Hitkrant 1987
In a time without internet, we had to get our information from radio, tv or magazines. Hans phoned the Dutch pop magazine ‘Hitkrant’ like almost every hour for any possible tour info. Unfortunately Hitkrant couldn’t tell me when the possible ticket sale would start. After the official announcement and an instant sell-out, I sent flowers and a letter to Hitkrant with a thank you note for keeping up with my whining. This letter got published in their magazine two weeks later.
Noord Hollands Dagblad 1989
After lots of negative press in the media regarding the ‘Like A Prayer’ video (Pepsi who pulled out as a sponsor etc.), I was thinking of doing something positive for Madonna in the media. I was going to sit outside all night the night before the release of the new ‘Like A Prayer’ album, and try to get into the newspapers with this action. Well I did make it into the newspaper, but not exactly how I planned it to be. I searched in the afternoon to see if I could find the new album, when I couldn’t, I sat down and spent the night in front of the shop. But the next day I found out that the new album had indeed already been on sale since 4 o’clock yesterday.
Linda de Mol 1989
There was talk of tour stress in 1989. There was talk of a world tour but couldn’t get any info from the record company. Veronica (Dutch) radio station announced that Madonna would come in the summer, further no details. I wrote to Linda de Mol (Dutch celebrity) who had her own talkshow back then. I got a response from her within a week, that she had done some research regarding a Madonna tour but that she too didn’t get any info. The tour didn’t come in 1989, but a year later.
Hitkrant 1992
Madonna wasn’t given a lot of slack in 1992, so I decided to defend her with every opportunity. The Dutch pop magazine asked it’s readers on their opinion of Madonna, had she gone too far this time?. Of course I had to make them clear that not everyone was offended by Madonna’s actions that time. I wrote them and my reaction indeed got published in their next issue. However they misspelled my name and even though my response wasn’t that mature (I was only 11 years old), I still let the readers know that for me Madonna was the greatest whatever she did.
Hitkrant 1993
After a year of negative press with her SEX book (according to the media it was an outrage), ‘Body Of Evidence’ (flopped) and the Erotica album (flopped as well, but my favourite album), Madonna announces she’s going on tour again and will start in London. Hitkrant published a review of her opening show in London and started with the sentence ‘Hitkrant attended and came back with the following report’. All they did with quote sentences from UK reviews that had been published in the UK newspapers!. The UK press had been very negative and gave awful reviews. Hitkrant ended their so called review with the sentence ‘If you’ve seen Madonna’s other tours, there was nothing new to report’. This sentence caused an anger explosion inside of me and I wrote them a letter. They had the balls to publish my letter with a response saying ‘Next time we will check out the show ourselves again’.
Big Breakfast Club 1999
This TV show was shown each day live on TV and they had an item about fans of different artists, they got interviewed about their passion etc. I wrote them telling about my Madonna passion, and just a few days later they rang me to make an appointment to interview me. I had dyed my hair black already (wanted to promote the Madonna from ‘Nothing Really Matters’), so I didn’t need much to do to show how much of a fan I was.
The crew entered my then Madonna attic. The interview wasn’t going too well as they made me repeat my answers a hundred times, which caused the spontaneous feel about it to completely disappear. After filming me and my room, we went on to a photographer who took some polaroids of me. These were taken to a film studio, here they put my picture together on a poster with Madonna.
The experience wasn’t the most exciting of my life, nor was it spontaneous but I had promoted Madonna and her new single, and that was my original intention.
BNN Radio ‘That’s Live!’ 2003
To promote Madonna’s new (AMAZING!!) new album ‘American Life’ Simon and me were present in the radio studio of BNN on a Sunday afternoon. The presentation was done by Eric Corton and Eddy Zoey, Eddy Zoey recently interviewed Madonna. I was dressed a la Madonna in 2003, complete with black beret and dark hair. It was a fun afternoon and clips of Eddy’s interview with Madonna were being broadcast. Simon and me were interviewed by Eric Corton for a bit, of course spoke about our tattoos and how we became a Madonna fan. It was good promotion for the new album!
