Drowned Madonna: When did you start learning music?

Mike McKnight: I began playing guitar in bands when I was about 15, then switched to keyboards when I was 16. I’m self taught. 

DM: Mike, you have been Madonna’s touring technology wizard for 14 years, since her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. Since then, technology has changed, as well as Madonna’s taste. Which are the differences between the Blond Ambition, the Girlie Show, the Drowned World Tour and the re-Invention Tour? Which one was more challenging?

MM: Technology marches on, and I’m constantly updating my setup. I used an Atari 1040 ST on Blond Ambition, a mac IIci on the Girlie Show, 2 G4’s on Drowned World, the 2 G5’s and a G4 on the Re-invention tour. Musically not a lot has changed over the tours however. M expected the same results from me in 1990 as she gets now in 2004, so Blond Ambition was much more challenging. It was like making fire with 2 rocks! 

DM: What’s your favourite Madonna’s tour?

MM: Reinvention was by far the best. We played some amazing places, and we had a really great bunch of people on tour. 

DM: Tell us more about the creative process of a tour. I wonder if you work on the audio staff and the choreography in two different steps and then you mix them at the final stage...

MM: We have a month or so of preproduction to organize the music and get the sounds together. Then a month of band rehearsal where M comes in for a few hours with us, then goes to dance with the dancers and choreographer for a few hours. Then we have 4 to 6 weeks of production rehearsals with the full set and dancers. 

DM: When did you start working on the re-Invention Tour?

MM: We did a bunch of TV shows in 2003, and at that time we started to talk about it. Whenever I have time off I’m in my studio getting the music together, and making certain I have everything organized and ready, just in case. There are times I get really busy, so getting prepared when I have time is the only way to be ready for M. Stuart and I started in March 2004.  

DM: Stuart Price and you went to L.A. a week before rehearsal to begin putting together the arrangements. I wonder if you received a definitive setlist or you have been asked to work on more than 24 songs... Can you clear up this point?

MM: We had about 40 songs on the first list at first, then worked on about 30, and settled on the 24 during the last 2 weeks or so of production rehearsals. 

DM: Talking about the setlist... Why was Dress You Up replaced by Material Girl during the final part of the rehearsals?

MM: That’s all part of the process of getting the set list right. Material Girl just rocked harder at that point in the set. Dress You Up sounded OK, but not as strong. 

DM: Can you tell us some songs that were rehearsed but not included on the show?

MM: We worked on Swim, Love Profusion, I’m So Stupid, Take a Bow and briefly on Live to Tell, she just did not want to do that song again so we didn’t spend much time on it. 

DM: All the songs have been re-invented and re-arranged for this tour. Which song was the hardest one to re-invent?

MM: Holiday was by far the hardest. We must’ve gone through 5 or 6 versions of that before M was happy. 

DM: Deeper and Deeper has been completely re-arranged with an old school feeling. Please, tell us more about this process. Who did what?

MM: Stuart came up with idea, then from there we just built upon that idea for a few days. I played the acoustic bass, Stuart played strings, Marcus played piano, Steve was on drums. Once the idea was in motion it was a collaborative process.  

DM: Did Madonna go into the studio to record some demos for the tour?

MM: Nope. 

DM: What kind of problems did occur during the rehearsals?

MM: None really, just really long hours. 

DM: Tell us more about your role and software and hardware you chose this time...

MM: My title is programmer/keyboardist. I play keys on stage for the TV tours, but for the big tours I’m under the stage with my computers and keyboards with a couple TV monitors and a microphone so that I can talk to M and the band during the show if needed. I have 2 G5’s, and a G4 with Digital performer. For keys I use a Roland Fantom, and Roland V Synth.

DM: Mike, you have been also Madonna’s right-man on her promotional tour and performances. Please, tell us more about the creative process and rehearsals of these performances. Which way are they different from a whole show?

MM: The TV/promo tours aren’t as big of a production but they’re still very demanding. We only get a week at most of rehearsal, and the budget is a bit tighter so we have to make do with a bit less of a crew. The set is far more stripped down compared to a "real" tour, and we very rarely bring dancers or background singers on promo tours. The only time we brought dancers and singers on a promo tour was for the London Brixton Show in 2000 that was broadcast live on the internet. 

DM: You worked with so many different artists. Are they at every soundcheck? Are they involved in every different step? Which way is Madonna different from the other artists?

MM: Madonna is in a class of her own there. She’s there for every rehearsal and soundcheck. The only other artist I worked for that even comes close to her work ethic was Bruce Springsteen. 

DM: Tell us more about Madonna’s ability to intuit musical and visual decisions...

