All I want to do is talk about Madonna

Here it comes - Mark and Kenny get wild while breaking apart the second single from Madonna’s MDNA, her first on Interscope Records.  Topics include the returns of the Benassi Bros. and Mert and Marcus, the liberation from constraints, Kazaky, ghosting in Provincetown, the inspiration of new collaborators and influences, Quentin Tarantino, 60s mod style, Jimmy Fallon and Facebook Live, cover albums, Madonna as DJ, and Kenny makes a strong case for an official re-release of this banger.  Plus, Kenny and Mark phone one of their favorite girls gone wild - mega-fan and loyal listener Charlotte Salmon!!

Kenny and Mark kick off a packed Season Six assessing the many non-musical ventures Madonna embarks on into the second decade of the 21st century including clothing lines, fragrances and gyms. Plus, a deep dive conversation about W.E. and its official theme song “Masterpiece”. Topics include: the emergence of Lourdes Leon, Taylor Momson, Zendaya and the rest of the Material Girl models, Madonna as stylist, the departures of Tracy Anderson and Caresse Henry, co-writing with Alex Keshishian, Wallis Simpson as played by Andrea Riseborough, Oscar Isaac, the aloofness of Abbie Cornish, David Harbour, the silent songwriting team of Julie Frost and Jimmy Harry, the Stephen Sondheim auction, the matchmaking prowess of William Orbit, Abel Korzeniowski, Henry Mancini, Dimitry from Paris, Hagen Bogdanski, HYDRANGEAS!, the spat at the Golden Globes with David Furnish and Sir Elton John, it’s all so reductive… We are thrilled to be back and to be hanging in the Louvre - totes mcgotes!

SPECIAL SUMMER EPISODE: A Conversation w/ Ann Powers, author of Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell

For Part Two of our celebration of Joni Mitchell, the great ANN POWERS, esteemed rock writer and NPR music critic, joins Mark for a conversation about her brilliant new book Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell.  Topics include: the question of critical enthusiasm, Ann Beattie, Don DeLillo & Don Henley, Joni’s plug into the pulse of the culture, Joan Didion and Play It As It Lays, Roberta Flack, Miles Davis, Art Nouveau and Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, Joni’s evolving obsession with rhythm (and percussionists), Los Lobos, Chaka Khan, Prince’s song for Joni, the Jazz Fusion scene of the mid-1970s, Jaco Pastorius, Brandi Carlisle and the Joni Jams, Taylor Swift and a celebration of the studio nerd, the underrated Larry Klein, Joni’s relationship with the press, Joni’s live performances, Michelle Mercer, and what moment in music Ann would travel in a time machine.  Plus, a passionate reappraisal of Joni’s four 1980s albums on Geffen Records and the value of meeting (and not!) your musical heroes.  Special thank you to Dey Street Books and Mr. Brian Ulicky for his assistance with this conversation.

Order Ann’s book at your local independent bookstore here!

Mark and Kenny spend a long awaited spring afternoon in conversation about one of Madonna’s early musical influences - Joni Mitchell - and their favorite album 1976’s Hejira, as well as road trips and motels, a crackerjack collection of jazz fusion musicians, a genius’ search for bravery and clarity in both personal relationships and the relationship with herself, a renewed search in the American Dream. This episode is part of a two-part celebration of Joni Mitchell..Part Two arrives on friday June 14th, “No regrets Coyote”.

Kenny and Mark wrap up some loose threads (and Season Five!) with a celebratory discussion of the title song from Madonna’s THIRD greatest hits album.  Topics include: the continuing challenges of a greatest hits record, Paul Oakenfold, Ciaran Gribbin, INXS and the late great Michael Hutchence, a tribute to Fine Young Cannibals, Benny Benassi, a desire for the throb, the Dance of Life, Jesus Luz and his song “Running Man”, Kenny’s fan fiction starring Steven Klein, David Letterman and the “Madge” debate, hockey sticks, Jimmy Fallon, SNL, Lady Gaga, Lourdes, Akon, and the scattering of remixes.  Plus, unearthing “Broken” and its brutal poetic truths, and the Mirwais/Monte Pittman collaboration “It’s So Cool.”  THANK YOU 4 LISTENING to Season Five: GODDESS (nothing lasts forever).  “We need love, love, LOVE!"

Mark and Kenny load it up to discuss one of the two new tracks included on Madonna’s third (or fourth?) greatest hits collection from 2009.  Topics include: Lil Wayne (and his many feuds), DJ Frankie, the Jackie Boyz, R&B swagger, cigars, drive-by recording, the return of Louise Oriole, troublesome mixes, Paul Van Dyk, David Guetta, Tracy Young, gun metaphors in songwriting, the appeal of a 5PM curtain time, Kenny goes rifle shooting upstate, incriminating evidence, Snow White, and Mark plays Chester Fletcher - the beloved grandson of JB Fletcher - in a reboot of Murder She Wrote.  “I don’t know Page Corbin!”

Mark and Kenny load it up to discuss one of the two new tracks included on Madonna’s third (or fourth?) greatest hits collection from 2009.  Topics include: Lil Wayne (and his many feuds), DJ Frankie, the Jackie Boyz, R&B swagger, cigars, drive-by recording, the return of Louise Oriole, troublesome mixes, Paul Van Dyk, David Guetta, Tracy Young, gun metaphors in songwriting, the appeal of a 5PM curtain time, Kenny goes rifle shooting upstate, incriminating evidence, Snow White, and Mark plays Chester Fletcher - the beloved grandson of JB Fletcher - in a reboot of Murder She Wrote.  “I don’t know Page Corbin!”

Kenny and Mark take a mega, near-THREE hour dive into the 2008-2009 world tour as well as the documentary I Am Because We Are.  Topics include: Nathan Rissman, Michael Moore, Desmond Tutu, Hustling at Cannes, Hamutsan Serve, Kevin Antunes, Stefanie Roos, Sofia Boutella, unnecessary thrones, Madonna’s hat, Britney Spears, ad hoc car shows, Keith Haring, double-dutch jump rope, a tribute to Michael Jackson, Little Orphan Annie, destructive rage, subways, Nikki Richards, Monte Pittman, Eurythmics, skirting paneling and skirting camp, the Madonna stance, accordion players, political statements, the glorious echoes of Niki Haris, fan requests, chess metaphors, the challenges of “Frozen”, and proving that we don’t have “the luxury of time”.  Plus, connecting Sticky&Sweet to the current Celebration Tour, shuffling setlists, Kenny drags Sheldon to another mall in Miami, and Mark tries to skip Kenny’s concert grading system!  “Before your very eyes!”

Mark and Kenny wrap up their conversations about Hard Candy and also welcome Special Guest Zachary Pace (author of I Sing to Use the Waiting: A Collection of Essays About the Women Singers Who’ve Made Me Who I Am) to discuss this urgent ballad (and final Timbaland/Timberlake collaboration).  Topics include Hello Suckers, singing in the shower, Kabbalah, essential b-sides, Cher, Rihanna, asking questions without waiting for answers, and the power - and evolving definition - of the queer voice.  Plus, Kenny breaks apart and remixes “Voices” and Mark gets down on his hands and knees for the lost song “Animal”. The Sugar’s Still Raw!

Two Dollar Radio page for Zachary Pace

Kenny and Mark celebrate the return of Brother-in-Law of the Decade Joe Henry and the haunting story song ballad from Hard Candy.  PLUS - at long last - a reckoning and reassessment of Madonna’s film directing debut, Filth & Wisdom.  Spoilers abound so do yourself a favor and head over to the indispensable www.ifc.com to stream the film beforehand!  Thank you and you’re welcome!

Mark and Kenny dive back into their respective school days to discuss the joyfully divisive palate cleanser of a song from Hard Candy.  Topics include Mrs. Ritchie the Art Teacher, banging erasers, phonetic worksheets and language lessons, Monte Pittman, hooded monks, and The Percolator.  Plus EXTRA SPECIAL GUESTS Parrita Duarte and Augustin Aguirre (hosts of the magnifico/caliente Spanish podcast Santa Madonna) join for a deep discussion on Madonna’s long history embracing and celebrating Latin American culture, communal celebration, Parri’s and Augustin’s favorite HC tracks, Death Becomes Her, Madonna’s visits to Argentina, especially during the filming of Evita, extra special moments that were cut from the Sticky and Sweet tour film, their personal singalong with Madonna when the electricity went out, and forging friendships through Madonna fandom.  Plus, some spanish lesson corrections and re-discovering the lost and haunting “Latte.”  Baby, I’m on to your game! IG: @santamadonnapodcast

Kenny and Mark remain on the dance floor with Madonna (Timberlake and Timbaland) for a simmering song about moving your body.  Topics include thick beats, smoking grass, Madonna as professor, musical courtships, the weirdness of star billing, NPR’s Tiny Desk series, the virtues of being beautiful or interesting, Janet Jackson’s Discipline, apocalyptic chaos, Justin’s voice, artistic flexing, and who’s exactly taking WHO to the club.  Plus a discussion on the shift in focus from classic songwriting structure to production that epitomizes the sound (and culture) of the late 2000s.  Do you wanna take it further?

Mark and Kenny celebrate the infectious and joyous call to the dance floor (and to arms) on Hard Candy.  Topic’s include Dylan’s Candy Store, soda pop ads, covert guest spots, disco strings, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the hippie demo version, Sonny & Cher, chasing “Believe”, “Houdini” by Dua Lipa, Eve’s version “The Beat is So Crazy”, and a hidden remix.  Plus, Kenny’s mind-blowing dream campaign for the Hard Candy singles, and everyone swears off chewing.  Stand in the back - or BE a STAR!

