The Madonna Times

Did You Know...

2008-01-04T15:00:00.001-08:00

In 2006 a new water bear species (Latin:Tardigrada), Echiniscus madonnae was named after Madonna. The paper with the description of E. madonnae was published in the international journal of animal taxonomy Zootaxa in March 2006 (Vol. 1154, pages: 1-36). The authors' justification for the name of the new species was:

"We take great pleasure in dedicating this species to one of the most significant artists of our times, Madonna Louise Veronica Ritchie".

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) number of the species is 711164.

Video of Madonna in India

2008-01-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

We now bring you the first visuals of Madonna, who is India for a year-end week-long vacation with her family. The international pop star has been elusive for a long time, however, she couldn't evade The Madonna Times camera, which caught the singer enjoying every moment of her vacation in Rajasthan. The pop star was seen in riding breeches as against her designer wear.

Madonna, who reportedly has a fascination for horses, rode for over 30 kms. Madonna was accompanied by her husband -- Guy Ritchie -- her son and a few friends and reportedly spent Thursday night at Rohetgarh Fort Heritage hotel.

She is leaving for Sardarsamand on Friday (January 4), where the former ruler of Jodhpur -- Gaj Singh -- will host a lunch in her honour. She will spend Friday night at the Sardarsamand resort.

Just a few days ealier, Madonna was forced to cancel her trip to Jaisalmer, which was scheduled on Wednesday (January 2), to escape the paparazzi.

Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn Divorcing

2007-12-28T11:05:00.001-08:00

Madonna's ex-husband, Sean Penn, and current wife Robin Wright Penn are divorcing, their rep, Mara Buxbaum, confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

No other details were immediately available. The couple, who've been married 11 years, have two children together, Hopper Jack, 14, and Dylan Frances, 16.

Penn, 47, and Wright, 41, began dating in the early '90s and married in 1996. They also have starred together in several films, including 1998's Hurlyburly and 1997's She's So Lovely, directed by Nick Cassavetes.

"Marriage ain't easy, but it's great most of the time," Penn told Entertainment Weekly in 1997. "I love Robin. I've always loved her."

In the same article, Cassavetes was asked about working with the couple. "The beginning and the end of every day is how Sean and Robin are getting along," he said. "If they have a bad morning, Sean's broken up about it."

Penn's most recent film, Into the Wild, which he directed, is drawing awards buzz, with four SAG Award nominations and two Golden Globe nods.

Filth and Wisdom To Premiere

2007-12-27T07:15:00.001-08:00

A new press release issued by the Press Office of the Berlinale finally confirms Madonna's Filth And Wisdom having its World Premiere at the festival in Berlin next year:

Next to renowned directors like Laetitia Masson, Brad Anderson or Lucia Murat, newcomers like Javier Gutierrez from Spain or Ozgür Yildirim from Germany will present their works in the Panorama 2008. Music star Madonna will give her directorial debut alongside the works of underground star Bruce LaBruce and Teddy winner 2007, Zero Chou from Taiwan.

Thirteen films give a first lively glimpse of this year’s world cinema creations. From the start, it has been the mission of the Panorama to discover films for the cinema programme of the coming arthouse season and to provide the market with inspiration. In 2008, documentaries will again make a strong showing: from a total of 50 full-length films approximately one third will be documentaries.

During the Berlinale, more than 20,000 moviegoers will again participate in the Panorama Audience Awards, which are to be presented on February 17, 2008.
The Panorama Dokumente and the complete programme of feature films will be announced in January. So far the following films have been confirmed for the Main Programme and the Panorama Special:

Boy A by John Crowley, UK
Chiko by Ozgür Yildirim, Germany (World Premiere)
Coupable by Laetitia Masson, France (World Premiere)
Eskalofrio by Isidro Ortiz, Spain (World Premiere)
Filth And Wisdom by Madonna, UK (World Premiere)
with Stephen Graham, Richard E. Grant, Eugene Hutz
Jas Sum Od Titov Vesles (I am from Titov Veles ) by Teona Strugar Mitevska, Macedonia
Maré, Nossa história de amor (Mare, Our Love Story ) by Lucia Murat, Brasil
Megane by Naoko Ogigami, Japan
Otto or up with dead people by Bruce LaBruce, Germany/Canada (World Premiere)
Piao Lang Chi Ge (Drifting Flowers ) by Zero Chou, Taiwan (World Premiere)
The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson, Iceland (World Premiere)
Transsiberian by Brad Anderson, UK/Germany/Spain
Tres días (Before Fall ) by Javier Gutierrez, Spain (World Premiere)

Timbaland Plays New Madonna Track

2007-12-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

Source: Philly.com

...The brief collaboration didn't produce sparks, but it improved notably on the beginning of Timbaland's set, which found him half-heartedly rapping along with the recorded versions of his Nelly Furtado duets, "Promiscuous" and "Give It To Me." On several occasions, his performance consisted of standing off to the side of the stage and nodding his head as his DJ unveiled some new production of his, including a forthcoming collaboration with Madonna and Justin Timberlake.

But if there was something odd about paying to watch a producer listen to his own records, it didn't seem to strike the audience that way. It didn't seem to matter who -- if anyone -- was performing, as long as the songs were good. They were as happy to dance to the music that came over the P.A. between sets as to watch anyone on stage.

Madonna Is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee

2007-12-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Madonna was announced as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee on Thursday along with John Mellencamp, The Ventures, Leonard Cohen and The Dave Clark Five.

A panel of 600 industry figures selected the five acts to be inducted at the annual ceremony, to be held March 10 in New York. To be eligible, artists must have issued a first single or album at least 25 years before nomination.

Madonna Louise Ciccone signed with Sire Records in 1982 and became one of MTV’s first stars two years later with "Like A Virgin." She has constantly altered her image ever since, showing staying power that few ’80s stars could muster.

Indiana native Mellencamp became a voice of America’s heartland with hits like "Pink Houses"; and Cohen’s "Suzanne" and "Dress Rehearsal Rag" made him a folk rock icon in the late 1960s.

The Ventures defined instrumental guitar rock in the ’60s with surfer anthems like "Walk Don’t Run" and "Hawaii Five-O," and The Dave Clark Five were one of the most successful British invasion bands with "Glad All Over."

Madonna Files Suit

2007-12-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

Madonna is burning up - and she's suing - because her ritzy upper West Side co-op allegedly won't let her expand her material world into a neighboring apartment.

The Material Girl has filed a summons in Manhattan Supreme Court against the board and management company at her Central Park West pad, a luxury building where she already owns a 6,000- square-foot duplex with its own gym and beauty salon.

The two-page summons accuses the co-op board and Midboro Management of breach of contract for allegedly holding up the sale of Julie Clark Thayer's seventh-floor apartment and orders the transfer of 868 co-op shares to the singer.

Thayer declined to comment.

Madonna moved into the building overlooking Central Park after she was rejected by the board at the San Remo in 1985.

False Reports

2007-12-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

Sources close to Madonna have confirmed to us that Madonna's new album is NOT going to be titled "Licorice." This is a false story that originated with a fan's fake album cover design. Please make a note of it.

Guy Ritchie Quote of the Day

2007-12-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

In an interview given by Guy Ritchie to The Boston Herald for the US debut of "Revolver", Guy has been asked about being married to a superstar.

“It works because, first, I love her. That helps in a marriage. I actually like her, which is even more rare in a marriage,” Guy said.

The Confessions Tour Receives Grammy Nominatio

2007-12-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

Best Long Form Music Video

(For video album packages consisting of more than one song or track. Awarded to the Artist and to the Video Director/Producer of at least 51% of the total playing time.)

Live & Loud At The Fillmore
Dierks Bentley
Russell Thomas, video director; James Whetherly, video producer
[Capitol Records Nashville]

Trapped In The Closet Chapters 13-22
R. Kelly
R. Kelly, Victor Mignatti & Jim Swaffield, video directors; Ann Carli, video
producer
[Jive/Zomba]

The Confessions Tour
Madonna
Jonas Akerlund, video director; Sara Martin & David May, video producers
[Warner Bros.]

10 Days Out - Blues From The Backroads
Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Various Artists
Noble Jones, video director; Kenny Wayne Shepherd, video producer
[Reprise]

Liberacion - The Songs Of The New Cuban Underground
Various Artists
Reuben Fields, video director; Dean Bates, video producer
[Petrol/EMI]

David Says "Oui, Oui!"

2007-12-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

From: The Sun

IT’S confusing trying to work out what language to speak in Vogue Towers for MADONNA’s adopted nipper DAVID BANDA.

Sister LOURDES - who attends the Lycee Francais school - in London, speaks to him in French, the family have classes in the Malawian native tongue Chichewa and Madonna and hubby GUY RICHIE speak English.

David now speaks an odd combination of the three - answering “oui, oui” to most things.

Madonna and Guy use the few Chichewa words they know - including mummy, daddy, hello and my love - daily.

And Madge knows a Chichewa lullaby called Gona Mana and plays a guitar piece to it.

A source added: “David constantly wants his mum to hold him, asks for kisses, smiles and seems extremely attached to Madonna. She is completely ga-ga over him.”

I wonder if he likes mum’s music yet?

Guy Answers All

2007-12-06T06:58:00.000-08:00

Guy Ritchie is being interviewed for the US release of "Revolver".

Reuters: So, how’s married life these days?

Guy Ritchie: I enjoy it enormously. Wish I’d done it sooner.

Reuters: Many people said it would never last, so what’s the secret to a happy showbiz marriage?

Guy Ritchie: Pretty much ignore all the stuff they say and write about you.

Reuters: But Madonna just signed this huge deal reportedly worth $120 million over 10 years with concert company Live Nation. Do you ever feel your career gets overshadowed by hers?

Guy Ritchie: Don’t know what you mean! She’s got her career and I’ve got mine. What can you do? She’s Madonna.

Reuters: The critics were pretty unkind when you remade "Swept Away" with her.

Guy Ritchie: Were they? I thought our remake was fine It’s a funny thing, as once we made the movie, I went, ’Oh yeah, that’s the movie we wanted to make.’ It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal. It was just supposed to be a pleasant remake. And she was good in it. That’s what I couldn’t understand, because she was conspicuously good in it. But what can you do?

