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Question for the old school Madge fans


PrinceAli89
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I started in 1984,,,It was amazing. I remember how things were exciting as they were released because we didnt have the internet then to leak everything.  Also the excitement of waiting outside SamTheRecordMan stores for brand new releases. Oh and the digging through piles of records and cassettes... and the maxi singles,,,and magazines and posters and and and ....

the controversies..the news reports.. it is a blessing to have grown up with her

Like a Prayer and Blond Ambition ruined me for life. It got into my bloodstream and hooked me on a Madonna path for the rest of my life!

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For me, from the U.S, I felt her peak was "Vogue".  Of course, she still scored big hits after that, but it seemed whatever she did up until "Vogue" became "gold", she could do no wrong.  After "Vogue", it seemed it started to become more "hit and miss".

All before the 90's, she was everywhere.  Radio loved her.  You walk into a record store, and you'd find posters and albums everywhere.  Madonna was one of the biggest artists among the MTV generation. In fact, some claim that she and Michael Jackson put the "M" in MTV. 

When she first burst-ed onto the scene, she was considered a "one hit wonder" and Cyndi Lauper was said to be the one to have a big career ahead of her. While Cyndi didn't go on to Mega stardom like Madonna, she isn't really complaining as she didn't want a career like Madonna's. 

I wouldn't say she was "hated by the general public" when she released EROTICA, but it was probably one of her lowest moments when it comes to the public.  Though, I think what happened is that Madonna started to really gain a diverse fan base.  Her first division among the fan base was when she first released True Blue.  Before then, she was a big hit among teen girls.  Of course, she had a lot of guys loving her, but by TRUE BLUE, she started to gain more of a guy fan base, especially among Gay teens and men.  It only grew throughout the years.  "Vogue" was a big moment for her as she seemed to attract all sorts of people whether they were gay, straight, hetero, male or female. 

Not to say, even during the period of '85 and '90, she didn't gain heavy criticism, but she had radio and mainstream music support.  Even in the 80's, she was considered an astute business woman.  She knew exactly what would gran people's attention and make the most of her money.  During this time, she was also noted as someone who as able to change their image and even music and still be quite successful.  There always people popping up as the "new Madonna", but Madonna would only overshadow them as becoming known as the "New Madonna".  TRUE BLUE album was the first of many incarnations of the "NEW MADONNA".

After "Erotica", it seemed she was able to score well with ballad type songs. Before this, many just thought she was a sex filled tramp, and "Justify My Love" and "Erotica", using sex to sell her music... which only justified the criticism.

She managed to turn her persona around with EVITA and then her follow up studio album "Ray of Light".   While radio started to be more hesitant in playing her music, she still was considered phenomenal.  She was the female entertainer to be and see.  More and more, people looked up to her and wanted to model their career after her. That managed to spill over into the new millennium.  It wasn't until AMERICAN LIFE era, she suffered a huge sales decrease and support from the public.  To me, it wasn't the music, but a lot factored into it.. such as the political climate and her age. In fact, age cropped up even in the 90's as many felt once you hit 30's or 40's, you are history in the entertainment industry.  She among other movie stars defied that.  And currently, she's still trying to defy that. 

 

 

 

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During Erotica era, I was only a tween, but I remember very well how crazy the last months of 1993 were here in Brazil, because Madonna and Michael Jackson were about to come here for the very first time, she in November and he in October. So of course there was no backslash against her here during that phase.

According to local newspapers from back then, she could barely leave the hotel, either in Rio or Sao Paulo, because of the huge crowd of fans and paparazzi camping in front of it, waiting for her to appear. She used doubles to mislead people, so she could leave her hotel; once she tried to go to the beach wearing a black wig as a disguise, but she was recognized by people there who thought it was very odd for a person lying on the beach to be surrounded by bodyguards.

From people's testimony, they tried everything to get her attention in front of the hotels, including girls showing their breasts to the employees so they would allow them to get into the hotels, and other ones doing juggling and fire eating. A truly circus :D

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I became a Madonna fan in 2000 and I remember clearly how people around me talked about her age as being old. Sure there was Christina, Britney, and J Lo and they were considered 'the new thing' but I wasn't very attracted to what they did. I believe the Ray of Light days and the Music era were definitely the last time she would be consistently played on the radio, even her remixes were popular. 

Another aspect I can recall is feeling intimidated by people who would criticize others for listening to Madonna as she was, is and will always be considered 'an artist who mainly attracts gays'... and that's not very far from the truth but 18 years ago this was still a controversial topic. Thank God society has evolved a little bit.