Kenny and Mark unwrap some Starbursts and grapple with the longest and most divisive track on Hard Candy.  Topics include sorrowful subtext, diaristic detail, romantic partners as best friends, the benefits (and danger) of building a song entirely in the studio, Guy Ritchie’s dancing, David Banda, the cost of getting back to where you used to be, tall assignments and working outside of comfort zones, and the secret weapon on the entire album.  Is THIS the true Pharrell duet on Hard Candy?

Mark and Kenny bust out their cowbells and attitude with the sassy story-song Pharrell (welcome back!) collaboration from Hard Candy.  Topics include the importance of lightness and bounce, the great Wendy Melvoin, passing off batons, the easy narrative of infidelity, traffic in the suburbs, Donna Summers, dutiful wives and resentful musicians, Madonna’s Liz Phair album, the Pet Shop Boys, Alexis Arquette, Gwenyth Paltrow and Tracy Anderson, a nod to the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, Lady Gaga, and the DILF that IS Robbie Williams and his song (and video!) “She’s Madonna.”  Plus, Mark confesses to an addiction and Kenny teases his own singles campaign for Hard Candy. This one’s for the ladies!

Kenny and Mark consider the third single (and best song) from Hard Candy, especially the struggle between the Timberlake/Timbaland production and the beauty and ideas in Madonna’s song.  Topics include acoustic guitars, nasty UK tabloids, A-Rod, the tour video and Madonna’s joy, touring love affairs, the futility of long-distance phone calls, redundant remixes, the end of the true confessional ballad, and the power (and pain) of long distance relationships.  Plus, Mark and Kenny audibly digest lemon drops, recover the lost JT/T session track “Across the Sky” and discuss the paragons of virtue.  No more candy!

Mark and Kenny brainstorm Madonna assignment song ideas for the AIWTDITAM EP (including the soon-to-be classic ballad “Table for One” and “Meet Cute”) alongside another synth-fueled collaboration w/ Pharrell about the dance floor.  Topics include Madonna’s beating heart and climbing vocals, the revelations in the original Pharrell demo, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, victorian bodices, Emma Thompson, Jamie Lloyd’s revival of SUNSET BOULEVARD, reality game shows, Grizabella, Paula Abdul, and the bootie breakdown.  Plus, Kenny and Mark bust out some hot tamales and discuss the lost track “Ring My Bell” (not a cover of Anita Ward’s classic).  A little lower baby! 

Kenny and Mark channel Santa Claus and reach into their holiday sack for some confessional gifts to round out an eventful 2023.  Topics include VHS tapes, dates at the shopping mall, the enduring theories around the lyrics to “Get Together”, Kylie Minogue, Borders Bookstore (RIP), Aunt Roxy Finkle, Michael Parkinson, Avicii’s version of “Rebel Heart”, and dinner with Stuart Price.  Special Thanks to ALL who shared their confessions and ALL of our dear listeners who continue to join the conversation.  Happy Holidays - SEASON FIVE: GODDESS (Nothing Lasts Forever) continues on in 2024! 

Mark and Kenny fly off the rails discussing the hard-charging (and second single) track from HARD CANDY. Cow bells, mantras, vacuum cleaners, photo shoots as videos, organized jewelry, the gloves, armless Madonna, Infinity, early mash-ups, and overcoming queer body-shame.  Plus, a friend is phoned - Special Guest Marquitos from the Marquitos Podcast joins the conversation to take a breath and access HARD CANDY’s larger legacy.  Get Stupid!

Kenny and Mark break down the troublesome first single from HARD CANDY and the larger campaign to launch the album into the world.  Topics include Timbaland & Timberlake, lyrical translations and burdening horns, an empty home office, teenagers making out in videos, Reese Witherspoon, picking up “stroll”, and why the kids still never forgot it.  Plus Peter Rauhofer takes us around the world and Madonna is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

Mark and Kenny unwrap a new album, a new song, and new collaborators as Madonna swerves again.  Topics include Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, packed interview days, H&M campaigns, mid tempo grooves, promo tours, boxing gloves, a strange cape cushion, and favorite candies sticky, crunchy and sweet.  It’s your one-stop Madonna shoppe.  Lick away, baby!

Hard Candy Promo Tour - Live on the BBC (May 2008)

Kenny and Mark celebrate the first solo-penned song by Madonna since 1985 as well as one of THE masterful live performances of her career - Live Earth 2007!  Topics include the beauty and the challenge of a charity single, the arrival of Pharrell Williams, the return of Mirwais, children’s choirs, jealous aunts, Gogol Bordello, Filth & Wisdom, David Banda, the vibe of a Madonna “hat”, being part of a band, and the pleasures of a full company bow (we’ll miss you most of all, Donna).  Over to YOU, New York!

Madonna - Live Earth Performance at Wembley Stadium (2007)

OMG - and in the video, the commentators call Madonna the original MILF :)

Mark and Kenny embark on the cool and calm conversation about Madonna’s (lucky) seventh concert tour on this Uber-long episode.  Topics include the end of nostalgia, Kenny’s continuing aversion to the musical interludes, the return of transformed classics, Mark’s imagined wedding, a new Nikki (with two k’s), Monte’s commuting schedule, Madonna’s true arrival as a punk rocker, Isaac’s vocal prowess, upstaging Donna DeLory, a polarizing jacket collar, Mark’s distain for hotel buffets, and what might be the ultimate live Madonna song.  It’s all here and more - are you ready to ride with me?

Kenny and Mark celebrate the final song from Confessions on a Dance Floor with Special Guest - the writer/director/editor and STAR of the film Chrissy Judy - Todd Flaherty.  Topics include the return of the guitar, Bloodshy & Avant, personal credos, and how self-acceptance and empowerment might just be the greatest aphrodisiac.  Then, Mark and Kenny geek out over Todd’s amazing film, discussing the origins, the impact and discovery of drag, the importance of non-romantic queer friendships, and the healing powers of Provincetown.  Plus, Todd joins Kenny and Mark in some ultimate confessions - and a bonus track discussion of the lost B-Side “Super Pop”!  Are you in our gang?

Chrissy Judy Trailer directed by Todd Flaherty (2022)

Chrissy Judy Streaming Options

Mark and Kenny welcome Special Guest (and long time listener!) Gia Zampella for a frank and candid discussion about influence, restless songwriting, grappling with ambition and perfectionism, Madonna action figures, secret tattoos, and the many ways that the trusted ones push us into better versions of ourselves.  It was a total treat to have Gia join this conversation   Gia Zampella is a lifelong resident of Jersey City, NJ and beauty product developer by trade. She’s also a life long pop culture evangelist who particularly loves female pop and rock stars, most of all Madonna. 

Kenny and Mark wrestle with the cluttered emotional climax of Confessions on a Dance Floor.  Plus, Madonna schools Stuart and side-steps controversy, Kenny leads a celebration of the “Madonna of the East”, and Mark stalks locked churches.  The wordless Madonna chants are back and nobody could be happier - will it ever be the same?

Mark and Kenny get deeply philosophical about the road to fame and which mountain you choose when you’ve climbed to the top of one.  Plus, a discussion of the Swedes, Britany Spears’ classic song “Toxic”, and count how many times Mark says “saloon.”  Does this get ANY better, folks?

Mark and Kenny celebrate the publication of Madonna: A Rebel Life, a major new 800+ biography (in bookstores today!) with a frisky and fascinating conversation with its masterful author Mary Gabriel.  Topics include justice for Miami, Bedtime Stories, and the University of Michigan, a sneak peek into the Hard Candy era and the Guy Ritchie of it all, an intriguing new theory about the song “I Love New York”, the evils of Live Nation, Madonna’s ultimate greatest collaborator, Mary’s personal favorite Madonna song, and why the culture is so resistant to a woman artist telling her own story.  Get out your favorite bookmark and dive into this essential new book and order the book here or at any of your favorite independent bookstores.  THANK YOU to the team at Little, Brown and Mr. Justin Ravitz for their assistance with this conversation. 

Kenny and Mark rejoice in the return of brother-in-law Joe Henry and the 80s Madonna on the joyous and self-motivating fourth single from Confessions on a Dance Floor.  Kenny thinks outside of the box with alternate single roll-out scenarios, multi-lingual versions, and covert songwriting sessions in London; Mark confesses to being the victim of a theft and gets fired from a corporate job!  Plus, a grappling with a disastrous wig, discovering obscure acoustic versions - AND a warm revisit of one of the ultimate b-sides: HISTORY!!!  Are you ready?

Mark and Kenny go full-on music nerd dissecting the haunting “second” ode to forbidden love by discussing the nuances and beauty of the song, the poetry of its lyrics, the romanticism of its environment, and their own personal brushes with forbidden desire, lust, and intimacy.  

Kenny and Mark pull out their fine-toothed combs to translate and interpret the many messages Madonna is trying to impart while she burns.  Plus, Mark grapples with the word “fame” and Kenny makes a strong case for the sleazy live version of the song.  Plus, a twirl through one of the lesser, other Mirwais collaborations that didn’t quite make the record and a return of the birds!

Mark and Kenny - long time New Yorkers - trade city origin stories, adventures, and favorite love (and lust) songs about New York while celebrating Madonna’s ultimate ode to her creative home.  Topics include Liza Minnelli, Oberlin College, Salt ’n’ Pepa, St. Vincent, Frank Sinatra, Edward Albee, Chita Rivera, Harry Nilsson, Andrew WK, Rufus Wainwight, Debbie Harry, Moby, and the beloved bitches of Miami.  Let’s hit those streets and start strutting!

Kenny and Mark flip over the first side of the album with the glorious  return of Mirwais for this adventurous track.  Topics include Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder, Madonna as teacher, letting go of illusions and dreams, and the stunning (okay iconic) live performance.  Will Tina call us back?

