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Phineaspoe

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    William Orbit's Thoughts on MDNA

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    What's funny though is that it was nearly unanimous praise from her diehard fans and critics alike for this album prior to and those first couple weeks after release. NOW of course that it hasn't performed the way some fans want, it's "failure" (Top five selling album of the year worldwide so far...can I PLEASE have a failure like that?) is supposed to be some sort of pay back?? Pay back for what?? Giving me her best music, videos and imagery in 15 years? Pay back for putting together the most massive tour of her career?? I don't think she's going on stage to model MG clothing and discuss how it was threaded nor go on stage and explain to an audience of 50,000 her process of selecting the scents for her perfume. She's going on stage to perform her MUSIC. Perhaps better single choices could've been made for this album but please let's not act like MDNA is an album full of Britney and Rihanna rejects. If anybody stated to me that was their opinion of the entire album, my reply to them would be that they are lying and they didn't listen to the album. :lol:

    I don't really know what her goal is these days as far as promoting and selling her music goes, maybe she even doesn't know. It's not really for me to worry about. As long as the music is good then I'm there.

    +1

    BEAUTIFUL KILLER

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted · Edited by Phineaspoe

    Not sure if this Pet-Shop-Boys-ized cover has been shared yet, but I thought it was kinda cute:

    <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hjLZeEn0i_c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

    And this guy takes it quite seriously. It's actually quite awesome once you get used to the radical shift in tone:

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TszZtoPs3Gs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    MDNA Setlist [SPOILERS]

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    OFFICIAL SETLIST (Madonnainfinity adm)

    Girl Gone Wild

    Gang Bang

    Revolver

    Papa Dont Preach

    Hung Up

    Interlude (Best Friend)

    I Dont Give A

    Turn Up The Radio

    Express Yourself

    Give Me All your Luvin

    Interlude (Justify My Love)

    Open Your Heart

    Masterpiece

    Like A Virgin

    Candy Shop

    Im Sinner

    Interlude (Nobody Knows Me)

    Vogue

    Love Spent

    Like A Prayer

    Im Addicted

    Encore

    Music

    Celebration

    This would be my favorite setlist ever........................ I wanna believe it so badly.

    William Orbit's Thoughts on MDNA

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    Sorry but the album in no way sounds rushed or an afterthought of other endeavours. Solveig and Benassi have not expressed a similar sentiment, not even at the slightest. When and if we hear these tracks he talks about we can judge if his complaints have any merit.

    This. Yes, the working environment might have not been good - which pisses him off, understandably, and in a way any fan as well - but we have to see what those songs sound like. Because MDNA is great as is, and perhaps those other songs are not as good. Although even as album fillers I can't be believe they would be lower than Superstar or B-Day Song...

    MDNA Setlist [SPOILERS]

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    from DrownedMadonna:

    3 to 4 hours? WTF? :lmao: what a mess that's gonna be!

    did they really mean 3 to 4 days?

    I'm assuming that doesn't include getting her beautiful for the shoot, which probably takes another 3-4 hours.

    I watched the Making Of the Hollywood video the other day. Even something as simple as that (which I loved) took two long, long days.

    Guy, I'm afraid your time is up. Tik-tok, tik-tok, tik-tok...

    MDNA Setlist [SPOILERS]

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    I see something very sunny, 60's, grainy and dirty. Kind of like the first music videos that Lana Del Rey

    released. That type of style but not with random clips and images.

    Very La Dolce Vita. M wearing big black sunglasses, messy Bardot hair, a simple white men's dress shirt and black fuck me pumps.

    This sounds nice. I'd love it for it to have a *gasp* storyline, as it could catapult the feeling of need for freedom and self expression that's hinted on the track (like Rihanna's video did for We Found Love, which MADE the song unforgettable and lent it gravitas).

    Let me think back to the last time we Madge tell us a story... mmmm... Hung Up and Sorry? Which to me are not even real stories. I think we're looking at What it Feels like For a Girl - almost a decade ago.

    William Orbit's Thoughts on MDNA

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    thanks for putting this up as its own thread.

    Agreed that he seems to be pissed at the way the recording was handled - but I think we should note she does seem to have spent much more time with Solvieg than Orbit. "We know each other so well that we don't even have to talk" said Madonna about how they worked together. Maybe that's true in ways that are more painful than she realizes...

    In any case, his songs sound great, as does the rest of the album. What intrigues me is that he says he had MORE awesome songs that weren't recorded - and that now are in the hands of other artists. And that WOULD be a shame. But you know what they probably thought? "We already have FOUR surefire hit singles - Give Me All Your Luvin, Girl Gone Wild, Turn Up the Radio and Superstar/LoveSpent. Let's not waste more TIME and invest more MONEY on this album."

