Madonna 50: PT 3
Like when Jackie O turned 60 but only better.
In the summer of 2000, California beckoned. We had given up our place after being offered jobs there. It didn’t work. Instead, we got a loft for what we knew would be our last year in Vangroovy.
In August of 2001, We packed everything that we owned in a large U-Haul and drove across the country to Toronto with only leads for jobs. We were leaving behind great jobs, great money, to “come what may”. On our trip, we listed to a lot of Madge of the past: a retrospective; and a lot of heavy dance remixes. Put two gay men in a car-
We arrived in Toronto days before 9/11.
Glamma took a job in retail management and I took a job with Dior, traveling as their makeup artist. Our intention was to make something happen but we- along with the rest of North America- were still numb from what happened. It was two years later. Everyone seemed to be questioning their mortality; trying more to make sense of what was going on in the Bush regime. He was still trying to smoke ’em out of their holes but it seemed that less and less of us were buying it.
A month after “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, Madge came out with poignant prose. American Life was in stores, on MTV and all over the news. One version of The video depicted a laughing George W whom she blows up. A lot of people cheered while another lot thought it in bad taste. His actions were resonating in so many minds- and clearly, they were resonating in hers. Her comment was strong. We applauded.
A few years passed. Glamma and I made ourselves stuck in jobs we hated. We were less and less inspired although we were enjoying Toronto. We wanted more out of it. So we started clubbing again. And I started writing.
The fall of 2005, Confessions on a Dancefloor came out. We were hooked. It was the first record in years that we LOVED from beginning to end. Although there were many dance remixes made, I preferred the album edits.
Our club anthem, of course, was Hung Up. Get Together reminded me of who would star in the scripted version of the novel I was writing (I don’t know why!); I Love New York, while the lyrics were ridiculous, had a great beat and was easy to dance to. I gave it an 8.
Glamma and I hit a sour spot in our relationship at the seven year mark (go figure!) but we worked it out! I was listening to Jump a lot. He originally thought that it was because I wanted to break up with him but, in reality, it was because I needed OUT of the job I detested. Isaac was fantastic to me, even though Madge got a lot of criticism for it. I just thought it was a fantastic story from the old world.
We listened to Confessions over and over for a year before I finally was given the opportunity to jump out of the job that I hated so much. Thank the Universe for down-sizing and lay-offs that buy you out. It was magic. I was finally able to finish writing my novel (three years later, we are still editing it-).
A year later, Glamma got his wish and was out of his no-where job that he gave too much of himself to. With getting nothing in return.
We were both focused and finally allowed to do what we wanted. What we did so many years before. Work for ourselves. The first couple of years were rocky- and it still is- but then we finally got to work with celebs again. And work in the city that beckoned me for the third time in my life: LA.
Music became so much a part of our lives- thanks to Glamma- and we were hearing things that were art. we were making art again. We were who we were meant to be.
Quite suiting, Hard Candy came out while we made our first return to LA to work. Give It To Me reminds me of watching Our Boys playing Hacky Sack. In fact, I made an iMovie with Give It to them playing. Our BFF Pamela had gone through a bad breakup and She’s Not Me was part of her rebuild in confidence. The Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You is just great prose put to music (JT convinced Madge to put this poetry to music).
And here we are today. We have spent the better part of the year traveling, working; together and seperately. When I am away from Glamma, Miles Away makes me think of him. I much prefer working with him when we are abroad.
SO, Madonna. Thanks for the music. Thanks for the walk down my own Memory Lane. And- Happy Birthday, lady. Here’s to another 25 years of fierce music and memories that will go with them.
Madonna 50: PT 1
Madonna 50: PT 2
Filed under: art, Glamma Squad, information, lists, thoughts, What's Inspiring Me Right Now | Tagged: 9/11, American Life, California, Confessions on a Dance Floor, drag queens, gay, George Bush, Get Together, Give it to Me, Hacky Sack, Happy Birthday, Hard Candy, Hung Up, I Love NY, icon, Isaac, JT, Jump, Justin Timberlake, madge, Madonna, madonna 50, madonna turns 50, Miles Away, MTV, Music, New York City, night clubs, Operation Iraqi Freedom, seven year itch, She's not me, Stars Down, The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You, Toronto, Vancouver, Vangroovy | 5 Comments »
Everything's Just Jake 