Mark and Kenny don’t save their words as they discuss the dramatically timeless and Great Madonna pop singles.  Topics include Big Frieda, radio ignorance, Dutch linguistics, the glorious Pet Shop Boys and the lost 80s collaborations, the risk of being too serious, Jamie King, Miss Prissy, pimping the ride, Little C, Paul Oakenfold, Jane Fonda, the Madonna bangs, Straight Bait (“where else can you make $100 for twenty minutes?”), Alex Barber, the breathless Fred Tallaksen, the Talauega Brothers, cages, and a frank discussion about balls.  Plus, an all-skate down memory lane for Kenny and Mark’s roller skating experiences.  Ik ben droevig!  

Kenny and Mark get moody and urgent on the second track (and third single!) from Confessions on a Dance Floor.  Topics include:  Anders Bagge & Peer Astrom, 98 Degrees, Janet Jackson, Chaka Khan, the high-drama of strings on a dance floor, Barbra Streisand’s Guilty & Saturday Night Fever, Eugene Riecansky & Koko Club, The Beatles, group photos, the fresh and hard-working Angela Becker, Mark’s tribute to the indispensable Borderline Music record store in Chicago, and how threesomes/orgies are complicated - but it’s still sweeter in the end.

Mark and Kenny hit the dance floor for Season Five to begin a conversation about Confessions on a Dance Floor - Madonna’s TWELFTH album - and the anthemic first single.  Topics include lucky butterfly necklaces, Martha Raye and the lost Texas Guinan musical, Wilson Stone, Luc Besson, Stuart Price and Zoot Woman, Depeche Mode, the allure of the Twenties, ABBA (naturally), Gwen Stefani, Johan Renck, summer songs, Damon Albarn, the gorgeous Arianne Phillips, Hunter College, John Norris and the fade of MTV, Cynthia McFadden, Kenny’s regularity at breakfast time, Dua Lipa, Chus & Ceballos, the bad-ass Tracy Young, the many MANY promo appearances, Coachella, and that former friend who suggests Madonna gets up on that damn horse.  Plus, Mark schools Kenny on who Madonna would play in A Chorus Line (hint: it’s not Val!).  “Time goes by so slowly …” but not for this MEGA-episode.  We missed you so much! 

As they ready Season Five, Kenny and Mark take a moment to remember, discuss, and celebrate the musical legacy of Sinead O’Connor – one of the defining voices of her (and their) generation.  We love you, Sinead.

Mark and Kenny do some yoga stretching out for a long and all-encompassing conversation about Madonna’s 2004 summer tour and the accompanying (and much-delayed) documentary. Topics include John Lennon, Guy Ritchie, Steven Klein and the tour book, Donna DeLory, Monte Pittman, the Ciccone winery, Stuart Price, random tour hats, Lainie Kazan, the battle over weather, Siedah Garrett, acoustic music magic, true tour star Angela Becker, Caresse Henry, violating paparazzi, the greatness of skanky tour hair, and the lifetime search for true inner peace.  Plus, a much-deserved tribute to diva dresser Tony Villanueva, a long-awaited visit to Rachel’s tomb in Israel, and a triumphant appearance at Live Aid 2005 in Hyde Park to close out this topsy turvy season.  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for listening!  See you soon … get your confessions and your candy ready!

Kenny and Mark welcome Special Guest Ted Kerr for a deep conversation about the epic final track (and life credo) from American Life.  Topics include mortality, Macy Rodman, Monte Pittman’s royalty checks, Alanis Morissette, co-op board letters, Patti Rothberg, the crossroads of ambition, Lauryn Hill’s “MTV Unplugged”, Madonna’s arc as a trend-setter, reinvigorating the tour cycle, Judy Blume, combative Canadian roommates situation, Tracy Young, Kronos Quartet, the dance between intimate and epic, Kenny’s 8-track Ricky Tucker, and Madonna’s thoughts on Standing Rock.  Plus, some (long-awaited) answers to the question “American Life is …”.  Ted’s Website: https://www.tedkerr.club/

Ted’s Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/tedkerr

Mark and Kenny salvage through the wreckage that is the much-needed final uptempo song on American Life.  Topics include Kylie Minogue, Matt Lauer, swinging nosy neighbors, album fatigue, the pros and cons of lyrical specificity, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fun Home, childhood morals and lessons, the English Roses children’s book series, and Mark finally gets to talk about Joan Gustafson Ciccone.  Plus, Kenny outs himself as a child pianist.  “I’ve got to give it up” indeed!

Kenny and Mark break apart a stunner of a song - and Stuart Price makes his co-writing debut!  A new era is percolating … Topics include behaving in church, struggling against the patriarchy, Swing Out Sister, baroque organs, PJ Harvey, Angelene, lost songs “Miss You” and “The Game”, fantastical set-list musings for the Celebration Tour, Steven Klein, Madonna as installation, Jimmy DeSana, Zelda Rubinstein, and Mark struggles to name the band who sang “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” (it was Pretty Poison, y’all).  BREAK OUT!

Kenny and Mark share secrets (and theories) about this haunting ballad tucked away on the home stretch of American Life.  Topics include child rearing, emotional vulnerability, addiction, the limits of providing aid, and  dealing with Australians who want to sing along. Plus, Kenny shuffles his track listing and “American Life” continues to haunt us all!

BONUS EPISODE: MADONNA AS MUSE: A Post-Performance Discussion

Recorded LIVE on February 10, 2023 in London at the Omnibus Theatre in Clapham, Mark and Kenny sit down with playwright and performer Brian Mullin, director Deirdre McLaughlin, and fellow performer Dan De La Motte for a discussion about LIVE TO TELL: (A PROPOSAL FOR) THE MADONNA JUKEBOX MUSICAL and Madonna’s role as a muse and a conduit for reinvention throughout the many stages in these artists’ lives.  Expect passionate reactions, AIDS history and its continuing impact and resonance on queer activism, female power dynamics, backstage secrets, and Dan’s penchant for astrology as we explore how each facet of this performance artist’s career has inspired, reacted, and repelled our culture across four decades.  We also celebrate LIVE TO TELL’s return engagement of performances, this time at the Camden People’s Theatre, from April 4th - April 15th!  Click here for tickets and more information.

Mark makes a case for the lost third single from American Life as a forgotten classic and Kenny celebrates the enduring contributions of the talented Peter Rauhofer.  Topics include Jem Griffiths, Guy Sigsworth, traveling with a choir, acoustic guitars, religious institutions as albatrosses for true faith, and the moment on a Madonna record where the whole thing “pivots.”  Wherever she is, we hope Jackie B took that person HOME with her from the Club!  We love you, Peter Rauhofer. 

Kenny and Mark chart the rise and heavy cost social media has demanded from society while discussing one of the most hauntingly prescient songs from American Life.  Plus, they dive into the careers of Mark “Spike” Stent and Mount Sims (and his magnificent Ultrasex album), celebrate Bjork’s Dancer from the Dance and Cher’s Burlesque,  answer a listener question, and discuss the current human rights issue that we CANNOT look away from.  Don’t forget to update your MySpace page!

Madonna asks some questions (and settles on some answers) in the shimmering fourth single from American Life.  Mark and Kenny discuss Fresca soda, husband engagement, campfire singing, Kenosha, Wisconsin, Regina Spektor, aborted singer-songwriter musical projects, Kenny’s coffee with Holly Knight, Cole Porter and the inaugural Red, Hot + Blue compilation, music industry shenanigans, Sting’s “Desert Rose”, the big city of Montreal, gifts for Oprah, a drive-by hug with Mrs. Fellows, The English Roses, Paris fashion, the lost “I’m in Love with Love”, Ralph Rosario, BLOW-UP (yes, again), and the expanded tale of Mark’s Chicago encounter with Rufus Wainwright (and the fate of his maroon pants).  Plus - Madonna takes her team on a rural retreat!  LOOK AT HER!

Kenny and Mark welcome Special Guest Khary Simon (Creative Director and co-editor/publisher of CRUSHfanzine) to discuss the great lost punk track of American Life.  Topics include … well, just listen.  This is seriously one of our favorite conversations.  Thank you, Khary.  CRUSHfanzine website

Mark and Kenny share their dabblings with Los Angeles, including bungalows, storage units, and random star sightings while discussing the cautionary second song (and second single!) from America Life.

Topics include: Lisa Cholodenko, Hole, Velvet Underground, the influence of film noir on Madonna, Oscar parties, Debra Winger, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Guy Bourdin, David Lynch’s Mullholland Drive and Naomi Watts, Michael Haneke, performance doubles, Debbie Harry and BLOW UP and that notorious MTV Music Awards Performance with Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera and Miss Britney Spears. And a meeting of Pop icons on “Me Against the Music” and Madonna’s back to hitch hiking. Plus, REMIXES (released and unreleased) FOR DAYS. Kenny chases Britney to Vegas, and Mark gets to share a long-gestating riff on Rosanna Arquette. Stretch out, kids and trip the station, change the channel.

Kenny and Mark take the stage at the Omnibus Theatre in the gorgeous Clapham for a LIVE conversation about the disruptive and polarizing lead single from Madonna’s eleventh album.  Topics include: dinner parties, treasure trails, Prince’s Parade album, Napster, Morgan Webb, Kraftwerk and Taxi Girl, isotopes, Sixth Bodyguard Barry, Johnathan Ross, Kenny’s philosophical wrestle match with Kabbalah, Karen Walker’s roommate Liz, Patty Hearst, Lynette Holloway, the Dixie Chicks, Missy Elliott, Room 5, Felix Da Housecat, and all those versions of the videos.  Plus, a game is played and Special Guest Becky boldly takes on The Rap!  WE LOVE YOU, LONDON - Live and In Front of You Tour 2023 Has Begun!! Sound recording by Adam Zmith.