Reuters: So would you work with Madonna again?

Guy Ritchie: I don’t know. We don’t want to stick our chins out again.

Reuters: Then, who’s in charge at home?

Guy Ritchie: I’ve got to tell you, we’re just like any other married couple.

Reuters: So she’s in charge?

Guy Ritchie: Yes!

Reuters: Any plans to adopt more kids?

Guy Ritchie: Listen, you’ve got to speak to the boss about that."

Reuters: Your new movie, "Revolver," came out two years ago in Britain, but it’s just now being released in the United States. Is it true you had to re-cut it radically?

Guy Ritchie: No, not radically. I took 10 minutes out, one story that simply illustrated what had happened previously, and it seemed to confuse people.

Reuters: How would you describe "Revolver"?

Guy: "Don't go and see it unless you're interested in head-tricky stuff. I wanted to take what is essentially an introspective movie and put it in a world that was not introspective -- in an underworld, in the world of cons and con (artist) tricks. The premise was that the aspects of your mind that get conned are also the aspects that will deny truth ... If you go in thinking you're getting another "Snatch" or something light and funny, you're going to trip up."

Reuters: This is your third film with Jason Statham. Why do you like working with him so much? (The other two being "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels")

Guy: "I just love Jason and he got the concept, which is not an easy one to get your noggin around."

Reuters: Ray Liotta does several unflattering scenes either totally nude or in nothing but his underpants or Speedos. Did you have to twist his arm to do it?

Guy: "He didn't realize he'd be spending so much time like that, and you watch him slowly shed about 20 pounds of lard during the film. We did re-shoots of him in the bed, and you if watch carefully you can see him go from being marginally overweight to being incredibly trim within a few scenes. That's Ray realizing that he'd better buff up. You see the chubbier Ray change into the very svelte Ray."

Source: Reuters

Quote of the Day

2007-12-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

Guy, have you heard Madonna’s new CD? “It’s her best CD, and I’m not just saying that. Well, I am just saying it, but I also mean it.” —Guy Ritchie

Madonna Knows Best

2007-12-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

From New York Daily News: British director Guy Ritchie is happy to let his wife Madonna give him career advice - because she always knows best.

The 39-year-old filmmaker has re-edited his 2005 movie Revolver after reviews in the U.K. criticised it as overly long and complicated. And Ritchie insists the singer - whom he married in 2000 - knew exactly how to improve the film.

He tells New York Daily News, 'We made it shorter and tried to make it simpler. Funnily enough, we took out the bits that my wife recommended we take out the first time she saw it.' Revolver was released in the U.K. in 2005 and the new edited version of the movie - which stars Jason Statham and Ray Liotta - can be seen in the U.S. from 7 December.

Live Earth Finally Released to DVD and CD

2007-12-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

On July 7, 2007, more than 100 musical acts performed at a series of worldwide concerts collectively called Live Earth, kicking off a multi-year campaign to combat climate change and advocate environmentally sustainable living. The CD/2DVD Live Earth package brings together the most popular artists and best performances at Wembley Stadium in London, Giants Stadium in New Jersey and Makuhari Messe in Japan from this truly global musical summit. The organizers say Live Earth was the largest global entertainment event ever held. The 2-hour broadcast reached audiences in more than 130 countries through radio, television, and the Internet. Live Earth attracted a record online live audience of more than 8 million people. Within the following two weeks alone, more than 55 million video streams hadbeen watched. SPECIAL NOTE : Live Earth’s net proceeds from the sale of this DVD/CD package benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection. Madonna's performance of "La Isla Bonita" with Gogol Bordello is included in this collection.

Madonna Answers Questions

2007-12-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

From WWD.com:
When Madonna and Guy Ritchie walk down a red carpet, there's almost nothing people don't ask.

What did she first notice about Guy?
"I found him very sexy because he looked like he'd just gotten into a fist fight."

What has she taught him about fashion?
"Not to wear the same dresses as her," deadpanned her husband.

What books have you been reading?
"‘The Year of Magical Thinking,' by Joan Didion," said his wife.

What's your son David doing now?
"Eating," said the husband.

Is marriage difficult?
"It's a juggling act. A true juggling act" she said.

Hillary or Obama?
"Hillary," said his wife.

Because?
"Because I've gotta support the girls," she said. "And because I'm a big fan of the Clintons."

At a certain point, the questions seemed mainly to be hitting Madonna, even if it was the U.S. premiere of his movie, "Revolver."

Had she watched lots of gangster movies before she shacked up with the man who's sometimes been described as the British version of Quentin Tarantino?
"Well, I worship ‘The Godfather' Pt. I and II," she said. "And we watched a lot of gangster movies together. But none were as good as his."

After the Cinema Society and Piaget's screening of the film at the Tribeca Grand, guests like Sarah Jessica Parker, Steven Klein, Ingrid Casares, Alex Rodriguez and Donna Karan headed out to The Gramercy Park Hotel, where the party went ‘til around midnight.

Exclusive: Madonna's Candy Revealed Today

2007-12-03T13:41:00.001-08:00

About 30 Warner Bros. staff were invited today to Warner Bros. offices in New York. The meeting is to discuss Madonna's new album. As you can see, people were told to "come and see Madonna's candy...sweet candy at Warner Bros in NYC today!"

Bid 2 Beat AIDS

2007-12-03T09:48:00.001-08:00

This year's Bid 2 Beat AIDS collects almost 1000 signed and rare items from hundreds of celebrities ranging from Madonna to Bill Clinton, up for bids at an online auction to benefit LIFEbeat's HIV and AIDS prevention programs.

An autographed copy of Madonna's Lotsa de Casha children's book is featured in the auction, currently on eBay. To check it out, click here.

The book is up for auction through December 9 at 4:00 PM EST.

Madonna and Guy at Revolver Screening

2007-12-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

Madonna, was among the celebrities that turned out for the New York City re-release of “Revolver.” The Cinema Society and Piaget hosted the event at the Tribeca Grand Screening room last night.

NY Times: A Night Out With Guy Ritchie

2007-12-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.

GUY RITCHIE’S face was balloon red, as a muscular man with shoulders a refrigerator’s width apart sat on top of him and pinned him to the floor. The match, part of a jujitsu class in Beverly Hills, appeared finished, but suddenly Mr. Ritchie, 39, dressed in a short tied robe and striped Adidas pants, hooked his toes inside the armpit of his opponent’s jacket, rolled the giant man over and held him to the floor with a foot against his neck.

“What’s so great about this,” Mr. Ritchie said later, “is that with the right technique, the little guy can overpower someone bigger than himself.”

It’s not exactly his theme song, but the implications of a little guy beating the odds still applies to the nimble filmmaker. Mr. Ritchie was a 30-year-old high-school dropout with severe dyslexia when he won international attention for his first directorial effort, the self-aware crime caper “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” He had a son with Madonna and married her, and wrote and directed a second film, “Snatch,” that featured Brad Pitt. His remake of “Swept Away” starring Madonna (whom he speaks of simply as “my wife”) was widely panned, but Mr. Ritchie is hoping that his film “Revolver,” opening in the United States this week, will improve his standing with American audiences.

At 8:30 p.m., with class over, Mr. Ritchie and a friend, Bobby Rich, chugged water from paper cups at the water cooler. Both agreed that jujitsu forced them to concentrate in ways that, say, tennis does not. “Here, if your thoughts stray,” Mr. Ritchie said, “you get choked.”

A few minutes later, Mr. Ritchie, who has as much of a five o’clock shadow as a blond man can claim, reappeared. He was dressed as if all his other clothes were in the laundry, wearing a black polo shirt, baggy blue Mao-style pants and brown-and-white sneakers. He and Mr. Rich drove over to the Sunset Marquis, a West Hollywood rock-and-roll hotel so established, it has its own recording studio.

In the Marquis’s softly lighted Whiskey Bar, they sat at a low table with James Herbert, an editor of “Revolver,” and noticed Cyndi Lauper seated at the bar with some friends. “How weird do you think it must be to be a rock star?” Mr. Ritchie asked, as if to establish his regular-guy credentials. Neither of his friends answered.

After a waitress took drink orders, Mr. Ritchie leaned over the table to whisper something. “I’m so glad we’re here,” he said with glee. “I never go out.” Why not? “Because I’m married,” he said. With a laugh, he added, “Oh, no, it’s because I have kids.”

About five or six rounds later, as Slash, the top-hatted lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, sauntered in, Mr. Ritchie was discussing how he now enjoyed “the toffee side of English life.” It was a far cry from when he was “encouraged to leave” boarding school at 15 for smoking cocaine sulfate.

Now he had just one obstacle left to overcome: his fear of horseback riding. “My wife refuses to go horseback riding with me because I’m too slow,” he said. “I get on the horse. I get dry mouth. And if I’m lucky, I trot. I’m hoping in the next few years that I can speed up to a canter.”

First Single Chosen

2007-12-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

Madonna has chosen the first single for her new album. She is also meeting this week with video directors and choreographers. The video will begin production soon!

Madonna to Design Kite for Charity

2007-11-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

MADONNA, ANGELINA JOLIE and CHER are among the celebrities designing kites for charity. The high-flyers will auction off their authentic Afghan kites on eBay next month (05Dec07) as part of the launch of Participant Productions, a social action campaign which will coincide with the delayed release of new Afghan movie The Kite Runner. Proceeds from the kite auction will benefit the Afghanistan Relief Organization (AFO), which helps raise cash for the training of teachers and the construction of rural libraries in Afghanistan.

James Bond star Daniel Craig, Benicio Del Toro, Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Kate Winslet, Will Ferrell and acting siblings Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal will also decorate and sign kites for the upcoming auction.

As well as the kites, the auction will also include a trip to the set of the new James Bond film as a personal guest of director Marc Forster, as well as a private lunch with The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini. People will also have the opportunity to bid for the inclusion of their names in Hosseini’s next book.

Pharrell Williams Talks Up New Madonna Album

2007-11-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

From BANG Media International via Monsters and Critics:

Madonna’s new song with Pharrell Williams is so "hot" it will "make the music speakers bleed".

The ’Hung Up’ singer has been in the studio with hit producer Pharrell creating tracks for her upcoming album, and he claims their collaboration will take the music industry by storm.

