February 14, 1998 - The Ice Ball Gig @ The Roxy - Ray of Light

In her first club performance in 14 years, Madonna delivered a Valentine we will never forget by premiering 3 new tracks off her highly anticipated album Ray of Light at the Roxy. One didn't even have to be there to feel it for its aftershocks would be felt all around the world. She started with Sky Fits Heaven, went into Shanti/Ashtangi and finished off with a 10 plus minute version of Ray of Light.

Putting things in perspective, for those of us who had been following her career since the beginning, prior to Frozen and this engagement, these were unsure times. This is territory that hadn't been covered before in pop. Would the next album be a Streisand/Celine? We had just come off Something to Remember, Evita and the birth of her first child and she was turning 40. A lot of new fans came into Madonna during this Evita time and loved all that shyt because she was on blast in the media and a magazine cover girl for the last 2 years. In retrospect, all that's fabulous because it was part of the evolution of the greatest star that ever lived but then it was extremely uncertain. You can't see the forest from the trees.

However, as usual, Madonna did not disappoint with Ray of Light. In fact, she shined so brightly and changed so drastically, that the entire music industry would eventually move right along with her. In every genre of music. You could even hear an electronic blip and bubble at the Grand Ole Opry. It was so fantastic that she emerged from the depths of that adult contemporary hell with Ray of Light. We could never have envisioned that sonic or visual transformation. And for that alone, we will forever be grateful. And because Something to Forget was of the past and not the reality hardcore music fans feared, it could then be appreciated and viewed truly as Something to Remember.

Moral of this long winded boring story? Never count Madonna out because she will fuck the living shyt out of your mind, body and soul.

BLAST THIS SHYT!!!

Terry Wogan Interviews Madonna

Glamour Queen.

Listen, it doesn't get anymore gorgeous than this. Here in America we got little snippets (snippets!!!!) of this interview on MTV that my friends and I referred to "the green dress day", because we knew no better. It was our quest to get the entire interview. Well, of course, it didn't happen until the internet era - 5,000 years after the fact. But, it was well worth the wait.

Promoting Truth or Dare (In Bed with Madonna), Madonna sits down with Terry Wogan looking fabulous with a radiance that just won't quit. This is 1991 and take notice that her beauty mark above her lip is not present and it has gravitated underneath her left eye.

Madonna on the loss of her mother, homophobia, Catholicism, the Vatican, Evita, self love, dreams, sexism, honesty, her dad, Michael Jackson, Sean Penn, her friends, being a 'role model', her early years pre-fame, acting, producing, directing, even Easter and a plethora more. It's a long interview but she covers a hell of a lot. Also, I've always loved how she is absolutely perched in position for the camera and when they do the long shot, her legs are all over the place but she makes sure for that camera she is flawless. One of my all-time favorite interviews.

Wogan: You're a heroine, of course, to many billions of young people - young girls and even boys.

Madonna: Mmmhmm.

The Biggest Star of All: Andrew Lloyd Webber wants Madonna for Sunset Blvd.!

You there, why are you so late?

Andrew Lloyd Webber tells that hideous farckle Piers Morgan that he wants Madonna for his version of musical version of Sunset Blvd.

Here's what Webber told McFarckle Morgan:

"I bet you this never, ever, happens, but you know who would make a great Norma Desmond on screen? Madonna.

"She's the right age. I've not got through to her. She hasn't taken my call this time."

Take that fucking call, Madonna!!!

All the ingredients could not be more perfect. The material, the subject, a musical, back where she belongs: Music and Motion Picture. If she took this film, she would have them eating her dust - forever!

I am a huge fan and obsessed with Sunset Blvd. - the film. And there could never be a remake of that film but this is different for it's the musical version and NOBODY could play it but Madonna.

Interestingly enough, a few years ago I was talking to my friend and when asked what I would like to see Madonna do, I suggested that I would love to see Madonna in the musical version of Sunset Blvd. He thinks Madonna is too egocentric and youth obsessed to accept a role as an aging silent movie queen. Aging is her Kryptonite - his fab quote, not mine. I disagree though. I think she would chew it. She was fab in Evita and tackled that with brilliance and would do the same, if not better, as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd.

She's ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille:

Madonna and Mario Testino Telephone Conversation (1996)

Lori Goldstein, Mario Testino and Madonna as Evita

Filming Evita

Santa Madonna

Appreciate the Greatest Song off the Evita Soundtrack - A New Argentina

3 Favorite "Evita" Publicity Shots

PERON EVA PERON

Making Evita

Body of Evidence Interview with Mark Greczmiel

Body of Evidence interview with Mark Greczmiel in 1993. Madonna also discusses early versions of Evita and other movie ventures starting with Vision Quest.

Foxy Lady

Evita Press Conference

The Evita Premiere

"I Don't Think I Ever Was Critically Successful"

"It's really interesting, if you took out the reviews of my work and things that I did and compare them, they're still saying the same thing. I've always had to deal with this sense of people trying to predict that I would soon fail and I've been dealing with that my entire career." - Madonna 1995

Has anything really changed? They've been slamming her ass since the gate. 28 years after her Inception - critics, the public and even her fans, still demand that Madonna prove herself. Absolutely Ridiculous. The Greatest Star That Has Ever Lived. Full stop. People can't take it.

She's Our Lady of the New World with the Golden Touch

Evita - A New Madonna

Australian Vogue - Evita. December 1996

EVITA

Madonna 1996 Oprah Evita Interview Outtakes

evita - los angeles times calendar section - fall sneak peek preview - sept. 1996