=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S [tm] Volume 7, Issue 2 - February 28, 1995 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 BILL TROXELL - Bill Troxell INTRO BY PAUL GIOVACCHINI - Paul Giovacchini INTRO BY DAN CARMEN - Dan Carmen INTRO BY EDWARD L. OTT - Edward L. Ott INTRO BY MANDY ROGERS - Mandy Rogers INTRO BY ELENA JARVIS - Elena Jarvis REVIEW: BtL LIMITED EDITION CD-ROM - Shaun Stuart RETURN OF THE BETWEEN THE LINES POLL - Michael Falkner D.G.I.F. ONLINE - D.G.I.F. SILENCE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS - Rodney Burlin DEBORAH SUPPORTS LIFEBEAT - Sara Gauchat CLOSING REMARKS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DISCLAIMER =- Between the Lines (ISSN 1201-4826, electronic publication ISSN 1201-4834) operates on a non-profit basis. Distribution is permissible only under the condition that no part of it will be used for profit. "Between the Lines" and "BtL" are trademarks of Between the Lines. Copyright 1995, Between the Lines. This forum does not necessarily reflect the views of Deborah Gibson, Gibson Management Inc. (GMI), Electronic Music Industries (EMI), or any organizations to which members belong or represent. Opinions expressed in Between the Lines are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire forum. All lyrics by Debbie Gibson are copyrighted by Deborah Ann's Music, ASCAP or Possibilities Publishing, Inc./EMI April Music, Inc., ASCAP. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES =- Between the Lines has a central account and e-mail address. Please send all administrative requests and submissions to: BtL@egbt.org The extended administrative notes, as follows, will be printed in BtL twice a year. If you would like to submit an article for an upcoming issue, please e-mail it to the BtL e-mail address listed above. Please include the word "SUBMISSION" in the subject field of your e-mail message. Before you submit your articles, please proofread them. Keep in mind that approximately 400 people receive BtL via electronic and postal mail. Please provide a title for your article, your name, city, state/province/country and current e-mail address. We reserve the right to edit, defer, or reject submissions without notice. Submissions become the property of BtL. To submit articles by postal mail, please proofread and send them to the postal address listed below. Submissions should be typed or written legibly. To submit articles by FAX, please call (604) 322-5936. We reserve the right to edit, defer, or reject submissions without notice. Submissions become the property of BtL. BETWEEN THE LINES 2137 Qualicum Drive Vancouver, B.C. V5P 2M3 CANADA For those of you who do not have access to electronic mail, you may subscribe via postal mail. Issues are printed with a laser 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 $3.25 Cdn. for 5 issues / $2.75 Cdn. for back issues on disk United States $3.25 U.S. for 5 issues / $2.75 U.S. for back issues on disk International $5.00 U.S. for 5 issues / $4.00 U.S. 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 the supplemental mailing lists, send e-mail to to receive timely news and information on Electric News. For open discussions about Debbie Gibson and her music on a daily basis with other BtL members on the AIP mailing list, please e-mail . For those of you who have access to Telnet and are interested in chatting with other BtL members in real time, please send e-mail to Jonathan Bradshaw for more information. BtL back issues are available via anonymous FTP at: ftp://ftp.uwp.edu/pub/music/lists/btl/archives For more information on how to use FTP, send e-mail to . -= BtL moderators =- Myra Wong : mkwong@ucsd.edu mkwong@ucsd.bitnet Felix Ng : fng@acca.nmsu.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY BILL TROXELL =- Bill Troxell - Allentown, Pennsylvania (troxelwl@ttown.apci.com) January 28, 1995 Hello everyone!! My name is Bill Troxell, I'll be 21 in a couple of months. I've been a Debbie Fan since 1987 when she released "Only In My Dreams." I remember lying in my room when the song came on the radio. I really liked the song, but there seemed to be more to it than a catchy beat and wonderful vocals; there seemed to be some kind of a positive, inspirational energy that just overwhelmed me. At that time I couldn't conceptualize the positive impact Debbie was going to have on my life in the years ahead. As time went by I continued to admire Debbie both as a performer and as a person. I was growing up, as was Debbie, and was constantly looking for inspirational wisdom to guide me on the path of success. My parents and teachers were all very influential in a "grown-up" sense, but I found the most inspiration from Debbie. Through her songs, performances