Kenny and Mark sync-up on the London trip packing lists, airport logistics, an episode correction, the social stigma of crossing the Thames, Kenny’s Ambien-tinged setlist wish list for the Celebration Tour, the valuable talent assistance of Billie Lourd, the re-emergence of MDNA, potentially watching “W.E.” on a plane, “Moonlighting”, Justine Bateman, and a harrowing prediction for the summer of 2023: grandchildren.  Plus, beleaguered personal assistant (and dreamer) Tina takes a secret personal vacation to Milwaukee.  SHOO-BEE-DOO!

For tix for our Sunday February 12th show: https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/madonna-podcast/

For tix for Brian Mullin’s LIVE TO TELL - Feb 7-18th - https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/live-to-tell/

Mark and Kenny take a break from the concert ticket queue to dive deep the game-changing and page-turning theme to Pierce Brosnan’s final outing as Bond … James Bond and Madonna’s menagerie of troubled women she portrays: Amber in SWEPT AWAY, Loren in UP FOR GRABS, and the mysterious Verity in DIE ANOTHER DAY, all the while eyeing another famous lady living in London and finally allowing her Kabbalah studies to color (and enflame) her art.  Topics include Guy Ritchie, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Toby Stephens, Judi Dench, Rosamund Pike, Sheena Easton, Duran Duran, Adele, Miss Carly Simon, Grace Jones (as ultimate villain May Day), Michel Colombier, Traktor, and those remixes (Deepsky!!!!).  Will Odd Job get his hat back?  What will Madonna say to Camilla at the high tea?  Who’s YOUR favorite James Bond (hint, hint: it sure ain’t Pierce Brosnan)!  for Tix for to our LIVE SHOW in London, Sunday February 12th 1pm - use this link!

https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/madonna-podcast/. Link also available on instagram and website for the show! Hope to see you there.

Kenny and Mark wrap up their four-part conversation of the Drowned World Tour with the return of both the Familiar and the Forward.  Topics include a return to EVITA, the musings of Elizabeth Gilbert, the triumph of Jean-Paul Gaultier, feminist tango, a FAN-FICTION potential romance, the gorgeous Jull Weber and the thrilling dancing of Anthony Rodriguez, punching fists, Niki Haris as rapper, and Kenny’s emotional catharsis during the final moments of this benchmark live performance.  RELEASE YOURSELF! We are taking a little break and will return mid January! We both needed to lie down…

Mark and Kenny kick up some dust on the third-part (and, um, the narratively loosest) section of the Drowned World to discuss bull-riding, a fateful trip to Austin, Texas, icing out Donna again, and the dreaded mini-return of the Finkle Concert Rating System. Plus, Mark nurses a grudge against Stuart Price, Kenny reminisces about the glory of the live experience of “Don’t Tell Me”, and we all weather awkward transitions - both in life and in the concert. YEEHAW!

Kenny and Mark float into the second-part of the Drowned World discussion with the first-ever Madonna “concert films” and a return to the “appropriation or appreciation” debate. Madonna’s geisha character returns to release her warrior self in a new narrative, Kenny shares the thrilling experience of the live version of “Frozen,” and the September 11th attack (and its aftermath) casts the remaining shows in a whole new light. Strap your aerial wires on and let’s go!

Kenny and Mark return to Detroit - The Palace at Auburn Hills, specifically - and August 2001 to begin a four-part discussion on Madonna’s first concert tour in over 8 years. She’s back, she’s jacked, and she’s not singing any old songs! Topics include Tina Turner, video screens, kilts, all-seeing eyes, punk rock personas, competing choreographers, Rock God t-shirts, the mysterious character choices of Miss Donna DeLory, profane guitar straps, Monte Pitman’s show-day schedule, weird transitions involving Mike Myers, the photography career of Rosie O’Donnell, and learning the lessons from the 1998 MTV Music Awards - all the while singing completely live! Hilda has arrived and she’s ready to fight!

Mark and Kenny wrap up their conversation about Music with this soulful and (what has proven to be a) prescient ballad in the Madonna canon and how the song’s sentiment (written by Damian Le Gassick and Nik Young) has served as a guiding star throughout the next twenty (!!) years of Madonna’s career. What a record and what a time. Thank you for listening.

Kenny and Mark delve into the mysterious and shattering first collaboration between Mirwais and Madonna, discussing the power of transformation, death and rebirth, and the impact of a swelling of strings. Can’t we all have permission to be a little freaky?

Mark and Kenny open up the conversation to discuss Madonna’s haunting and pivotal collaboration with Guy Sigsworth (not to mention Guy Ritchie!) on Music. Topics include Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ol Kuntz Guest House, Caresse Henry, Tony McGuiness and the Above & Beyond remix, and special guests Gia Balmaceda, Jennifer James (G’DAY AUSTRALIA!), Charlotte Salmon, and Amy Stevens (and best friend Stu!) share their singular perspectives on what the song (and being a girl!) means to them. Pamela Louise will live to drive another day!

Kenny and Mark deep (if not entirely concentrated!) dive into what has become an anthem and a credo for Madonna’s career with a discussion of the brilliant singer-songwriter (and familial relation) Joe Henry alongside an potpourri of topics: black crows and Joni Mitchell, David Letterman, strings on a pop hit, Melanie Ciccone, Sweet Relief and Vic Chesnutt (RIP, dear one), Tracy Young, Jamie King, and the arrival of the essential Monte Pittman. Mark grapples with his tortured relationship with the term “iconic” and Kenny takes a harrowing road trip through the mountains of Colorado. Plus, the b-side “Cyber-Raga”, Talvin Singh, and a direction the Music project COULD have taken. Is it time for that “Macarena” dance break yet??

“Don’t Tell Me” video directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino (2000)

“Don’t Tell Me” live on Canal+ (Paris, 2000)

“Don’t Tell Me” live on The Late Show with David Letterman (2000)

Joe Henry performing “Stop” live in Amsterdam (2010)

Mark and Kenny contemplate how all past and future Madonna songs’ DNA connects to this PERFECTLY moody second folk ballad (and emotional centerpiece?) on Music. Topics include an altercation near Gramercy Park, Madonna’s glorious off-center instincts and troubadour ways, and just how seminal the 2016 Tears of a Clown performances were. Plus - All I Want to Do is Talk About Madonna finally gets a true blue mascot - welcome to the dance, Jack the Cat!

Kenny and Mark discover much to both admire and tweak about the frothy (repetitive?) second Orbit-Madonna collaboration on Music as well as take an indulgent dip into some lost tracks (“Liquid Love” and “Run”). PLUS, a deep fall down the rabbit hole of the “When Guy Met Madonna” epic. Wanna grab a pint down at the Perky Ginger before getting sushi?

Mark and Kenny contemplate earning the yearning and Madonna’s early time with Guy Ritchie while discussing the soulful and stirring first ballad on Music. Topics include spiritual growth, message tank tops, christening interlopers, and more photo ops with Quentin Tarantino. Does Mirwais dream about these squiggle sounds?

Kenny and Mark break apart the charging third song on Music and what it truly means to be a “runaway lover.” Willam Orbit is back and stepping up his game, Mark cashes in all of those IOUs, and Kenny’s narrative takes a downward twist. Karma is a nasty mistress y’all, but we have that live version from the Brixton Academy to help us lick our wounds. “Come on London!"

Mark and Kenny swoon over the swooping second song (say that ten times fast!) on Music. Changing of the Guard at Warner Brothers! Cher’s hit song “Believe”! Cock-blocking a fourth single! Celebrating the stellar Peter Rauhofer! Kenny builds a narrative arc around “like a bird on a wingy-wingy-wingy”, Mark focuses on hygiene, and Madonna rips up the rulebook AGAIN! I don’t even know your name, but we’re coming for you anyway!

Kenny and Mark launch into the 2000s with a bold and wide-reaching of Madonna’s HUGE hit first single from the seminal Music. Welcome to the dance floor, Mirwais Ahmadzai! Welcome back, Niki Haris and Donna DeLory! Keep your eyes on the road, DaBaby! And thanks for those remixes, Tracy Young and Stevie Nicks! It’s a non-stop party this season and it all starts HERE. Kenny almost moves to London and Mark acquiesces to the term “Icon”. Rev up that limo engine, Ali G - we are going out tonight!

Mark and Kenny resume the conversation with this deep dive into the troublesome Rupert Everett/Madonna movie from 2000 as Season Four: American Woman kicks off! Topics include Kirstie Alley, Don McLean, Neil Patrick Harris, Charlie Rose, John Schlesinger, Michael Vartan, Cher & Mark Steines, Benjamin Bratt, Malcolm Stumpf, Ileana Douglas, … and Lynn Redgrave. Kenny is fascinated by footwear, Mark reveals an alternative casting choice for TNBT, and a lost Madonna power ballad finally gets its due. Plus, stay tuned for a dramatic, 11th hour twist that feels both contrived, yet inevitable (and VERY The Next Best Thing)! Julia Roberts, we’re coming for that Oscar!

SUMMER EPISODE: BEAUTIFUL STRANGER (Rated NC-17!)

Kenny and Mark succumb to the rising temps and revealing short-shorts with a hot and dirty (and a little messy) romp through Madonna’s dazzling contribution to the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack. Topics include the troubled relationship with Andrew Bird and his random encounter with Guy Ritchie, the doomed discography of solo Spice Girls, the influence of the 60s psychedelic band LOVE, Victor Calderone’s graduation from Madonna Remix College, the rich legacy of Kevin Aucoin, Mike Myers, a young Kathryn Hahn, a certain tribute at the MTV Music Awards, the recorded reunion of The Bangles, and hanging out with Beatles. Do I make you horny, baby?

Mark and Kenny pass the microphones over to our beloved listeners, who join the conversation and share their stories about their favorite Madonna song and moment up through 1998 on this Very Special Episode. Laugh, cry, and celebrate all the ways the music has changed our lives, together.

