The Influence of MDNA

So she is finally back!!!

It has been WAY TO LONG. I have always been a huge Madonna fan over the years but the last few albums have been fun but lacked the edginess that she previously achieved.

I remember when I first heard Like A Virgin years ago at a friend's place... I think I was about 6 or 7 and knew I was hooked. I remember that my aunt actually bought me my first cassette tape for my birthday of Like A Virgin that year and my poor brother knows many of her lyrics from my constant playing of her music, I think I went through about 4 cassette tapes by constantly playing and rewinding.

My first CD was I'm Breathless and I spent hours dancing around the lounge room pretending to Vogue with a couple of my friends and once again my poor brother knows the lyrics to this song too.

When I was 14 and at High School I remember it was announced that Madonna would be touring to Sydney and being the spoilt brat that I was had my father's receptionist call Ticketek on the day of sale and book 3 tickets for my friends and I. From memory I think our concert was cancelled due to wet weather and rescheduled for November. The Girlie Show was amazing (from what I saw as we were like 4kms away from the stage and she looked like a tiny match stick dancing around with feather boas!).

The following year at High School when studying music we had to do a presentation on our favourite composer or musician and given a list of all these classical composers and at the bottom it listed the option of our choice so of course I chose Madonna. It was about this time that her book Sex has been banned from some bookshops and I decided I would do a presentation and include pictures from this book. Finding a copy of this book was near impossible as it was before the time of the internet and I don't know how many various bookshops I called asked about it and could not locate a copy... one of my dad's smart arse clients suggested that I could call Club X!

It was also around this time that I was starting to question my sexuality and spent HOURS in my room listening to the albums Erotica and Bedtime Stories. Deeper and Deeper is still one of my favourite songs. I just wish I could remember who I lent both these CDs as I no longer have them in my collection.

At the age of 19 I decided that I would save and travel to New York just as Madonna had... I had no idea what I was going to do, I was playing with the idea of being an actor as Madonna had (I didn't say she was any good at it!). Got to New York organised a few auditions for some drama schools and must have been good as I was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Art, Stella Adler and the Neighborhood Playhouse (why I didn't go is another story!). Had an absolute blast in New York and it was about this time that I met my really good friend Vanessa.

So in 2002 I decided to move to London and happened to land a job managing a theatre in the West End. It was announced in the March that Madonna would be playing in an Australian play called Up For Grabs by David Williamson. Through my contacts I was able to organise tickets for the opening that happened to be my birthday. For some reason unknown to me the play was delayed and we ended up going on my birthday but it was the preview. Great birthday present but it was a very stiff performance by Madonna. I think the entire audience was full of gay men. It just so happens that a very good friend of mine happened to arrive in London and she happened to get a ticket.

The night of the performance ended up being one of those night where you look back and go WTF. After the performance we decided we would go get a drink and chat but as we walked past stage door there was a stamped by her fans and we had to almost push ourselves against the wall to avoid the 300+ people screaming and pushing to try and see Madonna. As we walked to the hotel we saw this little man being pushed by a black man next to a gold rolls royce (it happened to be Jay Kay from Jamiroquai being punched by a bouncer for sitting on his gold rolls royce) as we entered the hotel where my friend was staying we were both asked for ID and walked towards to bar... little did we know we gatecrashed the wrap party for Attack of the Clones!

After almost 14 years in ticketing friends and family always ask why have a stayed in the industry as long as I have... and the answer is simple, so I can get a good ticket to a Madonna concert. She hasn't toured to Australia since 1993 so I have been waiting for a very long time and she better not change her mind this year!

So yes the influence of Madonna on my life has been quite substantial... there are many other moments but I guess these are the only ones I wish to share!

Has any performer had such an influence on your life???