Speaking at the launch of his new shop Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream in New York on Wednesday (28.11.07), Pharrell said: "It was crazy. I don’t want to say too much. I’d rather wait for you to hear it. It’s awesome though. It makes the speakers bleed. It’s hot!"

Earlier this month, it was reported Pharrell had been recording with the 49-year-old singer at Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles.

The pair reportedly bumped into Kanye West, who was working with Michael Jackson in a studio next-door, inspiring the hip-hop star to rap on one of Madonna’s new songs.

Last month, Madonna signed a $120 million, 10-year record deal with Live Nation Inc. and plans to release her first studio album with the label early next year.

Also set to feature on the hotly-anticipated LP are star producer Timbaland and ’SexyBack’ singer Justin Timberlake.

Exclusive: I Am Because We Are To Be Released Next Year

2007-11-27T20:29:00.001-08:00

Madonna's upcoming documentary directed by Nathan Rissman which gives a look into the lives of Malawi's one million plus orphans in wake of the AIDS pandemic will be released in 2008.

The official webpage for the project is still under construction, but there is a new splash page with a previously unseen image of Malawian children and the mention of the movie's 2008 release. Check it out by clicking the image above.

Madonna To Attend Revolver Premiere In NY

2007-11-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

According to Variety, Madonna will accompany Guy Ritchie to the premiere of "Revolver" in New York on Sunday December 2. Here's what they report:

THE CINEMA Society, which always puts on those deliciously intimate NYC screenings, is really aflutter, anticipating Madonna, who will accompany husband Guy Ritchie to the premiere of his compelling thriller, "Revolver" on Sunday. Andrew Saffir, the big man behind these events, says, "The word is out. Everybody in the world wants in!"

Madonna Dyes Her Sheep

2007-11-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

The RSPCA has told Sky News Online a Madonna photoshoot which involved dyeing her sheep different colours was "irresponsible".

The 49-year-old singer painted sheep on her country estate in blue, yellow, pink and green for the American edition of Vogue magazine.

But animal rights campaigners say the "stunt" threatens to start "a craze" among her fans, which could danger British livestock.

An RSPCA spokeswoman told Sky News: "The paints can be toxic so you have to be careful which ones you use."

A statement from the organisation said: "Publicity stunts or advertising campaigns involving animals can sometimes lead to copycat incidents when animals may be harmed."

The pop star claims the shoot was in homage to celebrated photographer Cecil Beaton, a previous owner of her £9m Wiltshire estate.

The images are to be used in a forthcoming celebrity homes book entitled Vogue Living, commissioned by the American edition of the Conde Nast fashion title.

But a spokeswoman for the British Vogue - which was not involved in the Madonna photos - told Sky News health and safety rules should always be carefully scrutinised before embarking on a shoot.

"We follow strict guidelines and would make sure the owners were present and they were happy," she said.

The sheep - owned by Madonna and director husband Guy Ritchie - were painted in non-toxic dye similar to that used in the farming community.

But the RSPCA said claims of ’artistic merit’ failed to justify the same use as in agriculture.

A spokeswoman said: "When farmers mark animals they are putting them through the sheep dip or preparing them for treatment they need, which is in the animal’s best interest."

Source: Sky News Online

Tribute Album: Through The Wilderness

2007-11-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

Click here to hear the Chapin Sisters' lovely version of "Borderline." Click the album cover below to pre-order the upcoming tribute album "Through the Wilderness." 25% of the proceeds from this album will benefit Raising Malawi. It will be released on November 27, 2007.

Madonna Cancels Christmas

2007-11-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Madonna has "cancelled Christmas" and refuses to give her children any presents.

The star's husband Guy Ritchie says Madonna - who is a devout follower of Kabbalah, a mystical off-shoot of Judaism - will not allow their seven-year-old son Rocco, two-year-old adopted son David, and the singer's 11-year-old daughter Lourdes to celebrate the Christian holiday.

Speaking at the London premiere of new Christmas movie 'Fred Claus' yesterday (19.11.07), Guy told BANG Showbiz: "We cancelled Christmas two years ago in our household.

"Once we cancelled it we stopped all the presents, and once we stopped all the presents we started enjoying ourselves more."

Followers of Kabbalah only celebrate Jewish holy days. They do not recognise Christmas or Easter as they do not believe that Jesus is the son of God.

Madonna has been involved with Kabbalah since the late 90s.

In 2006, it was revealed the 49-year-old singer had spent $2.4 million promoting her faith around the world in the previous four years.

Madonna changed her name to the ancient Hebrew name of Esther and has based her series of children's books on the faith's teachings.

Source: BANG Media International

Malawi Applauds Madonna

2007-11-20T07:59:00.000-08:00

The Malawi government on Tuesday applauded Madonna's efforts to put the plight of the country's AIDS orphans on the global stage and raising money to support them.

The American singer said last week she would work with luxury goods maker Gucci to raise at least $2 million for Malawi's one million orphans.

Madonna and the Italian firm will host a fundraising event with dinner, musical performance and a party on Feb. 6 next year to mark the opening of Gucci's largest store in the world, on New York's Fifth Avenue.

"What she is doing for orphans of this country very few super stars like her can do that, she has managed to put their plight on the world stage," government spokesperson and Information Minister Patricia Kaliati told Reuters.

"Madonna has built clinics in rural areas where government has failed to reach and because of that she has saved many lives of pregnant mothers who could have died," she said.

The pop star and her husband Guy Ritchie's bid to adopt David Banda from Malawi has hit several snags since they took the 13-month-old boy from the African country last year to their home in London.

The boy had been placed in an orphanage by his father after the death of his mother. Madonna is due to return to Malawi next April for a hearing before she can permanently adopt the child.

Madonna said the charity event would benefit UNICEF and the charity she co-founded in 2006, Raising Malawi, which focuses on trying to help Malawi's orphans, many of whose parents have died of AIDS.

Debi Mazar Interview

2007-11-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

Debi Mazar made her film debut in Martin Scorsese's blockbuster, "Goodfellas." From there, she was seen in "Little Man Tate," "Bullets Over Broadway," "Batman Forever" and many other Hollywood hits.

Debi, a longtime Madonna friend who was also her make up artist in the early years of the Queen of Pop can currently be seen in HBO's successful series, "Entourage," playing Shauna, Vincent Chase's publicist. Look for her soon in the remake of the 1939 George Cukor classic, "The Women," alongside Annette Bening and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

Debi and her Tuscan-born husband Gabriele also host an online cooking show called "Under the Tuscan Gun" from their home. Their repertoire is genuine, funny and entertaining as they show how to prepare simple, authentic Italian meals.

Steven J. Austin from Fave Foods had a chat with Debi about her passion for Tuscany cooking - and here is the inevitable Madonna-related question coming from their chat.

Steven:You were in several music videos with your friend, Madonna. Did you ever hang out and enjoy meals together?

Debi: "Madonna and I have been friends for 25 years. We have traveled all over the world together. My two favorite food memories are eating in Japan at a formal sitdown meal, where we each had our own Geisha girl, in traditional costume. And another time we had a fisherman/chef cook for a week in Pantelleria, Italy."

From The Detroit News

Quote of the Day

2007-11-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

"If you look into Madonna's eyes - or Whitney Houston's when she was at her peak - you see something there that other people haven't got."

"It's a steel, a sense of 'I am going to do it, whatever happens'. It's not necessarily a good character trait to have, but if you are going to make it in this business, you need it."

X Factor judge Simon Cowell, in an interview on today's Daily Mail.

Live Nation Responds to Critics

2007-11-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

(Fortune) -- Ever since Live Nation, the giant concert promoter, announced a sweeping 10-year deal with Madonna to handle her albums, tours and merchandize, investors have worried that the company spent too much to lure the superstar away from Warner Music Group. The stock has fallen roughly 30 percent since the news came out last month.

On Thursday, CEO Michael Rapino and his top executives defended the deal before investors and analysts gathered at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, one of Live Nation’s venues.

Judging from the immediate reaction -- the stock was off slightly in early trading Friday -- the Street isn’t yet convinced.

The execs didn’t offer up exact figures of the deal -- citing a confidentiality agreement with the material girl -- but they did estimate it will be valued at roughly $100 million for Madonna.

Live Nation paid Madonna $25 million in stock as an advance. In addition, according to a person familiar with the terms, Madonna received about $25 million in cash, although Rapino wouldn’t confirm this. For each dollar that that comes in, Live Nation gets a share and Madonna gets a share that counts against her advance.

Michael Cohl, who runs Live Nation’s Artist Nation division and helped broker the contract with Madonna, described the deal as pure partnership and said that any money after that is a basic revenue share, although the splits vary depending on the products. The problem, he said, is that people are viewing the deal as if it’s a record deal -- and everyone knows the record business is suffering.

Instead, he said, investors need to realize that the rights deal will be "cross collateralized" across dozens of products -- ticket sales, DVDs, books, t-shirts, clothing lines, streaming videos, private concerts. "Anything you can think of we can do," said Cohl, who run tours for the Rolling Stones, among other acts.

"Make no mistake," said Rapino. "We are not getting into the record business. We are not building a system to sell 6-inch discs....We’re a marketing and distribution company."

Record labels have big infrastructures around the world to get CDs into stores, but Rapino argues he doesn’t need that.

He likes to point to the deal the Eagles just did to sell its 2-disc set exclusively through Wal-Mart, without having to give a cut to a label. They sold 700,000 in the first week. Whether its Wal-Mart or Starbucks or Victoria’s Secret, Rapino said plenty of companies are eager to cut deals to distribute albums.

Madonna and Guy Photographed

2007-11-16T17:59:00.001-08:00

Madonna and Guy spent last night at Harry's Bar in London.

More on the Raising Malawi/UNICEF Event

2007-11-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

A few more details on the Raising Malawi / UNICEF fundraising event comes from the press:

*Besides Madonna, the event will be co-hosted by Gucci creative director Frida Giannini.

*Other co-hosts to join Madonna and Frida Giannini, is economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs.

*Just a little more accurate details on the event schedule: The celebratory evening will consist of dinner, followed by a guest speaker, music performance, and an after-party, details of which were not released.

