=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S Volume 4, Issue 13 - December 31, 1992 DDDDD D D D D GGGG D D G DDDDD G GGG G G GGGG A Debbie Gibson Discussion Forum =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CONTENTS =- ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES INTRO BY CARRIE SAPP - Carrie Sapp _BODY MIND SOUL_ PRESS RELEASE - Jennifer Yeko "WITHOUT YOU" DEBUTS IN NORTH AMERICA - Felix Ng DEB ON WPLJ'S CHRISTMAS PARTY - Ray Wilmott A JAPANESE BLAST FROM THE PAST - Michael Falkner A DEBBIE GIBSON PUZZLE - Archie Medrano D.G.I.F. 5.1 REVIEW - Michael Falkner DEBHEAD NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS - Andrew Vernon CLOSING REMARKS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 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). Between the Lines operates on a non-profit basis. Distribution is permissible only under the condition that no part of it will be used for profit. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES =- Before you submit your articles, please PROOFREAD them. Remember that about 200 people receive BtL via electronic mail and a significant number of people are receiving BtL via postal mail. Submissions should be sent to all moderators. We reserve the right to edit, defer, or reject submissions. To submit articles by postal mail, please send them to: BETWEEN THE LINES c/o Felix Ng 2137 Qualicum Drive Vancouver, B.C. V5P 2M3 CANADA Postal submissions should be typed or written legibly. To submit articles by FAX, please call (604) 322-5936. For those of you who do not have access to electronic mail, you may subscribe via postal mail. Issues are printed with a bubblejet printer which allows six pages of text to be printed on both sides of one sheet of paper. Back issues are also available on one MS-DOS 3.5" or 5.25" high density disk (please specify disk format when ordering). Prices are at cost and are subject to change: Canada $0.65 Cdn. per issue / $2.75 Cdn. for back issues on disk United States $0.65 U.S. per issue / $2.75 U.S. for back issues on disk International 3 IRCs for two issues / 7 IRCs for back issues on disk Please make a cheque or money order payable to Felix Ng and mail it to the postal address mentioned above. We are not responsible for cash lost or stolen in the mail. Issues are always mailed via first class. If you would like to be added to a loosely moderated mailing list where you can discuss Deborah Gibson and her music on a frequent basis with other BtL members, please send email to debhead-request@scf.nmsu.edu. For those of you who have access to Telnet and are interested in discussing Deborah Gibson and her music in real time with other BtL members, please send email to Jonathan Bradshaw (jonathan@nova.decio.nd.edu). Debbie Gibson GIFs (these are computer graphics files) and BtL back issues are available via anonymous FTP at cs.uwp.edu. For more info on how to use FTP, send email to Myra Wong (mkwong@freedom.nmsu.edu). Members without FTP access can obtain these files through two file-mailing services. For more information, send email to Andrew Vernon (avernon1@ua1ix.ua.edu). -= BtL moderators =- Matthew Jung : mjung@rosarita.engr.ucdavis.edu mjung@pcocd2.intel.com myjung@ucdavis.bitnet Myra Wong : mkwong@freedom.nmsu.edu mkwong@sdcc13.ucsd.edu JSXS97D on Prodigy Felix Ng : fng@nyx.cs.du.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY CARRIE SAPP =- Carrie Sapp (Columbus, Ohio) November 25, 1992 Well, let's see... I don't have access to the network at my school and I don't know much about computers; however, I do know a lot about Debbie Gibson and that's why you're reading this introduction right now. I want to thank Myra Wong for letting me send this introduction to her through the mail. O.K....here goes. When I was about 14-years-old back in 1987, I began getting into music. I don't know why, but it seemed like I was always playing guitar, keyboards, listening to the radio, or even writing my own songs. Even though I was never really formally trained in music, it became a passion of mine. So Christmas 1987 rolled around and I ended up getting a four-track recording studio to help me get my music down on tape. Let me remind you that at this point, I really didn't know who Debbie Gibson was. The guy I was seeing at the time had all these pictures of her on his wall and I never paid any attention! (Shame on me!) Well, February of 1988 rolled around and I received my monthly issue of Seventeen magazine which just happened to have a huge article about Debbie Gibson, Miss Teen Queen U.S.A. Well, I must have remained in a state of shock for about an hour after I read the article because I felt like I was reading my life story! She and I had so much in common! Not just the things like being in high school and writing and producing our songs on a four-track studio, but even the little stupid stuff. For instance, she's Italian and I'm Italian (big deal). She's Catholic and (you guessed it) I'm also Catholic having survived twelve straight years of the Catholic school system! I know none of this is major stuff, but it was enough to have me search and find everything else I could on this talented musician. And so here we are today, almost six years later, and