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Madonna news - Nov. 2002
← Oct. 2002 | Nov. 2002 →
15 November - M's lesbian scene cut
James Bond can be shaken and stirred. He just can't swivel his hips too much. Yes, the MPAA made director Lee Tamahori trim a hot love scene between James Bond and his new ladylove Jinx, played by Halle Berry, in the upcoming 'Die Another Day'. "In America, you're not allowed to thrust, moan or look like you're enjoying yourself while having sex or you get an R rating," fumes Tamahori, who snipped some of the sizzle to get a PG-13. "It's such b-------! Basically, I had to take out everything that made it look like the woman was enjoying herself." Specifically, he trimmed about 10 seconds of Berry bonding with Bond. "So you Americans can fly to Europe, where the film will be presented in its entirety," Tamahori says. "Basically, I can drill a man through the head with a laser, but I can't show someone enjoying sex. Now, what kind of message is that to kids?" For her part, Berry says, "I spent a lot of time naked with Pierce for that love scene. It was fun, but I guess it went a little far. But for heaven's sake, he's James Bond, and the love scenes should be hot." She brightens and says, "At least it does give everyone something to look forward to when the DVD comes out!"
Something else that was cut was Madonna as a lesbian fencing instructor getting a little bit hot with the other Bond babe, played by Rosamund Pike. But Tamahori snipped those scenes himself. "I shot some moments with Madonna giving Rosamund little touches, but I didn't want to turn the film into a male fantasy thing," he says. "Madonna still has all these little looks with Rosamund, which was enough." (source: SunTimes, thanx to AbsMad)
14 November - DADay director says M's not that demanding
'Die Another Day' director Lee Tamahori has said Madonna's not the pushy star she's made out to be. Rumours are that she refused to record the title track without a role in 'Die Another Day', but Lee insists that's nonsense. He says after a meeting with Madonna he was happy to offer her a two-minute cameo: "She said - 'Look, whatever people tell you - I'd love to be in the picture but if you've got nothing for me and you don't want me in the picture then no hard feelings. I'm very happy to do the title track.' I said - 'Look, there's this quasi-lesbian dominatrix fencing instructor that was doing one thing or the other...It'll be perfect for you. If you want to play it I'll give you a great costume, and believe me, it'll be a smashing costume.' "So she said yes - and that was great." Meanwhile, Halle Berry's character in 'Die Another Day' - Jinx - has proved so popular that Bond bosses are planning to develop her own spin-off series. It's the first time it's happened in 007's 40 year history. (source: BBC, thanx to MadMax)
14 November - Sugar Ray follows M's chameleon trend
In an interview with Launch, Sugar Ray's frontman Mark McGrath mentions Madonna as trendsetter of changing musical styles: "McGrath also tells Launch to not necessarily expect the same Sugar Ray of previous hits such as "Every Morning" and "Someday." "It's funny, you wait your whole life to get a sound and now the sound's like 'Wow, we've got to do something else,'" he says. "I think Madonna set the bar pretty high for changing yourself, staying current. And we're sort of in that position now. We're gonna pull the trigger and do something different this time."
14 November - DADay on Billboard no. 10
Die Another Day is on his way down, going from no. 8 to no. 10 in this week's Billboard Hot 100. The maxi-single sold 16,500 copies last week.
14 November - More on DADay cameo
' Die Another Day' features another Bond Girl whose name should
ring a bell. Madonna, who also sings the film's techno-tinged
theme song, dons bondage-black fencing gear and troweled-on eye
liner to make a brief appearance as a kinky fencing mistress named
Verity. Madge feints on the swordplay, but obviously relishes
the chance to indulge in some of the franchise's famous double-entendres.