Kenny and Mark wrap up a twisty-turvy season full of growth, artistic challenges and discoveries, lots and lots of change, and a breathtaking final musical statement on Ray of Light. Topics include Michigan, Joan Ciccone, the value Madonna gets from keeping things simple, and a searching discussion of home. Plus, Mark breaks one of his cardinal conversation rules - yep, the word “journey” is BACK! Thank you for listening this season … we will see you very soon, Strangers.

Motherhood arrives musically for Madonna, and Mark and Kenny discuss parenthood, the forgotten Like a Flower, the legacy of mothers and daughters, and a return to Chicago and the Oprah Winfrey Show. Plus, Kenny makes a provocative joke. Butterfly!

Kenny and Mark take hold of this album track and the final act of Madonna’s tale of lost love - and ponder the different directions her story could have taken, through the demos for “Has to Be” and the lost “Gone Gone Gone.” Plus, a drive-by discussion of the duet with Ricky Martin “Be Careful (Cuidado)” and charting the growth of Madonna’s formidable songwriting skills. Is Ray of Light ultimately too long? Will Breathless Mahoney ever find a drummer for her run at the Coconut Grove?

Mark and Kenny examine the wild and woolly intricacies of the affairs of the heart (yet again) on the other “pop single” from Ray of Light. Topics include STEVIE NICKS!, Rick Nowels, Matthew Rolston, Goran Višnjić, Luke Slater, Gloria Estefan, Meryl Streep, Ellen Degeneres, and the scattered (and sped up?) promotional performances. There’s nothing left to say … so head on over to a sample sale and buy Kenny a jumpsuit, will you please??

Kenny and Mark keep their hearts (and, one hopes, minds) open as they explore the inner mysteries and magnificent heartbreaks of THE Orbit/Leonard/Madonna collaboration (and lead single) of Ray of Light. Topics include Carlos Leon, a fortuitous professional break-up letter, the perils of the California high deserts, and those strings … so don’t be surprised when Madonna shows up to sing at YOUR Benefit for the Rainforest!

Mark and Kenny bow to the lotus feet of the gurus and stretch into a proper down dog pose to prepare for this spiritual apex to Ray of Light. Topics include yoga classes in the East Village, the power of a flute solo, a first-pass discussion of famed official B-Side “Has to Be” and Madonna’s second, antics-filled appearance on The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Now translate this into Sanskrit!

Kenny and Mark settle back down for a vulnerable chat about the ethereal and charging seventh song on Ray of Light - is following our heart really a very good place to start? What kind of movies should Madonna have been making all along?

Mark and Kenny dive deep - no, really deep - in a warts-and-all conversation about the complicated and confounding final single from Ray of Light. Topics include the musical clash between Marius de Vries and William Orbit, the return of Niki Haris and Donna DeLory, a spin around the East Village with Kruder & Dorfmeister, building an entire video around a literary pseudonym, the one subject that still upsets Madonna, Kenny works out with Rupert Everett, and a winning visit to the Grammy Awards. PLUS, Kenny and Mark unearth and endlessly unpack the true Madonna biopic - the 1998 VH1 special (and essential) Madonna Rising. There’s even a cameo by Larry King. Tell Bad Boy Johnny we want our synths back!

Kenny and Mark celebrate a centerpiece track on Ray of Light - including exploring the early “Flirtation Dance” demo and the lost “Revenge” - as well as a rare visit into the studio with Madonna. I’m not like this all the time, Veronica Electronica!!!

Mark and Kenny suck on a bunch of theories as to who (and what) this song is about with a discussion of the many pop princess successors nipping at Madonna’s heels and a close examination of the mystical lyrics to this psychedelic gem. Kenny grapples with Madonna’s relationship with the guitar and Mark makes a shocking prediction for his own future. Also: Enter Guy Ritchie.

Kenny and Mark celebrate the 100th episode of All I Want To Do is Talk About Madonna with a return to the dance floor and a definitive Madonna classic of rebirth and a true return. Topics include the twisty-turning way this song was written, created and re-created, the wild (and golden) video and mega-remixes, Veronica Electronica, and the many, many live incarnations of the song - including a return visit to the Oprah Winfrey Show. Feel something, baby!!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!!!!!!!!

Mark and Kenny swim to the ocean floor with a deep dive into the career of William Orbit as well as the apocalyptic, riff-filled second track from Ray of Light. Topics include Orbit’s Strange Cargo series, composer Samuel Barber, Torch Song, Laurie Mayer, All Saints and The Beach soundtrack, Gianni Versace, Beth Orton’s Central Reservation, Britney Spears’ Britney Jean, Blur’s 13, David Cronenberg’s CRASH and the inspiring novelist JG Ballard. Let the water (and the music) wash all over you!

After making fans wait nearly four years, Madonna delivers what may prove to be her first true blue rock album Ray of Light and commences with a moody ballad (co-written with new collaborator William Orbit) of new credos and fresh religions.  Meanwhile, Kenny and Mark tie up a lot of loose threads as we head into the “Spiritual Girl” era and celebrate the inspiring return of Pat Leonard.  Topics include: Animal Kingdom, the MTV and those pesky VMA, Kurts Loder and Cobain, Prodigy, Britney Spears, Princess Diana, Beck, Maverick Records, the Pre-Madonna album and “Crimes of Passion”, Jose & Luis, Elizabeth Taylor & Shirley Maclaine, Yoga & Gwenyth Paltrow, Rick Nowels, Rob Sheffield, San Sebastian Strings, Water Stern, the poetry of David Collins (RIP), Courtney Love and HOLE, BT&Sasha, Kenny’s writing chum Nathan Parker, the Rolling Stone Women In Rock September 1997 issue, and the realization that Madonna is really starting to chill out in London.  Is it “traded fame for love” or “traded love for fame”?  Who’s gonna wrestle that disposable camera away from that prying housekeeper?  Join the conversation and find out.

Mark geeks out on musical theatre with our Special Guest Dr. Emily Clark, while Kenny grapples with his avoidance of the Original Broadway Cast Album to Evita - and everyone dives DEEP into the long and winding journey Evita took from the stage to screen and Madonna’s biggest (and best?) film performance to date. Topics include: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Julie Covington, Elaine Paige, money notes, People magazine, Hal Prince, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Stone, Robert Stigwood, Liza Minnelli (in a blonde wig), Meryl Streep, Antonio Banderas, Jimmy Nail, Francis Ford Coppola, politics in filmmaking, REMIXES REMIXES REMIXES, the Golden Globes, Billy Crystal and the Academy Awards, Celine Dione, Barbra Streisand, intense & translated press conferences, brown contact lenses, more handwritten letters, and where Madonna goes from here. It’s another uber-episode and we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Emily Clark - a professor of musical theater at Marymount Manhattan College who’s work focuses on musical theater and celebrity culture. We loved having her join us for the entire conversation on the Casa Rosada!

Kenny and Mark share further personal stories of heartbreak and sorrow as they celebrate (and critique) the seminal ballads collection from 1995. Topics include: Philadelphia, St. Elmo’s Fire, David Foster, Katherine McPhee, Waitress: The Musical, America’s Next Top Model, the arrival of mixer extraordinaire David Reitzas, Michael Haussman, video sequels, Shirley Bassey, first class seats, Forrest Sawyer, Susan Boyle, changing up the setlist, Ingrid Casares, MASSIVE ATTACK, the lost “I Can’t Forget”, Marvin Gaye, Tilt, Ernie Barnes & the Sugar Shack, Dorothy Parker, and Madonna’s tormented relationship with the telephone. “Do you feel the intensity?” Well, put on your favorite Versace pantsuit and settle IN!

Mark and Kenny bid adieu to Bedtime Stories with this masterpiece of a ballad. Topics include Babyface, the indispensable Kurt Loder, Emilio Munoz, the influence of “I Will Always Love You,” VH1, Justin Timberlake, and Kenny’s romantic fantasy about Madonna and her directors. The show is over … but there’s also a request at the top of the show to you, dear listeners! Show us what you got!

Kenny and Mark decode (and discover divination!) in the Bjork-penned title song from Bedtime Stories. Topics include Mark Romanek, Kurt Loder, Alison Stewart, Junior Vasquez, the female surrealist painters of yore, and a certain notorious pajama party in the early spring of 1995. Let’s get unconscious, honey.

Mark and Kenny explore what may prove to be THE key track on Bedtime Stories that points the way towards the future. Discussed along the way: Herbie Hancock, Walt Whitman, Mary Oliver, Natalie Imbruglia, Tina Turner, and post-punk cult band Ednaswap (where’s that demo, Anna & Scott?!).

Kenny and Mark share a heart-to-heart about love and vulnerability (and a major appreciation for the song craft of Madonna and Dave Hall) over this pagan to loneliness and romantic disappointment (accompanied by some mournful mandolins), as well as paying impromptu tribute to a singer-songwriter kindred spirit.

Mark and Kenny face their own forbidden fears about love while grooving to the first collaboration with Babyface Edmonds. Topics include the superstar sequencing of Bedtime Stories, the musical beauty of whispering, the rumored musical video, the shadow disco song of the same name, Mike the Trainer, and a sexy jaunt through 90s radio R&B. Plus, the imagined first meeting in Central Park with … Carlos Leon!

Madonna musically addresses her critics for the first time with a funky Dave Hall-penned anthem and a definitive video (welcome back to the party, Jean-Baptiste Mondino!) as Kenny and Mark explore misogyny, punk, Main Source, a new perspective on the reception of the Sex book, Bettina Rheims, the Bottom Heavy Dub (and that maxi-single!), Norman Mailer’s interview for Esquire, Ruby Wax, and Princess Diana. Bring on the chameleonic syllabus!!

Mark and Kenny celebrate the breathy hidden gem of Bedtime Stories - and the transformative aspects of time, experiences, and strong songwriting (not to mention some killer samples and production!) to celebrate the role of Madonna’s mother on her art and the path she continues to chart in her life. Here’s to a soaring 2022 for us all!

