Madonna: Part 1 With Mel Ottenberg

Bandsplain

The Ringer

Music

4.4 • 582 Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2026

⏱️ 208 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Yasi kicks off Bandsplain’s multipart Madonna epic with returning guest and fashion icon Mel Ottenberg. They discuss Madonna’s childhood and upbringing in Michigan, her dance career and the formative relationships that led her to New York City, her history playing in bands, her immersion in the club scene, the breakthrough singles that made her impossible to ignore, her first three albums, and all the major collaborators, major looks, and major breakthroughs along the way. Episode PlaylistListen to the Madonna: Part 1 playlist here. CREDITS:Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalekGuest: Mel Ottenberg @melzy917Producer: Rob SundermannEditor: Adrian BridgesAdditional Production Supervision: Justin SaylesTheme Song: Bethany Cosentino Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What's with this band anyway?
0:07.0	I don't get it, can you please explain?
0:12.0	Wait, like bands played?
0:16.0	Never heard this band in my life.
0:20.0	Oh, you haven't? I love that. Really? Why?
0:23.6	Yeah, I love this song. Oh, I don't know that one.
0:27.6	Bansplain, Bansplain, Bansplain.
0:30.6	I really hate this band!
0:32.6	Whatever, I'm their biggest fan.
0:34.6	Bansplain, Bansplain, Bansplain, Bansplain, Bansplain. biggest fan band splain band splain band explain band playing band playing band explain
0:39.3	band explain
0:42.4	hello and welcome to bandsplain i am your host yassi solik this is a show where i invite
0:50.6	an expert guest on to help me explain a cult band or iconic artist.
0:55.0	Today's episode is part one of four episodes about maybe the most iconic artist of all, Madonna.
1:04.0	If you've never heard Madonna, hey.
1:06.9	What?
1:07.8	Listen.
1:08.1	Hey!
1:09.0	Hey! What? Listen.
1:21.4	You guys, my guest today, repeat Bansplanner, legend in his own right.
1:22.2	Third time on.
1:24.5	Third time, three Pete.
	...

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