After handing a fencing sword to 007 Pierce Brosnan, she smirks,
"I see you handle your weapon well." And when asked
if she'd like to place a bet on the outcome of a duel between
Bond and his male adversary, she quips, "No thanks. I don't
like cockfights." (source: NY
Post)14 November - New song details *rumour*
Fansite Madonnarama claims: "We've heard confirmed details of 2 of the songs which have working titles of 'Hollywood' and 'American Life' (these refrains are repeated in the lyrics). They're described as being similar in style to Die Another Day (stop/start electronica in the same vein as Mirwais' Music work). One of the tracks again features a heavy use of the autotuned vocal, though is described as being more like Impressive Instant than Die Another Day. "
14 November - Ritchie faces music about Madonna's movie
Facing down about 600 university students inside England's Oxford Union debating chamber, movie director Guy Ritchie proved to be a popular guest on Tuesday night, People's London Bureau reports. As might have been expected, a good many questions concerned his wife, Madonna, 44, and their movie "Swept Away," which recently washed ashore in America and tanked so badly that it's going straight to video in Ritchie's native Britain. "It's not being released (over here) because it's sh--," Ritchie, 34, told the students. "I can't answer more eloquently than that." He said, "The idea was that the wife and I would make some sassy little art movie, but we got the sh-- kicked out of us. It broke records in America. It must be the first film to make front page news with a review." By Ritchie's reckoning, "I think 21 papers in America ran on how appalling it was, and we had the absolute feces kicked out of us. But I've got to say, it's a good film. I'm still left shaking my head ... make (up) your own minds about it." Once the floor was opened to other questions, Ritchie, sometimes going for a laugh (which he received), answered quite candidly. Among the queries:
- What do you call your wife at home? "Bitch."
- Does your wife's history bother you at all? "It doesn't. It used to, but it doesn't anymore."
- Does your wife sing in the shower? "Yes."
- Do you like your wife's music? "Was I a Madonna fan? No. Am I a Madonna fan? Yes. I mean that genuinely."
- How did you and Madonna first meet? "It's actually quite a boring answer. We met at lunch. She was with her boyfriend, and he was sulking, and they were a few seats down in the restaurant from where I was sitting, and I thought, 'F---ing hell, it's Madonna'. So I went up to her and made crap jokes. I think I said, 'If you play your cards right, I'll put you in a movie'. She thought I was cocky and things went from there.
- What's Madonna's favorite film? "She likes musicals. 'The Sound of Music.' "
And, describing their home life, Ritchie said: "My wife has a mind of her own. I like to think I have some way of influencing her, but that could be an illusion." Read the full transcript here. (source: People Magazine, thanx to Madonnapower)
14 November - DADay soundtrack scans
Madonnapower forum member MrRitchie has scanned the front and back cover of the Die Another Day soundtrack, check here. He adds: "The album version of Die Another Day is exact the same one of the promos, NOT LONGER :(. The making of is 4 minutes long and you can see escenes you haven't seen on the MTV's, but don't expect too much of the enhanced CD. No Madonna extras as unreleased remixes!!"
13 November - Charity auction of signed M photo
eBay has put up a signed Madonna picture which was donated for charity: "Win a framed, signed, 8x10 black and white photo of Madonna. The photo, a promotional shot from her Music CD, is signed by Madonna in black marker. Authenticity is 100% guaranteed. The winner of this auction will certainly 'Cherish' this item, so bid for you or for a friend (what a perfect surprise holiday gift). The photo was kindly donated to RAINN by Madonna. Framing was donated by Chesapeake Framing Company in Kensington, MD. For more information on Chesapeake’s services, please call 301-530-9378. 100% of the proceeds from this auction will benefit the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network and the National Sexual Assault Hotline. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates programs to prevent sexual assault, provide help to its victims and promote the prosecution and punishment of its perpetrators. RAINN also operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and carries out extensive education and outreach programs. RAINN receives no government funding. Eighty-seven cents of every dollar raised is spent directly on program services for victims. After researching the nation's 819,000 charities, Worth magazine selected RAINN as one of "America's 100 Best Charities." To find out more about RAINN, please call 1-800-656-HOPE ext. 3 or visit our website at www.rainn.org. "
13 November - 'Die' demo displays new DVD technology