Kenny withholds his appreciation of this mid-tempo charmer and suggests an alternate version of Bedtime Stories, leaving Mark scrambling for worthy substitutions, including lost b-sides “Let Down Your Guard” and “Your Honesty,” and sending a warning shot into Season Four. Sing La Di Da De and Happy New Year!!

Bedtime Stories gets truly funky as Mark and Kenny discuss the meeting of Tupac Shakur & Madonna. Topics include: Dave Hall, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Rosie Perez, Jada Pinkett, Lou Donaldson’s “It’s Your Thing” sample, and the arrival of Maverick artist (and bassist extraordinaire) ME’SHELL NDEGEOCELLO. All that we know is her albums are classics - check ‘em out!

Happiness lies in Kenny and Mark’s hands as they discuss the powerful first single from Bedtime Stories, including it’s visually brilliant (if narrative-light) video. Topics include: Dallas Austin, Melodie McDaniel, the power of an acoustic guitar, Madonna’s warpaint look, pregnancy rumors, and a bizarre side trip down the streets of Philadelphia (tell the boys at Woody’s hello!). Share your secrets.

Mark and Kenny dig into the first song on the first side of the pivotal Bedtime Stories album - a musical crossroad for Madonna. Topics include: the (brief) return of Niki Haris and Donna De Lory, the wide-array of star collaborators, the searching cover art and design of the record, fixing the feud with Letterman, and how Madonna’s contemporaries may (or may not) have informed her new approach to making art and music. “And you thought we wouldn’t last …”

Kenny and Mark begin the new season as Madonna embarks on a new era with the yearning and beautiful theme song from the WITH HONORS soundtrack. Topics include: Miami, Joe Pesci, Moira Kelly, Brenden Fraser, Alex Keshishian, basketball games, stand-in back-up singers, that disappointing music video, the many Maverick projects a-brewing, and - oh yes - the Letterman appearance in the early spring of 1994. Dave’s getting soft and we’re starting HARD.

Welcome back and Happy Listening!!

Mark and Kenny celebrate the FINAL episode of Season 2: 1988-1993 with a long and detailed conversation about the famed 1993 tour behind Erotica - including all of Madonna’s inspirations for the tour (and brother Christopher’s problematic influences), her musical shout-outs throughout the show, and the many ways this tour has continued to resonate through the rest of her touring career - as well as hints of where she’s going from here. Pack a snack, kids, and enjoy the finale of this very special season. See you very soon … and meanwhile “Dance and sing, get up and do your thing!”

Kenny and Mark wrap up their conversation about Erotica with the moody and restless final Andre Betts track on the album - and the impact of Madonna beginning to take her time.

Mark and Kenny dive into the crushing and complicated final ballad from Erotica and take time to discuss Madonna’s long and personal commitment to the AIDS crisis as well as her relationship to those who suffered and were lost. They then welcome a special guest - UK-based playwright and theatre-maker Brian Mullin -who discusses his own relationship to Madonna, what it means for him to live and thrive with HIV and his newest work - Live to Tell: (a proposal for) The Madonna Jukebox Musical. Learn more about Brian and his piece @mullin_brian and @LiveToTellShow

Reggae and Protest join hands as Kenny and Mark discuss the “sing-a-long” song on Erotica, the song’s musical siblings in the Madonna catalog (we are NOT looking at you, “Hey You”), earnestness, the vocal debut of Tony Shimkin, guitarist Paul Pesco, and when it is appropriate to grab a soda during a Madonna concert. Why’s it STILL so damn hard?

Mark and Kenny celebrate the gorgeous (and multi-meaning) power ballad from Erotica. Topics include the importance of counterpoint vocals, the necessity of a radio remix, Mark Romanek’s video of beauty portraiture, Whitney Houston’s radio dominance, bukkake, the glorious maxi-single and justice of its forgotten (and rare) non-album track, and Kenny’s reaction to the possibility of working with Madonna. PLUS, special guest (and fellow podcaster) Gilad Barash joins Kenny for a conversation about the song and its impact on his life, as well as his smart and insightful podcast “Who’s Your Data?” - and Mark issues a social media challenge. Never go away …

Kenny and Mark return to the “Rain Tapes” to discuss the evolving and evolving versions of this personal (and restless) favorite. Topics include the importance of a writing life, the notorious romance letters with Amanda Cazalet, Bette Midler, reading lists, Pain & Glory, THAT brilliant musical bridge, the power, and limits, of words, and the moment that makes EroticaTHE Madonna masterpiece.

Theories abound as Mark and Kenny dig into the backside of Erotica with this “dance” track – Madonna’s breaking glass, verbally slapping, and – yes – rapping. It’s getting crazy during this hot August summer, y’all – folk heroes Peter, Paul, and Mary make THEIR inaugural appearance on the podcast. Calling all remixers!!

The feud over the 14-track version of Erotica continues ... though not before Kenny and Mark celebrate one of the thrilling and genre-bending centerpieces on Erotica (and which closes out it's cassette Side A). Topics include another sojourn into Mark's teen years spent at the mall, the welcome appearance of jazz and horns on a Madonna record, and a final tribute to Madonna protégé Nick Kamen (RIP Nick) - then Mark goes it alone to discuss the odd inclusion of "Did You Do It?" with rappers Mark Goodman and Dave Murphy. Absolutely NO regrets.

Mark and Kenny dive deep into the beloved and much admired first ballad on Erotica and its masterpiece of a video (the final - so far - collaboration with David Fincher) as well as some other not-so-masterful pieces Madonna worked on in 1993. Featuring Louise Oriole, Jonathan Ross, Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, Julianne Moore, Alfred Hitchcock, Gregory Peck, Louis Jordan, Alida Valli, Abel Ferrara, Harvey Keitel, James Russo, and … yes … Joey Buttafuoco.

Kenny and Mark kick-off the Andre Betts celebration with the notorious (and brilliant) first Madonna/Betts collaboration on Erotica. Mark muses on Dre’s contributions to the songwriting process, Jonathan Ross proves a worthy interviewer for Dita Parlo, and Kenny makes a controversial stance about the “deluxe editions” of future Madonna albums. It’s warm inside …

Mark and Kenny celebrate the house classic hit from Erotica - the only song where Shep Pettibone and Udo Kier could possibly convene - with a minute-by-minute dissection of a reference-filled video, a recalibration of Mark’s ever present “Top Five of All Time” list, Kenny’s deep love of remixes using organs, AND welcoming special guest Jonathan Norton to celebrate the return of Donna DeLory & Niki Haris!

Kenny and Mark dig into their diaries to discuss this ode to relationship “flings” and “fizzles.” Madonna demonstrates a new mastery of specificity in the studio … and demands her fans pay attention to those brilliant lyrics. And yet had the popular tide turned by the time it was released as a single? To love you IS a sin, apparently …

Dita hands Erotica back over to Madonna as Mark and Kenny hit the club floor to discuss this (now) classic cover. Peggy Lee, Little Willie Joe, EGOT Rita Moreno and the Muppet Show, Anthony Kiedis and Arsenio Hall, the lost “Goodbye to Innocence” and THOSE remixes. What a lovely way to burn, indeed.

Did we do it? You KNOW we did it! At long last, Kenny and Mark kick off their conversation about all things “Erotica” - the song, the video, the remixes, AND the Sex book. Maverick Records, Shep Pettibone, Dita Parlo, Big Daddy Kane, Vanilla Ice … they’re all here, kids. And - if that weren’t enough - Kenny kicks off the episode with his testimonial on why this album is Madonna’s masterpiece - and how formative it remains in his own life narrative. “We’re not full of rage … we’re full of HOPE!”

Mark and Kenny recall shopping malls and cassingles while discussing the gorgeous (and surprising #1 charting) single from the 1992 summer blockbuster A League of Their Own. Topics include: Penny Marshall, Tom Hanks, Rosie O'Donnell, Arsenio Hall, Tank Girl, and "All the Way" Mae.

Led by a guiding document by scribe Marsha Norman, Mark and Kenny break down the seminal and genre-shattering (now classic) documentary, celebrating it’s 30th (!) anniversary this year. Will Mark ever pronounce Wuthering Heights correctly? Will Kenny ever share a viewing experience of TorD with his husband? Will a restored full version of the concert footage (or the deleted footage) ever see the light of day? And why aren’t Madonna and company eating anything on that hotel veranda with those Perrier bottles? “Basta, per favore!”

Kenny and Mark do battle over the “other” new song on Madonna’s definitive (early) greatest hits collection. Topics include the staying power of Shep Pettibone, Tony winner Lilias White, jazz singer Catherine Russell, and Kenny’s conviction that recording vocals in a French toilet is the right way to go.

Mark and Kenny explore the not-so-seceret legacy behind the authorship of this head-spinning (and chapter turning) single which proved to be one of Madonna’s greatest triumphs - and controversies. Topics include: INGRID CHAVEZ, Lenny Kravitz, Howard Stern, the return of Prince, unpacking in hotels, Tony Ward, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, “The Beast Within” Remix, SNL, Wayne & Garth, Jeanne Moreau, Wallis Franken, Herb Ritts, Forrest Sawyer, and the first game-changing collaboration Andre Betts. So now what?

Kenny and Mark return to August 5, 1990 – when HBO broadcast Madonna’s final performance of the legendary and career-defining BA Tour.  Topics include: Madonna’s hair, Madonna’s costumes, Madonna’s dancing, Madonna’s troop of back-up singers & dancers (and the comforts of the road), Madonna’s tour band, Madonna’s setlist negotiations, Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone, and the emerging allure of younger men.  Settle in with a bottle of Perrier and enjoy!

Mark and Kenny attempt to discuss and explore THE ground-breaking classic. Period.

