anymore."

A Recent Photo of Madonna and Lourdes out & about in LA

2006-03-29T06:41:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge

Random Madonna Pics!

2006-03-28T04:50:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge:

More to come later!

Some Exciting New Tour News/Rumors

2006-03-28T04:44:00.000-05:00

Madonnatribe
"MadonnaTribe has heard news about the new tour set list that Madonna and her band are currently rehearsing. Please be aware that the following is, obviously, a spoiler of the upcoming tour experience and also please keep in mind that things are still subject to change.
"Isaac" is indeed part of the currently rehearsed set list. The song is part of the second and more "serious" part of the concert, and is performed live by Madonna joined on stage by Yitzhak Sinwani.
Sinwani also appears later in the show, when Madonna performs a live acoustic version of her "Paradise Not For Me" in the third segment of the concert, the one that somehow brings back some of the intimate feel of her "Drowned World" and "Re-Invention" tour moments, and preceeds the fourth, and final part of the show."

Some more amazing shots from the 1994 photo shoot by Peter Lindberg

2006-03-26T11:09:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge

Madonna collaborates with Giovanni Bianco!

2006-03-26T00:07:00.000-05:00

From Madonna.com
Madonna.com is thrilled to confirm that the creative collaboration which brought the world Confessions on A Dancefloor, have teamed up again! Designing genius Giovanni Bianco from Studio 65 in New York will again work with Madonna as she prepares to dance her way across the globe for the upcoming tour! Stay tuned to Madonna.com for more news about this summer's tour!

Sorry

2006-03-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

Once again im sorry about the lack of updates lately...things have been really crazy for me the past couple weeks. As every one knows by now Madonna is about to kick off her much anticapated 2006 world tour... and of course you can expect to find all the latest news, pics etc... coming over the next several weeks ! SO keep checking back!!
And as a thanks for your patience with the lack of updates here are a few rare Madonna pics for your viewing pleasure!
Click the images to enlarge!

Madonna In the April '06 edition of 'Playboy' Magazine

2006-03-16T07:31:00.000-05:00

Click the image to enlarge (Thanks to Madprofusion at the Madonnamad forum for scanning the pic!)

Lourdes: Madonna's Little Fashion Plate

2006-03-16T07:15:00.000-05:00

When your mom's the original Material Girl, best known for her outrageous dress sense, could you expect anything less?
Little Lourdes was styled to a T -- sporting trendy Converse All Stars, green knee-highs, a retro 80s-style denim skirt and a striped henley.
"I think her stylist was trying to go for 'The Littlest Pussycat Doll' look," says celeb stylist Shane Cisneros. "Lourdes has the ability to wear anything just like her mother -- here, she's channeling mom's Danceteria days."
And yes, you read that right -- the 9-year-old has a stylist.
Whatever the look, it's clear from this picture that Lourdes is precocious, says behavioral analyst and body language expert Maxine Lucille Fiel.
"The way she's standing shows that she may be coming into early womanhood," Fiel says. "I think she's now entering a very interesting phase of adolescence and I wish Madonna luck."
Lourdes' attitude, more Avril than angel, is no surprise -- Madonna's push-the-envelope genes and rebellious streak are in her blood, and their mother-daughter shopping trips to Harvey Nicks and Harrods have fostered her posh fashion sense.
This wee fashion plate, like mom, eschews prissy frocks in favor of pushing the limits of fashion, favors clothes from boutique Bunny London, facials at London's Eve Lom, manicures from Daniel Galvin's salon and posh department store makeup.
Designer-to-the-stars Stella McCartney has also been known to knock out some one-of-a-kind children's pieces for Little Lola.
Clothes, ever a commodity in our material world, are even used as punishment in the Ciccone-Ritchie household.
"My daughter has a problem picking up in her room," Madonna told Ladies' Home Journal. "So if you leave your clothes on the floor, they're going to be gone when you come home. She has to earn all of her clothes back by being tidy."
Still, even if mom's quarantined some of her wardrobe, it looks like Lourdes knows how to work what she's got -- "The swinging of the handbag is a symbol of her independence and early womanhood. That's the thing. It's right in your face," Fiel says
(Source)

