Have to be honest and say my heart sinks a bit when I see stuff from this era. The backlash was so huge it depressed me. I was also disappointed by the Erotica album. Some great moments on there (the Andre Betts stuff was the best, in my opinion) but not what I hoped for.
Yes, you can definately tell she had NO IDEA what was gonna happen in the following months. In the media's eyes, she was having too much fun and thought she could get away with anything and that was enough to make them really turn on her.
For the open minded public though, this era was a Godsend! Even though I didn't understand all that she was doing at the time (I was only 11) it made me realise that you don't have to be like everybody else, you just need to be yourself, regardless of what everyone thinks. I sometimes wonder if she realises what a good impact this era had on many of her fans, personally.
As for EROTICA, it's my favourite album. An amazing tour came off the back of it and was a really creative time for her. As for SEX, it is what it is. Nothing particularly special, although Fabien Baron is my favourite graphic designer and his work on both the album and book inspired me to become a graphic designer myself.
What she did creatively at this time changed things in society forever. No-one since has done that in such a bold way.
I remember being 16 nd seeing this report on MTV, this was when I really started to understand how important she was and how ahead of her time she was in every possible way. She was going to do what she wanted and how she wanted it without worrying about backlash. To this day Erotica is my fave Madonna album and I still remember seeing Girlie Show at MSG and being in complete awe of her. M was def miles ahead of every other performer and singer. Incredible part of M's career, bad or good it molded her into the icon she is today.
I was 16 and talking about almost explicit sex was so crazy in that time!! Also showing things in that way, never shown before. Madonna was step ahead, as usual!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Glasgowboy: you know, it's funny, but I don't feel sorry for her.
Don't get me wrong. Madonna got the shit kicked out of her by the media and the public after the Erotica/Sex media onslaught and release. And to be honest, she didn't deserve 99% of what the media did to her. They ripped her to shreds, and it was absolutely horrible.
However, I think it made her only stronger in the end---although FAR more protective, and she was never really the same after that. She was never as brave again as she was during this time. It wasn't really until American Life that she was as brave and aggressive as she was back in 1992, but she ended up wimping her way out of the American Life controversy and backing down---something she would've *never* done in 1992.
It was such an incredible time to be a Madonna fan. She was so ahead of the curve during this era...so ballsy, so brave, so fearless, and at the same time, so incredibly playful. She was truly an "artist" during this time, challenging a lot of institutions in ways that had never been done before by a pop artist. She was just an absolute pop culture godsend.
Sadly...this Madonna is no longer there. She has changed, as we all do. She's in her 50's now. She's an older woman, and I believe her time of being this brave and in your face, and provocative is pretty much done. But that's ok...we have our memories huh?
Thanks for much for posting this clip Pudwhacker...it certainly takes me back.
Christian, you said it so well... I think most people like to compare the old to the new and it isn't fair to anyone as we all get older and wiser and no one should be stuck being what they once were. M is in a different world now - with kids and different priorities and she does not need to compete with the 20 year olds who are basically copying every one of her moves from back in the day!
"If I... push myself into your mind when you least expect it, will you try to reject it?"
i was 10 when this aired. i wasn't a full-blown M fan at this stage. i found her interesting but my love hadn't kicked in yet. in fact, i remember childishly picking on my older brother's schoolmate for liking the Erotica album when I found out he was a fan of it (kids are cruel, and i definately had my moments!) - only to become truly hooked by the time 'Secret' was released.
However, with hindsight (and maturity) I can now say that the Erotica era is my favourite era (a tie with ROL, actually - I cannot choose) as she was so creative and daring, and this was all solidified with the Girlie Show tour that followed (I remember being upset that I was not old enough to attend it).
I still listen to this album all the time and see it less about sex than sensuality and romance. The album contains a lot of poetry if you care to hear it, and had a certain attitude and sense of longing that was intoxicating. Together with the visuals it produced, it made for a magical time in her career.
And yes I have to agree that the Andre Betts material was stunning, but so was the Shep stuff in it's own way, even if it hasn't aged quite as well.
@David: that's not the demo version. The demo version is what we, the fans, have labeled the "You Thrill Me" version which is available on the net, but a little hard to find. What MTV used was the Sex book version of the track. "You Thrill Me" was later remixed into a version for the Confessions tour, but the original version of You Thrill Me is similar to what made it on the Erotica album (production wise), although not exactly.
@David: Ahh yes..."Erotic"...totally forgot that the track was renamed. Thanks for that. :-) Brings back memories of mylar wrapping and a big X on the CD that came along with the book. I remember feeling like a kid who'd gotten the best Xmas gift ever when I opened up that book. My father bought it for me. I will forever be grateful to him for that.
Possibly the most provocative era of her reign and for me the most fabulous and exciting x
ReplyDeleteHave to be honest and say my heart sinks a bit when I see stuff from this era. The backlash was so huge it depressed me. I was also disappointed by the Erotica album. Some great moments on there (the Andre Betts stuff was the best, in my opinion) but not what I hoped for.