and interviews I found the key to my future. Now all I had to do was open the door and step into the world of wonderful opportunity. I went through a lot in the last few years. I was going out with a girl for about three years, and honestly thought that I'd be with her forever. When we graduated high school her parents made the discussion to move closer to their place of business, about one hour away. We tried to make it work, but after a year we just couldn't handle it. Between college and the distance between us, we decided that we had to let go. I was devastated! I didn't want to talk to anyone for about a month after the breakup. As the long days went by, I sat in my room trying to put my life back into perspective. Once again I turned to Debbie to help me gain a positive sense of direction. I decided that now would be a good time to focus all of my energy into starting a career. Soon after I was hired as a Computer System Operator (Co-op) at a worldwide chemical company. I worked very hard, constantly turning to Debbie for guidance and inspiration. At age 19, (one year later), I was hired as a full-time Computer Systems Operator and I'm also working toward my B.S. in Computer Science. I'm almost 21 now and consider myself very successful so far, and owe a great deal of my success to Debbie. If I could have but one wish, it would be to personally meet Debbie so that I can thank her for being such a positive source of inspiration in my life...maybe one day my wish will come true. ** Don't work to hard for success, because you just might get it. ** If anyone would like to contact me to discuss Debbie, I can be reached at: E-mail: troxelwl@ttown.apci.com Bill Troxell 594 W. Emaus Ave. Allentown, PA 18103 Sincerely, Bill Troxell =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY PAUL GIOVACCHINI =- Paul Giovacchini - Chicago, Illinois (PGiovacc@cch.com) January 30, 1995 Hello my fellow fans. My name is Paul Giovacchini (pronounced joe-va-key-nee) and I am 23. Intro's usually sound like the beginning of a 12 step program, so, I admit it, I am not in denial. I am a fan of Debbie Gibson and have been since 1989. It's not too hard to remember how it all started. I do not recall a time when I heard a song off of _Out of the Blue_ until summer vacation in 1988. I had, just a week before our family trip to Wisconsin, broke up with my high school sweetheart. We were driving up to northern Wisconsin and I was trying my best to pull in any radio station I could get on my tuner. What I found on almost every station was "Foolish Beat" being played. Actually it was quite amazing. The song spoke to exactly to what I was feeling and it was very comforting. This I believe cemented the joy of Debbie's music in me forever. Today, you look in my car, you find at least one copy of each of the albums (there are two of OOTB and _Electric Youth_, picked them up at a music swap for a dollar a piece!), right next to Judas Priest, Meatloaf 2, George Carlin and the album to the soundtrack of the trailer of the movie of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." My friends and co-workers give me strange looks when I tell them that my musical tastes are Debbie Gibson unconditionally and heavy metal. To me it makes perfect sense. I like both styles for the simple reason they elicit an emotional response. When I am driving to and from work, I can change my outlook on how my whole day will be. If I need a little pick me up I pop in a DG tape, pump the volume and sing along. If I feel a bit on the hostile side, I put in the metal tapes and vent with the volume up. Would it be too obvious if I told you the Debbie tapes get much more of a workout than the others??? It's been less than a week since I found BtL and D.G.I.F. I have been like a little kid during Easter with two baskets. I have been reading the newsgroup since it first appeared a few years back, though it never had the kind of traffic I thought it deserved, until recently. It's great to know that there are plenty of fans out there, which I am sure are currently jumping up and down waiting for the new album to be released... Well, that's it for the intro. A special thanks to Deborah for the past, present, and future. Keep it up, you're doing great. Please feel free to write. Paul J. Giovacchini 2545 W. Bryn Mawr Chicago, IL 60659-4952 E-mail: EnsBeep@aol.com PGiovacc@cch.com (half dozen others as well) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY DAN CARMEN =- Dan Carmen - Spencerport, New York (DCarmen@aol.com) February 11, 1995 Hi everyone! I'm new here on Between the Lines, so I thought I'd do my duty and introduce myself. My name is Dan Carmen, and I was born and raised in Spencerport, New York. I have lived in the same house