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Should this thread title be changed to Not Enough Love?

Blocked!

The 807-page book begins on November 24, 1976 and ends eleven years later on February 17, 1987, just 5 days before Andy Warhol's death. It is a condensed version of a 20,000 page diary that was edited by his friend Pat Hackett. Warhol didn't actually write the diary in a book himself. Each morning he spoke to Pat about events from the previous day and she transcribed his monologue. Hopefully, the full unedited version will be made available to read one day. It will be interesting to see how Madonna depicts Warhol in her biopic and which actor she chooses to portray him. Madonna said Jean-Michel Basquiat introduced her to Warhol after she released her debut single, but she is not mentioned in the book until 1984. She is not mentioned by name in the new Netflix docuseries based on the book but there are a few quick flashes of pictures and a short clip or two of her performing. I've compiled all the mentions of her in the book below. Wednesday, May 16, 1984: Went down to the Paradise Garage for Keith Haring's party and there were kids outside selling tickets to it, although it was a free party. John Sex performed. Madonna didn't start until so late that I only heard the beginning. And that kid Bobby who lives with Madonna was there, the one I got the job for in Paul's movie. And he's in the hospital for a leg operation — he had his hospital bracelet on — but he snuck out for (laughs) this party. And all these kids were wearing Stephen Sprouse outfits, I don't know where they get the money. Keith's Juan was in Day-Glo and it was like the sixties. And they have a phrase that's like "Mark me," when they want you to sign their stuff. Maybe it is "Mark me." Thursday, August 9, 1984: Went to the movies with Keith and Bobby, Madonna's ex-boyfriend who's sort of Keith's friend now. I had to sign autographs and they were amazed that so many people yelled my name and would know an artist. I should have asked the people who yelled if they knew what I did for a living. All the blacks know me, I must be in their consciousness. It's the white hair. It was almost empty in the theater but it should've been completely empty. This movie, NeverEnding Story, my God . . . and it's a big hit in Germany. It's sort of my philosophy — looking for the nothingness. The nothingness is taking over the planet. It was like Alice in Wonderland and E.T. and "Rumpelstiltskin." Then afterwards Bobby knew all the places in the area, because Madonna had taken him to all of them. So we went to Jezebel's and then Jezebel came over and she was this fancy black lady. And then in walked guess who? Mickey Rourke. Who PH just interviewed for the cover of Interview. But he didn't see me and I didn't say hello. Friday, September 14, 1984: The MTV awards were so exciting, it was like the Brooklyn Fox shows in the sixties with so many stars. Diana Ross was my date, but she was in another row, the first row, because she was picking up Michael Jackson's awards. Lou Reed sat in my row but never even looked over. I don't understand Lou, why he doesn't talk to me now. Rod Stewart and Madonna and Cyndi Lauper and Bette Midler and Dan Aykroyd and Peter Wolf were there. Wednesday, November 7, 1984: I went to Private Eyes (cab $7). Scott was at the door, so he let us right in. Madonna was on the platform and since Jean Michel had once been involved with her, we started to go up, and the bouncer said, "Step aside for Mr. Warhol," and then tried to block Jean Michel and I said that it was okay, he was with me. And Madonna kissed Jean Michel on the mouth but she was with Jellybean, who said he'd heard his pictures in Interview made him look 6' tall so he was thrilled because he's 2'. And Jean Michel was moody because Madonna got so big and he'd lost her. And Dianne Brill tried to get on the platform and the guy just pushed her back and I said, "Don't you know who that is? It's Dianne Brill," but he still wouldn't let her up. And she was so conspicuous in her rubber outfit and Frederick's of Hollywood stuff and everything, so she was really humiliated and that's the way things go — you think you have so much pizzazz and then something like that happens in front of your friends. It's happened to me. Sometime, someplace, it happens to everybody. And I told her I'd talk to the P.R. girl but she said no, that it was okay. Saturday, November 17, 1984: Cabbed downtown to Keith's ($5). Madonna arrived with a black wig on. Downstairs there were three limos and we went out to see the "Greener Pastures" thing at BAM in Brooklyn. Keith had done the sets and Willi Smith did the clothes. I was next to Stephen Sprouse and he's so hard to talk to, but I'm just crazy about him, he's adorable. And we were all wearing Stephen Sprouse. It was really a great show. And they had really good hair in the show. Like brown underneath and red on top and they used twine. I talked to Stephen about doing show-biz stuff. Then that was over. We went to Mr. Chow's for dinner. Then we went to Area and saw Keith make dresses on John Sex. I asked Madonna if she would be interested in doing a movie and she was smart, she said that she wanted more specifics, that she just didn't want to talk and have her ideas taken. She's very sharp. She's really hot right now. Stayed till 3:00, too many people coming up to me to talk (cab $8). Tuesday, March 19, 1985 Paige said she had tickets for Desperately Seeking Susan, which was screening on 86th Street. So she waited and then we went to Nippon (cab $4). Madonna doesn't have much to do. She doesn't talk in the first part. But later on she does some good things, she sleeps in the bathtub and dresses up and shoplifts. It's like those sixties movies but the opposite — the sixties movies. Saturday, March 30, 1985: Went to Spago for dinner. Gene Kelly was there with his son, and his son said he'd see us later at Brad Branson's party (dinner $300). So after dinner we went to Crenshaw Avenue way in the black area of L.A. where Brad Branson who does photographs for Interview was giving his second weekly party. He's doing it like a club, but with friends' names on the list. And it was actually great, he had all the cute kids there and it was two floors and a garden part and some people said that Madonna had been there right before we got there. Fred was with Rupert Everett, and Nando Scarfiotti was there, and Susan Pile and Paul Jasmin and Toni Basil. Monday, May 6, 1985: And Debbie Harry called and said that it was a big secret but that she just signed with David Geffen. And Stephen Sprouse is so happy about that because he's been turning down people like Madonna who wanted him to do clothes for her because Debbie was the one who really started Stephen and he wanted to be loyal to her, that's the kind of person he is. So now she'll be out there again. Thursday, May 9, 1985: I see there's a Soup Can dress in one of the shows on Broadway because I see it in the TV ad. I can't tell which show, maybe it's Grind. Went to Jean Michel's, picked him up (cab $6). And he's working again and his work is