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hate her, but chances are you have some strong opinion of Madonna. If you've read my other chartopper columns it comes as no surprise that, for the past 20 years, I've adored her! And she continues to inspire me with each new album. For the next few months, in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the release of her very first record, I'll be looking back at Madonna's amazing career and talking about each release! We'll have some fun trivia with great prizes so stay tuned and please keep reading Chartoppers: Madonna! Email me at chris@fredflare.com. I'd love to hear your stories about Madonna! Xxoo, Chris Click here for Chartoppers: the 80’s! |
 My journey starts with the recent release of Madonna’s American Life record. Now, I have to admit I’m kinda obsessed with all the Madonna websites out there. Keith often complains I spend way too much time surfing on madonna.com, madonnainter.net, madonnapower.com and especially madonnalicious.com but one quiet Friday afternoon, my research was about to pay off! I spotted a story that said Madonna was going to perform live and sign autographs at Tower Records here in NYC the following Wednesday evening! All you had to do was wait in line for Tower’s Monday Midnight Madness, when the record went on sale, and be one of the first 250 people in line to get the ever-coveted wristband! The wristband was your ticket in to see Mo that Wednesday! I froze when I read this. This was my chance to meet the woman I’ve loved for the past two decades and counting! I just had to be there! Keith and I decided we’d join the line at 6am Monday morning. When the alarm went of at 4am, I was like a little kid on the 1st day of Summer vacation! I couldn’t get out of the apartment fast enough. We raced through Lower Manhattan as dawn was about to break. The blue color of night still blanketed the city as we approached Tower. There was already a group of people hanging out, waiting for the big moment. A boy in a puffy jacket – We later called him "Marker Girl" - wrote a number on our hands so, when the official Tower line began at 8am, no one would cut the line. How civilized these Madonna fans are, I thought. I was #76 and Keith was #77. I was stoked! We were so getting in to meet Madonna! So we parked it on the sidewalk. We had 18 hours to wait, after all. There were these two kids in line – a cute boy and girl – blasting one of Madonna’s new songs on their boom box. It was the first time I’d ever heard it. The song was "Mother and Father" and it sounded amazing! At that moment, so early in the morning, with these kids dancing and singing Madonna’s new electro-smash song, I felt so excited and emotional. It was like the first time you stay up all night dancing with your best friends. I felt as though I was about to embark on some strange new journey, something that would touch me in the deepest way…the way that only music can. I was gonna meet Madonna! Well, after some coffee – not too much because of the lack of bathrooms – we started to wake up a little bit. 8am rolled around and the official line commenced! We now had to stand right alongside the store on East 4th Street behind police barricades. There were all kinds there that day: packs of bitchy queens, Latina divas, raver kids, punky Japanese girls, cute Eurotrash boys, grandmas, sassy ladies and us, all for Madonna! I’d never done anything like this before. It was a freak convention and I loved it! Tower’s staff gave each of us numbered place cards to maintain the order of the line. We were told that we needed to be present at each hourly check-in until midnight to still be considered part of the first 250 people. It was chilly that day so our look quickly evolved into hobo-chic once Lulu came by and brought us lawn chairs, blankets and pillows. Instead of spending the day at the fred flare warehouse, our new hangout was McDonald’s. We’d take bathroom and snack breaks there immediately after each check-in. Somehow "Madonna" and "McDonald’s" started to melt together. "Do you want me to get you a Happy Meal from Madonna’s?" I’d ask Keith. After sitting there for a few hours, I still couldn’t believe we were doing this. I’d watch people go to work in the morning, go to lunch, then come home, then walk the dog, then go to dinner and the whole time we’d still be right at the same spot. I’d eavesdrop on all the conversations going on around us… all things Madonna: favorite songs, worst songs, Swept Away, Guy Ritchie, violence in videos, her hair color, divas, Missy Elliot remixes… If there was anything I didn’t know about Madonna, I know it now! Then the questions began from all the passerby’s. I think we were asked about one trillion times: "Why are you standing here?", "What’s going on?", "Who are you waiting for?"