Madonna-related clips from Jean-Michel Baquiat: The Radiant Child

Madonna related clips from The Radiant Child.

Papa Don't Preach

I Made Up My Mind

In the mid 80's, as her contemporaries ballooned and were drowning in their cemented public images, Madonna opted to crop her hair off, strip away the layered look and exhibited a sculpted physique that would later define that decade. Papa Don't Preach was that moment where Madonna showcased not only the strong vocals on the song but also her wonderful classic 50's Americana style in the accompanying video, directed by James Foley. While we got a little prior glimpse of the upcoming change of sound and look with Live to Tell, this was her real first major metamorphosis since her debut album, Madonna, in 1983.

Prior to Madonna, a star would create a public image and stick with it so the public would be able to identify them. Not so from this moment on. A chameleon by nature, it was innate with Madonna to change. For the others, then and now, it seems forced and expected.

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

I saw the new Tamra Davis documentary, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child at the Nuart theater in Los Angeles last night. It was fabulous from frame one.

It goes through the life of Basquiat via the lens and brain of friend, Tamra Davis. There are interviews with Erika Bell (one of the first to fly up on the screen), Maripol, Fab

5 Freddy, Glenn O'Brien, Kenny Scharf and a slew of others. Frequent Madonna references in the film, including photographs of Madonna and Basquiat together and many Maripol polaroids.

From Basquiat's relationship with his mother and father to Andy Warhol to his creative soul - it's a captivating documentary that takes the viewer through the long gone, funk hole glamorous, pre-gentrified New York City. The world many early fans romanticized and fell in love with. Archival footage of the seedy city and the artists it gave birth to. You really get a sense of the real world from which Madonna emerged from, a world that no longer exists. A must see for a real Madonna fan.

Great soundtrack by Beastie Boys Adam Horovitz, the filmmakers husband.

Click HERE for the official Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child film website. The film plays for one week at the Nuart theater in Los Angeles.

Physical Attraction 1983

The year was 1983 and in Boston, Massachusetts - Madonna performed one of those 'track dates' with her back up dancers, Erica Bell and Bags. Remember how she was always on about those 'track dates' in her interviews in the early days, pre-Virgin? Anyway, she sang Physical Attraction, Lucky Star, Burning Up, Holiday and Everybody. In 2000 or 2001, there was a Madonna Convention in Los Angeles at The Palace on Vine Street and I went, reluctantly. I thought I was above all that shit but they played the entire Boston show and my face super crack'd. It was all live and fantastic. I would have died for that show in 1983 - shyt I would die for it now.

Bits and pieces of this show have been on the internet for years and my friend Alex sent me the bulk of the first half of Physical Attraction today. Evidently, it comes from the wonderful MadonnaTribe.com and Summer82 shared it. I've pieced and edited all the additional missing footage together to get all of Physical Attraction. It's not perfect but it's perfect for us because it's all we got. Enjoy. xo

Oh, yeah - Don't be alarmed that you can't hear the dreary dude in the beginning - they're sound checking.

This is the Madonna I fell in love with and the reason I am still in love with her 27 years later. That sex voice, that whore face and that fluid, funky fuck club dancing that she finally resurrected for the Sticky and Sweet Tour in 2008.

Madonna, Martin Burgoyne, Erica Bell and Bags at Haoui Montaug's No Entiendes Cabaret Performing 'Everybody' for the very first time - 1982.

In early 1985, fans got their first proper Madonna Book - like Culture Club's When Cameras Go Crazy only better because it was Madonna, Lucky Star.

The Lucky Star Book, as my friends and I referred to it, was written by Michael Mckenzie and designed by Martin Burgoyne - it was our Bible. It was the first time we saw Island Magazine!

Full of never before seen pictures taken not only by the books author but Laura Levine, Beth Baptiste, Dan Gilroy, Stephen Jon Lewicki (Bruna!), Marcus Leatherdale, Patrick McMullan, Debroah Feingold, Edo Bertoglio (Maripol's boyfriend) and heaps others. It was the first time fans had read about about Madonna's debut performance of Everybody in detail. It had taken place at the Danceteria at Haoui Montaug's Caberet Show, No Entiendes.

Like reading about the 4 track demo that got her signed to Sire Records, I thought it would never see the light of day. However, a few years ago, Everybody hit the internet.

To make a long story longer, I remember the day I bought my first computer. I got it at Best Buy and it was that very day at that very store that I saw Stephen Bray's Pre-Madonna, the cd that not only had the songs from the 4 track demo but some new ones that I had only read about in Entertainment Weekly. I was more excited about the cd than my computer.

Anyway, here it is. Madonna's very first performance of Everybody at the Danceteria plus scans of details from The Lucky Star Book.

 

Madonna - Borderline - The Dance Show 1984

The only time Madonna did promotion for Borderline. Glad she did. I remember my cousin calling me on Saturday morning and saying, "that girl, Madonna, you like is on The Dance Show." She did 2 songs, this and Holiday.

The Roxy 1983

Dancin' on Air - Everybody: Madonna's First Television Performance.

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Madonna's first television performance:

Jellybean - Wotupski Record - 1984! This is the Real Deal for the Real Fans, not this new breed of nit-pick'n fuck twats.

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Fantastique on every level. I've had this album since the day it was released in 1984. SIDEWALK TALK BABY!!!

On the inner sleeve of The Record, I've highlighted all the people that worked with Madonna and was in her circle back then. Nile Rodgers playing guitar here on "Was Dog a Doughnut" - he and Madonna were still working on Virgin at the time, Shep Pettibone is thanked as is Paul Oakenfold. Fred Zarr and Michael Hutchinson are from the first album.

Martin Burgoyne designed this record art. Stephen Bray is all up and through - and for those of you FREAK'N out over the liner notes being fuck'd up on Celebration - his name is misspelled on the same page! To this new breed of chronic complainers - get a fuck'n grip - you were poop'n in your diapers - when THE REAL DEAL was happening. If you can't take it then or now, go to your P. Abdul as you did then or to your Joanne today. But not here dear, is that clear dear?

Ok, back to the REAL DEAL. Danceteria, Mark Kamins, Erica Bell, Bags, Seymour Stein, Mark Bego (Madonna Bio) - everyone from the early days is here.

Madonna signed her Virgin album to Jellybean with Goo Goo Ga Ga and Jellybean did it here with Goo Goo Gaa Gaa to her.

IT'S A CELEBRATION!!! always. Enjoy. xo

True Blue (Single Remix)

Peppermint Lounge

if we took a holiday, took some time to celebrate

bags, chris, madonna, rica

maripol - the day of the first album shoot

andy warhol photographs early madonna performance at fun house - 1983

1983 roxy footage - eye spy

everybody - on set video

virgin inlay and thanks

on set of papa don't preach