MADONNA / BREAKFAST CLUB - ORIGINAL 1979 DEMOS & REHEARSAL TAPE

Here is the original cassette tape featuring some of the earliest known recordings of Madonna rehearsing in 1979 whilst living in a New York Synagogue with Dan & Ed Gilroy, which includes numerous tracks of Madonna playing drums, singing & rehearsing with the Breakfast Club, This is the actual cassette used to make the rehearsal recording (and not a copy) which was sold by New York's Guernseys auction house in 2024 directly coming from Dan & Ed Gilroy who auctioned off some of the earliest guitars, drums, audio tapes from the 'Breakfast Club' sessions  ... read on for the full background story.

In 1978, with nothing more than grit and determination, 20 year-old Madonna Louise Ciccone left college in Michigan and headed for New York City. She survived by waitressing and modelling nude, while honing her talents as a dancer under the guidance of legendary Martha Graham.

But life took a turn for Madonna when she met the talented musician, Dan Gilroy. It wasn’t long before the young dancer moved in with Dan and his brother, Ed. Living in a unique setting - the brothers were renting a repurposed Queens, NY synagogue! - the Gilroy's taught Madonna how to play drums and guitar. It was there that Madonna began writing and recording her own music, and Madonna was on her way to stardom. 

By 1979, the threesome had formed a band - Breakfast Club - which attracted attention at clubs around New York including CBGB. - This item has come directly from the rehearsals at that Queens, New York setting where Madonna’s fabulous career got its start. 

Madonna’s original rehearsal demos and performances on a Maxell C60 compact cassette. Handwritten notes in black marker ink on side A of cassette. Side A "Curtis" c.1979

This cassette includes:

• Side A:
• Starts with a couple of minutes of Dan working. Then...
• "Curtis Come Back" Another version.
• "Trouble" Written by Dan, Madonna, and Ed. Dan on drums, Ed on guitar, Madonna sings vocals.
• "Coming In Fine" Another version. Written by Ed, Madonna on drums and sings backing vocals, Dan and Ed play guitar.
• "Suppertime" Written by Dan, Madonna plays the drums.
• "Curtis Come Back" Written and sung by Dan. Madonna plays drums and sings backing vocals. Ed and Dan both play the guitar.
• "Hot House Flower" Written and performed by Madonna, Angie Smit plays bass, Ed plays guitar, Dan plays drums.
• "Argument" Dan and Ed
• "Curtis Come Back"

• Side B:"Make It Today" Written and performed by Dan, Madonna plays drums, Dan and Ed plays guitar.
• "Coming In fine" Written by Ed. Dan plays guitar, Madonna plays drums.
• "Curtis Come Back" Written by Dan, Dan and Ed plays guitar, Angie plays bass, Madonna plays drums.
• "I Wonder What Happened To Her" Written by Ed, Angie on bass, Ed and Dan plays guitar, Madonna plays drums.
• "Moving Along" Madonna sings lead, Ed plays guitar, Angie plays bass.
• "Trouble" Written by Dan, Madonna, and Ed. Dan on drums, Ed on guitar, Madonna sings vocals.
• "Eggy Anne" Instrumental version. Madonna plays drums.
• "Jam Session" Madonna plays drums, and sings lead vocals from "Curtis Come Back" then more "Eggy Anne" then Madonna asks, "Wait a minute, what's the order?" Ed asks, "What's the order?"
• "Suppertime" Written by Dan, Madonna plays the drums

This 'one of a kind' original cassette is the actual cassette used by Madonna with Dan & Ed Gilroy to record rehearsals in 1979, which has never been made available previously until the 2024 New York Guernsey's 'Chelsea Auction' where it was offered for sale by Dan Gilroy, the cassette tape includes a typed info sheet which gives details of the tracks and other notes he remembers from the recordings.

As further provenance the item comes with a '"Guernsey's - Chelsea Auction' lot sticker and we will include the original invoice as proof this is the actual real 1979 recorded cassette which came directly from Dan Gilroy to us via the auction house. We can confirm the item plays well and there will be and has not been any other copies or recordings of this item made or distributed by us so it will remain the only one in existence.

Own a piece of music history , featuring some of the earliest ever recordings known of Madonna singing and playing drums on a genuine 1979 demo rehearsal cassette from the New York Synagogue living quarters of Madonna , Dan & Ed Gilroy

Also for a further insight into these recordings check out the 2019 documentary film release 'Madonna & The Breakfast Club' which features interviews with Dan & Ed Gilroy with photos & excerpts from this era, Also in December 2024 'Sky' made a Documentary 'Becoming Madonna' which uses archival footage from Dan & Ed's archives around these audio tapes.

Layaway Payment Program available for this item
with a 25% deposit we can reserve this item for up to 3 months ... Contact us for info