M/M (Paris) on the “American Life” Cover

[cosmic_system 2,989]

From the latest issue of “Technikart” (thanks to Madonnatribe/News Of Madonna).

Can someone please translate it? 
 

[shakeyerdix 1,146]

"We were supposed to be present during photoshoot, our suitcases were ready but at last minute records company asked us to finally stay in France cos it was too expensive. So  we couldn't direct photographer, he told us he was lost with hundreds of stills of Madonna. We made a selection and Madonna gave us specifications. She wanted something very "cliché" with a gun and American flag as a a tribute to Patty Hearst... We've decided to give her two proposals. One very close to her request and another that was our vision of her sleeve. We send the two proposals with Fedex and a letter saying 'Here's your sleeve. And here is the one we think the good one for you'. In the letter we mentioned and detail why our proposal was good, and also why the thought the gun was not a good idea... Few days later, we receive her answer. She was only asking to add few stars on top left of second sleeve. And that's it, it was hers.

 

Few month later, Madonna gave an interview to a Spanish media where she was explaining her sleeve. We've heard her saying almost word by word what was written in our letter. We understood we were not wrong (laughs)"

 

 

[Roland Barthes 5,468]

It is some kind of confirmation that Warner did not want to foot the bill for the photoshoot (it happened in the midst of her legal battles with them regarding Maverick)

[Enrico 15,506]

I personally prefer the single cover, the one that @Roland Barthes is using.

The deconstructed flag is much clearer.

[shakeyerdix 1,146]

3 minutes ago, Enrico said:

I personally prefer the single cover, the one that @Roland Barthes is using.

The deconstructed flag is much clearer.

It's the other sleeve with the hidden gun M/M talks about.

[Prayer 12,520]

Thanks for the article and for the translation!

I guess the single cover would be the 1st version (Madonna request) and the final album cover the 2nd version - M/M's choice?

Looking back, both are incredibly bold and way too artistic. No wonder it was never going to be a big seller mainstream project. The Karens of the world would never see those covers and think "oh, let's get Madge's new album!" - "American Life" video debacle or not.

I remember also the Craig McDean drama. Weird, since anyway Madonna would be paying it back to Warner with her royalties. I guess it had to do with all the Maverick legal drama back then and they just wanted to punish her/f**k with her.

[shakeyerdix 1,146]

Yes. The single sleeve artwork exists with the gun.

[Drownedboy 1,471]

31 minutes ago, Prayer said:

Thanks for the article and for the translation!

I guess the single cover would be the 1st version (Madonna request) and the final album cover the 2nd version - M/M's choice?

Looking back, both are incredibly bold and way too artistic. No wonder it was never going to be a big seller mainstream project. The Karens of the world would never see those covers and think "oh, let's get Madge's new album!" - "American Life" video debacle or not.

I remember also the Craig McDean drama. Weird, since anyway Madonna would be paying it back to Warner with her royalties. I guess it had to do with all the Maverick legal drama back then and they just wanted to punish her/f**k with her.

Yes, i love it all, but let´s get real: the casual listeners who would buy ROL because of the great music but also atracted by the striking cover where she looks like a godess never were gonna buy this one with Madoona looking pissed off and channeling the Che guevara LOL. But it´s great she dare to do this.

[Roland Barthes 5,468]

Here it is

I found it two weekd ago while looking for the Q interview from 2003. I ended up on Mad-Eyes.net archives (where i also got the bit of news about warner and the photoshoot i posted previously). Turns out it's the first pic we got from the campaign. The guns are still very mush visible but she does not have the red stripes on her face. I remember the first pics we got, all had the guns and then they removed it.

The version above is an AI upscale, here is the file i used from Mad-eyes for the purists ^^

 

[shakeyerdix 1,146]

2 hours ago, Roland Barthes said:

Here it is

I

Mmmmh... not...

It's not the good one, there was a sleeve with a real long gun in her hands. This one is drawn on the picture and fake...

I don't know where that is but it exists

[valinecode 285]

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6673894/mediaviewer/rm1363618560/?ref_=tt_md_3

[valinecode 285]

[Roland Barthes 5,468]

1 hour ago, shakeyerdix said:

Mmmmh... not...

It's not the good one, there was a sleeve with a real long gun in her hands. This one is drawn on the picture and fake...

I don't know where that is but it exists

It's not drawn on, it's an AI upscale of the original file i posted too, that's why it gives this wrong impression of being added. Check the original file in my post. I got it from the news archives  of an old Madonna forum. First glimpse we got of the artwork for the single before they changed it (they removed the guns and added red stripes on her face for the final single artwork)

[Blue Prince 995]

I guess it is a good idea to say no to Madonna when it comes to album covers, let's not forget what she wanted to make of the Hard Candy one. I would also have preferred the single cover instead, looks more complete to me. Having said that, this and LAP- though iconic- are her worst covers for me.

[Starchild 2,794]

The actual album cover is the superior version, imo.

It's less busy and draws greater focus to her eye(s) and its detail.

Also, the red stamp/accent is more effective over her eye rather than the entire face.

Definitely in my top three Madonna album covers.

[deathproof 10,032]

I just noticed the tear drop in the red stamp on the single cover

[animalinstinct 1,772]

Looking back at this artwork, really makes me miss those days when she would work with great graphic artists.
Now we have Aldo Diaz…

[Ayham 5,080]

Such a beautiful masterpiece! Crazy how most of her albums covers tell the story of the whole work just by looking at them! 👍🏼

[Ayham 5,080]

19 hours ago, Blue Prince said:

I guess it is a good idea to say no to Madonna when it comes to album covers, let's not forget what she wanted to make of the Hard Candy one. I would also have preferred the single cover instead, looks more complete to me. Having said that, this and LAP- though iconic- are her worst covers for me.

Hard Candy? Which one? 👀

[Ian 2,202]

6 minutes ago, Ayham said:

Hard Candy? Which one? 👀

I think he's talking about the "black Madonna" cover

[Ayham 5,080]

Just now, Ian said:

I think he's talking about the "black Madonna" cover

But we didn’t see the cover to judge?! 🤣😆

[Starchild 2,794]

1 hour ago, Ian said:

I think he's talking about the "black Madonna" cover

I think he's also referring to the original full boxing themed shoot, back when the album was to be called Give It 2 Me?

[Blue Prince 995]

1 hour ago, Ayham said:

But we didn’t see the cover to judge?! 🤣😆

Do we have to see it to judge? The general public's opinion would have been really negative. Sometimes it's better to keep things simple and playful. Especially when you don't make a serious album.

[Redha DBL 6,709]

Where did the photoshoot took place ? Uk or Us ??

[Ayham 5,080]

1 hour ago, Blue Prince said:

Do we have to see it to judge? The general public's opinion would have been really negative. Sometimes it's better to keep things simple and playful. Especially when you don't make a serious album.

Maybe it was a statement? Or something completely different than what we have in mind?