He is best known for helping launch the career of one-time girlfriend Madonna by presenting a demo to Seymour Stein of Sire Records. He also produced her first single "Everybody" in 1982. Kamins had bugged Stein about becoming a producer, but Stein said he had to find his own artists first; when he heard the demo of "Everybody", Stein had Madonna brought to the hospital where he was admitted to sign her.
Kamins worked closely with controversial performance artist Karen Finley on her obscenity-laden disco tracks, two of which - "Tales of Taboo" and "Lick It" - became underground dance hits. Subsequent work included projects for Tommy Page, David Byrne of the Talking Heads, Ofra Haza, the Beastie Boys, Sinéad O'Connor and UB40.
More recent work includes production work for the trance/opera dance fusion artist Sasha Lazard, who performed for 8,000 people in Ibiza, Spain in 1999 to choreography by former Madonna Blonde Ambition Tour dancer "Slam".
Mark Kamins. DJ at Danceteria, met her in those days: "Madonna was special – young and a little bit naive. She had her own style -always with the little bellybutton showing, the net top, and the stockings. But she always knew what she wanted to do. She had a tremendous desire to perform for people. When she’d start dancing, there’d be twenty people getting up and dancing with her."
It was Mark Kamins – yes, he was a boyfriend too – who gave her her first big break. She persuaded him to play her demo cassette at Danceteria one Saturday night. The song was "Everybody". Mark loved it and so did the club regulars. He took it round to the record companies. Sire immediately signed her to make three 12-inch dance-orientated singles. Once again it was as much her personality as her music ability that got her the record deal
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