I'm still in awe of the many views and characteristics that we share together. I still see a piece of myself in every article, picture and song of hers because she reflects almost everything that I stand for. Needless to say, Deborah has inspired me to new heights. I still have that wonderful little four-track studio that I use quite frequently. Unfortunately, I haven't graduated to a 48-track like she has! (I guess I didn't feed mine enough milk!!) I'm a radio/television broadcasting major and marketing minor at Capital University in Columbus, OH. I currently work at a place called Dynamic Productions as a disc jockey and host of a laser karaoke show. I'm in the process of recording some of my music in their facilities. I also wrote two songs for the production of "Voices from the High School" that my alma mater is doing now. I've been working with the cast teaching them the songs and recording some of the music they are using!! Much of this I couldn't have done without the inspiration of Debbie Gibson. I wrote a tribute song to Deborah a while back called "Like a Friend" and the first verse reads something like this: I know it may sound crazy, but I'm not the only one. Just look around you to see what you have done. The power of one person to bring so many lives out of darkness, and help them to survive... Debbie really has been "like a friend" to all of us, I'm sure. Thanks for letting me share my story with all of you!!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= _BODY MIND SOUL_ PRESS RELEASE =- Jennifer Yeko (5_JYEKO@fair1.fairfield.edu) December 7, 1992 I just got a copy of a press release that I thought would be of interest: ---------------- DEBBIE GIBSON Body Mind Soul ATLANTIC 82451 PRODUCED BY CARL STURKEN, EVAN ROGERS & DEBORAH GIBSON; ELLIOT WOLFF; DEBORAH GIBSON; PHIL RAMONE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: DIANE GIBSON - With the release of her 1987 multi-platinum debut album, "OUT OF THE BLUE," Debbie Gibson established herself as one of pop music's foremost new artists. - 1989's "ELECTRIC YOUTH," 1990's "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE," and Debbie's three long-form home videos have all mined RIAA precious metal. Her albums have yielded four gold and two # 1 singles. - Debbie made her Broadway debut in January of '92, earning tremendous acclaim for her performance in the key role of "Eponine" in the long-running smash musical, Les Miserables. - On her outstanding new album, "BODY MIND SOUL," Ms. Gibson offers further evidence of her artistic maturity by dealing with subjects that range from current affairs to affairs of the heart. - For "BODY MIND SOUL," Debbie enlisted the aid of some of pop music's top producers and writers, including Carl Sturken & Evan Rogers (from the band Rhythm Syndicate), Eliott Wolff (Paula Abdul), Phil Ramone (Paul Simon, Billy Joel), and Carol Bayer Sager. - The album successfully marries Debbie's unforgettable songwriting and heartfelt vocals with irresistible urban sounds and rhythms. The result is her most powerful and accomplished effort to date. - First single: "Losin' Myself," an intense, mid-tempo ballad that describes an unwilling descent into love. Other standout cuts include the dramatic "Free Me," the very funky "Shock Your Mama," the touching "Do You Have It In Your Heart?," the uplifting uptempo "Love or Money," and "Goodbye." - Merchandising materials: 1x1/Nameboard. SONGS Love or Money * Do You Have It In Your Heart? * Free Me * Shock Your Mama * Losin' Myself * How Can This Be? * When I Say No * Little Birdie * Kisses 4 One * Tear Down These Walls * Goodbye =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= "WITHOUT YOU" DEBUTS IN NORTH AMERICA =- Felix Ng (fng@nyx.cs.du.edu) December 18, 1992 A few weeks ago, radio station LG73 in Vancouver, B.C. had their 2nd Annual Requestathon which ran from November 27 to 29th. They would play any song you like if you made a pledge to the Empty Stocking fund for kids. Well Nimet Damji, Michelle Chobotar and I knew it was a chance to kill two birds with one stone. We could help out a charity and give Deb airplay. On November 27th, we heard a group of people request "Lost in Your Eyes" which was great, but we wanted to hear something that was never released. It didn't take long for us to decide on "Sleigh Ride." I phoned at about 8:00 P.M., made the request and at 9:42 P.M. they played it. We thought it was really neat hearing an unreleased song on the radio so we made another request. We wanted to hear "Without You." We were pretty sure that they didn't have the song, but we tried anyway. They next day, again, at about 8:00 P.M., I phoned in and requested "Without You." I asked the person on the phone, "Do you think you have this?" He said, "Sure, we have everything!" Well after waiting five hours, I decided to call again to see why it was taking so long. The deejay asked the producer and he said, "We're still looking for it." I told him that he probably won't be able to find it because it was a Japanese release. He asked me, "How about 'Only in My Dreams'?" I told him, "Nope, I'll bring my 'Without You' CD down to the station." After thinking about it, he said, "Okay, drop it in the mailbox around noon tomorrow