Squeeze 2004
They had a large Madonna spread due to Madonna coming to Holland with her Re-Invention Tour. They also spend some time to Madonna fans in this spread, I also had replied and my Q&A got published. The usual things: how long have you been a fan? What do you like most about Madonna etc. etc.
I’m Going To Tell You A Secret 2004
After being in touch with Caresse Henry and people of the documentary crew, I worked a bit on the doc myself. I was interviewed in London about my Madonna passion in front of Earls Court. From the on they filmed me in Paris (my tattoo) and then again twice in Lisbon (right before the show and during ‘Nothing Fails’). Unfortunately my ‘one minute of fame’ hasn’t been used in the finished product (like every single fan interview during the tour). But I was however seen for a second in the movie when Madonna departs hotel George V. You can see the back of my head (blond hair) full on screen. Also during the live performances there are little bits of me and Simon in the pit.
Gay & Night 2004
A Dutch gay magazine brought us a great surprise in 2004. We saw the magazine in the shop and noticed it had a small Madonna pic on the cover. So we grabbed it and searched for the Madonna article. When we found out, to our shock we saw two pictures of us and our tattoos in the article!. We remembered that a woman had approached us in Paris asking if she could take a picture. But since we had been photographed so many times because of the tattoos, we figured she was just another fan. Well I guess we were wrong.
Vassallucci 2005
I arranged a very nice contest together with the Dutch publisher of Madonna’s childrens books back in 2005, to celebrate the new release ‘Lotsa De Casha’. Through the Dutch fanclub (of which I then worked for) I had arranged to give away ten pairs of the new book and the grand prize ‘all five of the childrens books written by Madonna’. Everyone that entered got a free book in the end. Want to take this chance to thank Vassallucci once again for participating in this contest.
BNN Radio 2005
Kimberly called me telling me that a show on Dutch radio station BNN were looking for Madonna fans who had attended the Who’s That Girl Tour in Rotterdam in 1987. I had just finished typing out my ‘Who’s That Girl’ report and I sent this to the radio station. The next day I received a response from them saying ‘Wow, what a story, we want you to be on the show!’. The show was that same day and I got interviewed at 6 in the evening, this was broadcasted at 8. I told my story about what goes through your body and your head when you’re face to face for the very first time with your idol.
BNN Radio 2005
On the day of the release of ‘Hung Up’ I was interviewed on Dutch radio. We talked about the new single, gossip about Madonna (which I denied) etc. The interview passed by so quickly that I hardly had the time to think about my answers. To the question whether Madonna was a strict boring housemom or whether she was just old fashioned sexy, I replied ‘to me she’s always sexy!’. But I promoted ‘Hung Up’ and that was my intention.
COADF Wereld Premiere FAME 2005
A long cherished dream became reality when I was given the OK to organize the world premiere of Madonna’s new album ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’ in the Dutch store FAME. I had had this idea every since attending the listening session of Mariah Carey’s Emancipation of Mimi back in March. After lots and lots of writing with Warner and FAME, my dream became reality! On November 10th we had the only and official world premiere of the new album in FAME in Amsterdam! My biggest accomplishment to date and still very proud of this. It gave Madonna lots of attention and brought her promotion in Holland.
Gay Krant 2005
Due to the world premiere of the new album there was a little article in this Dutch gay magazine. They published a picture of me with the rest of the fanclub team.
Avro Radio 2005
I was approached by Avro Radio asking if I wanted to say something about the world premiere of ‘Confessions’. They had contacted the FAME and FAME had given them my details. I was of course very very tired after the late night premiere the night before and hardly could utter a word. I somehow managed to say the album was fantastic and that the party had been hugely successful.
Pulse 2005
At first I had arranged that me and some friends could attend the taping of Dutch tv show ‘Pulse’. I had heard that Peter v/d Vorst (the host) had gone to London to interview Madonna. I thought it would be a nice idea to just sit in the audience during the taping of this show, just to celebrate the fact that this was M’s only Dutch television interview. Just a few days before the taping of this show I was contacted by the people of ‘Pulse’. They wanted some real Madonna fans during the live show at the table with the host Peter v/d Vorst. They asked me if I knew more Madonna fans, I gave them the details and we all were called.
