I've been bemused by recent comments about American pop star Madonna.
When I first heard 'Into the Groove', way back there in the early eighties, when Madonna had a chunky tummy and dressed like that godawful Agnes Dean dresses now, I thought that it was a nice catchy tune. However, as I was immersed in Cabaret Voltaire, Einsturzende Neu Bauten, SPK and Section 25, the said song's catchiness merely had a passing effect on me. Since then, Madonna's songs had elicited a range of unexcited emotions from me: from "that's a catchy tune" to "that's a bit flat" to "that's quite good".
Some people enjoy her music more. "Her" music? This is the point. She is a pop star. How much input she has into the music is irrelevent. How much input she has into any aspect of her artistic output is irrelevent. It's the end product that matters: The songs, videos and stage shows. Do you enjoy them or not? If not, then fine. I am mostly indifferent to her output.
But, to essay a critique based on an assumed appreciation of her by others, is to miss the point entirely. As a pop star, Madonna has an image, cultivated over many years. If you're not taken in by it, well, congratulations - have a biscuit. Attacking Madonna's publicity skills is playing the game of bullshit as much she or any other publicist is. Do you enjoy her product? That's the only question to consider.
What kind of biscuits
are we talking about here?
Rusk
i would've preferred a boasters
Cool. Rusks are good.
Thanks John!
Srsly?!
Rusks are horrid!
Oh, and
Madonna is painfully average.
Seriously! They are YUM!
Hmm
Do you sit in a high chair wearing a bib?
I could do
if paid enough.
I'll knit some booties
'sup
I think youve
missed the emphasis, or the direction possibly. I am, much like you, fairly indifferent to um, the "product", however whenever anyone makes a trenchant critique of the "product", the same old justifications arise, i.e "She is a good businesswoman", "She has consistently remodelled herself, kept up with the changing trends", etc. But I would say that particularly in Madonna's case, this other contextual stuff is more frequently brought up to defend her than to criticise. If somebody says they enjoy her tunes, then fair enough, but its this meta bullshit (admittedly on both sides) that is a little irritating.
True
but, who is writing those types of comments? Idiots are. By indulging these idiots, you then discuss Madonna in their terms, which, as you have pointed out, are inspired by her publicity skills.
Well, yes
"Do you still enjoy her music?" is all that matters. And well, no really. "Ray Of Light" was the last single I liked.
And I must try to avoid interviews with her in the future, because she's coming across even less likable than Noel Gallagher these days, which is some achievement.
Boring.
For what she does,
I think she's got talent, but I'm not into her music, tbh
I would class Into The Groove
as mid-80s, rather than early 80s.