Madonna had an epic 1985. From performing her hits “Holiday” and “Into the Groove” at Live Aid in Philadelphia, to starring in the comedy Desperately Seeking Susan and headlining her Virgin Tour (with up-and-coming opening act the Beastie Boys), it was a year for the ages.
The seminal period that rocketed the singer to global stardom and made her a fashion icon will be explored in a new photo book from Simon & Schuster called Madonna: Into the Groove: An Intimate Portrait of the Queen of Pop. Due out in October, the book will focus on pictures taken by famed rock photographer Ken Regan, with the publisher describing the collection as a trove of, “beautiful, timeless images, most never before published, [which] follows her through an array of unforgettable moments —studio poses, bedroom positions, fitness routines, onstage performances — highlighting her raw, magnetic sexuality.”
The 160-page book’s text was written by Rolling Stone staff writer Tomás Mier, and it “brilliantly traces the development of her signature style,” and includes new interviews with producer Nile Rodgers, choreographer Brad Jefferies, stylist Maripol and others in the singer’s inner circle at the time. Per the publisher, Mier’s copy offers “fresh insights into Madonna’s whirlwind romance with Sean Penn, why the Mondrian session became the most successful shoot of Regan’s career, and even how the infamous Penthouse and Playboy photos affected her performance at Live Aid, where, behind the scenes, Regan shot her at the center of one of the most remarkable group photos of all time.”
That iconic pic featured Madonna in the middle of an iconic group of rock superstars, including Bob Dylan, Tina Turner and Mick Jagger.
Mier said working on the book was an “absolute honor,” noting that while he never got a chance to meet Regan, who died of cancer in 2012, “but through interviewing those who worked with him, I truly understand what made him such a visionary photographer: he approached his subjects with genuine empathy and respect. These images are a perfect encapsulation of his talent, capturing the Queen of Pop at a pivotal, electric moment in her own career and in music history.”
Variety reported that the book features archival images from Regan’s 1985 sessions with Madonna, including shoots at Le Mondrian in Los Angeles, where she posed in a hotel room, ballroom and gym, with the singer sporting a number of her signature looks from that era, including lace leggings, leotards, multiple crucifixes and stacked rubber bracelets. The chapter titles include “A Material Girl,” “Le Mondrian,” “The Virgin Tour,” “Live Aid” and “Aftermath,” combining glossy studio-style photos with behind-the-scenes stories from her collaborators.
Madonna just released her 15th studio album, Confessions II, which features the Sabrina Carpenter duet “Bring Your Love” and such dance-floor-ready bangers as “I Feel Free,” “Danceteria” and the bubbling “Bizarre” feat. Martin Garrix.
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