I was chosen to sit at the table with Peter, so the day after the world premiere of ‘Confessions’ I was sitting at the table covered in make up! It was a live broadcast on RTL 4 and I was very nervous.
Peter v/d Vorst told me that I was a stalker just because I had seen Madonna quite often. I quickly told him the difference between a stalker and a dedicated fan, and that I wasn’t a stalker, wouldn’t ever be and had no intention of having any similarities with one. I then also told him that to fans Madonna was very lovely and very friendly. The interview with Madonna was typical Madonna, but the questions asked weren’t that great. But Madonna dealt with them professionally. I thought I had done my job well, I had spoken about the ‘real’ Madonna, not the Madonna that the media makes her out to be. It was a nice experience and I got great response.
Pulse 2005
A couple of days before the taping of this show, Kimberly called me and asked me if I wanted to be interviewed live on TV as well. Of course I didn’t need to think twice, I would love to!. Kimberly then passed on my phone number to the people of ‘Pulse’. The next day I got a call from them and after a short conversation, they told me they had to ring a few more people and couldn’t confirm whether I would be one of the people interviewed at the taping. On the 10th of November I was just getting ready to attend the world premiere of ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’ in the FAME in Amsterdam, when I got a call from Kimberly. She told me I was one of three people selected to be interviewed during the live show on tv tomorrow!
Right before the taping I got make up on my face and had dinner with other Dutch celebrities. During the interview with the host Peter v/d Vorst he asked me how many Madonna cd’s I owned and I said I had 615 at the moment. ‘But she’s never released that many!’ was his answer. So I responded ‘No but I collect different pressings, one has got a different sticker, the other has a different cover etc.’. Were then also asked the question, whether or not we were jealous at the host, because he had met Madonna. I said that I wasn’t jealous, would’ve liked to be in his place, but knew that one day my time would come.
Koko Album Launch November 2005
Madonna officially launched her album on November 15th in London in the Koko Club in Camden. Of course I wanted to attend so I stood outside in the early morning in the cold. A reporter interviewed me as he thought it was interesting that a Dutch person attended. After several questions and a picture taken, I went to get my ticket and went on home. That same evening when I was in the queue again to enter Koko, another reporter approached me. He also interviewed me and filmed me at the same time.
The Daily Record 2005
The result of this interview made the newspaper the following day. A little bit was dedicated to me, my name was spelled correctly but my words had been twisted around a bit, but hey it was nice to know for the readers that a girl from Amsterdam had been there. Funny, but when you did a search on google or yahoo with my name, LOADS of newsreports on KOKO came up who all copied the report from The Daily Record.
SBS6 Shownieuws 2005
While I was still in London, some people told me that they had seen me on a Dutch channel SBS6 in the news. I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about. Through a friend I managed to see it, the same images had been broadcast on an English channel as well. It was by the reporter who interviewed me right before entering Koko. It was a little bit of me talking about her ‘Confessions era’. The fun thing about the SBS6 news item was that I was the only fan shown in their report and it headlined ‘Dutch Fan’. Even though I didn’t knew nothing about it, I had promoted Madonna once again.
Noord Hollands Dagblad 2006
Because of this website we sent out a mailing to all Dutch media. The Noord Holland Dagblad contacted us as they wanted to interview us regarding our site.A photographer was sent and he took pics of us waiting in front of the postoffice to get tickets for Madonna’s Dutch shows. A week later we were interviewed and more pics were taken. A couple of days later the result was published in over five Dutch newspapers!. Our picture (weren’t too fond of the one used) was even printed on the cover of the newspapers.
Radio Purmerend 2006
Because of the article in the newspaper I was contacted by Dutch radio station (radio Purmerend) asking if I would like to answer some questions regarding the site, of course I wanted to!
In the evening the radio called me and asked me what kind of website Madonna Underground was, and what makes it different from other websites. My answer was plain and simple: Passion and inspiration!. But quickly they asked what kind of relationship I had with Madonna and had to explain it in just a couple of words. Just told them about my stories, but also that you can read about other artists on the site. Then they asked how much Madonna had changed in the past 20 years, and of course about the kaballah, if I was studying it as well.
Last question, what is my favourite Madonna song? Of course it’s ‘Vogue’.
