=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S Volume 3, Issue 8 - July 1, 1991 DDDDD D D D D GGGG D D G DDDDD G GGG G G GGG A Debbie Gibson Discussion Forum =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= CONTENTS * ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES * REVIEW OF DGIF, VOL. III, NO. 3 - Archie Medrano * DGIF MAILING PRACTICES - Sandra Chen * REQUEST _ONE STEP AHEAD_ - Jonathan Bradshaw * _ONE STEP AHEAD_ 12" COMMENTARY - Sandra Chen * U.S. DISCOGRAPHY AND PRICE GUIDE - Sandra Chen * AIP ALBUM REVIEW - Bill Consoli * _HIP HOP_ ON THE CHARTS - John Shew * DG MUSICARD #42 - Edwin Nomura * DEBWATCH * QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS * CLOSING REMARKS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES Please send all submissions to mjung@bloom.ucdavis.edu and use 'SUBMISSION' as the subject. If you do not get a note indicating that we have received your submission within a few days, please remail it. Feel free to send suggestions to that address as well. If you have information that can't wait for release in a BtL issue, please send it to ez003229@pollux.ucdavis.edu and a copy to mjung@bloom.ucdavis.edu. We will forward the information to other members if we believe that it would be of interest to others. We reserve the right to edit such information. DISCLAIMER : **************************************************************************** This forum does not necessarily reflect the views of Deborah Ann Gibson, Gibson Management Inc. (GMI), the Atlantic Recording Corporation, or any organizations to which members belong or represent. All songs by Debbie Gibson are copyrighted by Deborah Ann's Music (ASCAP) or Possibilities Publishing (ASCAP). This forum is a non-profit organization. **************************************************************************** BtL moderators - * Matthew Jung : mjung@bloom.ucdavis.edu or myjung@ucdavis.bitnet * Sandra Chen : ez003229@pollux.ucdavis.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REVIEW OF DGIF, VOL. III, NO. 3 Archie Medrano (MEDRANO@USDCSV.ACUSD.EDU) Tue, 18 Jun 1991 10:21:31 PDT Remember the last postcard from DGIF that the June issue was "x-tra special"? Most of us thought a tour schedule will be included. Well, it wasn't. Rather, it is a membership drive. (Personally, I don't think I'll win. TRY? SURE. How? The friends I have who are in San Diego aren't fans of Debbie. Also, most of the penpals I have are already in DGIF. The rest of my penpals don't have the same musical taste as I do, etc. Oh, well. That's that. An autographed tour jacket - down the drain - just like that {snap!}...) Also enclosed with the colorful and picture-packed magazine is a personal letter from the Debster, thanking, updating, and asking us for help. Yes, "One Step Ahead" is Deborah's 4th release off the AIP album. With our help (and radios, too), OSA will be a hit. (So please, everyone, call up the radio station nearest you, one or more from the list included with Deb's personal letter, and request "One Step Ahead.") That would be the first time that the people (other than us fans) will hear her rap (or chant) - "Always gotta be one step ahead/You know where you're lying when you make your own bed/You'll never end up in the red/So watch your step, one step ahead..." OK, on with the magazine... Page Description/Comments 1 (fc) Nice photo! Also found in AIP folder & 1991 calendar. 2 The first part of the letter (the one in the magazine) is something we have (or some people have not) heard her say in Into the Night or in Hanging With Hollywood - about how the album is doing (and how "rap & sexual dance music" is dominating the charts, MTV, etc. right now). The rest is on her autograph-signing, "success"-defining, and road-hitting. 3 Membership drive - deadline: July 31 (one month before Debbie's b-day). 4-5 Rock in Rio II shots I want to see them on video - moving. 6-7 "Q & A" (video concept, fave song, pet peeves, tour postponement, legal copying, haircut, musical instruments, happiness, AIP concept, producing, "In her mind") (More "Q & A" on p. 18) 8-9 "A Weekend in the Life of Debbie" Who is Elisa Fionello (or Fiorello)? What caught me was the photo with Christine and Cori. Are those the Christine (Senon) and Cori (Lynn Abbott - also known as Cigi) who are my penpals and also DGIF members? 10 "Pen Pals" 11 "Notes From Abroad" 12-13 Deb on motorcycle. Also found in the back of the CD case (also cassette - anyone?) & 1991 calendar. 14 "Once Upon a Time" - Good personal experiences by members. Isn't "colliseum" supposed to be spelled "coliseum"? 15 "Puzzle Page" Did they use WordPerfect (shadowing)? 16-17 Photos from the "Into the Night starring Rick Dees" show Again, I want to see them on video. Does anyone have it taped on video? I would love to have a copy - anyone?) 18 More "Q & A" (traveling, release decision, all-time fave = The Wonder Years, Kevin Mazur, more non-LP on B-sides, LTHMD meaning) 19 Nice shots! I wish I were there. 