A clever marketing gimmick for MGM's James Bond juggernaut is providing a high-profile demo for a new technology that could create markets for promotional and one-time-rental DVDs. MGM used Flexplay Technologies' special DVDs for 5,000 promo discs mailed out this week with about 25 minutes of material from 'Die Another Day'. The Bond mailer warns, "Once removed from its packaging, the DVD will self-destruct in 36 hours!" The line might have been better used by Paramount for marketing 'Mission: Impossible', but nonetheless, the technology allowed MGM to send the music video of Madonna's theme song along with numerous featurettes about the film's cars, crew, gadgets and more, without undercutting their long-term value for inclusion in the movie's inevitably huge DVD release six months from now. Click here for the rest of the article about Flexplay Technologies. (source: Reuters)
13 November - Joni Mitchell bashes Madonna
Veteran singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, disgusted with the music business, has said her latest album will also be her last. Venting her scorn on contemporary artists - including Madonna - Mitchell said of music industry executives; "They're not looking for talent. They're looking for a look and a willingness to cooperate. And a woman my age, no matter how well preserved, no longer has the look. And I've never had a willingness to cooperate." As for Madonna, who was once quoted as saying that as a teenager she had adored Mitchell: "She has knocked the importance of talent out of the arena. She's manufactured. She's made a lot of money and become the biggest star in the world by hiring the right people," Mitchell said. (source: Reuters)
~ Madonna's spokesperson Liz Rosenberg was astonished when she heard this, saying the feeling certainly wasn't mutual, as Madonna has said in the past that Mitchell was one of her inspirations.
13 November - Update international charts
The Madonna mailing list gives us following update. It lists the peak positions; in the UK for example it already dropped to no. 12. The US no. 1 is from the sales chart; DADay is still no. 8 in the Billboard Hot 100.
#01 USA
#01 Italy
#01 Spain
#01 Hong Kong
#01 Slovakia
#02 Austria
#02 Denmark
#03 United Kingdom
#03 Hungary
#04 Germany
#04 Finland
#04 Sweden
#04 Switzerland
#05 Norway
#05 The Netherlands
#09 Ireland
#10 Belgium
~ I can add that the single is no. 1 on all radio stations of my second home country Lebanon. Another fan reported also that the song is no. 1 in Israel! (thanx Avi!)
13 November - Billboard Q&A about DADay limited single release
Fred,
Why don't record companies release CD singles like they did a few years ago? I do not understand why Warner Bros. would not release a single for Madonna's Die Another Day. I know they only released the maxi-single to this song, but this forces consumers to pay $9 for a maxi-single instead of the typical $2.99 we used to pay just for the song. Additionally, a lot of retailers (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.) will not carry this maxi-single.
Doesn't this limit the possibility of Madonna having another No. 1? How does Billboard calculate sales and airplay into the Hot 100? Last week Die Another Day only sold around 29,000 copies of its maxi-single, easily dethroning Kelly Clarkson's song, but very much short of what a No. 1 single would typically sell even a year ago. The Madonna song only climbed to No. 8 [on the Billboard Hot 100].
Has the format for this calculation changed to determine a No. 1 song, or are record companies becoming selfish and relying on the public to purchase the full CD or soundtrack?
Thanks, Ryan Rognstad
Dear Ryan,
Record companies aren't releasing singles because they think if you buy the single, you won't buy the album. And they want you to buy the album, because that's where they make their money. The limited maxi-single release of Madonna's Die Another Day was good enough to allow the title to achieve pole position on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Sales chart, but as you point out, the numbers weren't high enough to catapult the Bond theme to No. 1 on the Hot 100. The maxi-single needed to sell around 60,000 copies to be a serious contender for the top spot.
The Hot 100 has always been compiled by adding sales and airplay information -- that's been true since its inception in August 1958. To keep up with changing market conditions, the formula for adding sales and airplay has changed over the years. In today's climate, where few singles are releases and the ones that do sell in small quantities, airplay is a much bigger factor in where a song will land on the Hot 100. (source: Billboard)
12 November - DADay no. 2 on dance chart
In addition to being the best selling maxi-single for the third week in a row, Die Another Day makes a strong move from 7 to 2 on next week's Dance/Club Play chart in Billboard magazine. The song's trajectory to date: 33 - 20 - 7 - 2... and it's looking like a surefire bet to become Madonna's 28th number one. (source: AbsoluteMadonna)
12 November - Madonna bits from first Die Another Day screening
"The credit sequence has Bond going through a terrible ordeal viewed through the dancing bodies of women made of fire and ice, with the radio edit of Madonna's Die Another Day played over it."