since we're not open on Sundays." The next day, I drove down to the station, dropped my WY CD into their mailbox and went back home. Nimet, Michelle and I were glued to the radio. Two hours later, we were still waiting. I called them up and the guy who answered the phone said, "Oh, we played that yesterday." I told him, "How can that be? I dropped the CD off at the station this morning because the producer couldn't find it!" He told me annoyingly, "Okay, we'll get it on ASAP!" The requestathon ended at 5:00 P.M., but they said they would play all the requests that were made. It was almost midnight and the song still wasn't played. I phoned the station and I was almost begging the deejay to play it. She said she'd get my request on. She never played it. Over the next few days, I used my VCRs to record and scan through close to 70 hours of their broadcast, but as you can probably guess by now, it was never played. I stopped recording after Thursday because it seemed hopeless and I was too busy with school. Now, all I wanted was my CD back. On December 16, during my lunch break, I went down to the station to get my CD. The lady at the front desk told me I couldn't get it because the program director had it and he was out for lunch. Since I still had a couple of classes that day, I left a message and asked him to call Nimet when he got back. A couple of hours later, he returned the call and Nimet told him that the song was never played. He was really nice and he told Nimet that it will be played between 5:00 and 5:30 P.M. He said the reason why it was not played was because they couldn't find a CD-3" adapter. I thought that was a dumb excuse. Well at 5:06 P.M., this is what the deejay said: "Well do you remember the requestathon we had a few weeks ago? We got you to phone in, make a pledge to the Empty Stocking fund and we would play you a song. Well we promised that we would play everybody's song until it took us at least until Christmas. Well, it didn't take that long because we have the final request that was pledged in for the requestathon. It was sent in by Nimet Damji, Felix Ng, and Michelle 'Cobotar' or Chobotar. I don't know how it's pronounced, but that's what they have written down here. They requested Debbie Gibson. It's called "Without You." Thanks for the pledge and it's the final request from LG73." Then they played it! They finally played it! It felt really good hearing the song on the radio. It seemed like we made history because they were probably the first station in North America to play "Without You" and it was because of us! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEB ON WPLJ'S CHRISTMAS PARTY =- Ray Wilmott (wilmott@remus.rutgers.edu) December 23, 1992 WPLJ (95.3 FM) in NYC had a Christmas Party show this morning with guest celebrities. The show was broadcast live from Blythedale Children's Hospital in Val-Halla, New York; they were taking donations for the hospital. Among the celebrities featured were Darlene Love, Jose Feliciano, Stepp Stewart, and of course, Deborah. She performed several songs, both alone and with others: "Sleigh Ride" - with Stepp and others on backup "Silent Night" - twice: once alone on piano; once with Darlene & Stepp "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" - with "everybody" The highlight though was... She played a song that she learned back in school choir and hadn't sang since. This was not a traditional "holiday" song, but one she felt was appropriate; it's about the homeless and less fortunate. Here is what she said to introduce the song: "I just want to tell you a little bit about this song that I'm gonna do. I actually first learned it in school choir, and it's a song that I think is very appropriate for the holiday time because it's about people that are homeless and are less fortunate than us here, and it's always been a favorite of mine, and I just thought that it would be nice to do. I've never performed this before, so here goes nothing..." Unfortunately she didn't give the title but the chorus goes something like this: "How can you say that you're lonely, and that the sun don't shine for you? Let me take you by the hand and walk along the streets of London... I'll show you something that will make you change your mind" Very pretty little song, performed alone on the piano. [Editor's Note: The last song is entitled "Streets of London." Stepp Stewart is the stage name of Keith Stewart who was one of Deborah's backup dancers and singers. His old stage name was Keeth Stewart.] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= A JAPANESE BLAST FROM THE PAST =- Michael Falkner (FALKNEMJ@cnsvax.uwec.edu) December 29, 1992 Well, as we all look forward to _Body Mind Soul_ and the events which will spin off of it, it was suggested that I send in a review of a special concert from the last tour as a "blast from the past." Japanese television did a 90-minute program of Deborah in concert at the Budokan (6-14-91, Tokyo, apan) and here was my review of the tape... ---- I was impressed with several things right off the bat as the tape began. The Japanese TV network gives a nice teaser of Deb from various snippets throughout the concert. I thought that was a really nice touch, since it gives the viewer an idea of what is to come. Also, at the beginning of each song of the concert was something I liked. Each song was identified by its title in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Especially since some of those songs sounded much different than the songs we who just listen to the albums are used to, it's good to get an idea of which song is coming up. ONE STEP AHEAD You know the opener, and it springs to reveal Deb in an outfit I almost can't describe. A colorful blouse, a decorated black pair of pants, and the hat almost seem a bit TOO loud for my taste, but I can adjust. One thing I noticed immediately is that there were six or seven different camera angles, and the camera, at various points during the program, seemed to move so quickly from angle to angle that the action on the stage was almost impossible to follow. As for the song itself, an opener which fires up the crowd, posthaste. I love this song more and more each day, due to the energy and power that it exudes. Deb really shows this off well with her half-dozen dancers. A good opener: 8 out of 10. {And I DO think it can be time for Deb to rap.} ANOTHER BRICK FALLS Who said Deb couldn't jam on the piano right away? Who said this woman could not get quality backup singers?? The all-too-familiar white baby grand piano shows up for the opening track off of AIP, and Deb does not disappoint. Neither do her backup singers, especially Terry Bradford. I'll say more about this guy later. All in all, a good followup to OSA, in that it establishes the new work before going back to a lot of the older stuff for most of the rest of the first set. One thing about Deb at the piano, and I noticed this on the LATW tape too: Anyone ever notice that Deb, even while playing at the piano, noticing someone in the crowd and schmoozing (for lack of a better word) with them?? To watch this woman jam at the piano is a sight to behold: 7.5 out of 10. SHAKE YOUR LOVE/OUT OF THE BLUE MERGE Not really a medley; I'd call it more of a merge. Of course, the old "Shake Break" is gone, and probably dead forever. (Your opinions on that can vary...) The first part of the merge is basically Deb "shaking it up" while she dances with a single male counterpart. I can't really picture Deb doing SYL anymore; after seeing the video again for this song, it really seems that this is a song for a 16 year old Deb, not 22. I dunno, it may be just me. The bridge between the two songs really adds to the suspense, transposing the key done in SYL to the one in OOTB, with Deb just adding to the effect by her gesturing. At this point, she really seems in her comfort zone, and it really shows. Deb is enjoying herself in this pair of first-album songs, not to say for how the crowd feels at this point: 8 out of 10, though SYL may be a good candidate to be dropped from the next tour. ELECTRIC YOUTH Well done. Now that Buddy has totally "flipped out" Deb, we get to hear one of her trademark songs done in a very different arrangement. Good for openers, magnified by the fact that you see the joking interplay between Deb and Buddy at the start of this song. The choreography here is top-notch, as has been said, even when Deb decides that she's going to basically "vogue" for the crowd during the bridge. Most surprisingly, Deb even attempts to belt out some of those "ELECTRIC YOUTH!" starters to given sections of each chorus. Two comments: 1) Unlike LATW, the backups basically sang the melody line here, making the song easier to follow. 2) Who turned up that blasted guitar in the second half of each chorus part? Sorry, but I think that guitar could be done without, or at least turned down.. I liked the synthesized backing to the beginning of each chorus. It helped bring the song to more of the breakneck style that this song always seems to exude. I guess, even with a more rock feel to it, and a minor save or two by Deb, EY is still a modern-day classic, at least to this fan of Deb's: 9 out of 10, and would've been a 10 save for the guitar. ONLY IN MY DREAMS Where's the 9 second "Only in myyyyyyyyyyyyyyy dreams" that I had been hearing about?? No matter, the three backups provide great harmony to Deb in an almost a cappella arrangement of this song. I think her choices of the singers are far superior to those of the EY concert, judging by LATW. A good place to introduce and showcase a top-notch backup crew: 8.5 out of 10, only because nothing really spectacular happened. ONE HAND, ONE HEART Where's that darn waltz?? Deb does best when she's basically alone, given our experience. This is no different. For the last song of the first set, Deb does the shortened version of OHOH at the piano with only minimal accompaniment. Another camera gripe: Although there were many good shots, at times it seemed like if the camera were any closer to Deb, it'd be on her other side!! Again, nothing spectacular, compared to later in the show: 8.5 out of 10, and my invitation from BtL 4.8 still stands. That ended the first set. She was in an all-black outfit for the second set, which began with: WITHOUT YOU Now I know what all the fuss with you guys is about. It's a great song, that, much like LIYE and the like, can be related both ways between Deb and her fans. She