ReplyDeleteYes, you can definately tell she had NO IDEA what was gonna happen in the following months. In the media's eyes, she was having too much fun and thought she could get away with anything and that was enough to make them really turn on her.
ReplyDeleteFor the open minded public though, this era was a Godsend! Even though I didn't understand all that she was doing at the time (I was only 11) it made me realise that you don't have to be like everybody else, you just need to be yourself, regardless of what everyone thinks. I sometimes wonder if she realises what a good impact this era had on many of her fans, personally.
As for EROTICA, it's my favourite album. An amazing tour came off the back of it and was a really creative time for her. As for SEX, it is what it is. Nothing particularly special, although Fabien Baron is my favourite graphic designer and his work on both the album and book inspired me to become a graphic designer myself.
What she did creatively at this time changed things in society forever. No-one since has done that in such a bold way.
I remember being 16 nd seeing this report on MTV, this was when I really started to understand how important she was and how ahead of her time she was in every possible way. She was going to do what she wanted and how she wanted it without worrying about backlash. To this day Erotica is my fave Madonna album and I still remember seeing Girlie Show at MSG and being in complete awe of her. M was def miles ahead of every other performer and singer. Incredible part of M's career, bad or good it molded her into the icon she is today.
ReplyDeleteI was 14 when the Erotica album came out. It is my 2nd favorite M album, right behind Like a Prayer. I adore it.
ReplyDeleteI was 16 and talking about almost explicit sex was so crazy in that time!! Also showing things in that way, never shown before. Madonna was step ahead, as usual!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete@Glasgowboy: you know, it's funny, but I don't feel sorry for her.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong. Madonna got the shit kicked out of her by the media and the public after the Erotica/Sex media onslaught and release. And to be honest, she didn't deserve 99% of what the media did to her. They ripped her to shreds, and it was absolutely horrible.
However, I think it made her only stronger in the end---although FAR more protective, and she was never really the same after that. She was never as brave again as she was during this time. It wasn't really until American Life that she was as brave and aggressive as she was back in 1992, but she ended up wimping her way out of the American Life controversy and backing down---something she would've *never* done in 1992.
It was such an incredible time to be a Madonna fan. She was so ahead of the curve during this era...so ballsy, so brave, so fearless, and at the same time, so incredibly playful. She was truly an "artist" during this time, challenging a lot of institutions in ways that had never been done before by a pop artist. She was just an absolute pop culture godsend.
Sadly...this Madonna is no longer there. She has changed, as we all do. She's in her 50's now. She's an older woman, and I believe her time of being this brave and in your face, and provocative is pretty much done. But that's ok...we have our memories huh?
Thanks for much for posting this clip Pudwhacker...it certainly takes me back.
Christian, you said it so well... I think most people like to compare the old to the new and it isn't fair to anyone as we all get older and wiser and no one should be stuck being what they once were. M is in a different world now - with kids and different priorities and she does not need to compete with the 20 year olds who are basically copying every one of her moves from back in the day!
ReplyDelete"If I... push myself into your mind when you least expect it, will you try to reject it?"
ReplyDeletei was 10 when this aired. i wasn't a full-blown M fan at this stage. i found her interesting but my love hadn't kicked in yet. in fact, i remember childishly picking on my older brother's schoolmate for liking the Erotica album when I found out he was a fan of it (kids are cruel, and i definately had my moments!) - only to become truly hooked by the time 'Secret' was released.
However, with hindsight (and maturity) I can now say that the Erotica era is my favourite era (a tie with ROL, actually - I cannot choose) as she was so creative and daring, and this was all solidified with the Girlie Show tour that followed (I remember being upset that I was not old enough to attend it).
I still listen to this album all the time and see it less about sex than sensuality and romance. The album contains a lot of poetry if you care to hear it, and had a certain attitude and sense of longing that was intoxicating. Together with the visuals it produced, it made for a magical time in her career.
And yes I have to agree that the Andre Betts material was stunning, but so was the Shep stuff in it's own way, even if it hasn't aged quite as well.
Thanks Pud.
Did anyone else notice that this MTV News report used the demo version of Erotica? I wonder why they used that...
ReplyDelete@David: that's not the demo version. The demo version is what we, the fans, have labeled the "You Thrill Me" version which is available on the net, but a little hard to find. What MTV used was the Sex book version of the track. "You Thrill Me" was later remixed into a version for the Confessions tour, but the original version of You Thrill Me is similar to what made it on the Erotica album (production wise), although not exactly.
ReplyDelete@Cristian- ahh you're right, it's been awhile since i've listened to "Erotic" (the one that came with the sex book). silly me.
ReplyDelete@David: Ahh yes..."Erotic"...totally forgot that the track was renamed. Thanks for that. :-) Brings back memories of mylar wrapping and a big X on the CD that came along with the book. I remember feeling like a kid who'd gotten the best Xmas gift ever when I opened up that book. My father bought it for me. I will forever be grateful to him for that.
ReplyDeletedid you removed this video?!!!!!
ReplyDelete