October 19, 1981 - Madonna performs at Uncle Sam’s Blues Club in Roslyn, NY. Her manager at the time, Camille Barbone, had hired photographer George DuBose to capture Madonna’s two sets that evening. Madonna’s band during the show consisted of Bob Riley on drums (later replaced by Steve Bray), John Kumnick on bass, Jon Gordon on guitar (later replaced by Paul Pesco) and David Frank on keyboards.
“I was contacted by John Phillips, the bouncer at Hurrah’s who was sidelining as a radio promotions man, shopping Madonna’s first demo to radio stations,” said George DuBose. “He put me together with Camille, of Empire Management, Madonna’s manager. Camille asked me to go to Uncle Sam’s Blues, a club in Roslyn, Long Island and make live photographs of just the singer who was fronting a band called ‘The Breakfast Club’. Just the singer, not the band. Hmmmm? There was this sexy, young woman wearing barely-concealing costumes of chamois skin and foxtails. She was oozing sexuality, but seemed shy or unsure of herself. I went back stage between sets to meet her. I asked her what her real name was. ‘Madonna.’ I offered her encouragement and wrote a short list of suggestions regarding her performance. I was trying to be supportive. When her manager, Camille, discovered the note, she was furious and ejected me from the dressing room, screaming, ‘How dare you speak to my artist!’ I stayed in the club and shot the second set. I took the train back to Manhattan and never heard from Camille again. I referred Madonna to the promoters of Club NY and we saw her shows at the Underground, Danceteria and the Roxy, without a band. My negatives of Madonna’s first gig sat in my files for 15 years before anyone had any interest in publishing them. I have since recouped my expenses and then some from my first meeting with Madonna.”
When Madonna terminated her management agreement with Barbone in early 1982, she continued her working relationship with Bray, Pesco and Frank. Steve Bray would co-write tracks that would appear on Madonna’s demo tape which landed her a recording contract with Sire Records later that year, and their collaboration remained successful throughout the 1980s. Paul Pesco played guitar (along with Madonna herself) on the aforementioned demo and would also appear on Madonna’s self-titled debut album and her first concert tour, The Virgin Tour. Years later, he played on the Erotica album and joined Madonna’s touring band again for The Girlie Show in 1993.
David Frank, who soon found success as half of the electronic music duo The System, co-wrote an early version of “Crimes of Passion” with Madonna before she decided to rewrite the music with Bray. The System’s hit “In Times of Passion” is based on his ideas for the song but feature new lyrics from The System’s vocalist, Mic Murphy. Frank was also involved with the mysterious Otto Von Wernherr demos, believed to have been recorded in early 1982 prior Madonna’s deal with Sire, as he is credited for arrangement on the 1986 Japanese 12-inch release of Cosmic Climb (his name was subsequently omitted from Wernherr’s later releases).
Interestingly, The System’s other half, Mic Murphy, co-wrote the unreleased Erotica-era demo “Dear Father” with Madonna in the early 1990s. Pesco, who may have played guitar on this demo given his involvement during the album sessions, was also the guitarist for The System.
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