Kenny and Mark double-dip on this charming 180 turn from I’m Breathless.  Topics include Warren Beatty warbling, kudos from Beach Boy Brian Wilson, wisdom from Socrates, Picasso channeling, and the expansive (and eclectic!) career of Mr. Andy Paley.

Mark and Kenny fall into a musical theatre wormhole while discussing Mandy Patinkin and his cameo role as 88 Keys in Dick Tracy – AND only the second male duet partner (after Prince) on a Madonna record for this gorgeous ballad – as well as Breathless Mahoney’s back story and a deep take on how her film career functions in the entire Madonna universe.

Kenny and Mark start a Sondheim submerge with the sassy showtune ode to excess. Topics include anatomy insurance policies, the definition of true artistry, screechy chorines, and Kenny launches a telethon to track down the lost video of footage of Mark performing this song … IN 1990.

Mark and Kenny celebrate the second side of I’m Breathless with the “other” song about Business from Dick Tracy.  Topics include the timing of musical sequences, Jon Bon Jovi and Young Guns II, a long-awaited distinction about the term “iconic”, Madonna being “fun”, Jeff Clayton’s saxophone solo and how all roads lead back to Breathless Mahoney herself.  PLUS … Special Guest Dan Fortune joins Mark to discuss Madonna scatting, an Ella Fitzgerald nod, and the magnificent work Dan produces to support the Ali Forney Center.

Kenny and Mark clash while discussing the “other” torch song on I’m Breathless.  Topics include Mark’s version of a synopsis of Dick Tracy, Kenny’s editing suggestions, and the Musical Impact of Pathos.  Dick Van Dyke Shout-Out!

Mark and Kenny celebrate the reunion of Nikki Finn and Madonna on this polarizing obscurity from I’m Breathless – and Mark makes (yet another) case for the casting brilliance of Dick Tracy. Will Kenny ever watch this movie again? Other topics include musical story arcs, musical outliers, post-breakups, and a moment when Madonna herself has cried. Sensitive Men to the front of the line!

Madonna gives us a musical 180 while Kenny and Mark continue to conceive the Breathless Mahoney downtown cabaret act and discuss Madonna’s need for creative release, working outside of her comfort zone, the brilliance of Andy Paley, and the legacy (and influence) of Carmen Miranda.

Mark and Kenny treat Her like a bad girl (and not for the last time) while breaking down the brassy second single from I’m Breathless.  Topics include: Madonna’s relish of pastiche writing, Kenny’s summer job commute, Breathless Mahoney’s lost cabaret setlist, the Bare Bottom 12” Remix, the Collected Lyrics of Cole Porter, and the song’s doorway to the singer-song ladies of the past.

Kenny and Mark discuss the Oscar-winning torch song from Dick Tracy (and its many guises) by the musical theatre master Stephen Sondheim.  Topics include the challenges of properly learning Sondheim, being chummy with Jeremy Irons, Michael Jackson, the lost movie musical Singing Out Loud, the humane foibles of live performances, and how Madonna gave Broadway a hip moment.

Kenny and Mark BREATHLESSly dive into the beloved 1990 film soundtrack to the blockbuster Dick Tracy – as well as the musical psyche of certain gangster moll.  Topics include the friends of Warren Beatty, Danny Elfman, the impact of Batman on the summer blockbuster, The Damned Don’t Die, musical “noir”, Lilith Fair, the strangest of Al Pacino’s Oscar nominated performances, and the crucial vocal contributions of N’Dea Davenport.  Oh, and more guns.

The Eighties are officially over as Mark and Kenny come full circle while wrapping up Like a Prayer – and pay a visit to a (semi) intoxicating oddity.

Kenny and Mark close out their conversations about Like a Prayer (and the 80s) with the final track – a ground-breaking (and one of the strangest) moment of Madonna’s canon.  Topics include Catholic imagery, the upcoming onslaught of tell-all biographies, Prince’s guitar solos, and Madonna’s first “I Don’t Give A ****” moment.

Mark makes a passionate case for the closing ballad (and official song) on Like a Prayer while Kenny comes around to see the light from that candle.  Is this song about AIDS?  About gang violence?  About war?  Is it about Marco Loya’s backing vocals?  All (or nothing) is revealed!

Kenny and Mark sway along with the oft-forgotten fifth single from Like a Prayer.  Topics include: turning Detroit beats into stadium anthems, magnets and the legendary Madonna cheese, Joe Henry, fedoras, the troublesome British accent, safe havens and sleeping on the floor, the fabulous maxi-single remixes for this song, and the complicated sibling rivalries that impact all of us – while Mark outs himself as a potential Madonna back-up singer!  “Keep people together!”

Kenny and Mark continue exploring Madonna’s (semi) autobiographical songwriting on this “shoulda been” classic Madonna power ballad.  Topics include: male authority figures, Simon & Garfunkel’s Concert in Central Park, Kenny’s love of acoustic gravitas, the return of David Fincher, threatening shadows, singing statues, Charlton Wilborn, and an ode to one of the greatest moments in Madonna Hair History.  Plus … another Special Guest (and longtime listener) joins Mark to discuss his experience performing the song … Dominic Yacobozzi!

Mark rescues this off-beat gem from Like a Prayer while not even candy kisses and a sunny day can keep Kenny from hijacking the episode with a dreadful reminder of what a difference a decade makes.  It’s not ALWAYS a holiday (or a love parade) around here, kids.

Kenny and Mark dive into Side Two of Like a Prayer with one of the most romantic songs in the whole canon.  Topics include Herb Ritts, shooting mermen in black & white, Tony Ward, the importance of reading plays to write sincere lyrics, and Mark’s dream Shakespeare casting for Madonna.  Plus … a Very Special Guest joins Mark to discuss her long and quite personal relationship with the song … his sister Kate!

Kenny and Mark close Side One of Like a Prayer with this gorgeous and aching Pat Leonard ballad.  Topics include Madonna’s recording style, the power of long creative relationships, shifting narrative perspectives in songs, and the impact therapy can have on the creative process as well as Madonna’s spide-y sense about the changing landscapes in pop music.

Kenny and Mark deep dive into the true lost gem from side one of Like a Prayer. Topics include Sean Penn, Sean Penn, Sean Penn, and … oh yeah … Sean Penn Version.2016 as well as autobiographical songwriting, Madonna’s brand of artistic revenge, the frustrations and merits of working hard, and lots of armchair psychology over the nature of relationships, time, and the need for vulnerability. Stuff is getting REAL, kids

The music universe explodes (implodes?) as Madonna and Prince team up in the studio at last … to create this experimental, slightly bizarre pop oddity.  Topics include Minneapolis and Paisley Park, Batdance and Sign O’ The Times, Daisy Miller, Kenny’s favorite Prince duet, gender, and the long-lost Royal Tour.  The first true “duet” in the Madonna canon begs the question … are there any lost Madonna/Prince tracks?

And the hits keep coming!  Kenny and Mark dive deep into the anthemic, brash, and second track (and single) from Like a Prayer.  Topics include DAVID FINCHER (welcome to MadonnaUniverse, David!), Metropolis, the return of Stephen Bray, the intriguing beauty of Cameron Alborzian, and the polarizing Shep Pettibone remixes of (yet another) classic Madonna song.

Mark kicks off the conversation about Madonna’s masterpiece fourth album with a testimony to Kenny about the personal power and passion of Like a Prayer.  Topics include Prince, Mary Lambert, Sean Penn, Pepsi-Cola, Niki Harris, the Andre Crouch Choir, and the narrative hiccups in the ground-breaking video of this classic Madonna song.

Waiting is the hardest part … Finally … At LONG Last … Season Two (1988-1993) kicks off! Kenny and Mark drops back into New York, circa 1988 - a year when Madonna starred on Broadway, sashayed with Sandra, laid into Letterman, and got photographed … a LOT! She also wrote and recorded what would become considered her first masterpiece album Like a Prayer and faced the truth about her future as Mrs. Sean Penn. There are many special surprises and treats in store for you this season so stay safe and keep listening! We missed you so much.

It’s August 16th and we all know what that means - time to stop what you’re doing, get on the appropriately socially distant dance-floor and celebrate the birth of M. Mark and Kenny check in about everything from M’s guest spot on Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”, her instagram hits and misses, a new record deal and how each are coping in month five of the pandemic. There’s a lot in M’s orbit as she begins her 63rd trip around the Sun.

A little bonus for the hardcore. On September 30, 2019 Mark and Kenny sat down to debrief about the Madame X Tour which was in residence at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Here’s the entire unedited conversation. At over an hour this is our longest episode - for better and for worse. Enjoy!!

Have a great rest of the summer! We’ll back in September to kick off Season Two - 1988-1993.

Until then.

Mark and Kenny dive into all the Dub Versions, homemade singing bootlegs, and the glorious second side of Madonna’s first compilation album, 1987’s magnificent You Can Dance.  Shep Pettibone arrives on the scene to re-mix Madonna’s greatest dance songs – and helps her remind her who SHE really is.

Get out your parachute pants and fasten your cordless mic pack - this is about to get wild!  Kenny and Mark return to the summer of 1987 for Madonna’s first stadium (and international) tour - the Who’s That Girl Tour!  Topics include the distance of a stadium stage, Madonna’s (already) stressful relationship with her hits, the cordless microphone hand-off, which song on the setlist Kenny always fast-forwards through, and the career highs of the legendary Shabba-Doo. Ciao Italia, indeed!!

Mark and Kenny bust out prison and unpack the comedic misfire 1987 film Who’s That Girl? as well as the four Madonna songs on what remains a spotty soundtrack. This conversation includes the acting grace of Griffin Dunne, the (unrequited?) passions of director James Foley, the ever-present children in the eponymous song video, Stephen Bray’s musical scoring, and celebrating a true “lost” Madonna classic. Will Kenny and Mark ever dance together in a club to a Shep Pettibone remix? Did Madonna ever vanquish her reputation as a “movie killer”? Questions to answer this summer.