De Telegraaf august ’06
Back in the train from London we received a phone call from Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf asking if we wanted to voice our opinion regarding Madonna’s cross scene during Live To Tell.
Dutch political youth group the SGP wanted to forbid this scene from being performed during the shows in Amsterdam. We told the newspaper what we thought of the situation and that afternoon a photographer arrived to took a pic to go with the article. As Kimmy couldn’t make it, only Hans was captured on photo. The article, pictures and SGP’s opinion were then published in the newspaper.
Hannover Zeitung august ’06
During the Confessions Tour in Hannover, Hans walked around without a jacket and a sleeveless shirt, then a photographer spoke to him asking if he could photograph his tattoo. Of course that wasn’t a problem with Hans. He was also asked some questions relating to the tour (where are you from, how many shows will you be seeing, why have you chosen this picture as a tattoo). The piece was published in the Hannover Zeitung the next day.
KRO Radio august ’06
During our stay in Paris for the Confessions Tour we received a Phone call regarding Madonna’s H&M tracksuits who were on sale from that day. As this was women’s clothing it was best that Kimmy answered the questions. Kimmy explained all about the tracksuits and tried to answer the questions in the best possible way (do you feel more feminine when wearing these tracksuits?). The interview went fine.
Donna De Lory in FAME
During the Confessions Tour in 2006 Donna performed some solo gigs including one in FAME in Amsterdam. Madonna Underground helped FAME to promote the gig by announcing it and registering people who wanted to attend. We especially helped a lot of the foreign fans wanting to see Donna.
In the FAME Donna performed after which she met everyone and signed for those who wanted. We presented her with the flowers we had promised her in Paris.
Amsterdam Photo Pass
Madonna Underground was exclusively given permission to professionally photograph Madonna during the second show in Amsterdam of the Confessions Tour. The news got through to us while we were in Paris for the Confessions Tour. As Hans is a photographer (has his own photo store) and owns the right equipment it was obvious that he would be the one to photograph for the website. The first three songs were only allowed to be photographed, from the mixing tables (far from the stage).
On September 4 Hans received his photo pass and together with other press he gets to photograph Madonna professionally. Of course time flies, but as this has been such a dream of Hans that has now become reality, he of course is delighted and founds this an experience to be remembered forever.
San Francisco magazine
In Paris we had been photographed a couple of times during the Confessions Tour, not knowing some of these would end up in a magazine. Liza Heider had won ICON’s contest and was allowed to photograph Madonna in Paris, she also took pictures of our Madonna tattoos. These pictures were published in San Francisco magazine.
Confessions Tour DVD
Because we had attended both shows in London that were filmed for the DVD release, we were curious to see if we could be seen in the final product. This was indeed the case, even though it was just a few seconds, we were clearly seen during Get Together right at the front of the catwalk.
Confessions Tour DVD Release Party FAME
To celebrate the release of the Confessions Tour DVD FAME organized a party together with Warner Music, in which the Dutch audience was the first in the World to buy the DVD.
Madonna Underground and Madonnaned helped FAME by promoting the event and created some exclusive posters to decorate the store. Each visitor received a free picture from us that evening.
Noordhollands Dagblad 2007
Dutch newspaper Noordhollands Dagblad contacted us as they were doing an article on Madonna’s cross scene of Live To Tell during the Confessions Tour, as a reverend had some positive things to say about it.
They wanted to use a picture of our picture gallery, we sent them a few pictures and waited. When we received the newspaper we saw they used a picture that wasn’t ours but had credited us beneath the picture! The newspaper acknowledged that they had made a tiny mistake.
Purmerend’s Gezinsblad’07
Dutch newspaper Purmerend’s Gezinsblad interviewd Hans about his Madonna passion.
Almere Vandaag 2007
Kimmy was featured in local newspaper ‘Almere Vandaag’ about her Madonna passion on August 17 2007. The article talks about becoming a Madonna fan, seeing Madonna in person and meeting Madonna being the highlight so far.
HET PAROOL 2008
In honour of the release of Hard Candy, a worldpremiere party was organised in FAME Amsterdam on April 24 2008, we participated in the organisation. Various Dutch media wrote about this, but a real physical article was released in the Amsterdam section of Dutch newspaper Het Parool the following day.