Jamie's Madonna Blog

Madonna Educates a Generation about AIDS

Madonna Speaks About Her "Big, Big Project"

Religious leaders slam Madonna stage crucifixion

Madonna sets up day centre in Malawi

Italian genes are Madonna's secret

Madonna's in good shape... and that's the bottom line

Madonna Saves Crucifixion Routine for TV Special

Simpson Admits Single Was Influenced by Madonna

Madonna honored at London's Square of Fame

Here's a list of Madonna's incredible diva demands!

Is Clear Channel boycotting Madonna?

Madge's beachwear

Madonna's toilet seat demands

Leonardo DiCaprio Helps Handicapped Madonna Fans

Robbie risks Guy's wrath over 'Madonna' track

Like A Prayer tops video poll

Who's that girl? Madonna wraps up for the beach

HQ 'Hollywood' Stills......

Madonna clears up adoption rumours

Madonna concert to air on NBC in November

American radio hangs up on Madonna

Various HQ Photo's

Amazing Fan Shot Footage from the Confessions Tour

Madonna looks amazing thanks to £7,000 vibrating plate

Madonna, other fortysomethings still look hot

Madonna and Ritchie 'back on track'

Robbie pens ode to Madge

One of the GREATEST video's of ALL TIME!

I LOVE..........HUNG UP Part II

I LOVE.......................HUNG UP

Madonna in the new OK! Magazine

MADONNA DENIES QUITTING KABBALAH

AMAZING VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM '84

Promo Video for 'Swept Away'

One of my favorite performances from the 'Confessions Tour'!!

Great Amateur Cam. Footage / Madonna / Coachella

Great Rankin Out-takes (1998)

Madonna plans another raunchy showstopper

MADONNA + GUY TO ADOPT?

MADONNA CATCHES EX-BOYFRIEND ON BROADWAY

MADONNA AND HER CREW FIND THEIR 'PERSONAL STYLE' AT H&M

More of my opening night NYC Pics

My Hartford & NYC Opening Night Pics

Madonna to get bill for police escort from Montreal airport to hotel

The many faces of Madonna

Amazing Klein Out-takes

Madonna Releases New Documentary DVD/Live CD "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret"

MADONNA 'TURNS DOWN MILLIONS' FOR SEX PILL AD

More Confessions Tour Videos

Great Footage from the Confessions Tour!

Madonna's new video 'Get Together'

Madonna can out-do any 18-year-old!

Madonna and Lohan plan duet

Madonna: I'm Going to Tell You a Secret

MADONNA AND SPEARS HAVE FRIENDSHIP FALLOUT

MY Confessions Tour Site....

Madonna Designs H and M Track Suit

H&M to supply Madonna's offstage wardrobe

Madonna's getting dressed: Singer inks deal with Europe's biggest fashion retailer

Madonna: Behind the video

Lohan asks Madonna for London house help

Carey rejects Madonna 'cabaret' ideas

Madonna: The Next Face of H&M?

MadonnasConfessionsTour.com

Sorry about the lack of updates

The $10,000 Lashes

Madonna Stars in 58-Page Photo Spread

Madonna's W Spread is now online

More Pics of Madonna @ Coachella are now online!

Madonna's Horsing Around

Pics of Madonna @ Coachella!

Pics From Coachella Day 1

Confessions Vs. Tommy

Madonna: Queen of the Desert

Madonna spilling 'Secrets' CD/DVD in June

Madonna adds heat to festival

Info. about Madonna's next single revealed!

Come Join My Madonna Photo Flickr Group

Madonna, Melissa Etheridge among artists to auction tickets for Katrina benefit