for 24 years (all my life), and have spent nearly a third of my life being a big fan of Deborah. I think that one of the first things that attracted me to Deborah is the fact that we're so close in age (she's just 2 months older than me). This made it easier for me to relate to her. I felt that, in a detached way, we had something in common (even if it's only our age). But that's not enough to form a bond. Her age brought me to her, but it was her music that kept me. I can still remember hearing "Only In My Dreams" on the radio for the first time. I immediately took a liking to it. So I went out and bought the (vinyl) single. From then on I bought all her records (on vinyl), eventually upgrading to CD. I've seen Deborah only twice in concert, both times on her Electric Youth tour. I wish I could have seen her more. All I know, is that from the first time I heard her sing, I fell in love. I've only been able to meet Debbie once, and that was in New York City after a showing of Les Miz. I remember getting the notice in the mail about Debbie being in the show, and I immediately persuaded a couple of my friends to make the trip with me. The date was February 29, 1992 (leap year); so the day itself was special. The show was excellent (it was my first Broadway show), and Deborah was fantastic. And I remember waiting for what seemed like forever at the stage door, in the freezing cold, waiting for Deborah to come out. When she finally did, I thought I was going to die. She was more beautiful in person than she was in the pictures. I had a smile frozen (literally...it was really cold!) on my face, and I could barely utter a word to her. But I got some pictures so I'll always remember. That was almost three years ago, and if anything I've become a bigger fan since then. But, my one desire is to meet Deborah again, in perhaps closer environments, and to hopefully get to know her better. Thanks for listening. If anyone wants to talk about Deborah, or anything else, my mail box is always open! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY EDWARD L. OTT =- Edward L. Ott - Syracuse, New York (TiffFan@aol.com) February 13, 1995 Greetings from the Salt City! My name is Edward Ott and I guess you consider me to be an atypical Deborah Gibson fan. Unlike the vast majority of her fans, I'm 28 years old, married and have two sons. I currently drive school vans for a living; although I have tried my hand at local politics (more on that later). Like many of my fellow Debheads, I grew to appreciate her talents when her first hit came out. In fact, the first CD I ever bought was her _Out of the Blue_ release eight years ago (can you believe it's been that long?). While my screen name may be "Tiff Fan," it was only because AOL wouldn't let me call myself "Gibson Fan" or even "Debhead" (go figure). Actually, I do like the redhead from Norwalk, but Deb's got her head straight. My background is in radio and newspaper with a strong journalism influence. I say that because throughout my life, I've worked on newspapers and college radio; keeping my eyes and ears tuned on Deborah and her career. I even have her _Electric Youth_ press kit at home. I did happen to have the honor of taking my wife and oldest son to meet Ms. Gibson during her One Step Ahead tour. It was one of those "meet and greet" sessions where they meet their fans and sign autographs. Well, I admit my manners weren't great that day, as I blew past Chris Cuevas and went straight to Deborah (I still feel ashamed of myself for that faux pas!). My moment to ask the great Deborah any question I wanted and what came out of my mouth: "How's Tiffany doing?" I could've kicked myself for that! Anyway, she got to hold our oldest (who was only three months old at the time) son in her arms and I'll tell you this: if and when she decides to have children of her own, she will prove to be a very good parent. He was so content in her arms that he went to sleep (she's a natural at holding a baby). In fact, she wanted to take him back to Long Island with her, but her mother Diane said, "Deborah, you've got to give him back to them. He's not yours." Everyone in the area roared with laughter. Ms. Gibson, in my opinion, is the epitome of what our generation should strive to become. Instead of resting on her laurels of being an extremely talented musical prodigy (which is a lot easier than saying "singer/songwriter/musician/producer/etc."), she decided to "be like Mike" and return to a long-dormant part of her repertoire: acting. While many scoffed at her exploits (much like they've done with Jordan), I applauded her efforts. While I didn't get to see her play Eponine in Les Miserables or Sandy in the 20th Anniversary version of Grease, I did see her play Gabrielle in