20-21 "Behind the Scenes" p. 20 - more image-poking?; introducing CABOODLES - Debbie's POSSIBILITIES sponsor. p. 21 - "Itsy Bitsy Spider" video - with Little Richard. 22 Forms - penpal request/membership renewal 23 Puzzle solution, new fees ($13!!!), editorial box (Notice the recycle sign), another image-poking pose 24(bc) The "mermaid" pose - BEAUTIFUL! Well, "That's all, folks!" =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DGIF MAILING PRACTICES Sandra Chen (ez003229@pollux.ucdavis.edu) Fri, 21 Jun 91 5:33:22 PDT When the new issue of DGIF arrived, I was relieved to find that none of the magazine's space was taken up by promos for other artists (unlike the previous issue). Perhaps our last letter writing campaign (BTL 3.4) had some impact? Then I noticed a blue, 3 page insert that was sent with the magazine. It's a letter from Deb telling us to watch her perform in the Children's Miracle Telethon on June 1-2. She also tells us to request her next song, which will be released June 14. The date that the magazine arrived was June 17. This letter was probably written a month ago. DGIF...where have you been? A glance at the DGIF mailing envelope revealed that they used bulk rate postage again to send me the stuff. Bulk rate mail has the lowest priority at post offices. When postal employees load their trucks, first class mail goes first, then second class, third class, and fourth class (parcel post). If there's still room left in the truck, they'll throw in some bulk rate, but it is not uncommon for bulk mail to sit at the P.O. for weeks. Typical delivery time for bulk rate mail is 2-4 weeks (it can take longer during busy times of the year). The further you are from Merrick, the longer it will take. Most junk mail is sent bulk rate. What does this translate to? If time critical information (TV appearances, tour information) is sent through bulk mail, there is a high probability that it will arrive to you late. Your DGIF magazines are more likely to arrive damaged due to the long time spent in delivery. DGIF doesn't always mail with bulk rate. It depends on what they mail and who they mail to: Type of mailing Destination Mail type Delivery Time -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DGIF magazines/inserts Regular USA members Bulk rate 2-4+ weeks DGIF magazines/inserts New USA members* 1st class 1-3 days DGIF magazines/inserts Non-USA members Airmail 1 week Postcards/X-mas cards USA members* 1st class 1-3 days -------------------------------------------------------------------------- * - New members sometimes get their first issue sent by 1st class. * - I don't know if foreign members get postcards. You'll notice that non-USA members get their magazines long before domestic members do (kind of makes you want to move to Canada). Most of us belong in the regular USA member category, and have to suffer as a result. DGIF is raising their membership dues because of increasing postage costs. It costs them at most 20 cents (probably less) to send a magazine through bulk rate so I don't see justification for this. Where does all this money go? $13/year is a lot to pay for 4 magazines sent at the lowest priority. DGIF is run by Debbie's friends and relatives, so operating costs should be minimal. I can think of a couple places where their money shouldn't be spent, but still is: - sending members song-request postcards. Typically, these have a low quality picture of Debbie with a message telling you to request her latest single at your favorite radio/video station. What DGIF doesn't realize is that loyal fans don't need prodding to request her songs. - promoting other artists under GMI's management in DGIF issues. This increases the size and cost of producing the magazine and isn't in the best interest of its members. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is this: if DGIF sets aside a portion of the membership dues they collect ($2.00 should suffice), they could afford to mail their magazine through first class mail. USA members would then be able to receive magazines and announcements in a timely manner, and be happier as a result. Since DGIF is conducting a membership drive contest (members who recruit the most people win a prize), I would assume that they have lost many members due to disinterest or dissatisfaction. I urge all DGIF members that are reading this to write to the fan club (their address is located in the magazine) and let them know that you would like to have future issues mailed by first class. What if it costs more? Would you mind paying $2 more each year so that you could receive magazines and tour information a few days after presstime? Let them know how you feel. If you don't, they will assume that everything is fine the way it is. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUEST _ONE STEP AHEAD_ Jonathan Bradshaw (jonathan@thevoid.rn.com) Tue, 18 Jun 91 09:18:10 If you haven't yet got your DGIF issue, the next release is "One Step Ahead" (track 4 on the CD). It was released June 14th. Now, my question is, why didn't I know this in advance? Why hasn't Atlantic done more to promote it... I was totally unaware it was released until I read DGIF. I'm not real pleased at Atlantic right now. However, it is definitely time to start calling in those requests. The song has a dance-type beat, it could work, but it's gonna need all our help to do it. The latest issue of DGIF has a small list of radio stations that have it. Let me know where it is on your local charts. It's time for me to start working on my music director to get the song added to our station's play list. At 4:45min on the CD this should get release in it's entirety but I'll let you know what the "radio" version CD looks like as soon as I see it! BTW - the following are request lines I know: 219-239-3893 = U93, WNDU-FM, South Bend, "U93, Michiana's Most Music Station" 1-800-669-1010 = Open House Party (with John Garabedian (sp?)) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _ONE STEP AHEAD_ 12" COMMENTARY Sandra Chen (ez003229@pollux.ucdavis.edu) Fri, 21 Jun 91 5:33:42 PDT ATLANTIC 0-86025 "ONE STEP AHEAD" (DEBBIE GIBSON) 1991 Picture Sleeve: NONE (Plain Black) Tracks: (3) Side A - Club Mix (7:25) Side B - Masters at Work (5:50) Underground (5:43) Comments: There are strong indications that "One Step Ahead" was scheduled to be the 1st single released off of Debbie's _Anything is Possible_ album. Atlantic promoted the song in their press releases, and Debbie even played part of the song in a pre-album interview last year. But a last minute change occurred resulting in the title track being released instead. What happened? Debbie has been having numerous disagreements with Atlantic on which songs she should release (she has admitted this in at least 1 interview). Songs with a dance/sexual flavor are "hot" in Top-40 radio today, which is why Atlantic was pushing for "One Step Ahead". Debbie and GMI decided on "Anything is Possible", which wasn't a radio ready song. It didn't do too well, and her last two singles (both ballads!) didn't even chart. Is the release of "One Step Ahead" a sign that Debbie is giving in? One thing is certain: Atlantic isn't taking any chances - the 12" single came out BEFORE the song was released to radio. The last time this happened was with "Only in My Dreams". The rational behind this decision is to expose the song to club play, in hopes that this will help it gain acceptance to radio. It worked with "Only in My Dreams", but will it work here? NOTE: According to DGIF, the song was officially released to radio on June 14. Review: With Jellybean as the producer and mixing done by "Little" Louie Vega (he mixed the now immortal "Only in My Dreams" 12"), what can go wrong? A lot of things. I found this 12" single to be uninspiring. The Club Mix (side A) is a standard job similar to her dance tracks of the past: the song is mixed into deep bass, repetitive phrases (eg. "You gotta ... You gotta ..."), and a lot of percussion. There is also a keyboard interlude toward the end. An annoying male voice can be heard in the background yelling "Yeah!" every 10 seconds. The tracks on side B (Masters at Work/Underground) don't feature any singing by Debbie (unless you count those repetitive phrases). They are just beats and rhythms thrown together. The "Yeah!" man is present in both tracks (I wonder how much they paid the guy to say that?). There is one thing positive I can say about this 12" single. Debbie's voice in the club mix is very clear and not drowned out by a lot of instruments. I find that many dance mixes are over produced, emphasizing sound quantity and not quality. Rating: 3 out of 10. I would only recommend this 12" single to a completionist. I hope that Debbie's next release in this format will be more innovative and have more tracks with her voice in it. A picture sleeve would be nice too! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= U.S. DISCOGRAPHY AND PRICE GUIDE Sandra Chen (ez003229@pollux.ucdavis.edu) Fri, 28 Jun 1991 8:46 PDT DEBBIE GIBSON as a collectable artist: although Debbie's career is still young, she has developed a large following in the music buying public. She enjoyed most of her success during her debut years (1987-1988), and records released during this time frame continue to be high in demand. In more recent times (1989-1990), Debbie's popularity has steadily declined, resulting in records that are still relatively easy to obtain. Only time will tell how collectable these records will be 5-10 years into the future. If Debbie's popularity makes a rebound, it is expected that the supply of her records that is still available today will quickly vanish. Anything is Possible... This article is intended to provide you with a guide to buying Debbie Gibson records and CDs that were produced in the U.S. I have been collecting her music for 3 years by trading with other fans, buying through mail order, and going to conventions; because of this, I