"Plus a scene in the Ice Palace during the party, where a remix of Madonna's DAD plays in the background..."
"Madonna has what I consider a larger cameo than expected. This is in the first half of the film. Is it implied that she and Bond have some sort of past? I'll have to see the film again to be sure..." (source: CommanderBond forum, thanx to AbsMad)
12 November - M demands edit of Badly Drawn video
Madonna forced record label bosses to re-edit Badly Drawn Boy's latest video after it had been sent to TV stations when she discovered she was in it. The queen of pop was furious that bosses at record company XL did not ask her permission to feature a picture of her in the video to “You Were Right”. On the single, Badly Drawn Boy aka Damon Gough sings, "I had to turn her down 'cos I was still in love with you/I turned Madonna down." Madonna is then pictured in the promo with four arms, like a Hindu God. An insider says, "Nobody wants to get on the wrong side of Madonna. We had to beg all the TV companies to not show the video while we cut her out." In the new edit Madge is replaced by a renaissance painting. (source: Soundbuzz)
12 November - Brosnan has eyes for M
Pop diva Madonna claims 007 actor Pierce Brosnan ogled her on the set of the new James Bond film, when she walked in dressed head to toe in leather. Speaking of her leather fencing outfit created by Brit firm Whitaker Malem for Die Another Day, Madonna says: "I don't think he knew where to look when I first walked on set."Madonna plays a lesbian fencing instructor in the film. It is only a cameo appearance, but is likely to get a better reception than her film Swept Away, which is now going straight to video in the UK. (source: Gay.com UK)
11 November - More rumours on new album *rumour*
According to the Warner Bros. mailing list, we can expect a new single in January, and the new album in February. This is what Madonna fan 'The Archdandy' had to say about the album:
- The first single will NOT be a Mirwais track, and that the title of the album will be decided next month.
- The new album will mesh a lot of sounds. That's what the ArchDandy is hearing. However, it's not like a bunch of styles thrown together on one disc like Music was - lots of elements are mixed in single songs themselves (DADay's strings and techno-beat being the perfect lead-off example). There will also be a lot more guitar on the album--some of it particularly heavy.
- Also, it is being rumored that, in addition to DADay, there will be 11 NEW tracks instead of just ten (making the total 12).
But alas, that is still just a rumor at this early stage... Madonna hasn't even finished choosing the tracks (which explains why there's no title yet). (thanx to MadMax member Mark/MadGuy)
11 November - DADay already out of UK's top 10
Irish boy band Westlife shot to the top of the British charts on Sunday, claiming its 11th number one single in four years. 'Unbreakable' knocked 'Heaven' by DJ Sammy from the top spot, according to the Official UK Charts Company. The track is from Westlife's greatest hits album of the same name, due for release on Monday. Madonna, who made a disappointing chart debut last week at No. 3, slipped out of this week's top ten. Her James Bond theme Die Another Day fell nine places to 12. (source: Reuters)
11 November - DADay on international charts
Here are some international chart positions of DADay posted by Madonna.com last friday:
#01 Italy (New Entry!)