wonderful, it's so exciting, and I think he will last. We went to the Odeon and had dinner and talked with Steve Rubell and Eric Goode about the club openings and everything and it was fun, and Steve is getting artists to do things for his new club, the Palladium, and Keith did a backdrop that can be lowered from the ceiling down to the dance floor and Steve is sitting there saying, "If it isn't any good we just won't bring it down too often." I mean . . . (dinner $240). And then Steve's driver took us over to the Palladium and it's what the movies in the thirties were all about — dirty on the outside and then inside these white pristine columns, and everything big and lacquered, blue poles and stairs like Ziegfeld Follies girls would come down. And Clemente's painting a ceiling. But I mean, still, it's just another place to go, and Area is already so successful at this, and they change themes all the time, so I don't know. He and Ian are just "managing" the club because you can't have a police record and own a club. Like we had to be fingerprinted and checked out when we had our club. The Dom, in '65. Everyone went on to Area and I went home (cab $6). Gee, Madonna was just a waitress at the Lucky Strike a year ago. Thursday, June 6, 1985: Went over to Macy's to judge the Madonna look-alike contest. They expected 200 girls but there were only 100. They'd spent a fortune, these girls, on the clothes and jewelry. It was over pretty fast, by 5:10, and it'd started at 4:30. Went to Radio City Music Hall for Madonna's concert (cab $6). And the show was so great. Just so simple and sexy and Madonna is so pretty. Now she's thinner and just so great. And afterwards we went downstairs where there was a private party, the level with the ladies' rooms. And Madonna came down with Jean Michel — I guess he'd gone backstage. And she was fun. She said she was going to the Palladium and might go to Keith's dinner, and she was so sweet and nice. So we went and drove to Iso on 11th Street and Second and then Madonna did arrive, she came in a truck. And they sat her next to me, and she was just great. They were teasing her about her false eyelashes, saying they were bigger than Louise Nevelson's. And everyone was so thrilled, the waiters were on the floor. She was drawing cocks on Futura's pants. Thursday, July 25, 1985: Martin Burgoyne came over and invited me to be his date to the Madonna wedding in L.A. in August. Saturday, July 27, 1985: I called Keith to tell him I was invited by Martin to Madonna's wedding. Keith's invited, too. We cabbed with Paige down to Wooster and Broadway ($5). It was a party for Clemente that the Artforum girl was giving in a big beautiful loft. Bianca was there on crutches so I was glad I'd sent her flowers. She thanked me for telling her about Eizo because he helped her leg. Rammellzee the black graffiti artist was there and he threw me by saying, "Entertain me, show me why you're great." And I froze up. He has long long eyelashes. We decided to go to Il Cantinori to dinner. Monday, July 29, 1985: Keith called and said that Calvin told him that the Bel Air was for old ladies and that Steve Rubell was trying to get a deal at the Beverly Hills. For Madonna's wedding. I guess they want to be able to bring people home and I guess you can't at the Bel Air. I went to see Dr. Li and she took everything out of my pockets and tested the phone numbers that I had there for black magic. She does do that stuff. She puts your hand on your chest and you see if the energy is there. You put your arm out in front of you and she tests for resistance — you're lying there like a horizontal Hitler youth. Last week she took the stuff out and it was the same stuff I always carry. Two keys, stuff from Japan that John and Kimiko Powers gave me, and some phone numbers. Went over to Cafe Luxembourg (cab $4). Carl Bernstein was there and waved across the room. He was with three girls. And David Byrne the Talking Head was there but I never know how to talk to him. Martin Burgoyne was with us and he put his hair up and looks like a girl. He's twenty-one but he looks jaded. And Keith said that when Madonna was staying at Keith's, sleeping on his couch, the stories he could write about the people she had sex with. . . Tuesday, July 30, 1985: Ran to meet Patty Raynes and the baby. This is Marvin Davis's daughter (cab $4). She was sweet. She told me Tatum was also going to get her portrait done, so that was exciting. Fred decided he'd go to LA for Madonna's wedding with us. And later on that night Keith told me that he'd asked Yoko Ono for $200,000. I was shocked. He wanted it for his store. I said, "But Keith, you've got enough money," but he said he didn't want to sell his paintings now to get money because he thinks they'll be worth more later. And he said she said all her money was tied up, that yes, she had a lot but that it wasn't at her fingertips, and I was just shocked that he would ask, I really was, but he seemed to think nothing of it. Monday, August 5, 1985: And I want to do a Madonna headline — the Post one: "MADONNA ON NUDE PIX— 'SO WHAT?' " — and use a photograph of her from a different day that would fit right in, but Keith wants to use a photo he took of her and Sean Penn. Which is kind of grey. But I'll do it both ways. We're doing a painting together for her wedding present. Wednesday, August 14, 1985: Keith came by yesterday and he wanted to use my tracer, so I guess he knows I had one, so (laughs) I had to admit it. He had a baseball player with him. And my date for the Madonna wedding, Martin Burgoyne, is being wined and dined by People magazine because they're trying to get information about the wedding out of him — he and Madonna used to be roommates. Nobody knows where the wedding's going to be, yet. And Martin is going to have to be at the door to let all the right people in, like the important ones Sean and Madonna are running into and inviting at the last minute. Friday, August 16, 1985: It was just the most exciting weekend of my life. Martin went down to the hairdresser earlier in the day to have his hair done. We rode in a limo out to Malibu and when we saw helicopters in the distance we knew we were at the wedding. Somebody had tipped the reporters off about where the wedding was and about ten helicopters were hovering, it was like Apocalypse Now. And one helicopter had a girl hanging off with a camera and they were all trying to get in close. And the security people found camouflage-outfitted photographers in the bushes. And I looked really close at Madonna and she is beautiful. And she and Sean are just so in love. She wore white, and a black bowler hat, I don't know what that was supposed to mean. And someone said that Sean had shot at the helicopters the night before. The only boring celebrity there was Diane Keaton, really. And it was the right mixture of nobodies and celebrities. Sean came over to say hello, and the good-looking family of Madonna was there, all the brothers. And you can see Madonna and Sean love each other so much. Really, it was the most exciting thing ever. And at the wedding Steve Rubell was really out of it on I