Another insteresting fact about being an old school fan is that if you did not live in Europe or the United States Madonna would probably never visit your country with her tours. Fortunately this feeling finished in 2008.

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The peak in Italy was 1987. Especially the RAI broadcast, still one of the most viewed television events (14 million!).

She was everywhere. You could find a radio playing WTG at every moment of the day. Everybody loved her. During the years, as @Liamsaid, her fan base became a more specific type (mostly gay men). But still at her concert you can see those old fans: women, straight, everyone. Now if you are a Madonna fan you are easily labelled as gay (although it is not always true). Not happening in 1986.

I remember that the theatres showing Who's that girl movie were crowed! People loved it so much.

Of course one of my favourite pasttimes was to stay in front of the tv to see one of her videos. I started having a VHR in 1988 and my first vhs was a collection of her video, which included Gambler that I still could not find as a record. Very difficult moment was Dear Jessie, which didn't air in Italy, so I only saw it by chance in black and white because my granda's tv captured a low signal from Mtv. Seems incredible now.

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It was difficult being a Madonna fan in a repressed, abusive household that pretended to the local community it was a happy Catholic household. When LAP came out I became obsessed with the imagery as at that time I was being forced to go to church although I didn't believe in anything and I felt my family were hypocritical for forcing me. So whilst sitting there I'd think of burning crosses and a half naked woman dancing in a church. Then I was banned from watching TV, reading magazines and listening to the radio. I'd have to hide to do it and started stealing magazines from the shops and hiding them under the bed or hearing the neighbours' radio. By the time Erotica came out, at home she was considered filth. I'd wake up early and sneak downstairs to watch MTV just to find out what it was I was banned from. At school (catholic school that is) they called her filth, whore and trash but they all watched the videos and had the cassette and had seen In Bed with Madonna too, so I felt they were hypocritical too. It was though being a fan and sticking to what I felt was true, even at such a young age. She was fascinating, fearless and her fuck you attitude was everything I wanted to say to all the small minded idiots around me. By the time Evita came out I'd left home and it was interesting seeing people's perception change. And the ROL and Music further helped. She was a mother now too and at that time she didn't look back on her back catalogue. I think people got the idea she felt Erotica and Sex were mistakes and she would rather forget it. To me at least, 1998 Madonna seemed so far away from Boy Toy, Rebellious Catholic and Sex Madonna that I never would've imagined that side of her returning after her second divorce. Leaving home allowed me to read, watch and listen to whatever I wanted and it was great hearing her on radio all the time, being played in clubs, seeing her videos and on magazine covers. She looked gorgeous, her hair had never been that long in her career and I was so fascinated by this creature. Each era was so unique and amazing and felt like she had something different to say each time. Erotica, from my perspective, was a really low point, hearing people at home and at school talk about her that way but still watching everything she did. 

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36 minutes ago, AspergerArtist said:

It was difficult being a Madonna fan in a repressed, abusive household that pretended to the local community it was a happy Catholic household. When LAP came out I became obsessed with the imagery as at that time I was being forced to go to church although I didn't believe in anything and I felt my family were hypocritical for forcing me. So whilst sitting there I'd think of burning crosses and a half naked woman dancing in a church. Then I was banned from watching TV, reading magazines and listening to the radio. I'd have to hide to do it and started stealing magazines from the shops and hiding them under the bed or hearing the neighbours' radio. By the time Erotica came out, at home she was considered filth. I'd wake up early and sneak downstairs to watch MTV just to find out what it was I was banned from. At school (catholic school that is) they called her filth, whore and trash but they all watched the videos and had the cassette and had seen In Bed with Madonna too, so I felt they were hypocritical too. It was though being a fan and sticking to what I felt was true, even at such a young age. She was fascinating, fearless and her fuck you attitude was everything I wanted to say to all the small minded idiots around me. By the time Evita came out I'd left home and it was interesting seeing people's perception change. And the ROL and Music further helped. She was a mother now too and at that time she didn't look back on her back catalogue. I think people got the idea she felt Erotica and Sex were mistakes and she would rather forget it. To me at least, 1998 Madonna seemed so far away from Boy Toy, Rebellious Catholic and Sex Madonna that I never would've imagined that side of her returning after her second divorce. Leaving home allowed me to read, watch and listen to whatever I wanted and it was great hearing her on radio all the time, being played in clubs, seeing her videos and on magazine covers. She looked gorgeous, her hair had never been that long in her career and I was so fascinated by this creature. Each era was so unique and amazing and felt like she had something different to say each time. Erotica, from my perspective, was a really low point, hearing people at home and at school talk about her that way but still watching everything she did. 