have a good idea of what's out there and what the "asking" price usually is. This guide is by no means complete; but I feel that its a good reference for the DG collector that is just starting out. Hard core fans can also use it to find out if they're missing anything. Cassette tape collectors will notice that I don't include listings for cassingles, cassette albums, and the like. The reason is simple: the cassette tape format is not considered very collectable because they are massed produced and they usually do not provide very good sound quality. All values listed are for MINT records with picture sleeves in MINT condition (when applicable). ALBUMS/CDS label record# title tracks year value ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atlantic 81780 Out of the Blue 10 1987 ----- Atlantic 81932 Electric Youth 11 (+2 on CD) 1989 ----- Atlantic 82032 The Wonder Years 2 of 12 (13 on CD) 1989 ----- Atlantic 82167 Anything is Possible 16 1990 ----- Disney 60616 For Our Children 1 of 20 1991 ----- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- All of these albums are still in print. The last two do not appear in vinyl format. No collection is complete without these, so get them while you still can! The Wonder Years album features 2 DG songs: "In the Still of the Night" and "Come Home". Some fans don't know about this album. 7-INCH SINGLES label record# title year value ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atlantic 7-89322 Only in My Dreams/(Dub) PS 1986 5.00 blue label promo 3.50 Atlantic 7-89187 Shake Your Love/(Bad Dubb Version) PS 1987 3.25 blue label promo 3.50 Atlantic 7-89129 Out of the Blue/(Dub Edit) PS 1987 3.25 blue label promo 3.50 Atlantic 7-89109 Foolish Beat/(Instrumental) PS 1988 3.25 blue label promo 3.50 Atlantic 7-89034 Staying Together/(Dub Edit) PS 1988 3.25 blue label promo 3.50 Atlantic 7-88970 Lost in Your Eyes/Silence Speaks (ac-mix) PS 1989 2.50 blue label promo 3.00 Atlantic 7-88919 Electric Youth/We Could Be Together (c-mix) PS 1989 2.50 blue label promo 3.00 Atlantic 7-88885 No More Rhyme/Over the Wall (Dub) PS 1989 2.00 blue label promo 3.00 Atlantic 7-88896 We Could Be Together/No More Rhyme (ac-mix) PS 1989 2.00 blue label promo 3.00 Atlantic 7-87793 Anything is Possible/So Closer to Forever 1990 2.50 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I consider 7-inch singles, or "45s" to be highly collectable items for 3 reasons: 1) very few (if any) are made anymore, 2) they often contain non-album tracks/versions on their B-side, and most importantly, 3) they coincide with the release of a single to radio. Most of Debbie's 7-inch singles from the "Electric Youth" era (1989) are still a common site in record store back bins. The 45s from the "Out of the Blue" era are less common, but can be still found if patient searching is done. Realize though, that a record that has been sitting in a bin for 3 years will most likely have "ring wear" on its picture sleeve (circular black shading, resembling the records inner ring). 45s with worn or damaged picture sleeves are only worth 50-70% of the values listed above. Probably the most collectable DG 45 is her first: "Only in My Dreams". Finding it with its original red picture sleeve in good condition is difficult; often times it is sold without a picture sleeve. Other DG 45s that are often found without picture sleeves are: "Shake Your Love" and "Staying Together". Yes, an "Anything is Possible" 45 does exist in the U.S. The reason that most people don't know about it is because the major record stores in the U.S. (Tower, Sam Goody, etc.) don't stock new 45s anymore. Before the advent of the promo CD, promotional 45s were sent to radio stations to promote songs. Production seems to have stopped in 1989. A promo 45 has the same (title) track on both sides, and the labeling is blue colored instead of the traditional Atlantic orange. They can be obtained from obscure dealers, mail order, or conventions. Good luck finding them in mint condition (radio station turntables really tear 'em up!). There was also a 7-inch single (and perhaps a 12-inch) of "Red Hot" that was released as a result of the _Fatal Beauty_ movie. This single is rare and is probably worth at least $10. 12-INCH SINGLES label record# title tracks year value ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atlantic 0-86744 Only in My Dreams PS 4 1986 12.00 Atlantic 0-86651 Shake Your Love PS 6 1987 8.00 Atlantic 0-86621 Out of the Blue PS 4 1987 8.00 Atlantic 0-86556 Foolish Beat PS 2+2 1988 8.00 Atlantic 0-86533 Staying Together PS 3 1988 8.00 Atlantic 0-86427 Electric Youth PS 5+1 1989 6.50 Atlantic 0-86101 Anything is Possible PS 4 1990 5.00 Atlantic 0-86025 One Step Ahead 3 1991 ---- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-inch singles are produced in far fewer numbers than their 7-inch counterparts, and thus they are often times hard to find a few months after they are first released. Since these records contain mostly "dance" type mixes, they appeal to a different market: DJ types. Due to her "maturity" in music, only 3 of Debbie's songs in the last 2 years have been released in 12-inch format; it would seem that there won't be many appearing in the future either. The "Only in My Dreams" 12-inch is the most desired of the DG batch; this being her first record ever. There are two picture sleeves known to exist for this record. The original records released in late 1986/early 1987 had a multicolored picture sleeve; later releases featured a purple picture sleeve with a closeup photo of Debbie. The value listed above is for the 2nd picture sleeve version; a 12-inch with the original picture sleeve is worth much more. The final releases of the "Only in My Dreams" and "Out of the Blue" 12-inch singles did not have a picture sleeve. Instead, they were packaged in a generic Atlantic cover. Always try to get records with original picture sleeves (they are more collectable with them, and they look nicer too!). One can sometimes find 12-inch singles with holes punctured through their picture sleeves and labels. These holes are made by the issuing record company when they have to get rid of extra records that they have in stock (this prevents dealers from returning them). Unfortunately, this practice virtually ruins the appearance (and desirability) of the records. These records are worth 40% (or less) of the values listed here. Promotional versions of most DG 12-inch singles exist; these are rare and the author has not seen enough of them to provide any notable details. The most collectable DG promo 12-inch is probably the one for "Electric Youth": it exists as a double album set that is loaded with latin/dance mixes. Rumors of a U.S. 12-inch single of "Lost in Your Eyes" are false. Although some promotional versions of this record may exist, none were ever released commercially. There was a version produced in UK/Germany, however. The "Electric Youth" 12-inch single also appears in Maxi-CD format. PROMO CDS label cd # title tracks year value ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atlantic PR2436-2 No Title (Staying Together) 2 of 6 1988 8.00 Atlantic PR2562-2 Lost in Your Eyes PS 1 1989 12.00 Atlantic PR2671-2 Electric Youth 1 1989 5.00 Atlantic PR2689-2 Electric Youth PS 3 1989 8.00 Atlantic PR2749-2 No More Rhyme PS 1 1989 6.00 Atlantic PR2724-2 We Could Be Together PS 4 1989 10.00 Atlantic PR2850-2 Debbie Gibson: Profiled! PS 18 1989 20.00 Atlantic PR3638-2 Anything is Possible PS 3 1990 7.00 Atlantic PR3770-2 (This So-Called) Miracle PS 1 1991 4.00 Atlantic PR3826-2 One Hand, One Heart PS 1 1991 4.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A complete description of these can be found in BTL 2.11. Promo CDs are a collector's dream come true: they provide additional tracks and remixes in a medium that can be played as often as desired (unlike their vinyl counterparts). Often times they come in unique packaging. Since these discs were never intended for the general public, demand for them is high. With Debbie's decreasing popularity, many of these end up in the trash cans of radio stations; the more recent ones may be hard to find because of this. The two most collectable DG promo CDs are "Lost in Your Eyes" and "Debbie Gibson: Profiled!". The one for "Lost in Your Eyes" has a special cardboard gatefold CD-holder (unlike the standard plastic type) that has a picture of Debbie inside and a copy of a note from her on the outside. Since this song is considered her biggest hit, demand for it is high. The "DG: Profiled!" CD features music, interviews, and even radio station liners. OTHER There are other forms of DG audio that you should be aware of. Test pressings of the vinyl records (7-inch, 12-inch, LP) exist, and these are extremely hard to find; naturally they are quite valuable. More commonly known as "Acetates", these records are pressed in aluminum instead of vinyl. Their main purpose is to provide a rough draft of how a song will sound after pressing. As a result, each acetate can have special markings on it and probably has its own unique sound. It is hard to place a value on these since so few of them get into the hands of the public (the author is a proud owner of a 7-inch acetate of "Lost in Your Eyes"; it sounds a tad bit slow when played on a turntable, but it's that message scribbled on the back that says "Play Saturday Mom" that makes this thing special (looks a lot like Debbie's handwriting!)). Most acetates are destroyed soon after pressing. For a DG acetate, expect to pay $20 for a low-charting single and upto $500+ for an album test pressing. Debbie has been on a large number of radio shows ("Hot Rocks", hosting "American Top-40", just to name a few). The people who work at radio stations will often sell them to dealers after these shows have been aired (even though they are supposed to destroy them). Typical asking price for a DG 2-record radio show (the most common format) is $40+. Most radio shows