Madonna

When I was a young man in the 80's, I remember seeing one of her videos and being amazed. Of course no self respecting music lover/musician could mention her name without drawing a smirk or a chortle. All of this I mention because over the years I have come to the conclusion that she was one of the greatest pop craftspersons of this or any age. Anyone who can listen to 'The Immaculate Collection' without being moved (either to dance or in the conventional sense) had better check to see if they have a pulse..... Of course the most famous person alive does have a lot going against her, doesn't she. For one thing her music was derivative of black (ei. dance music) she was not a self respecting boho slashing away at an electric guitar and moaning 'woe is me'. Her 'image' (never of any interest to me) always overshadowed her merits as a recording artist. Her music was both accesible and popular. She was a woman plain and simple with the desires and tastes of the average american female. The fact that she was a 'girl' made her easier to dismiss. She was for the gays at a time when they were seen as leapers, she was openly sexual in the prudish buttoned down Reagan era, she was against invasions of foreign third world countries and like all of us she had her failings. All in all, as Shakespeare said, when she is gone from the scene, we will not see her like again...