Madonna: Madonna (1983)
When this album came out I was still living in Tucson. Reuniting after a six-month separation my first partner, Dennis, had moved back from Austin a month earlier. We wasted no time in planning out our renewed life together, deciding to move to Phoenix so he could attend ASU. On a recent up there for a job interview, I met Steve (no not that Steve), a man whose townhouse (and bed) we'd both eventually end up sharing. Advice to my younger self: don't do it. Anyhow…
Some visuals to go with the musical soundtrack…
I drove past this house for years on my way to work. I learned that it was originally built by the Ronstadt family (as in Linda). It sat unoccupied, in ever-increasing decay for years until that spring, when repairs began. Being a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, I always loved the design. It wasn't one of Frank Lloyd Wright's works, but it definitely reflected his influence.
Just the summer monsoons. I miss that about Tucson. Phoenix doesn't get anywhere near as much rain in the summer.
So yeah, I'll just throw this out there. I'm tempted to say I didn't know what I had when I had it, but that would be a lie. I knew exactly what I had and I used it to my advantage whenever I could. Those blue nylon shorts (with the liner strategically cut out) got me into trouble more times than I care to divulge.
Funny thing is that now, some four decades later, I cannot imagine actually sitting out in the sun for hours on end for no reason other than to get a tan damage your skin. Especially in Arizona!
This was a little photoshoot Dennis and I decided to do downtown a few weeks after his return. It was in a mixed use shopping/office complex called La Placita Village. After years of neglect and disuse, the place was torn down in 2018.
Pictures from the barrio, taken the same day as our photoshoot.
"Those were the days my friend. We thought they'd never end." A pair of cuties, you two.