come with cue sheets, even though they could be played continuously (they usually have built in commercials!). Debbie likes to do Christmas songs, and many of you in the New York area have probably heard her singing carols over the radio in December. Some of these songs end up on promo tapes that are issued by Atlantic. These are valuable, but if you intend to buy one, make sure its the original tape and not a copy (originals should come in Atlantic packaging). The author has found a DG "Silent Night" promo and there are probably more that are out there. PRICE GOUGING If you buy your DG items primarily through the mail, you should be aware of a phenomenon called "price gouging". When a dealer knows that demand for an item is high, he will often try to sell it for many times its actual value. This is especially true for mail orders because the dealers aren't limited to the local record buying public. They count on the true devotees of an artist to step forward with plenty of cash in order to out bid other fans. Based on my experiences with mail order, Debbie must have a LOT of devotees (fanatics?). I keep hearing stories about how people will try to order DG items through the mail (after seeing an ad in a magazine like GOLDMINE, right when it hits the stands), but are disappointed to learn that everything was sold out long ago. For an artist whose popularity has been steadily declining since 1989, this both surprising and unsettling. They pay hefty prices too. I have seen hundreds of mail order advertisements, and for some reason DG items tend to be more expensive than collectables of more popular artists. I am talking about artists like Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, and even Madonna. If a Janet Jackson radio show sells for $20, and a Madonna one sells for $40, how much do you expect Debbie's to sell for? True value of the DG radio show (in this case, "Hot Rocks") would be $10-$20, but a dealer will ask for $40-$60. A thing to remember is that there ARE people who will pay this kind of money for DG radio shows, promo items, hard to find records, etc. I also know that there are fans out there who will buy everything with Debbie's name on it (I've corresponded with a few). So if you see a DG item that you want, and its price is outrageous, think about why you want to get it. Pay what the item is worth to you; unless you're a completionist, you should be able to decide right away whether or not it's time to write a big check. Don't be surprised though, if the dealer returns the $50 check that you sent for that promo CD because someone beat you to it with a $100 offer... There are good and bad sides to this practice. The good news is that Debbie has developed a very devoted following that will do crazy things for her. The bad news is that this provides dealers with opportunities to rip off many fans. Be wary and good hunting! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= AIP ALBUM REVIEW Bill Consoli (BCONSOLI@HMCVAX.CLAREMONT.EDU) Wed, 15 May 1991 10:30 PDT "Anything Is Possible" is certainly a more ambitious project and it's a lot different, a lot more grown up than the other two, but it also shows that she's recognizing that she has two sometimes distinct audiences: the dance group and the mellow group. And giving us two albums for the price of one is always nice, but rumor is that the record industry as a whole is not happy about it. I've even noticed at some record stores it's priced like a double-album ($17 or $18 on CD) and that could be another reason it didn't sell well. Reviews I've read all say basically the same thing, that it's over-produced, it's all a rehash of the same theme, and that she's trying to declare maturity instead of going out and earning it. Sounds like a lot of crap to me but I'll be the first to admit I'm a tad bit biased. I will admit that I prefer the other two albums to this one, probably because the good-stuff-to-bad-stuff ratio is higher on those. When I put together a 90-minute tape of "Debbie's Greatest Hits" it eventually included 6 songs from OOTB (out of 10), 7 from EY (out of 11), and 6 from AIP (out of 16), along with "In The Still Of The Night" (Wonder Years Soundtrack) and "So Close To Forever" (B-side of "Anything Is Possible" the single). Song-by-song review, eh? That's just what I had in mind. Remember, these opinions are mine alone. ============================================================================== "Anything Is Possible" Debbie Gibson Rating: 8.5 (scale of 1-10) {"Out Of The Blue" was a 9 and "Electric Youth" was a 10} "Another Brick Falls" Catchy beat, catchy lyrics, it's quick and exciting and a great way to start the album. Overall feeling of being out of control is reminiscent of Billy Joel's "Pressure," and considering the influence BJ was to Deb as she was growing up, I wouldn't be surprised if that was indeed the inspiration here. "Anything Is Possible" Deb's lyric and Lamont Dozier's rhythm, it's struck from the same