Kenny and Mark wrap up the True Blue album with a discussion of death and mortality, imagery as an artistic (and promotional) tool, Herb Ritts (and Kenny’s aborted career as a model), Cyndi Lauper, and the end of the sweet innocence of youth. 

Kenny and Mark examine the first Madonna message song, the sentimental decision-making of Pat Leonard, charity records, tambourines, and the challenge of writing a cliché-less lyric on the final track from True Blue.

Another deep-cut gets the kudos it deserves.  Kenny and Mark discuss quirky keyboards, the influences of Stephen Bray, classic 50s girl group shout-outs, the arrival of Compact Disc, and just exactly WHO the Jimmy is that Madonna is singing about.  We’ll hear you next time …

Kenny and Mark celebrate the ultimate yearning Madonna song.  Topics include the power of haircuts and wigs, the influence and courting of the Latin America audience, and the return of Mary Lambert for the video.  Whatever happened to Bruce Gaitsch?

The title track proves its mettle and lasting power as Kenny and Mark discuss Sean Penn continuing presence, Debi Mazar and Erica Bell, a quickie video shoot, and the “Make My Video” contest on MTV. 

Kenny and Mark search for the Party on side two of True Blue.  Madonna’s average work week, block parties in Harlem, Melanie Griffith, and creative Siedah Garrett overdubs are examined in this bid for song of the summer. follow us and stay connected on insta @alliwant2doistalkaboutmadonna

How many classic songs can one side of one album have?  Kenny and Mark celebrate this legendary (and shocking first single) ballad.  Can a man REALLY tell a thousand lies?  Topics include: At Close Range, the importance of mystery, the true identity of video director Peter Percher, and Kenny’s teenage machinations to watch cable.

Jimmy Cagney gets the pop song treatment on this deep-cut track.  Topics discussed: Old School Hollywood, the prestige of living with Sean Penn, Richard Marx, and Madonna’s surprisingly long relationship with guns as a metaphor. 

Kenny and Mark break down the perfect second pop song on True Blue.  Topics discussed: Pat Leonard, Madonna as pursuer, the texture of backing vocals, the strip club as a metaphor, and how Mark was transformed by the first listening of this song as well as the unexpected sweetness of the once-controversial video.

With a burst of Billy Myers strings, Kenny and Mark drop into the gleaming world of Hollywood, CA – the backdrop for Madonna’s blockbuster third album.  Topics discussed: working-class music, marriage as an influence, Danny Aiello, and a breakdown of the first transformative look (and inspiring eyebrows!) in the classic video (who’s Peter Percher??).

Kenny and Mark wrap up the Virgin Era with a deep dive into the first Madonna zeitgeist year – 1985.  The singles, the videos, the movies, the Penthouse scandal, Live Aid, Madonna’s feminism and philanthropy, and getting hitched … what did you do in one year of your life?

Kenny and Mark bust out their graffiti headbands to discuss Madonna’s inaugural live outing, 1985’s Virgin Tour and Freddy DeMann makes his first appearance on the podcast as well as the first true Madonna impression. Please rate us and leave a review on itunes. Follow us on instagram @alliwant2todoistalkaboutmadonna

Kenny and Mark race to the dance floor to dissect the ultimate “you can dance” Madonna song in the ultimate Madonna movie.  Discussed: non-existent piano solos, pop art, Rosanna Arquette, Susan Seidelman, the importance of solitary fandom, sunglasses, First Row Video, Warren Beatty, and Mark hijacks the episode with a tribute to the legendary Laurie Metcalf

Kenny and Mark dive into Madonna’s long (and sometimes whiplash-inducing) relationship with film and film soundtracks.  Topics include Matthew Modine, We Are The World, random Jacksons, the importance of character back story, and a shout-out to Miami and Power 96.

Episode 3 of 3 this week! Kenny and Mark wrap up the Like a Virgin album with a discussion of Nile Rogers, Diana Ross’ Diana album, Madonna seizing control of her image and her platform, and saying farewell to the gritty New York City streets for the golden sunlight of Hollywood, California (and the Blue hues of life with Sean Penn).

The 2nd of 3 episodes this week! Kenny and Mark conclude Like a Virgin with the long-forgotten final song from the album as well as Madonna’s gibberish ad libs, demo vs. finished version of songs, and gathering the band together for the finale.

The 1st of 3 episodes this week! Kenny and Mark reach the home stretch of the Like a Virgin album with a pair of album tracks, starting with the ground-laying Pretender – another character song in the Madonna oeuvre – and the conditions for staying in Madonna’s circle of trust. 

Kenny indulges Mark’s devotion of this lost Madonna-penned ballad and Madonna as a casual songwriter, particularly captured on this side of the album. 

Kenny and Mark flip the record over to Side 2 with the fan favorite (and surprise single) from 1985 as well as double entendres, Nile Rogers as a boner-killer producer, and the rarity of the Guitar Solo on a Madonna song. 

Madonna’s first cover (written by Miles Gregory) is dissected by Kenny and Mark in a confessional discussion about the legacy of the ballads.

Kenny and Mark fanboy over what may be the ultimate “Madonna running song”, acoustic guitars, the positive ambition in the Bray/Ciccone collaborations, proper (and improper!) climaxes, and why Mark’s mother forbid him to own Like a Virgin on cassette.

The title track from Madonna’s 1984 opus and belting songs in the shower, the potency of vocal melisma, riding gondolas through Venice, lion’s tongues, the many live incarnations of the song, the stages of womanhood, and how many times Mark can say “iconic” in an episode.

Kenny and Mark highlight this great “lost” song from Like a Virgin and discuss The Breakfast Club, the Elks Club pool, the softer power of the Third Single, and whether Madonna should write again with the estranged Stephen Bray.

Kenny and Mark plunge into 80s Consumerism with the first song from Madonna’s classic “Like a Virgin” album.  What makes a song a “Madonna song”?  Topics discussed include the reception of irony, Missing Persons, Marilyn Monroe, Kenny’s love of the Second Single, and how live drumming kicks off this new era. They take a deep dive into the iconic 1985 video, including Old Hollywood and the many lost film projects, Keith Carradine, Madonna’s speaking voice, collaborating with Mary Lambert, the great Robert Wuhl, double-dating with Debi Mazar, and the entrance of Sean Penn.

Holiday Episode.  Kenny and Mark swing into the holidays with a special one-off episode celebrating Madonna’s 1987 cover of the Eartha Kitt classic.  Topics discussed include the Special Olympics, walking with Eartha Kitt through Times Square, Michael John LaChiusa’s The Wild Party, Madonna’s identity as a song stylist, Madonna’s commitment to charity and what makes a classic Christmas song.  We will be taking a short break for holidays, returning on January 7.  Follow us at @alliwant2doistalkaboutmadonna and here on iTunes.  See you in 2020 (!!) and thank you for your support.  We’ll keep talking if you keep listening.

Kenny and Mark wrap up 1983 in the canon with a discussion of lost tracks “Ain’t No Big Deal” and “Sidewalk Talk”, the valuable contributions and advocacy of Jellybean Benitez, hot tamales, and Madonna’s attempts to get back to the purity of this important first era of Madonna’s music.find us on instagram @ alliwant2doistalkaboutmadonna.

Kenny and Mark close out Madonna’s self-titled debut with the perennial “Everybody” – Madonna’s first musical call to the dancefloor.  Discussed: musical roads chosen and not taken, what constitutes a Madonna ‘hit’, and the power of the producer on a Madonna record. oh by the way, you can find us on instagram @ alliwant2doistalkaboutmadonna.

Kenny and Mark lose their collective minds over “Physical Attraction”.  Discussed: stretching synths, talking vocals, the power of the male gaze, bisexuality and intimacy, and Kenny’s entry point into Madonna fandom.  Here’s the whole story, folks!

Kenny and Mark analyze Madonna’s romantic philosophies in 1982, the power of journal-writing, East Village drama, saxophonist Bobby Malach, and the true nature of the Basquiat friendship on lost Madonna song “Think of Me”.

Kenny and Mark re-experience their first encounters with classic Madonna song “Holiday” and the moment you first want to get out on the floor and dance to it.

Kenny and Mark face Madonna’s baby voice vocals and why never performing a song in a live setting may be a good thing on deep cut “I Know It”.

Kenny and Mark tackle “Burning Up” the third song on Madonna’s self-titled 1983 debut.  Topics include punk roots, the Breakfast Club band, scratch vocals and the impact of Madonna’s breathing in her music, and the arrival of Stephen Bray. 

Episode Two.  Kenny and Mark discuss the importance of car songs, romantic yearnings, generational innocence, the power of Madonna’s vocal ad libs, and make a case for bringing back “the fade out” in a classic 80s pop song called “Borderline.” After this week, all future episodes will be released on Tuesday.

Pilot Episode. Kenny and Mark kick-off “All I Want to Do is Talk About Madonna” by going all the way back to the very beginning: the first song on the first side of Madonna’s first album. Discussed: Madonna’s demo recordings, “Crimes of Passion”, early ambitions, Danceteria DJs, Maripol, Erica Bell, and the power of synths.

Season One: From ‘Star’ to ‘Girl’ (1983-1987)

In this provocative (naturally) and confessional (essentially) new podcast, two long-time fans have the conversation you wish you could have about the one and only Queen of Pop: Madonna. Writers Kenny Finkle and Mark Snyder start at the very beginning, to where it always begins with Madonna: the music. Each episode tackles a single track in the Madonna canon (beginning with, yup, “Lucky Star”) as they move through the boundary-pushing videos, norm-challenging performances, hair-dying transformations - climaxing with Madonna’s first world tour - the “Who’s That Girl?” show. Four years into a nearly-40 year career - and she (and we!) are just getting started.