#01 Spain
#01 Slovakia
#03 United Kingdom
#04 Germany
#04 Finland
#05 The Netherlands
#08 USA
#10 Belgium
11 November - 20 years on Billboard charts
In the 11/06/1982 issue of Billboard, a song called Everybody by an unknown singer carrying a well-known name first appeared at #40 on the Dance/Disco Top 80 chart (predecessor of the 50-position Dance/Club Play chart). It peaked at #3 for three weeks in January 1983. Who would have thought that 20 years later, that same disco chick from Michigan would be on a mission to add a modern twist to the James Bond franchise. By the 11/02/2002 issue, her theme song for 'Die Another Day' (the *20th* Bond film, coincidentally) has turned out to be her 48th Hot 100 entry, 44th top 40 hit (record among female artists and tied for 5th among all artists), and is on its way to become her 35th top 10 hit (second only to Elvis Presley). She has accumulated 12 #1 hits (second among female solo artists and tied for 5th among all), and 24 gold singles (tied with the Beatles, second only to Elvis). She has been churning out hits after hits with astounding consistency, and save for a selected few, her chart clout has outlasted all her '80s peers and even most big names from early '90s. (Fact: Aside from You Can Dance, Something To Remember and Evita, each of her albums spawned at least two top 10 hits.) On the dance chart where it all started, she has achieved an unthinkable level of domination. Among her 40 Club Play hits prior to Die Another Day (#33 debut in the 11/02/2002 issue), only three peaked below #6 (one of which was the import-only, unpromoted Sky Fits Heaven). Think about that!! 27 of them reached the pinnacle, almost twice as many as Janet Jackson, who plays bridesmaid with 14 #1s. On the album front, she has logged 16 entries on the Billboard 200 (including Who's That Girl and Evita soundtracks). Excluding the 1-CD highlight version of Evita, all the other 15 went platinum, including 12 multi-platinum. 14 charted in the top 10, including four #1s and five #2s. Among female artists, her certified sales (59 platinum for 56.5 million copies) is second only to Barbra Streisand. So much more can be said about Madonna's achievements, on the charts and beyond. (source: Billboard, thanx to MLVC mailing list)
11 November - Swept Away won't be screened in UK
The movie 'Swept Away' has been swept aside in a nation that likes to think of its star, Madonna, as one of its own. The singer's latest film, directed by her British husband, Guy Ritchie, won't screen at theaters in Britain because it flopped so badly across the Atlantic, its distributor said Friday. "Following the disappointing box office results in the U.S., Guy Ritchie's 'Swept Away' will not be released theatrically in the U.K.," Columbia Tristar said in a statement. The film, a remake of a 1974 Italian movie of the same name, had been scheduled to open in theaters in March, but instead will go straight to video, the company said. The movie bombed on its release in America last month, taking in $375,000 at 196 theaters on its first weekend, an average of $1,913 per theater. By contrast, 'Red Dragon', the third in the "Silence of the Lambs" series, raked in $17.6 million the same weekend. Critics have savaged 'Swept Away', in which Madonna plays a spoiled socialite who goes on a Mediterranean cruise and becomes stranded on a deserted island with a sailor she'd tormented on board. He beats her into submission and they fall in love, only to have reality rip them apart once they're rescued. The Associated Press called it a "cinematic shipwreck" and said it "completely lacks the imagination and spark of (Ritchie's) two previous films." Madonna, the AP review said, turns in "her most wooden, self-conscious performance since 'Shanghai Surprise.'" Not that bad reviews in the past have dented Madonna's box office pull in Britain: In May, she made her West End debut in an Australian play, "Up For Grabs," that was roundly trounced by critics — and sold out every performance. (source: AP)
11 November - Interview on Z100
The Z100 interview mp3 can now be downloaded at Madonnapower and there's a transcript as well.
The interview is mostly normal chit chat stuff, but when asked about whether she will tour for the new album, she said "most likely". Also, the Rick Dees interview can be downloaded at rick.com. (source: MLVC mailing list)
11 November - Interview on KIIS FM
Last week, Madonna gave a phone interview to US radio station KIIS FM, giving the following details:
- The new album will have Die Another Day on it.
- There is no title for the album yet.
- There will be about 10 songs on the album.
- She is looking to create a "stiff" sound for the new album (according to her "stiff" is the new hard).
- She says she is doing a rap on the album "inspired by Eminem who is very talented".
- Madonna spoke briefly with her former dancer Chris Finch, and called him an old man (he was 13 when he worked on the WTG tour).
- Madonna freaked out about the Good Morning America incident involving the breast feeding incident.