guess Quaaludes. And I think I saw Madonna kick him away from her and later he threw up in the car. She was dancing with the only little boy there. And you could see everybody who was there, it was under a tent, it wasn't too crowded. And those young actors seemed like they were in their fathers' suits, like Emilio Estevez and Tom Cruise. All those movie-star boys with the strong legs who're 5' 10" or so. I guess that's the new Hollywood look. Like the actors in Matthew Rolston's big photo spread in the Stallone issue. Have I said how great that looked? Matthew is our best photographer now — he uses good locations and gives the kids "a look." He made these new kids look stunning — like stars — he gave them all class. Oh, and as we were leaving I just couldn't believe my eyes because Tom Cruise jumped into our car to get away from photographers. His car was down the road. I took a picture of him. Fred and I thought Marisa's wedding was more glamorous, but this one was spectacular because of the helicopters. Saturday, August 17, 1985: So we went over to Cher's and the door opened and they let us in, but we could see that Cher and her boyfriend were shocked to see us. And Cher served good pork and beans and she wouldn't say what the secret was, and finally she admitted it was that she opened a can of Campbell's and poured in a lot of hot sauce. The little Allman boy, Elijah, was being a brat and going around cutting the buds off every flower, any one that was just about to open. And Cher was funny, she told a story about this crane that came and stayed two days and ate all the fish. And then later on we went to Lisa Love's and she said, "Gee, a crane just landed in my yard and he's eating all the fish." So the crane gets around. And she told us that at the wedding Madonna had asked her how to cut the cake. Cher said, "As if I know." And then Madonna was asking people if she should put the cake on plates, and she was just handing it to everyone in her hand. You know, being "earthy." Wednesday, September 4, 1985: Went to Keith's party in his new loft (cab $3). And Keith had a good group, too, a lot of girls. Martin Burgoyne was there and he told me that Madonna was upset because we let People photograph the paintings Keith and I gave her for a wedding present. They'd called me and I said no but then I told them that if they wanted to try Keith they should just call him. So Martin said Madonna hates us for that and I told Martin he should've made her not hate us. Saturday, September 7, 1985: Wilfredo came by the office and helped me. It seems like Interview's doing Madonna for the Christmas cover. She'll be interviewed by Sean Penn and another person. I got my pictures of the wedding back from Chris's ex-assistant Terry who's making prints for me now, and Madonna really knows how to do her makeup in that great Hollywood way. Somebody must have showed her or always does it for her — everything painted just perfectly. Sean's going to be the new Dustin Hoffman. He'll be around a long time. Thursday, October 24, 1985: Cabbed to the Palladium for Debbie Harry's party ($6) for her song that Jellybean produced, "Feel the Spin." When Debbie arrived, she saw us in the balcony and came up there because she thought it was the place to (laughs) be, and then it was the place to be because all the photographers came after her. She looks great. Debbie actually was the first Madonna. Thursday, November 14, 1985: Yoko Ono's boyfriend or husband Sam called and said Yoko was having an impromptu dinner for Bob Dylan. I invited Sam Bolton, Fred's secretary, to go with me. Went home and watched Entertainment Tonight while I got ready. And they had on the thing for Dylan at the Whitney the night before which I hadn't gone to, but after seeing this program I felt like I had. They were asking all these people how Dylan had influenced them. And I didn't know that he's sold thirty million records. Sam picked me up and we went over there (cab $8). And we had to take off our shoes and now I do, but I had a hole in my sock. And we went in and it really was heavy-duty, everyone in a circle. The food was all store-bought — cut-up chicken. And David Bowie was there and I was disappointed, his suit was too modem. Everybody had champagne but nobody really drank it. Madonna arrived and she had just seen Paul's movie Mixed Blood because that friend of hers is in it. Bobby. She said she was so relieved her husband Sean wasn't with her so she could really have fun. And she felt uncomfortable without her shoes because she didn't have socks — she said she'd feel more comfortable with her top off than her shoes off. Yoko had Sean bring out a poster for everybody to sign, a donation for someplace, and he looked closely at every signature because he was confused who all the people were. Friday, December 6, 1985: Worked till 8:30, then went to Schnabel's at 20th and Park. It was so glamorous, the Christmas tree was up. Fred was there, in an art mood. Dinner was catered by Il Cantinori. The girls were absolutely all wearing the shortest shirts ever and then the Madonna stockings. Marisa Berenson was in a black miniskirt. She has the right body. Those boy asses. And Schnabel's wife, too, she had one twenty inches above her knee. Wednesday, January 1, 1986: Sam is so devoted to me, and I guess it's because I've spoiled him. Fred warned me not to turn Sam's head, but on our first outing I took him to Yoko Ono's and he got to sit there with Dylan and David Bowie and Madonna and that put the zap on his head and now he's starstruck. Saturday April 26, 1986: And Christopher Kennedy was around, he's so cute. Jackie was sitting with Bettina. And Marc Bohan. I didn't look at Jackie, I felt too funny. Then there was dancing and music. Peter Duchin and his wife. He was (laughs) going off to do another party. He works so hard. Grace began dancing and it was like in a movie, everybody stopped to watch. She was dancing with a little boy. We were at Joe Kennedy's table with his wife. Talked to Nancy Collins. I asked her if she was covering it and she said, "Oh no no no. This is a personal thing. " She was best friends with Maria, I don't know when. We talked about the Stallone piece she did for Rolling Stone, which wasn't much, and she was annoyed with Stallone, she said he put her off six times and then didn't give her much time. But he only gave PH an hour and Interview's was really great, unusual. I was trying to take pictures but I couldn't get in there and really shove. Arnold's body-building friends had cameras and so the Kennedys couldn't really stop them, but they had their own photographer and they would say, "Oh, Chuck, would you come and take this picture?" And so then the pictures all belonged to the Kennedys. Like at Madonna's wedding, they should have let guests take pictures because people at a wedding, they'd just be doing it for themselves anyway. Maybe years later you'd use them but you wouldn't rush them to the New York Post in the morning. Wednesday, August 6, 1986: The day got strange when Kenny Scharf called and said that Martin Burgoyne was with his family in Florida, sick. That what they