MM: She’s a very hands on kind of person with a very clear vision of what she wants. It really is a pleasure to work with her in that way. 

DM: What did you learn by working with her?

MM: Don’t ever f--- up! 

DM: Recently, Elton John has accused Madonna of lip-synching during her re-Invention Tour. Who saw the show realized that she sang live... There were only few songs, Vogue, Nobody Knows Me and Die Another Day, which made somebody doubt. What can you say about this topic? Can you clear up this point?

MM: Elton knows better than that. Some artists like Britney and Janet are dancing all the time and the audience they draw doesn’t really care if they’re singing live or not, it’s not some big secret. Madonna is not in that class, period. She sings, and we go through all kinds of very complicated sound effects units to pull off the vocal sound she wants live. Believe me, it would be a lot easier if she’d just lip synch, but she will not do it. Some vocal effects are preprogrammed, but it’s not Ashlee Simpson, NOT EVEN CLOSE! 

DM: Do you know when the Documentary will be released?

MM: The movie will be out next summer.

DM: Are there any future works for Madonna on your agenda?

MM: There is talk of a Summer tour in 2006, but things change pretty rapidly so who knows? 

DM: At the time of the Tour we received info about Madonna working on new songs with Stuart. Was it true?

MM: Yes, M and Stuart are writing as well as M and Monte the guitar player.

DM: Which are your next projects?

MM: Honestly I’m enjoying some time off for a change. I’m getting into the management area a bit with a really great band from Holland called "Bagga Bownz", they’re amazing!
Plus I’m trying to write and learn how to play again! 

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DM: Thank you Mike for dedicating your time to DrownedMadonna.com and Madonna’s fans.

Please, if you choose to use part of this interview, credit DrownedMadonna.com

BIOGRAPHY TOURING AND TOUR PROGRAMMING

MADONNA - 1990, 1993, 2001 Tours; 1995, 2000 and 2003 Promo tours, Re-Invention 2004 Tour
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - 2002-2003 Tour Programming
SHAKIRA - 2002-2003 Tour Programming
MARIAH CAREY - 1996 - 2004 Tours; 1999 - 2000 tour as Road Musical Director
U2 - 2001 Tour programming and first 4 shows
TLC - 1999 - 2000 Tour
FLEETWOOD MAC - 1997 Tour Programming
WHITNEY HOUSTON - 1991 - 2000 Tour Programming
PAULA ABDUL - 1991 - 1992 Tour & 1995 - 1996 Tour (as Musical Director)
EARTH WIND & FIRE - 1987 - 1997 Tours
CHICAGO - 1995 - 2000 Tour Programming
LENNY KRAVITZ - 1991 Tour Programming
JANET JACKSON - 1993 - 1995 Tour Programming
MOTLEY CRUE - 1994 Tour Programming
BARRY MANILOW - 1997 Tour Programming
LIONEL RICHIE - 1998 and 1999 tour programming

KEY RECORDING/TV/VIDEO

MARIAH CAREY - Tribute to Heroes, AMA, BET, Grammys, VH1 Divas Live, MTV Video Awards, Blockbuster Video Music Awards, SNL, Oprah, Letterman, Rosie, The View 1996 - 2003
U2 - Grammys & British Music Awards 2001
JENNIFER LOPEZ, Ja Rule, and LL Cool J - MTV USO Show 2001, Oprah 2002, Today Show, and other promotional shows 2002 - 2003
98 DEGREES - TV Special and Promotional Dates - 2000
MADONNA - American and British Music Awards 1995; HBO 1993 & 2001
CELINE DION - 1998 Grammys
GEORGE MICHAEL - "5 Live" 1995, "Older" 1996, and "Best of George Michael" 1998
SPICE GIRLS - SNL, Letterman & Rosie O'Donnell TV show 1997
WHITNEY HOUSTON - Super Bowl, Soul Train, Nickelodeon, Grammys & Oprah 1994 - 2000
EARTH WIND & FIRE - "Heritage","Millennium" & "Greatest Hits Live" CDs;
Today Show, HBO, VH1, "Grace Under Fire", NHK 1987 - 1997
PAULA ABDUL - MTV, HBO & NHK - 1992; "Tonight Show", "Friday Night Videos" - 1995

TV/FILM/OTHER RECORDING AND TOUR

Diana Ross, El Debarge, James Ingram, Tom Jones, Michael Bolton, Motown Live, BET Movies & Anniversary, "Batman & Robin", George Howard, Riff, "Duet", "The Simpsons", Patrick Swayze, Thomas Helmig, MCA, Julio Iglesias, Sports Illustrated Awards Show 2000, Michael Jackson, Take 6 and numerous other projects and tours.