the episode of "Street Justice" (called "Backbeat"). If anything is to be said about Ms. Gibson's acting ability, let it say this: she is able to adjust to any environment; whether it be a drama, tragedy, or comedic musical. Her future can only get better as she gains more experience. Like many of you, I'm looking ever forward to her next CD. From what I've heard so far, this looks like it'll be her finest one yet. As for my local politics, I consider Deborah to be my "spiritual leader," as it was herself and her music that helped motivate me into running for a spot on the local school board. Although I lost the first time, I'm making another attempt this year for it. Hopefully, it'll be a successful one! I've just completed the premiere issue of "The Merrick Express," a newspaper-styled publication that'll complement what you get from BtL. In this issue, for example, you'll read about Deborah saying "goodbye" to Atlantic and going to SBK, what the mission of this newsletter is, and my take on how the Debheads' "family" mentality will put Ms. Gibson back on top in my "Second Stanza" column. If you're interested in contributing, just e-mail or "snail mail" me to the addresses listed in this article. Thanks and God Bless. Edward L. Ott 232 Merrill Street #E6 Syracuse, New York 13208 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY MANDY ROGERS =- Mandy Rogers - Union Grove, Wisconsin (ROGERS@uwplatt.edu) February 22, 1995 It all started in the year 1987 when "Only In My Dreams" hit the scenes. One of my friends bought my the _Out of the Blue_ tape (now upgraded to a CD of course!) for me for my 12th birthday. I was hooked. _Electric Youth_ came out in January of the year I was in the 7th grade, and when I heard "Lost In Your Eyes" on the radio, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. In August of '89 I was lucky enough to see Deborah in concert. It was the best 2 1/2 hours of my life. I was a little Debbie Gibson wannabe. I have the same color hair as her so I grew my hair out like hers and the whole school called me Debbie. I had a Debbie Gibson t-shirt for everyday of the week. I had the whole DG image down to a tee with the black hats and vests. Yes, I was a little more than obsessed in those days. During my freshman year of high school _Anything Is Possible_ came out. The only video I saw off of that album was the AIP single...Debbie had cut her hair, and so Mandy cut her hair identical. After that I didn't hear much about DG for quite a while. She appeared in the Special Olympics Special on television the summer of '91. I then imitated the new hairstyle (I tend to do that a lot). After that I saw her on "Live! with Regis and Kathy Lee," and she performed a song from the play Les Miserables. I wanted to go to New York to see her, but it just wasn't a possibility for me. I ended up seeing the play in Milwaukee with a different company a year later. _Body Mind Soul_ came out my junior year of high school, and when I saw the pictures, I was surprised. I had heard she changed her image, but she REALLY changed her image. She looked good, but that was all I heard about her until this fall when I joined D.G.I.F. It was then that I found out she had been in the London Production of "Grease"...I ran out and bought the CD with her on it and I must say it is fabulous. I must say I am a die-hard fan of Debbie's and I wouldn't mind hearing from others who are as big of fans of her as I. Right now I am attending the University of Wisconsin-Platteville majoring in English. This is my second semester here. I am involved in the choir here. I love to sing (have been doing it all my life) and I play a little piano. I would enjoy hearing from you. My e-mail address is ROGERS@uwplatt.edu so drop me a line soon! "There is a world of endless resources. There is a mind full of outrageous dreams, There is a place where the two meet. Anything is Possible..." -Deborah Ann Gibson =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY ELENA JARVIS =- Elena Jarvis - Pennsylvania (jarvise1@hp800.lasalle.edu) February 23, 1995 Hi! I've been reading BtL for 7-8 months now, so I think it's time I finally introduce myself. My name is Elena Jarvis. I live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I'm a 20-year-old college student. I've been a fan of Deborah's since "Only In My Dreams" came out. I've followed her career since then, although I've never been a "DG groupie." Her early songs will always be special to me -- their energy reminds me of my teenage years. I love a lot of her upbeat songs, like "Who Loves Ya Baby?," "Out of the Blue," and "Love Or Money," but I also love ballads like "Lost In Your Eyes" and "One Hand, One Heart" (just to name a few). It's hard to name favorite songs because they're all so different! I wouldn't call any of her albums a "flop," but _Anything Is Possible_ is probably my least favorite. I think I'm in the minority, but I also like "Losin' Myself" and "Anything Is Possible" (the videos aren't my favorites, though!). I like other artists, but Deborah's the only one I really follow, and I think that's because of her personality. She's intelligent, determined, compassionate, and about as normal as a "star" can be. I've never met her, but it seems like we have similar attitudes about life. I've "grown up" with Deborah, and I see a lot of her in me, and I guess I should thank her for it! I'm looking forward to the new album! (We all are, I'm sure!) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= REVIEW: BtL LIMITED EDITION CD-ROM =- Shaun Stuart - Fullerton, California (shaun@kazak.NMSU.Edu) February 22, 1995 The creation of a Debbie Gibson-themed CD-ROM was announced back in December 1993 and, some 14 months and many delays later, the disc has finally been made. Was it worth the wait? Without a doubt. The disc, "BtL Limited Edition CD-ROM," (only 100 were made) contains over 620 megabytes of Debbie Gibson files containing pictures, sounds, and text. Pictures -------- In terms of the number of files, there are more pictures on this CD than any other kind of file. (In terms of bytes however, sound files win out.) The pictures are almost exclusively in the GIF format, with some in higher quality formats like JPEG and TIFF. It would be nice if all the pictures included were at least 640 x 480 x 256 resolution, but unfortunately this is not the case. However, this is also to be expected - the CD partly is a copy of an FTP site which contains pictures from years ago, many of which are in black and white and rather blocky. But that is not to say there are not great quality pictures on here. There are more than enough high quality scans of photos taken by fans, from books, from albums, etc. The pictures of Deborah range from the beginning of her career up through the _Body Mind Soul_ and "Grease" eras. Besides the small complaint about the inclusion of some of the lower quality scans, the only other fault I can find with the graphics portion is the lack of contact sheets. Contact sheets are files that contain thumbnail images of the pictures in a directory, along with the file name of each. This allows you to look for a particular picture quickly if you have forgotten the filename - simply load one picture to get the name instead of hunting around loading many pictures until you stumble upon the one you want. Each directory does, however, contain a text file with a description of each file in the directory. Still, a picture is worth a thousand words. Sounds ------ While a picture is worth a thousand words, it is music that has the ability to touch our hearts. It is also what attracted us to Deborah Gibson in the first place and this is where the BtL CD-ROM really shines. Over 325 megs of sound files are here and the include everything from fan-made MOD and MIDI files to radio interviews to unreleased songs. I have said earlier that the disc is a copy of an FTP site. What I failed to mention was that many files included on the CD were not available on any FTP site. Most of those fall into the Sound category. The sound files are stored in logically named directories. If you want to hear a radio interview, go to the AUDIO\RADIO directory. There you will find clips of Debbie appearing on radio countdowns or just calling in to chat with the dee jays. You'll also find her Caboodles radio commercial and other interesting little clips. Want to hear some songs? No problem. Go the AUDIO\SONG directory. There you can choose from Deborah Gibson originals or selections Debbie has sung in Les Miz and Grease. Again, this is where the CD becomes a worthwhile investment for the serious fan. There are selections from the acoustic Japanese broadcast Debbie did for _Anything Is Possible_ (the whole concert actually - broken up into separate files for each song) and selections from songs that have been performed live but never released, such as "Heart And Soul" and "Taken By You." There are also out-takes from what sound like the _Out of the Blue_ sessions which have been taken from the "Deborahbilia" video tape that was sent anonymously to some fans. The sound files range from a few seconds to over ten minutes in length and the sound quality varies, which is to be expected when several sources are used to make the different files. For the most part, they sound great. Text ---- The other files on the CD-ROM are text files. The first six volumes of Between the Lines are here. There are also files containing lyrics and recent digest versions of the Debhead bouncing e-mail