really brings this across to the people in the audience, although the bridge before the instrumental seems a little bare. Deb always knows how to write good bridges (LIYE, OHOH, and TSCM as examples), and I would have enjoyed a more lyrical bridge. Anyway, I understand why you'd like to hear this caring song in the States. A more rock-ish guitar even fits here in the instrumental. Deb, you are right, from us to you: "Life wouldn't be the same without you!": 9 out of 10. STAND YOUR GROUND Buddy needs to get a tailor. Much like Deb in the first set, he comes out with one of the loudest shirts I've ever seen. Seems to fit his personality quite well. A great song to show off the dancers, and Terry absolutely blows the roof off with his interpretation of the final chorus. Well done. Deb uses this song to show that she can dance with her troupe, and the dancing is top-notch. My recommendation: CHECK - THIS - ONE - OUT!!: 9 out of 10. REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY Easily the most skippable song on the tape. Why this one over, say, "Over the Wall" or some of the others?? This time, it's not time to rap, because she almost seems to become more of an M.C. Gibson than actually trying to sing the song. I'd fault that more on the song's construction, but this one could well have been edited out of the show, over a couple that I had heard had been skipped: A generous 6 out of 10, and leave it at that. Not even the six hats she was wearing at the end could have saved this one. FOOLISH BEAT WOW! This woman can definitely vent her emotions forth, especially in her first #1. Deb can bring forth the pain of the whole situation with a dramatic flair here. I especially loved the bridge, where Deb almost seems like she's crying those tears that are running down her face, while she's pleading that she never meant to hurt the man that she loved the most. The saxophone solo was very well done, as was the whole song. A definite keeper, but let's hope Deb can find a love for keeps one of these days: 10 out of 10, with an A+ for emotion. End of Set II, to be followed by: MOTOWN MEDLEY (Holland, Dozier, Holland) Deb gets the endurance award here, as she goes through a series of 10 or 12 Motown favorites and really imparts her enjoyment of the music. Her outfit for the third set, in one word: SCHWING! A 3/4 length top with pants like the first section of the concert, and she looked good in it. Do you ever notice that, when Deb really starts to enjoy herself, she gets this look in her face in that she's smiling so hard that it appears as if she's saying something like "Let me show you this!!"? Done consistently well, with interplay to the crowd and appropriate gestures, (I think they may still be reviving that person in the front row from "How Sweet It Is") Deb and her two backups provide a great entertainment package that, in and of itself, was probably the best feature of the main set. My favorite was "Reach Out (I'll Be There)," the last song of the medley. Deb really imparts that, if we as her fans reach out, she WILL be there for us, or at least that's what I feel is presented. The camera shot of Deb with an upstretched left arm before the last chorus was probably the second best camera shot of the night. She can do a whole Motown concert for all I care (well, not quite): 10.5 out of 10, with kudos to her backups too. IT MUST'VE BEEN MY BOY Where do I begin with this?? Who'd give up Deb for that "Genevieve," the way Cynthia was dressed for it? And I can understand, at least partially, the fuss that Herby created. Of course, this being Japan, as has been said, it was a bit more conservative (i.e., all the male dancers were wearing shirts). I can understand the alarm that many of her (esp. male) fans had when they saw what Herby was doing, and how much Deb was enjoying it!! Good story play here; it was very well planned. It's just, I think Herby would have deserved every whack with the broom that Diane could have gotten to him with in the last OSA concert (Concord, California). I just don't like Deb with a guy draped over her like a tattered blanket, but this might be the "Xtra-Brash" Deb that we may have to become used to seeing (Andrew Vernon's term). It must've been her boy, but they could save the near-foreplay for a more private setting: 8 out of 10, higher if Herby can keep his hands in a more sensible place, like to himself. {Comment: That last comment before the rating was not meant as a sexual crack at Herby and Deb. I just think the stage is not a place to try to do that, unless and only possibly if you're Bobby Brown. (And he got arrested once.)} ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE -- TITLE TRACK Please, Deb, sign those three backup singers up for the next tour, NOW!!! That opening to AIP is probably the best three-part harmony I've heard in ages!! The song seems twice as repetitive as usual, and lacks some of the flair that the multi-channel studio arrangement provides. However, the "human ladder" routine during the bridge really does well. (And I could imagine Buddy just walking away at the end of that sequence like he did at Concord.) A good ending to the concert, but we know better than that!!: 8 out of 10. After a wardrobe change, Deb comes out in a shiny gold-colored blazer and a short black dress. The encore: WE COULD BE TOGETHER Deb interplays with her fans like no other artist on earth. My only complaint is that this song wasn't last, and I'll explain why when I get to the last song. The synthesizers and other music gives a completely breakneck-like horn routine to this song, adding to the special nature of this song. The "Grand Canyon Mix" this is not! Of course, the main players in this are the fans chosen to accompany Deb on the stage for this song. Cynthia brings up two people to begin the second part of the first verse and, much to Deb's surprise, they are American. Of course, the stage then quickly floods with all six of her dancers and about 10-15 fans (by this point, it was hard to tell who from whom without a scorecard). At this point, Deb just has fun, exchanging embraces, receiving flowers, running the whole group from end to end of the stage, going into a conga line and a kickline, and just giving herself to those fans fortunate enough to be a part of this experience. But, at the same time, she does not ignore the fans in the audience either. She even gets cheesy with her female dancer, Cynthia, letting her sing along with the last line of the chorus until she thinks the better of it and laughingly refuses, much to Deb's enjoyment. All the while, the song is done very well, especially Terry's work with the high notes of the bridge before the final chorus. And that last pose of Deb with a microphone clenched in her left hand and her right arm around a female fan is a sight to behold, and was the best camera shot of the entire program. Deborah Gibson really cares about her fans, and that's why I love her so much. The experience is the song, the song is the experience, and neither will be forgotten by those fans involved for a long, long time: 12 out of 10, and may Deb continue this tradition until she retires!! LOST IN YOUR EYES How she gets herself calmed down after WCBT is an wonder in itself, and the one thing I can't understand is that she does the song during the encore. I just don't understand that, but that's my only complaint here. She even is able to hit the high note of the last verse much more cleanly than in any other live performance of the song that I've heard her at. Again, like OHOH, it's just her with minimal accompaniment, and she does her best. Deborah, we are lost in your eyes as we are lost in your music: 9.5 out of 10. LAST SONG -- THIS SO-CALLED MIRACLE The song itself is good. She removes the jacket, wearing only the dress now, and you can tell why. Deborah is sweating buckets by now, and she's rapidly running out of gas. You can especially tell that in some of the higher notes of the last chorus and the like. She had been out there for about 2 hours or so by my guess, and you could tell that she was giving everything she could so that she could give them this song and do it very well. Again, like FB, she really imparts the emotion of this song, even gesturing away those giving her advice when their heart is not in it. She really looks like a bit of a mess by the end of the song, straining for all she's worth to give them this one more song, and it shows. Deborah, you get a 15 for effort doing your longest song last: but only a 9 because you basically ran out of gas. ---- Overall concert: Drop "Reverse Psychology," keep the dancers and backups, add Keeth??, and please tell Herby to keep his hands more to himself. Deb's interplay with her fans is tops, though, and she always knows how to power out a sad ballad. And you may want to reorder that encore if you choose those three songs again. Deborah, you're the best in the business, and that's why we love you. Keep up the good work: 9.5 out of 10. TV: Adapting it to TV was a problem. I was told they chopped a couple of the songs in the concert, but that wasn't the main problem. I think there were too many angles, and sometimes they seemed to be caught not ready (i.e., during the kickline sequence of WCBT, the camera continues to zoom in on Deb but ends up getting too tight). Sometimes, it made it almost impossible to follow until they decided to slow down. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= A DEBBIE GIBSON PUZZLE =- Archie Medrano (amedrano@euler.ucsd.edu) December 30, 1992 Background: A Vigenere cipher operates in the following way. A sequence of letters l1, l2, ..., ln, with numerical equivalents k1, k2, ..., kn, serves as the key. Plaintext messages are split into blocks of length n. To decipher a ciphertext block of letters with numerical equivalents c1, c2, ..., cn to obtain a plaintext block of letters with numerical equivalents p1, p2, ..., pn, we use a sequence of shift ciphers with pi = ci - ki (mod 26), 0 <= ci, pi <= 25, for i = 1, 2, ..., n. [Note: A=0, B=1, ..., Z=25] Example: Suppose key = SURE. Ciphertext: V D R R S <-- VDRRS Num. eq.: 21 29 17 17 18 Key: S U R E S Subtract: 18 21 17 04 18 ---------------- We get: 03 08 00 13 00 Plaintext: D I A N A --> DIANA Puzzle: Decipher the following songs (words may continue on the next line) with a key (n = 12): Z E L F C T Z W M G J R S P B Z B L K N J W Z Q V X B Z Q R M B P Y S G K I S S M H N W U X O Y O I O B V K K T P M H B I X I F J P A M G G C Y L W I C M E Z A I S Y R B S V S T S B M C W H J H I O U P I R Q O W G B Q P Z J V Q E L S W O Z V ================================================== (Source of Vigenere cipher: Elementary Number Theory, by Kenneth Rosen) [Editor's Note: The answer will appear in the next issue.] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= D.G.I.F. 5.1 REVIEW =- Michael Falkner (FALKNEMJ@cnsvax.uwec.edu) December 24, 1992 For the longest time, it has been said often in this forum that a membership in D.G.I.F. is an exercise in delayed gratification, and that's if one gets any gratification out of it at all. Late issues and mailings, generalized sloppiness from New York, and alienation of some fans have caused concerns about how the people that work with Deborah are hurting Deborah in the respect of fan interaction. On Monday (12/21), I received my second first-class D.G.I.F. Now, if you remember what happened with 4.4, according to a fan who called D.G.I.F., they said that it was going to be the only issue sent first class, and that was due to the hurricane and the delays it created for 4.4. D.G.I.F. had decided to use this issue to try to get former members back into the fold, but it also served to show how far Deborah has decided to bring her fan outreach efforts as _Body Mind Soul_ nears it's release date. Front Cover: February Calendar Shot {Huge chair} Back Cover: June Calendar Shot {Barefoot, blue-jean profile} Centerfold: December Calendar Shot {Basic black, curtain shot} These have already been reviewed in a prior article (BtL 4.12), so I don't have to do that again... The first thing that strikes the reader is, for the first time since D.G.I.F. 3.3, every picture and every page of the magazine is in FULL PROCESS COLOR. This includes many pages of pictures and a three-page layout where Deborah discusses each track off of the new album and gives her inspiration, reasoning, etc. about the track. The breakdown: Front: February Calendar Photo Pages 2-3: Deborah's fan letter. Reveals the title and the release dates for the album and the first single. Discusses the three-fold significance of the album title: Dance tunes for the body, message songs about AIDS, racism, etc., for the mind, and her always solid ballads for the soul. Spreads holiday cheer to all. Announces, as part of a multi-faceted campaign to get fans more personally involved with Deb, that D.G.I.F. will make an effort to get members to attend those private radio parties that are usually only reserved to call-in contest winners. Page 4: Five pictures from the Winans' Christmas special, involving various members of the group on the show. Page 5: MAJOR CHESSY ALERT! The photo only needed the caption: "Was this a photo opportunity, or what?" Deb is standing in a black leather jacket, snuggled rather close to a topless Santa. Being as cheesy as only Deb can, it almost looks as if she is saying, "Can I take him home with me, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease??" Page 6-8: Three pages devoted to track by track analysis of each of the 11 songs on _Body Mind Soul_. Each began with a little drawing by Deborah, followed by two paragraphs or so regarding the making of the track and whom she worked with on each respective track. Pages 10-11: Centerfold -- December Calendar Photo Pages 9, Questions and Answers 12, and 13: Deborah discusses her favorite actors, her post-release plans, and other general chit-chat. That is, until the last question... A member wanted to know why they were asking for the people's phone numbers when they applied for D.G.I.F. membership. It was responded with that if a letter were sent that the fan club staff wanted to answer personally, they could do so over the phone. But, the big news came as they also announced that starting next month, all members of D.G.I.F. would eligible to receive a phone call direct from Debbie!!! Moreover, listening parties for the new album were going to be set up in several cities worldwide. Members would be selected from the general area to attend... {Perhaps why they ask for our nearest major city??} Pages 14-15: Two full pages of pen pals. Our pencils will probably be working overtime!! Pages 16-18: Picture gallery. Page 16 has Deborah posing in celebrity pictures with Lionel Richie and Elton John. Those observant few in the audience may recognize Deborah's outfit in those pictures, "STRIPE-MANIA" (from places in the fashion sections of two national tabloids.) Page 17 has some pictures from the night Deborah sang at the New York Islanders home opener, including grin shots with Bryan Trottier and various other Islander officials. Also, on the bottom of page 17, a concern was dealt with. Several Debheads (and others) had reported problems mailing things to the P.O. Boxes of D.G.I.F. D.G.I.F. now says the problem is resolved. Page 18 shows Deborah meeting a fan for a "Guest Day" appearance on the "Mickey Mouse Club" on the Disney Channel. Ansley Hamrick of New Jersey wrote the Disney people some time ago and wanted to meet Deborah, and the meeting took place during autumn of this year, for a show D.G.I.F. says will air on February 2nd, and Ansley says the show will air on April 20th and July 6th. Page 19: Forms and