Wow! What a story. I can't imagine someone keeping me from hearing or seeing Madonna.  Though, I know there were some very uptight people who kept their kids from watching anything like her.  I'm just glad my parents really didn't pay much mind to the mindset of others, regarding Madonna. Then again, I was a teen by the time, I was a huge fan.  Also, no one in my family felt like someone like Madonna was going to influence anyone in a bad way. They saw her as an entertainer and knew that much of what she was doing was part of the show.

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It was tough being a Madonna fan 1992-1997 in the UK. At school, I was constantly ridiculed and bullied for being a Madonna fan (not that I cared!) and the press were incredibly vicious to her until Evita. I actually remember an article headline that read 'IS IT TIME TO START LIKING MADONNA?' around the time Evita was released. She was pretty much worshipped in the UK 1998 - 2006 (mostly due to her living in the UK) and then the tide turned against her once she left Guy Richie. My favourite M era will always be the 90s.

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It was wonderful! The anticipation for every new record was intoxicating, like when Like a Prayer was about to debut and Pepsi commercials were teased on TV. By the time Vogue came out her fans were in Cloud 9!!! we were trying to get a hold of anything and everything: lyrics, music videos, cassette tapes, vinysl, magazine clippings! And there was NO INTERNET!! NO SOCIAL MEDIA!! and yet she was the most talked about entertainer next to MJ.

Erotica/SEX actually changed the game. I remember a list in a 1993/1994 magazine reading: "OUTS: Madonna INS: Mocking Madonna". Now she was ridiculed and vilified way more than the usual and she actually lost a lot of her not-so-loyal fanbase (prudes!)...but the gays remained by her side so for a while she became our little underdog Ditta, so those were good times too.

 

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The momentum in the late 80s early 90s was really fun to see. I was so so young but very aware. Her new LAP album and it’s singles, the music videos, the tour, the interviews, Dick Tracey, Vogue, Truth or Dare... it was just so much. It was difficult to not be a fan because EVERYONE was talking about her. I rememebr the headlines in the Toronto newspaper during BAT. I asked my dad if we had the money to bust her out of jail.

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I love reading these stories.. more more more!

 

Someone mentioned being ridiculed in school because of being a Madonna fan. I know how that felt, I didn't care either. I would walk around voguing lol .. I grew up in a Christian home and still consider myself to be one, my Mom though she was against rock music in general, didn't stop me from listening, watching or smattering my walls with Madonna posters. I remember the time she brought home to me a maroon colored sweatshirt with Madonna standing in front of burning crosses,,,I think I wore it every day for a month to school..I am sure it smelled bad! ...or would give me money to travel 4 hours to shop the record stores for new Madonna... my mom didn't have a clue what she was feeding me - MADONNA!  My grandmother was just as bad...she bought me so many things of Madonna LOL

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I was a kid in the 80's and had some cassettes of hers.  But when I saw the Blond Ambition Tour, I became obsessed. Madonna was everywhere.  Literally!  On the radio (Vogue), in the movie theaters (Dick Tracy) and live on stage (Blond Ambition Tour).  This is still my favorite era of hers.

With regards to the Erotica era, things were very different.  I was 15 y.o. and still a totally obsessed fan but not everyone shared in my adoration.  The thing about this era that I look back so fondly on though is how brave I was. Despite the backlash, I would always wear a Madonna tshirt.  Once I wore a shirt that said S E X with Madonna's image in the letters to a baseball game!  I used to always wear Madonna tshirts to the Jersey Shore Boardwalk!  Hahaha.  People would call me names and heckle me.  I was called a faggot and everything.  But I didn't care!  Erotica era Madonna made me feel so empowered!

 

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6 hours ago, rlittler81 said:

It was tough being a Madonna fan 1992-1997 in the UK. At school, I was constantly ridiculed and bullied for being a Madonna fan (not that I cared!) and the press were incredibly vicious to her until Evita. I actually remember an article headline that read 'IS IT TIME TO START LIKING MADONNA?' around the time Evita was released. She was pretty much worshipped in the UK 1998 - 2006 (mostly due to her living in the UK) and then the tide turned against her once she left Guy Richie. My favourite M era will always be the 90s.

It was so unreal to have her living in London. For so long she was like this mythical being and then suddenly she was a bus ride away just living her life, going to yoga, hanging out at the Punch Bowl or in Hyde Park. I do feel bad when I think she was unhappy in her marriage though. 