list, as well as transcripts of books and interviews from magazines. The large amount of information available here makes this an invaluable resource for any fan. The disc itself is made in the ISO-9660 standard, enabling it to be read by both PC- and MAC-based systems (provided they have a CD-ROM drive capable of doing so - most are). The disc also includes utilities for DOS/Windows, MAC, AMIGA, and OS/2 systems for viewing pictures and playing sound files. Of course, your own favorite programs will be able to use the data files on the CD as well. (See System Requirements below.) The disc comes shrink wrapped in a standard jewel case. The cover features a full color close-up of Deborah's smiling face with the disc title running along the bottom and right side. The back cover is another picture of Debbie (this time in black and white) singing in concert, along with all the legal and technical talk. The disc itself is silkscreened in purple and black and features yet another picture of Deborah singing in concert. For some reason, the text on the disc is rather close to the center hole, although still readable. All in all, this is a great CD-ROM and it was well worth the year+ wait! The amount of history and reference material, as well as the inclusion of rare Debbie audio, makes this a must have for all collectors. System requirements -------------------- MS-DOS: VGA display adapter, soundcard, MS-DOS 3.3 or later. 486, Microsoft Windows 3.1 with 4MB RAM recommended OS/2: VGA display adapter, soundcard, OS/2 1.3 or later with 4MB RAM. Mac: 68020, 68030, 68040, or PowerPC processor, System 6.0.7 (7.0 or later recommended) with 4MB RAM. Amiga: (No requirements for the Amiga are listed, although there are some Amiga programs on the CD.) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= RETURN OF THE BETWEEN THE LINES POLL =- Mike Falkner - Milwaukee, Wisconsin (mfalkner@csd.uwm.edu) January 28, 1995 Around the time of the release of the last album and about a year afterward, Between the Lines ran opinion polls to find out what the fans were thinking about Deborah, her music, and her careers. With the next album imminent, and with the growth that this list has experienced, we thought it'd be a good idea to start the opinion polls again. So here are some questions that we are looking for opinions on, and you can submit them to me either through electronic mail at: mfalkner@csd.uwm.edu or mail them to me at: Mike Falkner 2636A North Newhall Street Basement Apt. Milwaukee, WI 53211 Comments are welcome on all questions, and some may be printed with the results, which will be given in a future edition of Between the Lines. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 20th, 1995. With that, here is the poll: 1. In your opinion, do you have a favorable outlook on the album, based on what you've heard about its style, direction, and emphasis? YES NO 2. Is the presence of D.G.I.F. on the Internet and in the Between the Lines forum a positive step? YES NO 3. If the calendar pictures do, as suggested, indicate the direction of Deborah's image, do you feel that Deborah's image is going to work in her favor at this time? YES NO 4. Will Deborah be able to enjoy a more positive reception from the adult contemporary fan base than she did from the "Top 40/Popular" music fan base? YES NO 5. Would you think some direct communication link to Deborah from time to time would be feasible? YES NO Now, for some "short answer/essay" questions: 6. What can Between the Lines and D.G.I.F. do to better their relationship with each other? (That is, what can we do to help them out, and what can they do to help us out...) 7. What kinds of things would you like to see Deborah do with her careers? (Note: Plural) 8. Besides the closest city to yours/your hometown, where would you like most to see Deborah perform (if money were no object)? 9. If you could give Deborah one gift, ANY gift, what would it be and why? 10. Conversely, if she could give you one gift, ANY gift, what would it be and why? 11. Finally, a two part question: a> Has Deborah recorded the song that means the most to you? YES NO b> If so: What song was it? If not: What song could she record that would mean the most to you? Well, there's the poll. Remember to mail it to the addresses above, and that the deadline for the poll is Monday, March 20th, 1995. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= D.G.I.F. ONLINE =- D.G.I.F. - Merrick, New York (DGIF@aol.com) February 27, 1995 D.G.I.F. Update: The bonus newsletter will be mailed out by March 3 via bulk mail. In it is all of the information on the new things we've been working on, including the "deluxe" membership, credit cards, the scrapbook, new merchandise and more. We've also ask that everyone fill out the survey on the back page and mail it back to us. The information will be extremely useful is helping us decide what merchandise to offer in the future. The album is proceeding as scheduled. As of right now, the single is set to be released in May and the album in June. Final selection of the single is still being discussed; we have two killer songs that are up for the first single! (It's nice to have too many choices that everyone loves!) SBK is very excited at the amount of people online who are fans and they are interested in tapping into your thoughts and ideas. We've been passing on some of your thoughts, complaints, suggestions and comments to the record company about things that have happened in the past. For example, we are going to try and have the commercially-released single have exactly the same material that's available on the promotional CD single that goes to radio. We are also going to try and have a song on it that doesn't appear on the album to give everyone something extra when they buy the single. We've let them know about how much everyone wants to see her perform live (even if it's small venues during a promotional trip) and told them that that is a big factor in winning people over again to her music. (I think we can all agree that seeing Debbie live is worth a thousand words about how great she is!) We will probably also be asking people if they would be willing to fill out a survey to help us find out more about the type of people that are currently fans and where the people who used to be fans might have gone. (For example, what other music do you listen to, what magazines do you read, what television shows do you watch, etc). We'll let you know when we're ready for that and try and post something. I hope that everyone participates and gives us some honest answers! We are still collecting material for the scrapbook. If you have unique photos (of yourself doing something Debbie-related, or with Debbie or even a candid of her), stories, poems, trivia, comments, thoughts...ANYTHING...send them to us ASAP! Mail a copy (not your original, as we can't return anything) to us at: D.G.I.F. Scrapbook P.O. Box 568 Merrick, NY 11566 Thanks for all of your support and your thoughts. It really means a lot to all of us that all of you are out there! Until next time... Karen/D.G.I.F. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= SILENCE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS =- Rodney Burlin - Mt. Juliet, Tennessee (lonewolf@frank.mtsu.edu) February 6, 1995 Hi, my name is Rodney (a.k.a. Lone Wolf). I have never met Debbie, but I have been listening to her music for some time. She became a star about the same time I met my girlfriend Kristy. We both enjoyed Debbie's music a lot. We would sit over at Kristy's house and listen to her albums. For a present one time, Kristy gave me an audio cassette. We took the tape to my house where we listened to it over and over again. Everytime we heard something about Debbie we would call each other up and say what we heard. We collected posters and articles and such. Alas, one day Kristy developed a rare form of cancer that infested her heart and lungs. The doctors kept saying they could remove it but even a specialist opened her up and said he couldn't. Kristy died at the age of 17 before she could graduate from high school. But before she died she gave me a scratched up record she had of Debbie. After Kristy's death I kind of stayed to myself. It severely aged me. You grow up quick when something of that magnitude occurs. I have not listened to the album in some time since Kristy's death, but after seeing the forum for her I went home and let it spin. Brought back a lot of memories. Something Kristy and I agreed on was that Debbie songs were heartfelt; she sang of the way she felt as well as how we as teens felt. Sometimes when we couldn't tell each other something in our own words we would use songs. Debbie's songs came up quite often. Today people cannot understand why I am so quiet, because of my size and strength, and natural ability to do things, but it is as Debbie's song says "Silence Speaks A Thousand Words." I have never found anyone to take the place of Kristy, maybe I never will, but at least I can say I had Kristy for a little while, and her memories will continue for as long as I live and Debbie's music is out there. I am glad Debbie is still singing. Once college is over, maybe I can purchase an album. To Debbie: I am glad to hear you are still singing and I hope you will continue to do so. After Kristy, I had lost track of what happened to you. I am especially happy that you return to the world what it has given you. I have worked with several charities as well, nothing can compare to the