Please note: This is not the first time that Madonna and Gucci have shared a commitment in the fight against AIDS and to supporting underprivileged children. The first time they joined forces was in 1997, when Madonna served as honorary co-chair of the record-breaking Gucci fundraising event for AIDS Project Los Angeles.

Gucci on the Raising Malawi/UNICEF Event

2007-11-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

Here is what Mark Lee, CEO at Gucci, said about the fundraising event to be hosted by Madonna in New York on February 6, 2008:

"We are honoured to have Madonna host this very special event with us, celebrating the opening of our New York Fifth Avenue flagship store while generating funds for Raising Malawi and Unicef. At this significant moment in Gucci’s history, we are proud to continue our commitment to a cause of great importance to the company. We are inspired by the work of Raising Malawi and Unicef - organisations that are improving life in communities devastated by HIV/Aids, and helping thousands of children in their daily struggle to survive."

Exclusive: Madonna and Gucci Team Up

2007-11-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

Madonna is joining forces with luxury goods maker Gucci to raise funds for orphans in Malawi, from where she has been trying to adopt a child since last year.

The U.S. singer and Gucci will host a fundraising event with dinner, musical performance and a party on Feb. 6 next year to mark the opening of Gucci's largest store in the world, on New York's Fifth Avenue.

Madonna said the event will benefit UNICEF and the charity she co-founded in 2006, Raising Malawi, which focuses on trying to end the poverty and hardship suffered by Malawi's one million orphans, many of whose parents died of AIDS.

"I am grateful that Gucci is joining forces with me to bring attention to a country with millions of children in desperate need of our help," Madonna said in a statement.

"Raising Malawi has already done tremendous work in helping these children. But we have much more to do and this event will surely bring us closer to our goal."

Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie's bid to adopt David Banda from Malawi has hit several stumbling blocks since they took the 13-month-old boy from the African country last year. He had been placed in an orphanage by his father after the death of his mother.

Rights groups have accused Madonna of using her fame and wealth to circumvent the country's adoption rules although the singer has insisted she is following the law.

Malawi's High Court is to hold a hearing next year into whether Madonna and Ritchie are suitable parents and should adopt the child.

The New York event is expected to raise at least $2 million with Madonna joined by a list of celebrity co-chairs in the event including Adrien Brody, Arpad Busson, Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault, Tea Leoni, Lucy Liu, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Gucci, which is owned by French retailer PPR , has been a UNICEF corporate partner since 2004.

Caryl Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, thanked Madonna and Gucci and said AIDS remained one of the most devastating public health problems in recent history.

"Every day, 6,000 children lose a parent to AIDS, and 1,400 children die from AIDS," Stern said in the statement.

Exclusive: First Review of Madonna's New Album

2007-11-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

We can't reveal the name of the album or the songs, but we can tell you we have heard the entire new album from Madonna! It is brilliant. This is her most commercial-sounding album in over a decade. If you are a Madonna fan, this album is going to surprise you. It is nothing like Confessions on a Dance Floor, but it is better in many ways. The beats are heavy and loud. The songs are catchy and the vocals are spot on! It's going to be an exciting time for all of us Madonna fans! I wish I could tell you the names of the songs, but we had to sign a legal document saying we wouldn't reveal that information. We will post more information when it is allowed.

We give it 5 stars!

Madonna Causes A Commotion

2007-11-09T08:40:00.001-08:00

Madonna's dreams of extending her apartment in New York have been whipped by the co-op bosses, because they refused the singer to let her buy another property in the building. The 49-year old entertainer who already owns three luxury apartments in Manhattan has reportedly put in a bid to take over another apartment, but complex big shots have insisted that three homes in the building were more than enough.

Residents also complain of sharing their building with the celebrity neighbour - because paparazzi and fans greet them at the entrance whenever the Material Girl was in town.

An insider has revealed that by rejecting Madonna's offer, the owners of the building are hoping that she would leave her house, which would be a big relief to the neighbours.

"By rejecting her offer to purchase yet another apartment, they're hoping she'll sell her other three and buy elsewhere... Madonna just causes too much commotion," Contactmusic quoted the source, as saying.

Sean Penn Accepts Blame for Failed Marriage

2007-11-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn insists he didn’t really know his ex-wife Madonna when he was married to her, and can’t remember having "a single conversation" with her. Penn, 44, married the superstar in 1985 at the height of her career and divorced her four years later (89), but blames his own vanity and excessive drinking for the relationship’s demise.

He says, "She was a phenomenon, but nothing could have told anybody what would happen next. I describe that marriage as loud. That’s how I remember it. I don’t recall having a single conversation in four years of marriage.

"I’ve talked to her a few times since, and there’s a whole person there. I just didn’t know it. I was just living in my own head. Who was it that said ’Men are vain, particularly young men’? That was me, and I liked to drink a lot.

"I’m not saying it was meaningless. I’ve carried over the lessons to things more applicable now."

Source: Contact Music.

Madonna Arriving In London

2007-11-06T20:03:00.001-08:00

An exhausted Madonna returned to London after spending time in LA. She finished up the recording of her new album over the past week.

Courtney Love: Madonna is a Weak Artist!

2007-11-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Courtney Love has named Madonna a “weak” artist in a post on her Myspace page.

In a lengthy post, Love said that Madonna is a great business woman who sings from “a calculating thought out place” as opposed to from her “heart or intuition.”

Whilst Love acknowledged that you can “hum” Madonna’s songs, she said that "ambition and sass and shrewd does not equal great art - hard work and major discipline doesn’t equal great art and all of those are great things.”

Talking about her own relevance as a musician Love explained: “I convert them, I have great discipline and I do work like a bionic thing.”

To read Courtney's unedited post, click here.

The New Album Update

2007-11-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

Madonna's new album is almost completed. She went to a studio in LA last week and worked with the sound engineers on the final mixing. All but three tracks have now been completed and the rest should be finished before December. Madonna is going to shoot the album cover photo shoot in early 2008 after the holidays.

Madonna To Visit Malawi With David?

2007-11-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

From Contact Music:

Madonna’s adopted son David Banda will be reunited with his biological father later this month (Nov07) - more than a year after he left his native Malawi.

The pop superstar chose the two-year-old tot following a visit to an orphanage in the African country in October last year (06), and the pair will fly back to Malawi in the coming weeks to finalize the adoption process.

And although Banda’s father, Yohane, is happy his baby is no longer living in poverty, he fears his son will not be able to recognize him. He says, "I can’t wait to see my son again after a year. It will be a fantastic moment. But I have my anxieties though. Will he recognize me or his granny after all these months? It’s a surreal feeling. It’s terribly sad that David will be officially de-linked from us. But we want the adoption to go ahead in David’s best interests. When he grows up he will be a wealthy man. I may be gone by then. But I hope he will lift his other relatives out of poverty in the way that Madonna is doing for him."

Madonna's Mother-In-Law Speaks

2007-11-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Madonna's mother-in-law has described the singer and husband Guy Ritchie as 'loving and wonderful parents'. Shireen Ritchie was speaking on ITV1's GMTV programme, which is highlighting the thousands of children in the UK who need adoptive homes.

Madonna and her husband were granted temporary custody of toddler David Banda, then 13 months old, last October after his father placed him in an orphanage following the death of his mother.

The singer previously came under fire for allegedly attempting to bypass normal Malawian adoption rules, an allegation she has strenuously denied.

Mrs Ritchie, a Conservative councillor, is stepmother to Madonna's film director husband. She is Cabinet Member for Family and Children's Services for The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and was asked how the situation is going, having probably one of the most famous adopted grandsons in the world.

She said: 'It is working very well. They are wonderful parents - loving and wonderful parents....and he's a very lucky little boy.'

Speaking generally, she said the children hardest to find adoptive parents for were sometimes sibling groups and older children.

Mrs Ritchie was asked about the myth that it is difficult to adopt in Britain, prompting people to look abroad. She said: 'Adoption processes in other countries are different, that's true.'

'I think what we have in Britain today is a very robust system which puts the child at the heart of the adoption system.'

'It is the interests of the child, what is best for the child, that is considered the whole time.'

You Read It Here First: Madonna Related To Hillary Clinton

2007-11-02T11:51:00.001-07:00

Madonna has discovered she is related – albeit distantly – to Hillary Clinton.

Washington genealogist William Addams Reitwiesner discovered the ties, reports The Washington Post's Reliable Source column.

It turns out that Madonna, 49, and the Democratic presidential front-runner, 60, are 10th cousins. They share the same great great great great great great great great great grandparents – 17th-century French ancestors who moved to Quebec and then came south.

The former First Lady can also count Angelina Jolie, 32, as a ninth cousin, twice removed. According to Reitwiesner, Clinton is also distantly related to Camilla Parker-Bowles, Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette. – Tim Nudd

Good News: Madonna Recording

2007-11-01T19:47:00.001-07:00

Madonna is recording additional songs for her new album in LA. She is seen here arriving at the recording studio yesterday!

The new album is expected in March.

Madonna Comments on the Murder of Linda Stein

2007-11-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

Linda Stein beat cancer, survived the Bowery’s seedy punk rock scene and thrived amid the high-stakes world of Manhattan real estate. Her sudden death came in an unexpected way and place: violently, inside her $3 million Fifth Avenue apartment.

The brutal bludgeoning of the 62-year-old Stein, dubbed the "Realtor to the Stars" in the years after she quit rock ’n’ roll for real estate, left behind shaken friends and family as police searched Thursday for her killer. Stein was found face-down two nights earlier in the living room of her apartment.

A team of detectives was interviewing employees at her posh doorman building, and reviewing security videotape in an effort to identify a suspect.

Friends like Madonna and Elton John recalled Stein’s indomitable personality, and her triumph against breast cancer.

Madonna was an unknown singer when she signed with Sire Records, owned by Linda’s ex-husband Seymour, in the early ’80s. Later, with Linda’s help, the now international star purchased a pricey Central Park West apartment.

"I had a great visit with Linda and Seymour backstage after my show last year at Madison Square Garden, and we of course reminisced about the good old days," Madonna said. "I deeply admired her courage in her battle with breast cancer, as well as her career success."

John was the godfather to Stein’s daughter Mandy.