thought was the measles wasn't. And I said that the people we knew who had "it" had had the best care money can buy, and they were the first to go, so I didn't know what to say. And Florida seems like a healthy place to be. Madonna was in the papers buying books on Columbus Avenue for "a sick friend" so I guess that was Martin. Tuesday, August 26, 1986: Martin Burgoyne called and said he'd come over with a photograph of him and Madonna that I could use for my drawing, but I said he should rest and save his energy, that I'd have it picked up for him. Thursday, August 28, 1986: Linda Stein cancelled my tickets to see Madonna in the David Rabe play. Goose and TomTom. She said her ex-husband Seymour said I was "press" and wouldn't let me come. They're all alike, those record people, so she's on my shit list now. Martin and Keith are going. Saturday, August 30, 1986: Martin called me in the morning and he wanted to give me his ticket to Madonna's play. He'd already seen it and was too tired to sit through it again, but he said he'd meet me afterwards and take me to the party at Sardi's. Worked till 7:00. Went to the Mitzi Newhouse Theater (cab $6). The best thing about the play was the costumes which were done by Kevin Doman who was once the fashion editor at Interview, our first. Madonna changes outfits all the time, from one beautiful one to another one. And Sean Penn wore a gun holster and fuschia socks and shoes. The play was like a Charles Ludlam, abstract. Madonna was good when she wasn't trying to be Judy Holliday or Marilyn. She chewed gum through the whole two hours and I did, too. She was blowing bubbles and everything. They didn't do any curtain calls. Liza was there and I went over and said hello, and after reading in the Enquirer that she weighed 200 pounds, she wasn't fat at all, really. Marc Balet was there and I got mad at Kevin because here he'd gotten Marc two tickets and hadn't offered me one. After the play Martin met me backstage and there was a big candy chocolate leg there from Krön and everybody was eating it, and Martin was, too. And it's so sad, he has sores all over his face, but it was kind of great to see Madonna eating the leg, too, and not caring that she might catch something. Martin would bite and then Madonna would bite. I like Martin, he's sweet. We went in Madonna and Sean's limo to Sardi's. The big bodyguards were with them and they said to the photographers, "If you take one picture we'll kill you." And there was Ron Galella and I felt bad, but what could I do? Warren Beatty came over and said, "Hi, how are ya?" He looks old, he doesn't look good, but I think he looks unattractive on purpose, because if he just did a few things he could be a knockout again. At 2:00 I left and went to Broadway myself and got a cab, and none of the photographers cared because I was alone (cab $6). Thursday, September 4, 1986: Worked till 8:00. Took Wilfredo and Sam with me to dinner at Castellano with Philip Johnson and David Whitney. David wasn't drinking so he was reserved. Philip was thrilled with the young kids. We walked back to Philip and David's apartment and they invited us up, it was the first time they were having people, and some kids were coming out of the building as we were going in and they yelled dirty things like, "You're going up to fuck." It was great up there, my Cow wallpaper in the bathroom. And it's kind of great, their life, eating at the same restaurant every night. Then we went downtown to the benefit for Martin Burgoyne at the Pyramid on Avenue A (cab $8, admission $30). Martin gave us big kisses and that threw me for a loop. Stayed five minutes. Madonna had been there and left. Thursday, September 25, 1986: Called Keith to get Martin Burgoyne's number. I said we really wanted Sean Penn for the cover and Martin offered to talk to him. Cabbed to 52nd Street to meet Sam to see Shanghai Surprise ($5). I was the only one awake in the theater but the movie isn't bad. Madonna was beautiful, the clothes were great. Sam dropped me (cab $4). Monday, October 13, 1986: I got the Enquirer with Sean and Madonna on the cover and it was about Martin, how he was once Madonna's roommate and how he now has AIDS. And then Martin called me, and it must be so horrible to read this article about yourself where it says you're dying. Sunday, November 9, 1986: Watched MTV — the rebroadcast of our Fifteen Minutes show — to see if it had aged well, and it did still look current, it looked modem. We've got to get the colors brighter, though. I've got to work on that. It should look the way Madonna looks in her "Papa Don't Preach" video where she's dancing like Marilyn or Kim Novak. Those strong colors. Blond hair and orange lipstick on black. Monday, November 10, 1986: It was the night of the Barneys fashion show benefit for AIDS in the women's shop. Wilfredo was going and at first Sam said he didn't want to go but then when he heard Madonna was going to be there he felt he might. We went over (cab $8) and we asked if Madonna was there yet and they said no, but she must have come in some disguise because when Iman came down the stairs. Madonna swooped in front of her and then all the photographers swooped after Madonna. The show was good, great jackets. Good ideas. Everybody was in the show — Joey Arias and John Sex and the girl with the shape, Dianne Brill, and Teresa Scharf. Madonna had on Martin Burgoyne's denim jacket. And then as we were leaving Chris Makos shoved some nuns at me for a picture and then somebody else started to take the picture and he screamed at the guy, "It's my picture, I set it up!" They were from St. Vincent's, the benefit was for them. Saturday, November 29, 1986: Then Katy Ford and her husband Andre Balazs took me to the Miss Olympia contest at the Felt Forum, and afterwards we went to Tommy Tang's down on Duane Street. It was fun. Richard Johnson of Page Six was with us and he said that when he was working at the newsroom of the Post he got a phone call and it was Timothy Hutton saying, "Hello, this is Timothy Hutton. Did anyone there call me?" And Richard asked around and everybody said no. And then Timothy Hutton asked, "Well did anyone call Madonna?" I guess she was with him. You know how these things are, you get a message with a number. And they said no. And so then he said, "Well where is it that I'm calling?" And they said, "The New York Post. And since we've got you on the phone, what are you doing with Madonna?" And he hung up fast. Tuesday, December 2, 1986: Worked with Rupert then the rains came and they went on all day. I asked Wilfredo to Cornelia's birthday party so he had to go home and change. Cornelia's on the cover of Spy. Worked till 8:30. Talked to Keith. There was a wake for Martin that I guess Madonna was giving. It was too hard to get around, though, so I skipped all that. Put black tie on, and Wilfredo picked me up and we went to Cornelia's and it was such a horrible party (cab $8). They treated Wilfredo badly, he had to sit on the side and I was next to Tony Peck. He said he'd been on a cruise with Dianne Brill and when I just asked if he fucked her he got upset, I don't know why.