    Oh well. As he says, hopefully she's headed towards a repackaging of the album. That would be sweet, because I think the album is amazing, one gorgeous hit song would be grand, and of course more Madonna songs at this point are always a blessing.

    I hope Madonna doesn't get too pissed off at him. Maybe she it was time that she opened her eyes and leave the past behind ;)

    MDNA ALBUM DISCUSSION (CONTINUED)

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    someone posted this on his page. i agree with a lot of what he says

    "William, "perfume ranges and teen fashion contests and other such endeavours"... It's painful to watch, really. The Madonna brand has turned into such a cynical marketing plan - and a really ill-informed paint-by-numbers one, at that - with no real drive behind it existentially, any more. I mean, it was always calculated, but it was intertwined with the music, with the whole package, and in that way it meant something and it worked. It worked WITH culture, it fucked with it, that's how she became so iconic. But this is just led on a leash by Marketing 101, except none of them even seem to be able to nurture the brand properly to play with, they just play with it, and off she goes on these ridiculous co-branding exercises that are designed to build her base, but then achieve nothing more than giving the crazy diehards something else to camp out for and post pics with to facebook. They're making do with what they have, but they don't seem to have a general concept there of what they're doing with "Madonna" - and, I hate to say it, but she's like a stunned rabbit lately. And fair enough, she's older, she's not connected to it, and maybe she just doesn't give a fuck anymore - different when she was a vicious 33 year old egomaniac, and then a 40 year old enlightened warrior wanting to explain herself to the world. Now she's just kinda clinging on to demographics - looking like she doesn't have the first clue how to deal with, uh-oh, getting old in the fame cycle - and clearly standing behind a team she is in no way an active part of, and a team that has no long term interest in her, and no real understanding of her it would seem. There's no ideology, it's transient marketing - and without the ideology there's nothing to market, they just don't get that. They've fragmented her and repackaged her to fit so may various "contemporary" models, she's everything and nothing at all. I mean, the kids will never like her - never - and the older broader audience have a very distinct view of Madonna, and it's very negative these days, and yet they don't address that or work with that, they just repackage her in so many ways that play into the negative branding. It's a wonder any of them still have a job.

    But then, is she surrounded by Yes Men, and just doesn't even realise? That's the bit that concerns me, because then there will be no lesson learned from MDNA. And instead of a corner being turned, she'll just repeat the same mistakes til she fades horrendously and in a way that is, quite frankly, wrong for someone as fabulous as her to end up! And that's the thing, no, William, it's not your problem or your domain, so it's by no means your fault or responsibility... but you know very well whatever happens in that studio, good or bad, is still ultimately at the hands of the marketing (that's part of your frustration, no less?!), and that's what happened to MDNA, everyone who understands the process can see that. She needs to sack those idiots and decide what brand she's going to be - then, with the right people and vision, be it - and then make a killer album to go with it. I can't bear to see her sitting on a catwalk for a department store, going "Well, this cool neon pink sweater is perfect for school and parties". It's painful! It's like "Hello! For fuck's sake, you're MADONNA!"

    I don't think we've crossed paths before on this forum, but I think this explanation is absolutely genius. I work in branding and have my head so up Madge's ass and her beautiful music and touring that I hadn't even thought about the big picture that way. It's so true that at the center of all this satellite projects there really doesn't seem to be a clear understanding of what "Madonna" means, or could mean --- and how since she has always been that perfect mix of counter-cultural and total mainstream, EVERYTHING SHE DOES SHOULD BE A REFLECTION OF THAT. I mean, look at Bjork. The album is insufferable but the concept, promotion, and marketing behind it is absolute genius and completely reflective of her personality.

    Mind you, I think the album is fantastic, but I think it would be nice to see her being more creative and involved in the promotion of it - and of course if it ends up being true that we missed some great songs that I will now have to hear through Chris fucking Brown then I'd be outright pissed :)

    MDNA ALBUM DISCUSSION (CONTINUED)

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    William Orbit on Facebook

    http://www.facebook.com/WilliamOrbit

    I appreciate your analysis of the album release 'strategy' @Madonna Express Yourself. I wasn't involved in its formulation in any way myself. All I will say is that certain thoughts about it that I see expressed online by committed fans such as yourself, were blindingly obvious to me from the very get go, well before the release. But I'm no Jimmy Iovine, with the ability to advocate my convictions forcefully, and as co-producer, co-writer etc am aware that it is not in my 'job spec'.

    But you won't see me exactly jumping up and down with delight over the way that things have panned out. We were very pushed for time, due to a rather interesting and shall we just say, 'traditional' method of recording that the esteemed engineer Demo was partial to, and various pressing commitments that took up the artists limited time, such as perfume ranges and teen fashion contests and other such endeavours which are beyond my own limited understanding of pop star agendas.

