Today in Madonna History: June 1, 1990

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On June 1 1990, Madonna was controversially featured grabbing her crotch and breast on the cover of Interview magazine.

Madonna was interviewed by Glenn O’Brien at the Disney Studios, where she was rehearsing the Blond Ambition Tour. Here’s a snippet from the interview:

Glenn: Let’s talk about your show.

Madonna: Let’s not. Today was a horrible day. That was the worst rehearsal.

Glenn: Well, I liked it, but I haven’t seen it when you thought it was good. I loved the number where you’re lying on the piano singing a torch song.

Madonna: You saw only one segment of the show. I’ve created five different worlds, and the set is all based on hydraulics. One is going down and another is coming up. The world changes completely. I think of it more as a musical than as a rock concert. There is a straightforward Metropolis section, like my Express Yourself video – that set with all the gears and machinery; it’s very hard and metallic. That’s the heavy-duty dance music. Then the set changes and it’s like a church. We call it the temple ruins. It’s all these columns, trays of votive candles, a cross. I do Like a Virgin on a bed, but we changed the arrangement, so it sounds Indian. Then I’m being punished for masturbation on this bed, which is, as you know, what happens. Then we do the more serious, religious-type material – Like a Prayer, Papa Don’t Preach… Then it changes to what you saw, this Art Deco ’50s-musical set. That’s when we do three songs from Dick Tracy, and then after that we do what I call the camp section. Then it gets really serious again and we go into our Clockwork Orange cabaret set.

Today in Madonna History: June 30, 1997

On June 30 1997, Madonna began recording sessions for what would become her Ray Of Light album at Larrabee North Recording Studios, Universal City, Los Angeles.

Madonna had already spent several months writing songs and producing demos with Patrick Leonard, Rick Nowels and Babyface (although none of the Babyface material would make the final cut) by the time she entered the studio with co-producers William Orbit and Marius De Vries. Leonard would return to the project to assist with arrangements, earning him a co-producer’s credit on four of the album’s tracks. Madonna would add lyrics and melody to at least a half-dozen previously composed Orbit demos during these sessions as well, with six of their songs making the final track list.

Today in Madonna History: June 29, 1993

 

On June 29 1993, ads ran in the Daily Variety & Hollywood Reporter announcing dancer auditions for an upcoming Madonna world tour:

Looking for 3 very special girls and a few good men.

Androgynous. Boyish girls between 5’4″-5’8″ with very short hair – that can dance well!

Men between 5’10”-6’2″ with versatility.

Classical training and street sensibility required!

Wednesday June 30th 12:30-5:30 pm, 3rd Street Dance Academy, 8115 3rd St, L.A., 90048

Today in Madonna History: June 28, 1986

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On June 28 1986, Madonna’s Papa Don’t Preach debuted at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was released on June 11.

Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine said that “with songs like Papa Don’t Preach, Madonna made the transition from pop tart to consummate artist, joining the ranks of 80s icons like Michael Jackson and Prince.”

Today in Madonna History: June 27, 1987

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On June 27 1987, Madonna opened her 19-city North American leg of  the Who’s That Girl World Tour 1987 at the Orange Bowl in Miami Florida.

Did you get a chance to see the Who’s That Girl World Tour? 

Today in Madonna History: June 26, 2015

On June 26 2015, Madonna joined the world in celebrating PRIDE with this Tweet:

Finally And at Last! The Revolution Of Love has Begun! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️#livingforlove ❤️#rebelheartsunite

You can read thousands of messages from Madonna’s fans thanking her for her support of the LGBT community throughout her entire career, even when it wasn’t popular to be supportive of the cause.

We love this one from James Davis: “Madonna…you helped all of this come together by standing up for gay rights back when no celebrities did…”

Today in Madonna History: June 25, 1994

On June 25 1994, Madonna’s I’ll Remember peaked at #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in the USA.