11 November - First movie still from M's Bond cameo
Here is the first picture of Madonna in her cameo role in Die
Another Day scanned from People magazine. (source: Little
Star)05 November - DADay on US charts
In addition to jumping 18*-8* on the Billboard 100, as already reported, "Die" makes the following movement on other charts:
Hot 100 Airplay: 19*-18*
Hot 100 Sales: 47*-1*
Adult Top 40: 32*-29*
Top 40 Tracks: 12*-9*
Dance/Maxi-Singles Sales: 5*-1*
Dance/Club Play: 33*-20*
(source: Madonna.com)
05 November - DADay on UK charts
Pop queen Madonna's latest single has been beaten to the top of the charts by a Europop anthem called Heaven. Her 54th UK single release - the title theme from new James Bond film Die Another Day - entered the singles chart at number three. It had been tipped as a sure chart-topper but DJ Sammy and Yanou raced it to the top spot. Meanwhile, Nelly and Kelly Rowland dropped to number two with Dilemma and Craig David trailed in at number eight with his first material for two years, What's your Flava? (source: ITV)
05 November - Q&A with Caresse Henry part II
Madonna.com posted a second part of fan questions answered by Caresse Henry.
Jenny asks: Please could you tell me if there is a new Madonna album or tour Scheduled for 02/03? im having Madonna withdrawals!!
Caresse: Yes - there is a new album scheduled for the early part of 2003 and I doubt there will be a large scale tour but definitely some performances to celebrate that release along with Madonna's 20 year anniversary!
Witgert Alexandre asks: I've read on different fan-pages that there's a "remix-album" in work. Is there any chance that there's something true on this rumour?
Caresse: No, not that I am aware of - we do have the Bond - Die Another Day remixes which are nothing short of kick ass and there is something for everyone - maybe that's where the confusion started.
Antonio Carrasco Liadskikh asks: Hi, I love Madonna and I want to know if maverick or warner, will release a DVD Collection in the beginning of 2003 which will include all the unreleased videos and remixes?
Caresse: I would like to focus on preparing an ultimate box set of Madonna music - single and remixes, videos, and tours - so stay tuned for that to be sometime late next year.
Tamara Schweber asks: What does it say in Hebrew on Madonna's arm in the new video?
Caresse: To overcome your ego.
Joshua Wasile asks: I am trying to find any info on the Madonna 2003 calendar, and if there will be one next year? Please let me know on how I can get one. Thank you.
Caresse: Unfortunately, we missed the time frame to do that for 2003 so I promise that for 2004 - we will have one to make up for it!
05 November - Rumours on new album *rumour*
Fansite Madonnarama claims that Madonna's new, as-yet-untitled studio album is now complete. It's been said that it's her best work yet. Sources say this album is a very unexpected move for Mirwais; there is apparently a lot of guitar on it. Here's a reminder of what we already know:
- There will be 10 tracks
- One of the songs features Madonna rapping (and not in a Vogue style).
- Die Another Day will be featured.
- The album is released early next year.
- There is possibly a song called 'Can't You See My Mind'.
- Mirwais has produced at least six of the tracks (according to his fanclub)
- Madonna describes it as having a "stiff" sound, with highly compressed-sounding drums (audio compression flattens out all the levels, making the loud and quiet parts at a similar level. Disco and house music is very compressed).
05 November - Madonna in Oxygen ad
Making a rare advertising appearance, pop star Madonna will be featured in a new campaign for the women's channel Oxygen starting next week. The new campaign, called "Oh! Oxygen!" was created by Dale Pon Advertising, New York. Included in this effort is a new Oxygen logo. Other celebrities promoting the network will include Carrie Fisher, Candice Bergen, Alan Cumming, Ana Gasteyer, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Isaac Mizrahi. The spots will focus on original programming such as Oprah after the Show and The Isaac Mizrahi Show. The ad campaign will run for four weeks on Oxygen and on national cable networks, local cable systems and on more than 60 major broadcast TV stations. The 4-year-old Oxygen Media has 44 million cable subscribers. (source: Madonna.com)
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