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Madonna's first tragic record deal revealed.
Seymour Stein Reveals the “Embarrasing” Deal He Made with Madonna
Seymour Stein (center) with two of his most famous signings — Talking Heads’ David Byrne and Madonna —
at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Quote:
Stein is still every bit as full as admiration for great bands as he was more than half a century ago, when in 1966 he co-founded Sire Records with his friend Richard Gotterher. Through Sire, he played a vital role in bringing the likes of Talking Heads, The Ramones, The Cure, Ice-T and Echo & The Bunnymen to mainstream recognition.
And then there was that signing, when Stein fell head over heels for the music and theatricality of Madonna Louise Ciccone — launching the career, in 1982, of a woman who would go on to define music’s pop culture time and time again.
Was there a moment where your parents saw that you were successful?
They both lived to see Madonna be №1 on the charts. They were very proud of me.
When you signed Madonna, did you think she’d still be making music 30 years later?
I didn’t think about it. What people usually ask me is, Do you think she’d ever be this big? Of course not! I knew she was special.
Everyone knows this story: I heard it in the hospital, and I got so excited, I made her come to see me. No, that’s not true — even then you couldn’t make Madonna do anything unless she wanted to! She came to the hospital and we agreed on a deal right then and there. I asked her to go to her lawyers so we could draw up the papers.
You said you were embarrassed by the deal: you have to tell me!
$15,000 for three singles and then an option to pick up an album. That was not the usual kind of deal, but I felt that she would be the queen of the 12-inch — and she was. And when I heard the fourth single, “Borderline,” I knew there’d be no stopping her. I always believed she’d be very big, but not like she became. I couldn’t even think that big!
All these bands you signed: Talking Heads, The Pretenders, The Ramones… Discovering The Ramones must have been an incredible moment.
Yes, but a regrettable moment in a way. They’re all dead now—the last of them died last year. In addition, they never sold [what they deserved to]. But they influenced so much of the music business. I met with someone from The Grammys recently, and they’re going to do a big spotlight on The Ramones next year.
It breaks my heart they weren’t bigger. But whenever the public learn who I am, the first thing they ask about is The Ramones. So they have ‘made it,’ I suppose, it’s just horrible they’re not alive.
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