"Im absolutely shocked and upset," the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter said. "Shes been a friend for over 37 years and will be greatly missed. She did so much for breast cancer and was a huge supporter of my AIDS Foundation."

Other celebrity friends and clients included Sting, Billy Joel, Steven Spielberg and Angelina Jolie. She was among those at the epicenter of punk rock, becoming a fixture at the legendary CBGB and co-managing the influential punk band the Ramones.

"She was quite the character," said Meg Griffin, a Sirius Satellite Radio disc jockey who knew Stein from the late ’70s. "She was a loud New Yorker, but endearing. She was one of those people who had their finger on the pulse of this music when it was in dingy, small clubs."

She fared well after changing careers. A real estate agent peddling a hot property to Charlie Sheen’s Wall Street movie character was based on Stein.

Stein’s body was discovered by Mandy, a documentary filmmaker who did the film Too Tough to Die last year about the late guitarist Johnny Ramone. She had another daughter, Samantha, and a 3-year-old granddaughter.

"She raised two wonderful daughters," Madonna said. "That was her best accomplishment of all."

Madonna Gets Lucky

2007-10-31T15:02:00.001-07:00

Baseball caps are back on the fashion map this winter thanks to Lucky Seven, the London-based hat company swiftly becoming an obsession with Madonna. The singer has been seen in no less than eight different designs over the last two months, all of which carry bright retro crests from cult TV shows and films including Star Wars, Galactica, Moonraker and Alien.

"I grew up in the Seventies and was never without my Star Wars baseball cap, which was an original from the film," says founder and designer Jay Jay Burridge. "The Lucky Seven crests are replicas of the fictional corporations in iconic movies and they've gone down really well – especially with Madonna." The queen of pop isn't the only fan either - David LaChapelle, Hayden Christensen and Robbie Williams are all getting their slice of Burridge's cap action too. Fancy making your own bespoke version? Log onto www.luckyseven.tv, click "Custom Build" and pick out your own personal crest and colour. (October 31 2007, AM)
(Louise Roe, Vogue.com)

Madonna Wins Two Arion Awards

2007-10-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

News from Greece: Madonna has won two Arion Awards for best selling single - with "Hung Up" - and album - with "Confessions on a Dancefloor".

The Arion, named after the legendary kitharode in ancient Greece, is the most important music industry award in Greece. It is similar to the Grammy Awards.

Confessions Tour Considered for Grammy

2007-10-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

The Confessions Tour by Madonna has been submitted for consideration for nomination for Best Long Form Music Video at the 50th Grammy Awards.

The 50th Grammy Awards will take place on February 10, 2008 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Nominations will be announced on December 6, 2007.

Britney Does Her Best Madonna Imitation

2007-10-29T16:05:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears is set to outrage the Catholic Church Madonna-style with a raunchy new photo shoot.

The pop wreck has posed for a series of confession-themed pics - like the one to the left - for new album, Blackout.

Clad in saucy fishnets, Brit is shown posing provocatively in a confessional box as a handsome priest looks on.

An insider reveals to British tabloid The Daily Mirror that in another "very naughty" shot the singer sits on the priests lap.

First Published on a Madonna Site: Book Ranks Madonna 4th

2007-10-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

The latest update of Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Singles" series is a treasure chest of information about pop music. The heart of the book is an exhaustive listing of every recording to make Billboard magazine's weekly Hot 100 lists since 1955, including the number of weeks it stayed on the charts and the highest position it achieved.

Whitburn considers the book's Top 500 Artists chart the most prestigious because it is so comprehensive. For the list, Whitburn awards an artist points for every record that makes the Billboard chart, with bonus points for each week the single stays on the chart and for how high on the chart it climbs.

Elvis Presley (9,406 points) remains the runaway leader, but the Beatles (5,360) could soon lose their second spot to Elton John (5,045). Just behind them is Madonna (4,749).

Madonna Still In LA!

2007-10-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

Madonna and Guy take a romantic walk at night in Beverly Hills, CA on 10/27/07.

Guy Breaks Silence Over Adoption

2007-10-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

From The Daily Mail:

Guy Ritchie has spoken for the first time about his and Madonna’s adoption of Malawian baby David Banda.

The film director said the two-year-old had become "part of the family" and put paid to rumours that the upheaval caused by bringing a child into their family had put a strain on their marriage.

Ritchie, 39, said today: "We haven’t talked about the adoption for ages - he’s part of us.

"It was only in the first month when the adoption was going through. Since then we have all been getting on with our lives and it hasn’t been mentioned. That’s par for the course. He’s part of the family."

Madonna has two other children, Lourdes, 10, and her and Ritchie’s son, Rocco, seven.

Both are said to have fully accepted David and Lourdes has even learned to speak to him in his native language, Chichewa.

The couple are set to appear before Malawi’s high court next month for a review of their 18-month temporary adoption order of David.

They expect to learn that they have won the right to formally adopt him as Malawi’s chief social welfare officer Simon Chisale has written a glowing report after spending three days with the family at their Marylebone home.

But while Ritchie, whose next film RocknRolla is due out next year, insisted he and Madonna, 49, were very happily married, he did admit to not particularly liking his wife’s pop hits.

He added: "To be honest, I’m not really into pop music. That’s just not my scene - I’m more into Irish folk songs.

"I’m sorry if everyone is shocked I’m not into her music."

Filth & Wisdom Update

2007-10-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest about Madonna's Filth and Wisdom project:

The autobiographical work will bring some of the most colorful characters from the singer's past to the big screen.

British actor Richard E Grant stars as one of them. He said: "I play a poet, a blind writer who's based on her dance teacher."

Grant also said Madonna as a director is "very exacting, very clear about absolutely everything, full control, as you would expect. She's the one."

It's been rumored that Filth and Wisdom will be showcased at the Sundance Film Festival early next year.

Liz Smith on Madonna's Live Nation Deal

2007-10-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

Liz Smith shared her views on the latest news from the Madonna/Live Nation mega-deal in yesterday's "Page Six" in the New York Post.

"People are talking about: Madonna's leap from Warner Records - her record label for 25 years - to Live Nation, the tour promoter, for $120 million.

This shocked the music industry. Warner Records certainly still wanted the pop legend, even though her record sales in the United States aren't quite what they once were. Her tours take in a fortune, and in Europe her CDs sell like the good old days.

Why leave home? Because ... she's Madonna. She'll be 50 in August; her Live Nation deal is for 10 years. Clearly, she expects to remain creative, popular and relevant in the new world of downloads, iPods and "free" music (not to mention keeping herself physically up to the concert grind). Safe and comfy has never been the Big M's way. She is riding the tsunami of change, as usual. But the wave won't hit for a little while. She still owes her old Warner bosses two albums.

Madonna's Tiara Not Sold

2007-10-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

Madonna’s wedding tiara failed to find a buyer at a charity auction in Seattle.

The headpiece, which she wore at her marriage to Guy Ritchie in 2000, was being sold in aid of the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Centre. But, at $350,000 (£170,000), buyers may have found it too expensive. Or just minging.

Source: The Times.

Madonna As In The Onion

2007-10-23T07:39:00.001-07:00

Madonna Gets Permanent Custody

2007-10-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

According to The Sun, Madonna is to get permanent custody of her adopted African son five months earlier than she hoped.

The superstar, 49, will appear before the high court in Malawi next month for a review of her temporary adoption order.

And it is expected the hearing – originally not due to take place until April – will grant her full custody of two-year-old David Banda. The boy has been living with her, husband Guy Ritchie and their two children in London for a year.

Guy's Dad Speaks

2007-10-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Guy Ritchie's dad says he was worried about how little time his son has seen Madonna recently - as they have been living on separate sides of the Atlantic.

But Major John Ritchie is now pleased because Guy recently told him he is planning to move out to New York to be with her, where she is editing a documentary about the AIDS victims and orphans of Malawi.

At tot David Banda's second birthday bash last weekend, John told a friend: "It's the first time Guy has seen her in a while.

Madonna, Lola, Rocco and David have been out in the States and Guy has been in London."

Source: Sunday Mirror

Pop Quiz: Joe Henry

2007-10-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Joe Henry is interviewed in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Q: Are you the only person alive who's worked with both Ornette Coleman and Madonna?

A: Yes, as far as I know. I'm certainly the only person who's worked with Ornette Coleman, Madonna and Ramblin' Jack Elliott.

Q: That's the combo to have?

A: That's the trifecta. Anybody could hit two of those bases. The trick is to hit all three.

Q: I'm sure Elvis Costello could give you a run for the money.

A: We've actually had this conversation. He's worked with a lot of good people, but not that particular combination.

Click here to read the complete interview.

Argentina's New Eva Peron?

2007-10-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

When Senator Hillary Clinton appeared on Capitol Hill displaying a hint of cleavage, she sparked off a media furore about women in power, the way they dress and the role of femininity in American politics.

There has been no such fuss over the presidential campaign of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, whose enthusiasm for mascara and designer handbags has played no small part in her seemingly effortless stroll towards victory in next Sunday’s elections in Argentina.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

First Published On A Madonna Site: Live Nation To Acquire Signatures Network?

2007-10-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Fresh from stealing Madonna from Warner Music Group, concert promoter Live Nation is in advanced talks to acquire the Material Girl’s merchandising company, Signatures Network, The New York Post reported.

The deal for Signatures Network, which holds the rights to license and market more than 125 artists including U2, Kanye West and Bruce Springsteen, is expected to be announced in the next two weeks, The Post said, adding that Live nation is ponying up $50 million for the firm.

Liz Rosenberg Speaks

2007-10-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's longtime Warner Bros. publicist, says:

"I think it marks the beginning of a new era in how record companies function, but I wouldn't call it the beginning of the end. For the last year or two it's become much more crystallized that everyone in the business has to explore new ways of being profitable. The combination of Radiohead and Madonna these last few weeks is a big shift."

Liz Rosenberg talks about Madonna's Upcoming Album and the following Greatest Hits.