NRJ Paris
To Promote Hard Candy, Madonna performed in Olympia in Paris on May 6 2008. A part of the MU team waited outside to gain a free ticket ( 27 hours of waiting) and were filmped bij NRJ Paris by obtaining these.
Noord Hollands Dagblad ’08
We were approached by Dutch newspaper Noord Hollands Dagblad to voice our opinion on Madonna’s ‘bad’ ticket sales in Holland during the Sticky & Sweet tour.
Hans said what he thought about it, and of course that the media created the fuzz. May 21 2008 was the publication date.
De Telegraaf Augustus 2008
Kimmy was approached by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf in July 2008, they wanted to interview fans as they were doing a special on M’s 50th birthday.
This was published on August 10 2008. They published quotes that were never spoken by Kimmy
Wales online 2008
For the world premiere of the Sticky & Sweet tour in Cardiff we were interviewed by this local newspaper on our plans in Cardiff and the tour. The article was published the next day in their online newspaper.
Man Bijt Hond 2008
Dutch TV show ‘Man bijt hond’ contacted us before the Sticky & Sweet tour as they wanted to do an item on us being on tour. The item turned out nice and was broadcasted on Dutch TV on September 29 on Nederland 2. The video can be seen by clicking on the image to your left. (translated in English)
Doe Maar Normaal 2009
A while ago Dutch TV station BNN asked us if we knew some Madonna fans that wanted to participate in a recording of ‘Doe Maar Normaal’ (Get Real) as they were looking for Madonna fans, so we did.
We had a lot of fun during the recording. A panel including Dutch celebrities had to guess of which artist we were a fan, to see if they succeeded you watch the video now.
De Rode Loper 2009
Hans was featured ub Belgian show De Rode Loper (Red Carpet) as Madonna visited Werchter for S&S and interviewed on tattoo and views on Madonna in Belgium click Hans was featured in Belgian show De Rode Loper (Red Carpet) as Madonna visited Werchter for S&S and interviewed on tattoo and views on Madonna in Belgium’ The video can be seen by clicking on the image to your left.
Celebration FAME release party 2009
MU organised in collaboration with Warner Music and FAME the releaseparty for Madonna’s new Greatest Hits album ‘Celebration’. FAME was transformed into a giant party place and cocktails were served. The CD’s were premiered here for the first time worldwide, everyone received a poster.
Sticky & Sweet DVD release / Wax Statue FAME 2010
The next releaseparty in FAME was for The Sticky & Sweet Tour DVD. As a brand new wax figure of Madonna was just created, FAME and Madame Tussauds combined the releaseparty with the unveiling of the new wax figure. MU showed up in the afternoon (the party was in the evening) to pose with the wax figure for the Dutch press. A picture of MU with the wax figure was released minutes later onto NUFOTO.nl and was spread throughout the media. Kimmy was also interviewed shortly for Dutch TV as well. The party was a huge success and everyone got to take a pic with the wax figure and buy the S&S DVD/blu-ray.
Madonna Underground featured in FAME’s farewell magazine
After 20 years Holland’s greatest music store closes it’s doors in January 2012, FAME was the place for our Madonna release party’s and therefore had quite a history with them. They created a Farewell paper and asked MU to participate in writing a piece, which we did. This free paper was available to every customer as a last thank you.
Q Magazine 2013
It wasn’t that long ago that Q magazine reached out to MadonnaUnderground asking for permission to use one of our pictures for an article on the ’10 greatest gigs of all time’. Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour was one of the gigs and they were looking for a good audience shot of the Blond Ambition Tour in London. They couldn’t seem to find it until they stumbled upon our Blond Ambition photo archive.
One of the pictures taken by Hans Schaft was going to be used, we gave permission of course but only if they used the right credits! The result is now visible in the most current edition of Q magazine.
NOVUM
Dutch news websites mentioned us as a source regarding Timor Steffens’ holiday with M & Co celebrating New Year’s Eve in 2013.
NPO VARA RADIO 2
Kimberly was asked for an interview on live radio regarding the 30th anniversary of Madonna’s Like a Virgin on November 12 2004