mold as most of the recent Bobby Brown dance-club stuff. This is the kind of song "Shake Your Love" wants to be when it grows up. "Reverse Psychology" Weakest song on entire album, sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to the other tracks. Lousy lyrics, lousy arrangement, this one was just bad news from the start. It's a song the New Kids On The Block would be proud of. "One Step Ahead" A pretty good song, perhaps sounds better than it actually is because it comes right after "Reverse Psychology." Lots of energy, and a refreshingly un-heavy rap that you find yourself repeating over and over subconsciously. Look out Vanilla Ice. "Stand Your Ground" Not much to say about this one, it's pretty nondescript and could be a continuation of "One Step Ahead" without the rap. Not a song anyone's going to remember. "Deep Down" Would probably feel at home on either "side" of this album, although it is better suited over here on NRG. Lyrics here are kind of weak, but the beat's OK. "It Must've Been My Boy" Sounds like a holdover from "Electric Youth," perhaps one of the songs that didn't make the cut. Definitely the most adolescent track here, it's fun and breezy and one of those songs where you can just turn off your brain and let it happen to you. [Editor's Note: This was one of the songs written with Dozier so it could not have been around to make the cut for the second album] "Lead Them Home My Dreams" A fitting end to the NRG side, a nice bookend to go with "Another Brick Falls," but there's something I can't put my finger on which isn't OK here. Maybe it's the strange phrasing throughout (even in the title) but if you just want to dance then go right ahead, it's a good one. "One Hand One Heart" Here, gentle listener, is your reward for sitting through the NRG side of the album. Hands down, far and away, this is the best, most powerful track here, where we *finally* get to hear Deb do what she does best, _sing_, without too many drums or guitars or other instruments getting in her way. In terms of ballads, this one kicks "Lost In Your Eyes" (a great song itself) all over the place, and to me it's the "We Could Be Together" cornerstone of this album. "Sure" What better way to follow a legendary song like "One Hand One Heart" than with the second-best song on the album. Reminded me a lot of how I felt listening to "Silence Speaks," without the madrigal- sounding chamber-music air. The message here is so simple it's genius, and again it's Deb's wonderful voice that we'll remember the most. "Negative Energy" I really don't know how I feel about this song since the only times I've ever heard it were right after "One Hand" and "Sure," so there was always this letdown. However it does look like the weakest track here on the "Mood Swings" side. "Mood Swings" Speaking of Mood Swings, here's this side's title track. Another one of those nondescript songs, it's the "Stand Your Ground" of this side, although it's easier to listen to. Smooth. "Try" A very mature song, this is the kind of thing Olivia Newton-John would have jumped on in a big way in around 1978 or so. Don't think we have any other song from Deb to compare this one to, except maybe "No More Rhyme" but it's a bit more grown up than that. [Editor's Note: This might be one of the oldest songs on the album. When Deborah was doing some promotion in England after the release of the _Electric Youth_ album, she told the reporter that she just wrote this song and played it on the piano for him.] "In His Mind" Now we've established some mood in a song, much as we did way back on track #1 in "Another Brick Falls." Kind of spooky, very intri- guing, she's conveyed the curiosity factor rather well. Again, the singing is the key here, but the arrangement is absolutely perfect to set up the mood she wanted. "Where Have You Been" In the cut-down from 16 songs on this album to a 10 or 11-song "normal-sized" album, this song would definitely go. A good song for Tiffany or Pebbles or Stacey Q or Ana but I've just never been happy with it here in this place on this album. Would rather have "Everytime We Say Goodbye" or "So Close To Forever" as our penultim- ate track. "This So-Called Miracle" Wow. A very powerful, very meaningful, very well-engineered song. The only fault here is that it's a little too long, and that was probably its undoing in the commercial market, since the released version was an edit which was about half as long, leaving out most of the important verses (including the "it's easy to give advice" verse which is the most vital) so anyone who heard this for the first time as the radio single probably thought it wasn't very good. At least when you bought the single you got the full version on the flip side but that doesn't help if you didn't want to buy it in the first place. ============================================================================== Well there you are. You've by now figured out that I preferred the "Mood Swings" side, the "mellow" side. In