administrivia. Back Cover: June Calendar Also included were a Christmas card from Deb, showing Deb in the same outfit as in page 5 (black leather jacket, black T-shirt, blue jeans with belt) with Santa, this time fully dressed. It was autographed on the back. The other insert was a news update, and it had two items in it. -- A three-week contest, conducted with Sam Goody and Musicland stores, which would award two winners and their guests a trip to New York or Los Angeles to meet and eat dinner with Deborah. Other prizes being offered include a complete Gibson audio-video catalog and various autographed memorabilia. -- The magazine Sassy will feature "Losin' Myself" as one of the previewed songs on its music hotline for the month of January (cover date: February 1993). Deb will also preface it with brief discussion about the album. Check for this when the Sassy hits the stands next month. COMMENTARY: WOW!!!!!!!!! Deborah, with this and a lot of the promotion that she is doing, really seems to be pulling out all of the stops. She is definitely trying for a much broader base of fans, but this will satisfy those already clearly in her corner. If her efforts toward her fans are any indication of the work she has put into _Body Mind Soul_, the sky could be the limit. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBHEAD NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS =- Andrew Vernon (avernon1@ua1ix.ua.edu) December 16, 1992 Nineteen ninety-two is over, and for the most part, it was a dog of a year. The economy bottomed out, the DAT tax passed and we just couldn't find Deborah Gibson anywhere. For every bright spot like Les Miserables, there was a downer like yet another album delay. The year is gone and I won't miss it one bit. Now as attention turns to 1993, here are some new year's resolutions for myself and others: FOR ME: 1. This year, one way or another, I intend to finally meet Deborah. After reading hundreds of "How I Met Deb" stories, I'm starting to feel left out. 2. I will not wait six weeks before buying _Body Mind Soul_. Since there's no Fan Pak or other vaporware packaging to make me wait, I will go out the morning of January 19, 1993 and pick up the first CD of BMS I can lay my hands on. 3. I won't let myself be fooled by another rumor. After "Losin' Myself" panned out to be business-as-usual-with-just-a-touch-more-skin, and not Deb-turns-sex-kitten, I can't believe I was so shocked. Next time, I will wait for the word from Deborah's publicist. FOR DEBORAH: 4. Don't tease us with the album release dates again. Last year the date became "this summer," "this fall," and finally January 19. Don't overestimate your abilities -- if it takes two years to cut a record, don't claim you can do it in 18 months. Come on, you're only one person and you've got a lot to do. 5. Don't hoard all the good stuff. We all know about "Without You" by now, so don't hide from it and don't pretend it doesn't exist. The "About Men" program airs on Japanese television stations in North America and we can order the single from an import shop. If there are any legalities to clear up, get your lawyers on the case and release "Without You" as a B-side to North America. 6. Go South this year! Visit Atlanta or Birmingham on your next tour and I'll see you there. I know your 1988 show in Birmingham only drew 3,000 people, but not all Alabamians are like characters in "My Cousin Vinny." Besides, the weather's nice down here in April. Call your booking agent today! (This will help me take care of Resolution #1.) FOR GMI/GPI/D.G.I.F.: 7. Continue your trend toward better listener service. Courtesy and expedience are hallmarks of a good production company. Nothing sells the World's Greatest Artist like the World's Greatest Customer Service. 8. Improve the D.G.I.F. deadline schedule. From the date you mail the magazines, it takes two to four weeks for members to receive them. This isn't surprising or earth-shattering; it's just the nature of bulk-rate mailing. Tell callers about the time for delivery and when they can expect the magazine to arrive. Also keep this in mind when putting together your editorial content. You kept the title and advance single from the album a secret in Issue 4.4, but the day the magazine arrived, I was sent an article from the New York DAILY NEWS which disclosed both. The Occasional Basket Easter offer arrived _after_ Easter. You can do this, it just takes a little foresight when planning the magazine. 9. Also, When Deborah kicks off the next tour, a schedule might be nice. We were promised one for the OSA tour, but I never received one. Please send a schedule as dates are confirmed, by first class mail (if it can be budgeted.) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- This issue brings us to the end of BtL's fourth successful year. E-mail membership has increased by 50% over the past year while membership through postal mail accounts for a sizeable portion of our readership. BtL 4.13 also marks the first time that three issues have been released within one calendar month. The first issue of BtL for 1993 (BtL 5.1) will likely be released on January 18th. Reviews of the new single and video are welcome, but please get them in no later than January 15th.