Of course she's Madonna and has the final say over her final product and the way she presents herself to the world. But some of that blaming is legit and other is not, in my opinion. Warner Circa 2008/2009: not gonna lie, I was one of those that thought Warner was abandoning her. The "Hard Candy" promotion after the first single wasn't the best and by the time "Miles Away" was released and was a major flop (except in Japan) something was off. I guess they gave up, since she was leaving anyway. Looking back, I was wrong about Warner, the way they promoted the hell out of everything, at least for the 1st single of every album, was amazing. You couldn't not know Madonna was back with "American Life" (the single), "Hung Up" (of course) or "4 Minutes". For the album release time, they were everywhere and Warner did a great job with that. Also, they did great keeping relationships (payola? ahem) with radio, the fact she had a radio and commercial hit with a new song ("4 Minutes") at 49... that's almost impossible today and syncs, "4 Minutes" was used in different series and ads around the world. That's exposure and money. Interscope: again, it looked promising at the beginning. It was Gaga's label and Gaga was on top of the world back then. We all thought Madonna was going to be treated like priority. How wrong we were. In the end, the Interscope was just a distribution deal, as part of the Live Nation deal. Basically Universal agreed to distribute her albums and just that. They kicked off things with the radio deal for "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (giving her her final Top 10 single on the US Billboard chart), but that was it. The effort put in promotion was below minimum. They didn't do sync deals (series, ads) or anything for her, so her profile went lower and lower with each album. Interscope were not on her side, they didn't give a f**k about her (probably cause it wasn't "her" artist anyway, so why do more than the minimum agreed as part of the Live Nation deal?). Guy Oseary: he was a great A&R man when she discovered Alanis Morissette. No doubt he was a great help and supporter for her before becoming her full time manager (full time until he decided to share her with a million other projects). In the last decade, he's been good with money and deals and that was helpful for her after the 2008 divorce, I guess. Apart from that, like Janet would say: "What have you done for me lately?". Cause I can only think of the NFT s***y stuff to get her some coin. She's been basically on hew own for quite some time now. But of course maybe there are things behind the scenes that we don't get to see. Ricardo: of course the final say about the pictures is her. But he opened the extreme filter door to her, which she previously didn't know or do before him. I have no problem with airbrushing or filters, of course Instagram or a photoshoot is all a "lie" anyway. It's just that I don't think she needs it (she looked beautiful in the natural picture and videos of the latest Pride performance). But of course it's her choice. (Gotta say I like Ricardo's style, and the videos he's done for her are cool, I like them. It's just the extreme retouching sometimes). Bonus blame: the boyfriend of that particular time. Won't go there cause that is her personal life, anyway, so I don't think is fair to judge. She's an independent, strong, decision making woman, that's for sure. But you can't deny the influence of other factors around her... she's not a little indie artist. She's Madonna.