…Madonna, Madonna, Madonna!!! Okay, after 17 hours of this, it got annoying. Most people were excited for us and wished us luck but there were those who said we were crazy! Then the reporters and camera crews swarmed asking all sorts of questions. Keith and I just sat there in our lawn chairs like old cats on a windowsill. We did get social for about 5 minutes to meet the cutest kids ever, Heather and Mike. They were the couple with the boom box at 6am. They were high-energy, constantly screaming and singing all the hits. We voted them the cutest Madonna fans in line, and that means a lot!!! By the time midnight came we were quite eager to go home. It took about a half an hour to get in the store but then it was smooth sailing. Here’s how it works when CD shopping at midnight: you just go directly to the register, place your Madonna American Life value meal order – "2 regular, 1 boxed set, to go" – get your wristband and leave! You cab ride home, put in AL, and jump into bed. Sleep! We had Tuesday off but I was so stiff from sitting out there for 18 hours. I felt like I had jet lag! Even though my old body was suffering it was Madonna all day long! AL was on heavy rotation in the CD player… Here’s my quick review: I love "Hollywood", "Love Profusion", "Intervention", the lovely "Nothing Fails" and my new favorite Madonna song is "Mother and Father". I think it sounds so different – sweet and sad yet edgy and cool, like she could sing it at Club Luxx! Well, the album is awesome, what else would I say? It oddly reminds me of Like a Prayer in that it’s Madonna personal expression of her intimate themes: religion, family, fame and fulfillment. It’s weird because the look of the record and her "shelved" first video are rather "unpretty gritty" but the sound of most of the album is beautiful, touching and sincere. I think she’s definitely accomplished her goal of bringing more emotion to techno music. Okay, back to my American Dream!.. On Wednesday we decided to leave work about 3pm for her 6pm performance. It was really cold that day, but I was certainly not going to be sporting that hobo-chic outfit again. That simply would not do for my face-time with Mo. I was so nervous! We raced back to Tower and joined the mob of fans and paparazzi at East 4th Street. Three more hours and lots more Madonna talk! Heather and Mike up there in front screaming! Several helicopters hovered. The hour finally came and the line started to move… Okay, here we go! Show your wristband! We entered the record store where a small stage was constructed in the middle with Madonna posters everywhere. We found a cozy cramped corner besides our new best friends, Heather and Mike. Within minutes, there was Madonna! She’s ditched her glamouflage look for a more beatnik, Frenchy vibe with a black beret, Empire-waisted top and pantaloons. Well, the crowd went insane!!! Camera flashes came from everywhere! Now, Keith and I being wholesome Midwestern boys, didn’t bring our camera because the rules said "No Cameras!" (Note to self: Break all rules when it comes to Madonna.) Madonna started her gig with an acoustic set. "American Life" was first, then she sang completely sweet versions of "Mother and Father", "X-tatic Process" (Oh! She looked right at me, I’m gonna die!), and "Nothing Fails". I couldn’t believe I was there. I couldn’t believe she was there. We were all there… and having so much fun! Then she asked us what we wanted to hear. "Madonna’s taking requests?" I thought. Someone in the crowd screamed "Like a Virgin!" No way, I thought. Then more screamed "Like a Virgin!" Then we all screamed "Like a Virgin!" Finally, you could see that look in her face like "Fine… Alright… I’ll do it." At first the boys on guitar couldn’t remember the chords so well. She couldn’t even remember how the song started. That’s where we came in. "I made it though the wilderness…" Oh, she remembered all right. She totally cracked herself up and had us all laughing as she rolled around on the floor. It was hilarious! I couldn’t believe my eyes. After that little trip down memory lane, she plugged it in and pumped it up for "Hollywood" and a repeat performance of "American Life". That’s when I phoned Lulu and left us all singing on her voice mail. Then, as quickly as it had started, she was gone! It was a mad dash to get back outside and join the last line of the week… the line to meet Madonna! We were right in the middle of this newest line and the excitement was palpable. I’d dreamed of this moment my whole life, to be face to face with my idol, the girl that saved me from my mediocre existence in Joliet, IL. The girl that got me off my ass, taught me to dance, express myself and follow my dreams. Well, the night got colder and colder. Now the endless chit-chat and complaining was kinda getting to me. I had to muster up all the remaining energy I had to just stand there. 90 minutes later and about twenty people to go before we were inside the store – Can you see where I’m going with this? – yep, she left. One of the security guards came out and said she wasn’t feeling well. Now, there’s been lots of speculation about her early departure – whose fault it is, blah blah blah – but she’s Madonna. And she’s busy. But, in the moment I was not so calm. I was crushed. This can’t be happening, I thought. All those hours in line weren’t enough to make my dream come true. But, you know, in life you win some and you lose some. I definitely had the time of my life experiencing Madonna in a way that I never had before. I really felt like I was part of something special, even though I didn’t get to meet her. And, as weird as it may sound, Keith and I actually had a blast in that line! That’s the funny part about dreams. It doesn’t matter how big or small they seem, they usually take a real long time to come true. You might as well try and enjoy the ride. One of my dreams is to meet Madonna. I guess I’ll meet her another day! 05/05/2003 |
