Okay, she's my girl!.. You either love her or
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!