I remember clearly when M left Warner for Interscope most of her fanbase was so happy cause they blamed Warner for bad management, and now people blame Interscope for bad management and are happy she's back with Warner... just like they blame Guy Oseary for bad management too... It's been years i hear complaints about her being the victim of bad management from everyone around her. Sorry but i seriously begin to question myself. What if things are excatly like how M herself want them to be ? and when fans don't get what they want they blame someone else around her. To me she's still in control of her artistic and business decisions like she's always been for more than 35 years. Of course sometimes a label can put some pressure for her to release another single than the one she had chosen but overall i di believe she's not a puppet who let her being told everything she has to do when she doesn't agree. Now we also blame Ricardo Gomest for flitering the pics M put HERSLEF on her instagram account. So she is blind now and she doesn't see the heavy filters ? Have you seen that behind the scene video on the "Frozen on fire" video shoot when Ricardo tells her he wants her to film more scene on a particular set and she clearly tell him "No, i don't want to, i'm not doing it", so you want me to believe she would be afraid to tell him "What have you done on my face on those pics, i don't like it, i'm not posting it" ?! What's next ? We're gonna blame Kim Kardashian for her bad influence on M ass cheeks surgery ? Sorry but those Warner/Interscope/GuyO/Gomest blaming is getting really tired imo. She's Madonna, the woman who has never been afraid to say f*** You to anyone in their face.