2007-10-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

An article from Entertainment Weekly/Hollywood Insider by Shirley Halperin:

No doubt, losing Madonna to Live Nation in what’s quickly become regarded as a historic deal (worth a reported $120 million), was a huge blow to Warner Bros. Records, her home for the last 25 years. However, while the financial terms were, for the most part, unmatchable, don’t think the label brass is necessarily quaking in the aftershock. For one thing, they had a long time to contemplate the possibility. A source tells Hollywood Insider that negotiations went back and forth for almost six months, during which Live Nation was neither the only bidder, nor the highest. Still, Warners ’’knew it was kind of leading to that," says the source. When the news finally broke internally, Warners’ staffers had just commenced three days of corporate meetings in their Burbank headquarters. Surprisingly, the vibe was optimistic. "They stopped for one second, and kept going," says an insider who was present. "It was actually sort of comforting because business went on — talking about new talent, all these releases coming out, focusing on the 360 deals... It was like, yes, Madonna was, and will be for a while longer, a hugely important artist for the company, but she’s not the only artist."

Meanwhile, on a conference call with Wall Street analysts yesterday, Live Nation CEO Mike Rapino revealed that it would be at least two years — and more realistically, three years — before they release Madonna’s first studio album, and a tour is likely "within the next 24 months."

On Warners’ end, publicist Liz Rosenberg says that the 49 year-old icon’s next record (which may feature songs from recent studio sessions with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake) could drop in March 2008, with yet another greatest hits package slated for later next year or early 2009. Rosenberg adds: "We intend to work our asses off to make them both huge successes."

Madonna Dissatisfied with WMG's Promotion of C.O.A.D.F. in the U.S.

2007-10-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

This gossip and commentary were published today in music industry publication HitsDailyDouble in the "Rumor Mill" section:

MADONNA WANNABE GONE: Insiders say Madonna was furious with Tom Whalley and Edgar Bronfman Jr. for dropping the ball on her last album, 2005's Confessions on a Dance Floor, especially in the U.S., where she sold less than 20% of her worldwide total of 8 million-plus. The acrimonious parting of the ways between WMG and her Maverick label, when they failed to show her any love, exacerbated her displeasure with the pair. That made for a sad final chapter to Madonna’s quarter-century run at WB—although her pain was undoubtedly eased by that $120 million she’s getting from Michael Rapino’s Live Nation in a deal negotiated by her attorney, Allen Grubman. On one level, adding record rights to the deal was a symbolic slap in the face to Whalley and Bronfman, but the move has bottom-line implications as well, considering the sizable worldwide numbers Madonna continues to tally. The loss of those sales constitutes a major blow to WMG, and it comes at a particularly inopportune time. (10/18p)

And then they added commentary on Edgar's comments on losing Madonna:

WHAT JUNIOR SAID: "We remain committed to maintaining financial discipline. We simply will not enter into agreements with artists that fail this test—whether or not the artists are well-known, and regardless of media reaction." —Edgar Bronfman Jr., rationalizing the loss of Madonna in an internal memo, reprinted Wednesday in the N.Y. Post. (10/18a)

WHAT JUNIOR MEANT: “We have no cash to make a deal of this magnitude, we have no expertise to execute this type of deal even if we could raise the cash, we know nothing about touring or branding and she would be crazy to take our stock cuz I have no clue about how to fix my company and this mess that I have gotten it into. The only 360 deals we can make are with new and developing acts that we can leverage our way into by threatening not to work their records upon release. Now, would anyone be interested in looking at my family photo album?”

Live Nation CEO Talks About the Madonna Deal

2007-10-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

With shares of one-time tune titan Warner Music Group down nearly 60% in the last year, it's hard to argue that the music industry is in "Dire Straits". In fact, one of the very few bright spots is live performance. For example, North American concert sales jumped 16% last year to a record $3.6 billion, according to trade publication Pollstar.

And recently, Madonna inked a deal with concert promoter Live Nation which is reportedly worth $125 million.

Is the Material Girl's landmark 10-year agreement the wave of the future? Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino joins a conversation on CNBC. Following are excerpts.

How does the Madonna deal work?

"We have 10 years to maximize all of her revenues from T-shirts, to concerts and films and downloads," says Rapino. "And through all of that we distribute our profits."

In other words you basically pay Madonna $12.5 million every year and then you own that content, explains Dylan Ratigan. Is that right?

"Basically," he replies.

Can you generate a revenue stream similar to the one lost in CD sales?

"We believe that the internet is the live concert promoters best friend although it might have crippled the record label business," Rapino replies. "The live business (is) connected to the fan, directly, which enables us to sell singles and downloads and everything the consumer wants…"

Is your model to eliminate the role of the label?

"Absolutely, the concert is now moving to the center of the circle for the artist," says Rapino. "The artist is now looking for the live show and everything that can be done around the live show."

Will you start a bidding war or will Time Warner (and similar companies) just get out of the music business entirely?

"I think we're going to start a bidding war over artists who sell a lot of concert tickets." says Rapino.

He adds, "And if you (already) sell a lot of concert tickets we're (probably) your biggest partner already, and we're going to help you sell more."

Can you afford to pay other artists what you're paying Madonna?

"I don't think the roster has to be all that big in our business. There are 5 or 6 artists that sell a lot of concert tickets and we'd like to be deeper involved with them."

Who are these other artists?

"Dave Matthews, Tim McGraw. U2, The Rolling Stones - there are a lot of artists selling out stadiums around the world that we work with regularly. And end up making most of our money with those artists. And we think we can be deeper partners with them," explains Rapino.

Is it your ambition to lock up the live concert business and then exploit that into a digital business?

"We believe that the Madonna fan who is buying a $200 concert ticket is in our data base and we have a direct relationship with them," says Rapino. "We think we can sell them a 99 cent download, or a $14 dollar T-shirt. The ticket is now the center of the transaction."

But aren't your artists kind of old?

"We believe there's a whole new roster that we'll move into," replies Rapino. "But today we've seen artists who have extended their (professional) lives into their… Frank Sinatra sold out shows into his ‘80's!"

Dylan Ratigan asks the panel with they think of this stock?

Guy Adami thinks concerts are "Where it's at!" Pete Najarian says he's concerned because of the age of the artists Live Nation is pursuing.

First Published On A Madonna Site: Moby Slams Madonna Deal

2007-10-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

Dance star Moby has hit out at Madonna's "obscene" $120 million (GBP60 million) record deal, insisting too much money is thrown at artists. The Material girl agreed the deal with tour promoters Live Nation after ending her longterm agreement with Warner Music. Moby writes on his blog,

"I was just reading about Madonna signing a $120,000,000 deal with Live Nation for her touring and album and merchandise rights. "I'm not criticizing Madonna, not at all, but I sometimes wonder what people do with their excess money, and when do they have enough? "We live in a culture wherein there's a prevailing ethos that you should always have more. But why is 'more' always better?"

Warner Brothers Speaks

2007-10-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

"We congratulate Madonna on her future plans. She is one of the most remarkable artists of our time. We are excited to issue her upcoming album next year. We are also honored to own her catalog of recordings from the past 25 years, as well as to manage her library of songs for an extended period of time. From all of us at Warner Music Group, we thank Madonna for a valued and enduring partnership."

"Alone Again" in Kylie Documentary

2007-10-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

"Alone Again" is a song written by Madonna and Rick Nowels during her "Ray of Light" era. The song was widely talked about in 2002 as being given to Kylie Minogue who was rumored to have recorded her own rendition of the track which was expected to be a b-side to her "Come Into My World" single.

Fans already knew that "Alone Again" was definitely much more than a rumor and Kylie herself mentioned the song during interviews. Things changed last night as Kylie's documentary "White Diamond" premiered in London and "Alone Again" - the Kylie Minogue version, sung as a ballad - can be actually heard in the movie.

Madonna and Rick Nowels are listed in the film credits as writers and Madonna also got a special "thank you" in the end titles.

"White Diamond" has received a special "one night only" regional screening treatment in the UK yesterday night and has beem shown in High Definition and Dolby 5:1 digital surround sound with footage broadcasted from the world premiere at the Vue West End, Leicester Square. "White Diamond" will be available on DVD later this year.

Live Nation Anticipates More Than $1 Billion In Revenue From Madonna Deal

2007-10-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

Based on historical data from her last few albums and tours, Live Nation believes it will generate gross revenues well in excess of $1 billion over the 10-year life of its new, ground-breaking music deal with superstar Madonna, the company announced in a conference call today. Live Nation is paying the singer $120 million over the 10 years, but was not the highest bidder financially for her services, according to the company. With the new deal, Madonna ends her long-term relationship with Warner Music Group, but she still owes them one more album.

The company, which produced several of Madonna’s previous tours, said her 2006 Confessions on a Dance Floor trek grossed about $200 million worldwide, and that she could mount four similar tours over the life of the new contract to generate a total of $800 million. Her previous three albums combined grossed $200 million, and the contract calls for three from the singer. Live Nation expects the first album to be delivered sometime in the next two to three years and for the first tour within the next two years.

That alone adds up to a potential gross of $1 billion, and that’s before merchandising, licensing and DVD or other media sales, and the two sides will split some of the revenue generated by those ventures. The logistics of one critical component of the deal, tour ticketing and distribution, was not addressed during the conference call Tuesday, but Live Nation vows to expand beyond its LiveNation.com ticket sale section to offer more extensive ticketing solutions in the future. Ticket pricing will continue to be decided by discussions with Live Nation, the promoter and Madonna and her camp.

The deal marks the inaugural contract between an artist and Live Nation’s new Artist Nation division, which is headed up by industry veteran Michael Cohl, who has handled successful tours for the Rolling Stones and the late Frank Sinatra. By signing an artist with as much success and global appeal as Madonna, said Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, the concept of all-encompassing music deals was validated. “Our plan is to be a pure play music company,” Rapino said.

Currently, Live Nation works on various aspects of touring with about 1,000 different artists annually, and it hopes to bring several of those artists under the Artist Nation umbrella in the future.

With those bands and Madonna, Live Nation plans to leverage all aspects of the artist’s music and marketing repertoire to help generate revenues. “We have extensive knowledge of her [Madonna’s] brand,” said Arthur Fogel, chairman of Live Nation’s Global Music division and the promoter of Madonna’s recent tours.

The BBC Wants You!

2007-10-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

The BBC are looking for the UK's best solo tribute act for a new primetime TV show hosted by Graham Norton.