fact, of the 6 songs from this album that showed up on my "Deb's Greatest Hits" creation, 5 were from the mellow side. But that doesn't mean I didn't like some of the rest of the stuff, as I've mentioned above. $Bill =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _HIP HOP_ ON THE CHARTS John Shew (point!akcs.tbbsjohn@uunet.uu.net) Tue, 25 Jun 91 15:57:08 CDT One of Debbie's songs is on the charts. Unfortunately, she isn't the one singing it. A local record store prints up flyers that list Billboard's top singles and albums. They also include a list of hot dance and rap songs, but I'm not sure if these are also from Billboard. At #44 on the Dance chart was "Hip Hop" by Chris Cuevas, which we all know was written by Deborah Gibson and Andrew Zulla. If someone could check the Billboard Dance chart for me I'd like to know if the song is there. The list I saw was from about 3 weeks back. -John =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DG MUSICARD #42 Edwin Nomura (enomura@UCSD.EDU) Thu, 20 Jun 91 0:28:38 PDT Pro Set Super Stars MusiCard #42 features a shot of Deb at the piano at the Earth '90 show last year. In the top half of the pic you can see a giant video screen. The back has a small close up pic of Deb looking at us. If you have the Anything is Possible songbook, it is the last pic inside before the songs begin. The text reads: The Debbie Gibson story is nothing short of extraordinary. The singer/songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist's very first single, the self-penned "Only in My Dreams" (1987), [sic] was released when she was a mere 16 years old. It rocketed rapidly to the top of the dance charts and went on to become a Top Five pop hit. And that was only the beginning. I'll let you know if I ever find the fourth one, which I believe to be #45. ed =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DEBWATCH Here is a summary of the known TV appearances that Debbie made between June 16, 1991 - June 30, 1991. - REAL STORY UPDATE (6/25/91): Debbie talked about her wholesome image and said she would never do _Justify My Love_ because it just isn't her. Deb also mentioned that people still come up to her asking, "How old are you now? 17?" They showed clips from various videos and of her rehearsing. Deborah also said that she thought she was wearing quite a bit in the _Anything is Possible_ video, with boots up to her hips and all, but because she was wearing that sheer stuff, people were shocked. Her hair is a darker brown now, and somewhat straighter than when she was in the _Itsy Bitsy Spider_ video. The interviewer remarked she looked like a twin of her red-head mother. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q. Archie Medrano (MEDRANO@USDCSV.ACUSD.EDU) I would really like to figure out the lyrics to "Love Under My Pillow" and "Don't Flirt With Me". In order to do that, I will need help from other members. Please help me... I would really appreciate it. Q. Ray Wilmott (wilmott@remus.rutgers.edu) Since I'll be going to at least one of the Atlantic City shows, I was wondering if other NY/NJ/PA/CT/DE BTL'ers will be there and maybe take advantage of the opportunity to meet some other BTL subscribers. Q. Matthew Jung (mjung@bloom.ucdavis.edu) Does anyone have a copy of the Manila DG concert which was supposedly aired on local Manila radio? This concert in the Philippines was on Sunday, the 23rd of June. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= CLOSING REMARKS In Billboard (weekending June 22nd), "One Step Ahead" debuted at #49 on the Club Play chart. In last week's Billboard (weekending June 29th), "One Step Ahead" climbed up to #36. Let's hope that this is just the beginning of a comeback for Deborah. I urge you all to request it on a local station near you and buy it if you haven't already. Here is a tour update: Date Location Venue ---- -------- ----- 7/23 Latham NY Starlight 7/24 Lenox MA Berkshire PAC 7/26-28 Atlantic City NJ Sands 7/30 Wilkes-Barre PA Kirby Center 7/31 Poughkeepsie NY Civic Center 8/5-6 Westbury NY Westbury Music Fair 8/7 Valley Forge PA Valley Forge MC 8/9 Toronto (Canada) Kingswood 8/10 Syracuse NY xxxxxxxxx 8/11 Wheeling, WV xxxxxxxxx 8/14 Cleveland OH xxxxxxxxx 8/15 Detroit MI xxxxxxxxx 8/18 Chicago, IL xxxxxxxxx 8/19 Minneplois, MN xxxxxxxxx 8/21 Seattle WA Paramount Theater 8/22 Salem OR L.B.Day Amphitheater 8/24 Phoenix AZ Phoenix Celebrity Theater 8/25 Anaheim CA Anaheim Celebrity Theater 8/26 Concord CA Concord Pavilion Any info on the venues for 8/10 to 8/19 would be appreciated. Send any tour info to mjung@bloom.ucdavis.edu. Occasional updates of the tour will be sent to all BtL members. Take note: the Cleveland date may have been changed. Hopefully, BtL 3.9 will be released in the middle of August. For those of you who see her in concert in late July or early August, please send in your reviews. If participation is good, we will hopefully be able to release a second August issue on Deborah's 21st birthday.