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I think she was the first foreign female artist that I listened to in the middle of the 90s while I was a kid. I had no idea what she was singing about, but her music was catchy and hypnotizing. I don't really remember ROL era, because I didn't really pay attention to her and I was more into Britney, Spice Girls and one hit wonders. However, I felt some kind of unexplainable respect. She was Madonna, a different kind of pop star who was above other pop artists. In the beginning of the 2000s I used to watch channels and TV shows about older music, and I always wanted to see older Madonna videos. Express Yourself, Vogue, Justify My Love... Her videos were so brilliant and interesting. I also used to buy magazines hoping to get more facts about Madonna's works.

It is a shame that TV and magazines aren't popular and important like they used to be. There is simply no magic reading stuff on Internet. 

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21 minutes ago, luckystar said:

Was any of you, who follow her from the start, disappointed with the style of some of her albums?

 

Initially, EROTICA. I remember being extremely excited to hear the full album.  She had spoken about some of the album tracks in a fashion magazine (Vogue or Bazaar??), specifically about "Secret Garden".  I believe it was the summer prior to the fall release.  Anyway, I remember being a bit bored and disappointed as I was listening to it.  It definitely was a departure from what she did.  I wasn't much into Hip Hop, though I did enjoy "Justify My Love" and "Erotica".   I look back at it now and see it as a great album that shows off her writing talents.  I think at the time: I was a bit exhausted by her using "sex" in everything at the time.  In truth, I think what really was bothering me is that I cared what the general public and media were saying, so I let that play on my mind. 

It still isn't necessarily my favorite Madonna album, but I respect the album for what it is. I do think it was her most daring album.  So I admire that.  It was nice that by the next album, she was trying to go a different direction with her subject matter and tone. 

Once "Rain" became a single and then "I'll Remember" came out, musically I loved her.  Again, I was a bit put out by her David Letterman appearance in the spring of '94.  But again, I think I was letting general public perception get to me.  Now, I look back and just laugh at that appearance. 

Since then, I haven't felt disappointed or bored with an album she's released.   Though, I did find EVITA a bit boring, but gawd she looks stunning and sounds so beautiful in it.  

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It was certainly a magical time to be a fan late 80s and early 90s - i was introduced to her by my brother who gave me his True Blue cassette album back in early 87 and thats when my love affair began with this woman and hasnt stopped since - sure we had better music then and as many fans have said - witness M in her prime - her peak for me is and will always be the summer of 1990 - I live in the UK so from April when Vogue hit number one(4 weeks at the top) right up until she rocked wembley stadium in july(Sadly i couldnt go despite entering a radio 1 contest to win tickets) i listened to it live on radio 1(The day before i saw Dick tracy at the odeon cinema but was a bit underwhelmed by that film -sorry) Dick Tracy was probably the first time the hype didnt live up to what i was expecting - the BA tour though certainly did - back then we had summers that were real summers - you would break up from school in july and it would be hot for the next 6 weeks - like i said that summer will always resonate with me - i remember buying all the magazines, paper cuttings and also MTV was finally available so you could watch the uncensored videos of lap, ey and vogue(Which believe it or not were all cut by the UK networks :((  )

The erotica period was very different - you could tell her popularity was starting to wane especially when the title track didnt hit number 1 anywhere - i was a bit confused by the sex book and didnt think it was necessary - it was a much darker Madonna and i think it just turned a lot of fans(particularly young fans like me ) off - it wasnt until we got the rain video we started to see a lighter M - then came the girlie show(which i got to see opening night at Wembley) my first live madonna experience but i dont remember much about that for some reason ? :((

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My, my, my! What a time to have been alive! No Facebook, no Instagram and no internet! MADONNA ruled the 80s and 90s. So glad I was able to grow up with the Queen of Pop. That time was truly her imperialism period. Everything she did became a story, every new single, new album, new video, new concert tour, or new lover (LOL)! EVERYTHING was covered! She knew how to play the media for her benefit! A true Svengali! I was in love with her since 1985 when I saw her performance of "Dress You Up" on the "Virgin Tour." I was HOOKED! Soooooo many great memories, from MTV to HBO. When I really got in her was during her 1989 showstopping performance of "Express Yourself" on MTV's VMA. WHAT! LOL....."Vogue" followed and then "The Blond Ambition Tour" and "Erotica!" MADONNA WAS SO BAD ASS! You hear me? None of her contemporaries would deared do 1/4 of the stuff she did! She may have had some valleys but she is a survivor and that's why she will always have my unwavering support and love! I remember waiting in line at HMV in Philadelphia at midnight in March 1998 for the sale of "Ray of Light!" The line was wrapped around the block! Record store was packed! She is and will always be that GIRL! She has earned the title of Queen of Pop rightfully so. I am excited for her new album. Madonna is simply and inspiration to many of us. I know she is for me. 

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