This is a ridiculous assessment of Guy. He has been very successful and effective as M's manager - what has he done for her lately? He lead her return back to Warner and facilitated the catalogue reissue deal which has already made M fans happy. Guy is heavily involved in everything M does from the bio-pic to the Frozen remixes to the NFT art and the everything for Finally Enough Love etc

Yes Madonna is the decision maker, always has been and always will be. Yes her management, team and Warner have some influence however it is Madonna that has the final say.

Bobby Martinez, he was a Puerto Rican teenager who Keith Haring introduced to Madonna in 1983. He then became her lover for a few years. Bobby was interviewed for the 1991 book Madonna: Unauthorized by Christopher Andersen. He talked about their relationship. He said Sean Penn stalked with him a gun at the Palladium in 1985. Bobby and Warhol at the Factory in 1984 Bobby, Keith and Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Factory in 1984. Photo by Warhol Bobby by Warhol at Keith's studio in 1984. Check out Madonna's Boy Toy tag on his jacket. He also used that tag and apparently it refers to him. Keith, Bobby and Basquiat in 1985. Photo by Warhol Madonna and Bobby on June 11, 1985. This looks like it might be Bobby with Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier around late 1989

Causing a Commotion is that bitch. If you can’t bop to it, then you can’t be a Madonna fan. It’s in the contract.

If someone asked me what the worst Top 10 80's song was, I'd have to say it's a tie between We Built This City and Causing a Commotion.

she had control but not on everything. Remember what she said to Guy, something like "do you remember when we weren't forced to work in bootcamp" it says a lot about the obligations that were imposed on her with the deal

The duality of Like A Prayer album

Lost her contacts again

I’ll show you versatility when Santino wins a sewing challenge and Visage wears a f**kin turtle neck

I think there's a level of attention to detail that's missing and I think that comes down to the music industry not making the money it used to. This means she doesn't have the expansive team of people she used to. It also accounts for the weird marketing strategies that are just out of touch with society like Meerkat, Grindr, WOW NFTs, and exorbitant ticket prices for an underfunded, underdeveloped theatre show. Instead of using choreographers, I'll just let my dancers be the choreographers. Instead of photoshoots for single covers, ill just have someone photoshop an iPhone pic from my instagram or get a fan artwork. Instead of getting a mastering engineer, ill just let the mixer also do the mastering. Instead of remastering tracks from the stems, I'll just have them remaster the audio file from these cds. I think it's impossible for her to have this level of detail for herself while also having SIX kids. I dont think she's changed her approach. So yeah... I do think it's other people's fault. But it's also just a consequence of the failing music industry.

No, it was edits of all the tracks, so that's why the whole album was considered #1:

All this bad taste we have seen lately on several matters, I blame her, not anybody else. She should know better. But I think she has not been feeling ok for a while and is in total Fuck everybody state of mind and rage after losing her place to the public eye and now it´s like she wants people to be mad the most she can.

So Bitch I'm Madonna was actually a shoutout to her canine fans. It's all starting to make sense now...

Yes It's likely how it happened. Plastic surgery is actually a very interesting topic to me, I'd love discussing about it more in the future, but I know it's controversial to speculate about what someone may have done to their face/body. I completely agree on the "her body = her choice" stance and saying if the procedure is good or not is up to the person having it in my opinion. I think a topic about M's plastic surgeries would quickly get locked because of the behavior of some, but in insight the evolution of Madonna's appearance has always been a fascinating subject of discussion to me.

Fact: I was a superfan until the DJ played the Silver Screen Mix of CAC at a school disco in the fall of '87. That remix made me a megafan!

Causing a Commotion came out decades before Gaga and her antics. Get real. It was pure 80's pop-disco fusion.

Happy.... Nothing, I'm just happy... True Blue 36th Anniversary Madame X topping the Billboard 200 29th of June 2019, making it her 9th #1 album.

I think she has most of the responsibility. But at her level you can't make it alone, so her management and creative team is to blame because they are not strong enough to give the good advice. Which is something that Liz was able to do. Ricardo might not be the one who decides the level of photoshop, but he is no Herb Ritts, and definitely doesn't have the artistic stature to say "no" or suggest a different direction.

Fuck this never-ending thread!

Finally Not Enough Topic Changes

I'll be a child.... if they're beaten up by a pop star....

Actually Into The Groove just represents its self since it was No1 in the dance chart.

The Sliver Screen Single Mix is just pure perfection. Ughhh...

The rebel nipple that raised the entire pop industry is back in business

It's not included. The official press release mentioned it was honored on this year's Record Store Day release, the "Who's That Girl Super Club Mix" vinyl. In advance of the debut of FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE in June, one of the 50 chart toppers – “Causing A Commotion” – was spotlighted early as an exclusive release for this year’s Record Store Day on April 23. Three remixes of the track appeared on the limited edition, five-track, red vinyl 12” EP Who’s That Girl Super Club Mix. She's not that keen on that song, for some reason. The compilation includes her faves.