    The recording sessions for the six songs I did were hugely enjoyable for all of us. M was on form and better than ever with her singing and writing and musicality, and was having a great time. We had songs lined up that were breathtaking. You'll hear some of them on Chris Brown's new album, and they are the best ones, Kreayshawn's (INCREDIBLE) new album, my own recently completed 'Strange Cargo' album. And some other surprising places. SNAPPED up by the artists concerned. Most of them, I believe, destined to become classics (let me know in a couple months wether you concur with that)

    The team I assembled in NY for MDNA were, and are as good as it gets now. Writers and musicians and performers I picked because they take my breath away with their talent. And are totally of-the-moment in everything good that is going on in contemporary music at the moment. And usually hard to book because they are so in demand. And all of us fully committed to putting ourselves through extraordinary efforts to make MDNA the greatest album of the year.

    But alas, the time wasn't there. Great swathes of it taken up by the engineer and his assistant bouncing reverb tracks for hour after hour, night after night. Not to real tape or anything, where you could posit that there would be an advantageous sonic dividend (real tape can be magic) but all in the digital domain. A purely procedural thing. Although not a procedure I or any of my own colleagues in this game would want to squander time with.

    I was just describing to a friend of mine, and whom I frequently work with Serban Ghenea (just look him up if you want to be awed) how it was done, and he thought I was kidding him!

    Over the years it's become obvious to me that along with Madonna being the greatest pop artist of ALL time, her fan base are also the most ardent, cohesive, discerning and loyal fan base of any artist. Not saying that to blow smoke, is quite obviously true. Big respect. And long life to us all. And as you look at things in a 'long term' way (my way also) you always call it like you see it. And I'm with you on that too. Be honest and true, speak your heart and mind, and let the dust fall where it will.

    WOW, how are we not all talking about this?

    But I can't see it on his profile proper. Where is it?

    He can blame Guy Oseary all he wants, but at the end of the day it's MADONNA who agrees to waste time on teenage clothing lines and the like. I don't think it was W.E. that (only) took her time away from the album. That shit was done before July 2011 (although of course she continued editing until November, but probably using much less of her time, just reviewing). I think it was all the merchandise or whatever you call it that took away precious hours and days so that she could have her head in the game.

    It would be a real pity to hear Chris Brown have some great songs, but I'm curious to hear them. For. Sure.

    MDNA Setlist [SPOILERS]

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    So I asked about "Born this way" and in the demo it does include Lady Gaga's vocals but that may change/have changed in the live rehearsals. The mix for NKM has changed a bit, but that doesn't matter to us because we haven't even heard it.

    Thanks for the update!

    MDNA Setlist [SPOILERS]

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    Rumor: Note that nothing is confirmed

    "The third MDNA Tour section is named "Beast". Since the JML interlude had a masquerade bandit crew, Candy Shop still remain highly nasty. How does it sound? Imagine the rough Erotica base and sing CS lyrics over it. Pure madness!"

    This is exciting. Turning Candy Shop into a spoken, nasty song could actually work.

    Review/Rate/Rank MDNA

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    Brilliant

    The have that 'Madonna factor'; they overjoy me; I have been moved to some bodily reaction - tears, maniacal laugh, sexy strike-a-pose, imitating Madonna, etc. Wouldn't change a thing.

    Love Spent

    Falling Free

    Beautiful Killer

    Gang Bang

    I'm Addicted

    I'm a Sinner

    Excellent

    The have that 'Madonna factor'; they overjoy me; I have been moved to some bodily reaction - tears, maniacal laugh, sexy strike-a-pose, imitating Madonna, etc. BUT I something's missing or I would change something about the vocal arrangement, production, etc.

    Girl Gone Wild

    Masterpiece

    Turn Up The Radio

    Pretty Good

    I may skip them from time to time, but generally I enjoy them. I don't, however, think much about them.

    I Fucked Up

    Some Girls

    Give me all your luvin

    I Don't Give A

    Not very good

    I only listen to them sporadically. I forget they are on MDNA until they show up on my itunes or in the car.

    Best Friend

    Superstar

    Bday song

    Bad

    I skip them invariably, don't listen to them.

    None.

    GIRL GONE WILD: NEW THREAD

    in ARCHIVE - Madonna

    Posted

    The jades are back with a horrible NME review. This is even out?! Oh well, at least they liked the album

    eq1kpy.jpg

    I'm sure that's how Justify My Love was seen back in the day too. And I'm sure we can insult every Madonna song this way in the last ten years. And yet we know a lot of those supposedly irrelevant/stupid/attention-grabbing/tuneless etc etc etc have stood the test of time.

    We'll see about Girl Gone Wild - I for one love it - because of the same reasons that the reviewer hates it...

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