If you are, or know a Madonna tribute act please click here for further details.

Breaking News

2007-10-16T15:01:00.000-07:00

Madonna will tour within 2 years and (after her upcoming album with Warner Brothers) she will release her first album with Live Nation within 2 years or 3 years maximum! This is all stipulated in her new contract with Live Nation. It looks like the next few years are going to be very exciting for fans of Madonna!

2007-10-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Issue #2 of ICON Digital Magazine will be available very soon. ICON is happy to premiere the cover art created for this new release. Get ready for fresh articles, rare pictures and content as well as a new way to enjoy your copy of Madonna’s official publication...

Madonna Speaks...

2007-10-16T12:56:00.001-07:00

Here is the official press release from Live Nation regarding Madonna decision to sign with them - and at the end of the release Madonna confirms that we will have to wait till next year for the new album:

Live Nation's President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Rapino officially confirmed today - October 16, 2007 - that Madonna has entered into an unprecedented global partnership with Live Nation and will become the founding artist in its Artist Nation division.

'The paradigm in the music business has shifted and as an artist and a business woman, I have to move with that shift,' commented Madonna. 'For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited. I've never wanted to think in a limited way and with this new partnership, the possibilities are endless. Who knows how my albums will be distributed in the future? That's what's exciting about this deal - everything is possible. Live Nation has offered me a true partnership and after 25 years in the business, I feel that I deserve that.'

'Madonna is a true icon and maverick as an artist and in business,' stated Mr. Rapino. 'Our partnership is a defining moment in music history. I am thrilled that Madonna, who is also now a shareholder in our company, has joined with us to create a new business model for our industry. Bringing all the varied elements of Madonna's stunning music career into the Artist Nation and Live Nation family, moves her future and the future of our company into a unique and extraordinary place.'

The first-of-its-kind partnership between Madonna and Live Nation encompasses all of Madonna's future music and music-related businesses, including the exploitation of the Madonna brand, new studio albums, touring, merchandising, fan club/web site, DVD's, music-related television and film projects and associated sponsorship agreements. This unique new business model will address all of Madonna's music ventures as a total entity for the first time in her career.

Arthur Fogel, Chairman of Live Nation's Global Music Division and Chief Executive Officer of Global Touring, who has produced the artist's last three worldwide tours with the company which generated close to $500 million in the last six years commented:

'Madonna is without a doubt one of the most fiercely original artists in history. It is a great opportunity for Live Nation and Artist Nation to build upon our years of success with Madonna as a touring artist.'

Artist Nation was created to partner with artists to manage their diverse rights, grow their fan bases and provide a direct connection to fans through the global distribution platform and marketing proficiencies that have made Live Nation the world's largest live music company. Headed by the division's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Cohl, Artist Nation has significant infrastructure in place to execute additional revenue streams including recorded music, merchandise, studios, media rights, digital rights, fan club/website and sponsorship divisions.

Joining with Artist Nation to work with Madonna will be Live Nation's unmatched global distribution platform and artist-to-fan-reach, including over 80 offices in l8 countries, over 200 national and local sponsorship personnel, over l60 venues, access to over 35 million fans that attend well over l0,000 shows that Live Nation produces, promotes and/or hosts each year for over l,000 artists including fan access via Live Nation's growing database of over 25 million fans.

'I've been fortunate enough to work with Madonna for half my life. She has always encouraged me and set a great example for me to push the boundaries to reach our full potential. This partnership exemplifies just that,' commented Madonna's co-manager Guy Oseary.

Angela Becker, Madonna's co-manager added, 'The partnership and vision for the future that Artist Nation along with Live Nation presented to us assured me that this is the ideal home for Madonna. It is with great trust and optimism that we collectively move ahead together.'

In regard to Madonna's relationship with her current label, the artist commented, 'My time with Warner Bros. Records has been great. I appreciate their hard work and value the many relationships I have developed over the years with the label in the U.S. and around the world. I have an album coming out with them next year and I'm excited about it. We still have work to do together.'

Steven Klein Loves Working With Madonna

2007-10-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

Hollywood hunk Tom Cruise is really difficult to work with, when it comes to photo-shoots.

Top fashion photographer Steven Klein reportedly had a hard time handling the ’Mission Impossible’ star, while shooting him for W magazine.

Klein, known to enhance the reputations of even established stars like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, was recently overheard grumbling about Cruise.

"Apparently, he was just annoying to work with," the New York Daily News quoted a source, as saying.

"Steven said, ’When Madonna commits to something, she just does it.’ But he didn’t enjoy working with Tom," the source added.

Madonna reference in new movie

2007-10-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

A Madonna reference can be found in the new film "I could never be your woman", starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd.

This movie follows a mother (Pfeiffer) who falls for a younger man (Rudd) while her daughter falls in love for the first time. In one scene, where images of Madonna' "Lucky Star" and "Hung Up" videos are used, Pfeiffer's character thinks about the age gap between her and her boyfriend ansd she says: "If he was born in 1977, then the dark hair Madonna is to me what the Jewish Madonna is to him".

Exclusive: Lola's Birthday

2007-10-15T07:17:00.001-07:00

Madonna flew to LA just in time for her daughter's birthday! The birthday girl was pampered with a six-hour spa treatment at the Shutters Hotel Spa in Santa Monica on Sunday.

Afterwards, the trio dined at the laid-back family restaurant “Il Ristorante de Georgio Baldi.” Notice how the mother-daughter duo is wearing ‘matching’ houndstooth jackets!

Happy birthday to the lovely Lourdes!

Madonna's Weekend

2007-10-15T06:33:00.000-07:00

Madonna attended the Shabbat dinner with fashion designer Donna Karan, singer Ari Gold and her manager Guy Oseary (among others) at the Kabbalah Center in New York City on Friday night.

She looked really great and wearing all black with a red trucker hat.

Madonna returned to London on Sunday in time for Lola's birthday.

Madonna's New Documentary

2007-10-13T06:35:00.001-07:00

Click the logo above to visit the site for Madonna's upcoming documentary "I AM BECAUSE WE ARE."

That title is from Desmond Tutu’s (famous Archbishop from Cape Town, South Africa) words.

“Ubuntu,” an idea present in African spirituality that says “I am because we are” - or we are all connected, we cannot be ourselves without community, health and faith are always lived out among others, an individual’s well being is caught up in the well being of others.

Pete Burns wants Madonna as his PA

2007-10-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

Pete Burns wants Madonna to be his PA because he thinks it would "get her off her pedestal".

The 'Dead or Alive' singer - who is searching for a new personal assistant on Living TV reality show 'Pete's PA' - said the 'Material Girl' singer would be perfect for the role.

Pete told Britain's Star magazine: "I'd say Madonna would be perfect. It would do her good to roll her sleeves up and do a day's work. She'd clean well, and she'd be a great PA. Step down off your pedestal, b***h, and be my PA! It would do her good."

Pete - who reignited his career with his appearance on 'Celebrity Big Brother' in 2006 - also said while he admires Madonna for how well she has done, he thinks she may have had some help.

The 48-year-old cross dresser said: "I didn't used to, but now I completely admire her drive and ambition.

"And she's looking good for her age, but so am I! Just because you're 50, doesn't mean you're ready for a f***ing stairlift, does it? She looks good in a leotard, but it could be after liposuction, and a tummy tuck. Nothing's organic anymore."

Warner Bros. Attacks Madonna

2007-10-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

The day after news leaked that Madonna was close to leaving Warner Bros. Records and hitting the road with concert promoter Live Nation, Warner Music was quick to issue a report from a Bank of America subsidiary explaining why the former material girl is no longer worth a nine-digit payday.

Knowing that Warner will still receive a Madonna disc next year, Bank of America Securities analysts wrote a report titled "For $120 Million, She's All Yours." Here are some of the highlights:

* There is "headline risk associated with a Madonna defection. However, the bigger risk would be to overpay for an artist that does not seem to be generating the revenue to support the contract being discussed."

* Beside the fact that Madonna will turn 60 years old in the last year of the proposed deal, it is "fantastic" for her but does not "make economic sense" for WMG.

* "Her loss will not meaningfully impact Warner's near-term sales."

Bank of America has a "buy" rating on Warner Music Group stock, which closed down 16¢ on Thursday at $11.13. BofA figures WMG will rise to $16 based on its strength in the digital delivery department. Over the past 12 months, WMG's stock has dropped from $27.24 to a low of $9.41 last month.

Wednesday's news did not do much for Live Nation as its stock price dropped 87¢ to $22.49.

A Madonna Fragrance?

2007-10-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

We have heard from a reliable source that a Madonna fragrance is in the works as part of her Live Nation deal. Live Nation stands to make 50% in the deal. In addition to our source, Women's Wear Daily has this article about the possibility of a Madonna fragrance.

25 Years After Her Debut, Madonna Still Leads The Way

2007-10-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

Music critic Daryl D shares some positive thoughts on the subject of the week - aka Madonna, Warner Brothers, and Live Nation - in a great article posted on Blog Critics Magazine.

The past couple of weeks have been really difficult for Madonna bashers. First, she garnered a nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which earned an angry condemnation from some. Now, Madonna’s near signing of a $120 million dollar deal from Live Nation has rocked the industry.

Some, like myself, believe this can end up to be the most significant music industry related event of the past twenty years. Yet, her critics are still trying to tell us how “irrelevant” she is, not realizing an artist 25 years into her career has never been given this type of deal before. While there certainly is a lot to criticize about Madonna’s likely deal, many bloggers have decided to criticize her hands, her age (something that is rarely seen among her male counterparts), her “baby buying,” her British accent, etc. It reminds me of when I was in Junior High school and everybody hated the smartest kid in the class because in reality, they were jealous of his success.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

2007-10-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

This is a video grab of Madonna and Rosie from last night (Oct. 10th). They went out to a private screening in NYC of Madonna's new documentary "I AM BECAUSE WE ARE."

More rumours about Madonna leaving WB.

2007-10-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Report: Madonna close to leaving Warner Music

The pop star is close to entering a deal with the concert promotion company Live Nation worth $120 million sources tell The Madonna Times.