We didn’t know how good we had it at Warners till MDNA happened. None of the Interscope singles went top 10 in the UK, yet Celebration was a top 10 hit! Her relationship with radios across the globe was totally different post Warner. Even her releases were handled differently, or better yet, unprofessionally. Remember the Living For Love fiasco in the UK? Also, a lot of the complaints about Warner came from US fans, as Europe and Japan had a much larger promotional tour for Confessions compared to the US. They also didn’t promote her enough on adult contemporary radio which would have been a more successful radio format for her last 3 WB albums instead of top 40 radio. They waited till “Jump” to push her on A/C radio 🙃

All the tracks from "You Can Dance" were #1 as a whole.

"You Can Dance" Single Edits did, as a whole. That's why "Everybody", "Physical Attraction" and "Into The Groove", on their You Can Dance edits, are included on this compilation, representing that #1.

Well ppl will always find someone to blame its human nature

I can't remember where I read about it, but the tracklist was mostly the remixes we had in the singles apart from the ROL Orbit's full version and a longer Frozen mix version.

Glad I’m not the only who thinks people who wear sunglasses inside are weird

Seymour Stein wrote in his 2018 book Siren Song: My Life in Music that Madonna went behind Martin's back and discreetly asked A&R executive Michael Rosenblatt to reject his sleeve design for her debut album because she didn't think it wasn't iconic enough. Other than that they seemed to have a good friendship. She tried to make his last months as comfortable as she could for him. Martin was instrumental in her early career so I guess that was her way of showing her love and appreciation for him. Martin seemed sweet, which even Warhol said in the August 30, 1986 diary entry above. Reading the mentions of Madonna I noticed that most of her interactions with Warhol were due to them hanging out with mutual friends. I haven't read about them hanging just the two of them as friends. He didn't mention talking on the phone with Madonna or her inviting him personally to events. Warhol seemed closer to Martin. Martin invited him to Madonna's wedding as his date, she didn't send him his own invitation. I've never seen a picture of them together either which is strange since they spent time together with friends and attended the same events on numerous occasions. Warhol took photos of her but she didn't even get a famous Polaroid taken by him like he did other friends and celebrities. Martin and Warhol by Paige Powell in 1986 Tama Janowitz, Kenny Scharf, Tina Chow, Martin and Warhol at Mr Chow in 1986. Photo by Patrick McMullan Martin, Debbie Harry and Tama Janowitz by Warhol in 1986 Martin, Keith, and Joe Dietrich at Warhol's birthday dinner at Mr Chow in 1985. Photo by Warhol Martin, Joey Arias and Basquiat at Rockefeller Center in 1985. Photo by Warhol Martin and Keith by Warhol in 1985 Martin by Warhol in 1985 Martin in Los Angeles for Madonna's wedding in 1985. Photo by Warhol

For a celebrity whose relied so heavily on image it amuses me that some fans always want to shut down discussion about it if it isn't in agreement with their opinion

This ass was perfect 😭

love it when a stan loses their shit

They kinda hinted LiveNation offered her more money they were open to offer her. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/oct/11/musicnews.digitalmedia "It is understood that Warner walked away from talks about a new contract with Madonna last week after deciding that matching Live Nation's offer would not make financial sense and would let down shareholders. Warner's head Edgar Bronfman Jr has not referred specifically to Madonna's departure but did make his stance on such negotiations clear in a recent speech. "If a deal doesn't pencil out in a way that meets the needs of artists within a framework of financial discipline we're more likely to walk," he said. Peter Ruppert, founder of music consultancy Entertainment Media Research said the deal should not throw music industry models into question given that Madonna's contract was unlikely to be widely replicated. "It's not a wake-up call for the industry. It's a ridiculous deal," he said."

@Dj Garrido The real compilation would be 56 tracks (without counting twice "Into The Groove" and "Holiday").

I’m surprised so many people claim they can hear such a difference

Ha I guess this debate will go on forever especially since we’re rarely privy to how these decisions are made. I don’t think guy is a bad manager when it comes to stuff she’s directly in charge of but the stuff she surely relies on her management for. For example I don’t think she decided to stop releasing 12” singles after leaving Warner or the messy digital rollout of MadameX just to give a couple examples of how her product is not properly delivered. After all these years she does trust her I'm sure he has a certain influence over her (NFTs cough cough). And you’re proving that in your post. Madonna wanted one cover while him/Warner wanted something else. It seems like they managed to compromise. Saying Madonna does what is wants is a bit reductive. I’m sure she relies on management and label for a lot of her decisions

Probably the full ROL version will finally get a release since she’s mentioned how much she loves it quite a few times

Great OP and great posts, wish there were more posts like this here. Thanks.

The Grills are still a thing after 10 years 😂