PEOPLE GOT SO EXCITED WHEN THEY KNEW YOU WERE INVOLVED IN MADONNA’S MDNA. HOW DIFFERENT WAS IT TO COLLABORATE WITH HER ON THESE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS?
I knew people were excited, they ask me about a new Ray Of Light every minute of the day. Think of it this way: it came about very spontaneously. We were in this studio in a rather unfashionable part of LA where nobody came. I do remember M telling to a guy from the record company “This is art. This is how we are doing it.” It was a very pure experience; it was all about making that record and nothing else. She’s an amazing person, producer and it was a true collaboration. It’s important to get this across; I don’t like it when people assume that I was the clever one doing the whole job. I’d feel mortified if I was her because she didn’t put her name on the production out of vanity, she was fucking in there with me. We didn’t have a plan and though she’s good at driving things along, I didn’t expect to see her nervous during the first listening party for people at Warner. She never shows it and I mean, that woman has never lost money even on a bad year but still, we were biting our nails! As for MDNA it’s important to say that I jumped on the project later on. She also had lots of projects going on at the same time, I honestly don’t know how any human being could cope with everything that comes with just being her! She’s such an incredible time manager. I would have mixed it myself if I could, or only together with Madonna because she’s a great mixer. We have spirited debates about things but we both always end up in the same direction. I would have also dropped three of the six tracks produced by the other guys, they were not good enough in my opinion; too puerile. As for the remaining three I would have suggested to put more depth and make them more special. I had the best team and other brilliant songs, this is why I am still a bit puzzled to these days but what’s done is done so I don’t ever give it a second thought.
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