Madonna is considering leaving her current record label, Warner Music Group Corp.'s Warner Bros. Records, to enter a $120 million deal with concert promoter Live Nation Inc.

The ten year agreement would give Live Nation the rights to three studio albums, concert tour promotions, sales of merchandise, and would license her name. In return, Madonna would receive a mix of cash and stock.

The deal is a sign of a shift taking place in the music industry where revenue streams such as endorsement deals, concert ticket and merchandise sales are becoming more important.

New Album Update

2007-10-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

Finally something that looks more certain about the release of Madonna's new album. After weeks of speculation about tentative release dates, in an interview to Italian music magazine Musica & Dischi, the man in charge of Warner Music Italy, Massimo Giuliano, not only says that Warner artists had a great year in Italy in 2007 (Confessions Tour was a huge commercial hit) but mentions that Madonna's new album is expected for a February 2008 release.

Madonna Video Ranked #10

2007-10-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Queen's video for Bohemian Rhapsody has been voted the best video of all time in a survey of UK music fans.

The six-minute promo was named the greatest ever by nearly a third of respondents to a poll carried out by mobile phone provider O2.

Despite taking just three hours to shoot and costing only £3,500 to make, the groundbreaking video finished top ahead of Michael Jackson's cinematic Thriller promo and Justin Timberlake's Cry Me A River, which garnered publicity by using a Britney Spears lookalike shortly after the two singers' relationship had ended.

Though it made her name, Britney's Baby One More Time video finished in a lowly 15th place.

Bohemian Rhapsody topped the UK charts for nine weeks when released in 1975 and hit the number one spot again in 1991, after the death of Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury.

O2 commissioned the survey of 1,051 adults to coincide with their sponsorship of the best video category at today's Q Music Awards.

Over half (56 per cent) of those surveyed said the "video relating to the song" was the most important factor for a good video, while 32 per cent thought "good choreography" was essential.

The UK's top 15 best music videos of all time are as follows:

1. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (30 per cent)
2. Michael Jackson - Thriller (13 per cent)
3. Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River (12 per cent)
4. OK Go - A Million Ways (9 per cent)
5. A-Ha - Take On Me (7 per cent)
6. Robert Palmer - Addicted To Love (4 per cent)
7. Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U (4 per cent)
8. REM - Losing My Religion (4 per cent)
9. Christina Aguilera - Dirrty (4 per cent)
10. Madonna - Like A Prayer (3 per cent)
11. Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity (3 per cent)
12. Lionel Ritchie - Hello (3 per cent)
13. Duran Duran - Rio (2 per cent)
14. Oasis - Wonderwall (2 per cent)
15. Britney Spears - ... Baby One More Time (2 per cent)

Madonna In New York

2007-10-09T17:08:00.001-07:00

Madonna (with David and her entourage) has been photographed in New York City's JFK Airport.

Madonna was obviously in a good mood when she arrived in New York because she kept laughing the entire time she was photographed!

Is Madonna signing to Ingenious Media Active Capital?

2007-10-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Is Madonna signing to Ingenious Media Active Capital? Following all the commotion and suspense regarding Radiohead’s record label decision, NIN’s new found freedom, Oasis’ questionable future, and the slew of heritage artists already allied with Ingenious Media (Peter Gabriel, Travis, Prodigy), Madonna could possibly be headed in the venture capital trust’s direction. With a London residence as a second home, the inventive pop star, now 49, is rumored to have expanded business discussions beyond Live Nation (and others) with a keen eye for Ingenious’ (a UK company) crafty financial arrangements and deep pockets. If a deal is ever to materialize, Madonna would also join Ingenious venture capital mates UB40, as the aging Brit reggae act will use the VC to release the new full length album “Tyler” come 2008.

London's Most Influential People 2007

2007-10-09T12:51:00.001-07:00

London newspaper the Evening Standard published The 1000 - London's Most Influential People 2007 list this evening.

Madonna was featured in the list of the 50 most influential people in music in London, here is the piece written about Madonna:

Madonna, 49, POP ICON
Robbie Williams summed it up with his last single: 'I love you baby, but face it, she's Madonna.' Still in a different league after more than 20 years at the top of pop's tree. Every female pop singer, and plenty of males, must concede that she's an influence.

Annie Lennox on "Sing"

2007-10-08T11:39:00.000-07:00

From BBC NEWS:

It was a chance meeting in South Africa that gave Annie Lennox the inspiration for the stand-out track on her new album, Songs of Mass Destruction.

Attending a function for former president Nelson Mandela’s 46664 HIV/Aids campaign, she saw a man in a black T-shirt with "I am HIV positive" written in big white capital letters.

"It made me curious - that looks pretty hardcore," the singer recalls.

"I asked the person next to me, and he said that was Zackie Achmat - one of their leading activists. He goes to court, he challenges the presidency and the health minister, he went on a hunger strike. And I thought, that’s my man."

The end result was Sing, which features a chorus of 23 of music’s best-known female singers - and a little bit extra from Madonna.

The activist was from the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) which, alongside Mr Mandela’s 4664 campaign, is fighting for healthcare and education for those affected by HIV and Aids.

Some 5.5 million South Africans are HIV positive - more than in any other country.

But the country’s government has been criticised for promoting a diet-based approach to combating the effects of HIV, instead of fully endorsing the use of anti-retroviral drugs.

While Lennox, 52, had worked as an ambassador for 46664 for some time, meeting Mr Achmat gave her the opportunity to get more deeply involved.

"We need people like him, he fights the fight," she says. "He refused to take his anti-retroviral medication unless it was made affordable and available to everyone - a hugely courageous thing to do.

"Before then, I’d been frustrated because I wanted to be more hands-on. I just feel that TAC are doing it where it needs to happen. It really needed to be given support, and I thought that perhaps I might be well-placed to do it."

Lennox was given a CD of music by a group of activists called The Generics - because TAC has helped import generic drugs from Brazil into South Africa in defiance of patent laws.

And the pop star was inspired to incorporate one of their songs into her own.

The project ended up involving a host of female stars including Joss Stone, Shakira, Celine Dion, Gladys Knight, Pink, Sugababes, Anastacia and Bonnie Raitt.

"I’d recorded a track, and was trying to think about how to develop it," she recalls.

"I just needed to ask some other women who were renowned and successful artists. So I got a generic letter, sent it out to them, and waited to see what would happen.

"Some weren’t available or were too busy, but they were all so sweet and said they’d love to do it. At 23, I thought, that’s enough, because there’s everybody and their auntie on there!"

Fitting everybody on proved a challenge, so Lennox asked them to perform the chorus, which emerged "like a big choir".

She got a little more from Madonna, though.

"Lo and behold, Madonna’s track came back and she’d sung the second verse, which was a huge bonus. I was really touched - for Madonna is very rigorous in what she gets involved in and for her to do that for me, I was thrilled to bits."

Sing is intended to be an ongoing project. Lennox says the memory of a choir made up of children orphaned by HIV and Aids, making "music for music’s sake", will keep her focus on South Africa.

"It’s so moving," she says. "You see these little children, they’re beautiful and clean and dressed nicely and singing.

"When you go to Africa, and you see children, they’re usually barefoot, dirty and in rags, and they’d love to go to school.

"I’d love to do something for them. There’s plenty of possibilities."

No Mercy For Madonna?

2007-10-08T08:17:00.001-07:00

Madonna's attempt to adopt a second Malawian child has been thrown into doubt after the child's outraged uncle voiced his opposition to the move. The pop superstar, 49, and film director husband Guy Richie are expecting 13-month-old orphan Mercy James to be the latest addition to their family following the successful adoption of David Banda from Malawi last year.
However, Mercy's uncle, John Ngalande, insists he does not want the child to be adopted by a white person. He tells British newspaper The People, he says, 'We were told when Mercy went into the orphanage that we would be in constant contact with her and that she would come back to us after six years. I would like to stick to that. Whether it be Madonna or any other white person, I'm against our child being taken away.' He adds, 'I would rather we be poor and struggling with Mercy, than for her to go and live with a big white star far away.'

Madonna Confessions: A Photographic Book

2007-10-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

A 256-page hardcover photographic book called Madonna Confessions is due for release on June 10, 2008.

The photographs were taken by Guy Oseary during the tour.

Confessions Inspired Pendant

2007-10-04T13:13:00.001-07:00

You can order a Confessions Tour inspired disco-crucifix pendant from UK retailer Topman by clicking here. It's only £8.00!

Dolly on Working With Madonna

2007-10-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

Dolly Parton in a rencent CMT Insider Q & A had this to say about working with Madonna:

CMT: Since word leaked that Dolly is working on a dance album, some fans wonder if she would consider working with dance queen Madonna?

Dolly Parton: Well sure, that’d be great! It would be MaDolly and Madonna . . . or actually, Methuselah and Madonna is more like it.

New Photo

2007-10-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

Madonna and Guy in London.

Crossword

2007-10-03T15:20:00.001-07:00

Click to enlarge. Print and solve. Have fun.

DJ Apologizes for Playing Song

2007-10-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

DJ Steve Sidewalk has apologized to Madonna and Warner Brothers for playing a leaked version of "Candy Shop" in a New York night club.

On his MySpace page, DJ Steve Sidewalk says he is very sorry for playing Candy Shop. He says he played the track assuming it was a pre-release, which would be played worldwide only days after he initially got it.

I was contacted by Warner Brothers and they expressed their displeasure in knowing that Candy Shop had been leaked and that I had been given a high quality copy. They told me that Madonna is not ready for the song to be released and it may not even be the first single or on the album....Madonna, I know you've heard it all before....but I am sorry!

Blondie: Clarifies Statements

2007-10-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

An excerpt of an interview with Blondie's Debbie Harry published on "Steppin’ Out" magazine (12 september 2007):

Steppin' Out: Like you, Madonna has kept her career going well into her 40s.What are you thoughts about her?

Debbie Harry: We’ve met, but we kind of travel in different worlds. She’s such a big star. I really do like her music. I think she’s had some great hits... some really great songs.

It is clear to us at The Madonna Times that the negative statement about Madonna stealing Debbie's image were used to garner publicity for the Desperately Seeking Susan musical which features the music of Blondie. Faded artists often use Madonna's name in order to receive press attention. The list of celebrities who have done this is endless!