"Crimes of Passion" - Madonna
from the Pre-Madonna CD
Nick Matzorkis on MTV News with Kurt Loder
Covering the Release of "Pre-Madonna"

"Pre-Madonna" was released on InterAct Entertainment Group's Harmony Music record label. In addition to his role as chairman of InterAct, Nick Matzorkis would frequently play the role of producer in many of its projects. Matzorkis was executive producer of "Pre-Madonna", a collection of songs written and performed by Madonna. The 10-song playlist includes "Crimes of Passion" which later evolved into "Get into the Groove", "Everybody", "Laugh to Keep from Crying", and the four songs on Madonna's original demo tape she famously took around to New York City discos to get played before landing her first recording contract.

The story behind this collection of songs begins in Ann Arbor Michigan in 1977 when 17-year-old college student Madonna Ciccone was dancing one evening in a local nightclub.  Another college student, Stephen Bray, happened to be at the same place at the same time.  To hear how they met would differ by who's telling the story, Madonna or Stephen.  Each one claims they bought the other a drink, a gin & tonic.  It doesn't really matter who's remembering correctly, though.  What's important is that they met.
 
At the time, who would have guessed other than Madonna herself, that she would go on to become the most successful female recording artist worldwide and that Stephen would write, co-write and/or produce many of her biggest hits (Express Yourself, True Blue, Get into the Groove, Papa Don't Preach, Causing a Commotion, etc)?  The significance of this meeting goes far beyond the hit songs themselves.  Their musical alchemy would literally chisel out a dance sound and beat for a generation.
 
Madonna headed to New York City within a year of their meeting.  Stephen followed shortly thereafter.  Two friends virtually penniless in New York, they struggled, sharing a common dream.  Thanks to the musicians they befriended along the way, there were occasionally practice lofts available for a place to call home and where these songs were recorded.
 
The ten tracks on this CD were recorded during this span of time. These were not ideal circumstances to be creative, write, produce and record music. But even with such limited resources, the drive of this young Madonna and the beat of the music is undeniable and infectious. The songs in this collection chronicle Madonna's first musical self-definition phase. This collection serves as a pre-cursor to what would become the most famous female entertainer in the history of the world. -Nick Matzorkis, Executive Producer

 
Pre-Madonna - Nick Matzorkis, Executive Producer
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Laugh to Keep from Crying" Madonna 3:50
2. "Crimes of Passion" Madonna 3:43
3. "Ain't No Big Deal" (1997 edit) Stephen Bray 4:00
4. "Everybody" (1997 version) Madonna 4:50
5. "Burning Up" Madonna 4:05
6. "Ain't No Big Deal" (1981 version) Stephen Bray 6:39
7. "Everybody" (1981 version) Madonna 4:49
8. "Stay"(1981 version) Madonna 4:21
9. "Don't You Know" Madonna 4:31
10. "Ain't No Big Deal" (1997 extended version) Stephen Bray 6:39
Total length:     47:27

©1996-2024 InterAct Entertainment Group - Harmony Music & Video Nick Matzorkis, Executive Producer