smile of someone less fortunate. I hope you are doing well. And I hope you continue to belt'em out, and prosper from your natural talents. If you are ever in the music capital here in Nashville, TN look me up, as it would be an honor to meet you. In All Respects, Lone Wolf For anyone interested in contacting me you can write to: Rodney Burlin 101 Gladeville Rd. Mt. Juliet, TN 37122 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBORAH SUPPORTS LIFEBEAT =- Sara Gauchat - Hudson, Ohio (NRGUP94@aol.com) January 31, 1995 On Saturday, December 3, 1994, Deborah was at J & R Music World in downtown New York to support Lifebeat, which is the music industry's organization for the fight against AIDS. It was a nationwide event called Counter Aid, where various celebrities appeared in many record stores in a few different cities across the U.S. The day's purpose was to get people to round their purchases up to the next dollar, then donate the extra to Lifebeat (in addition to all the Lifebeat merchandise for sale). I got there really early (and met up with fellow Debhead Jen Mussi there) and luckily there was no line. That was mainly due to the fact that Greenday was scheduled to be there also, but they switched to another location. After a long wait, the news was finally circulating that Deborah arrived! She was there with two security guards, her best friend Iris and also Drew Jaymson (who plays "Roger" in the London "Grease"). She looked adorable in black pin-striped overalls, a black lace tee-shirt, tennis shoes, and a black AIDS hat. She chatted awhile with the people running the event, then sat down (with easy access to her Sharpies and pink lemonade Snapple) to greet the fans. By this time, there were probably about 30-40 people in the store who were in the store to see Deborah. (One thing that should be pointed out is that this store is more removed than all the others in Manhattan and a little out of the way). I was second in line, and when I got up to her, she was extremely nice and sweet - as usual! We chatted briefly and of course I got autographs and pictures. She asked for a donation to Lifebeat for each photo and/or autograph in possible. Needless to say, I had given quite a lot by the end of the event! Then I had to move along to allow for others to see her too. So I went to the other side and observed the proceedings from there. She was very, very upbeat!! Deborah always is when I see her, but it was even more so here. I would even say she was almost hyper - it was great! At one point, Iris pointed out an old friend (?) that she hadn't seen in a while, and Deborah started jumping up and down (literally!), screaming and clapping her hands. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen! I couldn't help but burst out laughing! Then the store put on _Body Mind Soul_, and Deborah started, kind of, moving and grooving to the songs and singing quietly along with them. It was so cool - that's the closest thing I ever saw to a BMS concert! Shortly after arriving, she was interviewed for a New York television station. (Incidentally, she was on NY television and radio right before and after the event promoting it.) After she had more or less gone through all the people, I got to go back up and talk to her a couple more times. As mentioned in BtL 7.1, she told me that "A Fairy's Tale" is still "in the works." She also said that the album would be done in two weeks and she was really excited about it. While I was waiting to approach her again, I had the opportunity to talk to Drew Jaymson at length. He was so, so nice and interesting (not to mention willing to listen to me gush about how much I loved "Grease")! He's still in the show, but he says it just hasn't been the same since the majority of the original cast left. He had been in town visiting Deborah for two weeks, and he had the opportunity to hear the new album, which he said is "absolutely stunning!" One other interesting tidbit - he told me that his favorite part of "Grease" is Deborah's "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee (Reprise)." Deborah was there for about two hours total. It was funny - she kept seeing people she knew (both fans and friends). It was almost like "Deborah Gibson, this is your life!" As she was leaving, she thanked all the people who put the function together and even signed a few more last-minute autographs. As she was getting her stuff collected, we went down to wait by the limo (couldn't resist getting one last look!). She came out with her entourage (attracting some attention on the street) and said goodbye to all of us and thanked us for coming. Then they hopped into the limo and headed off to face the downtown traffic, leaving many happy people behind! It was a fabulous day altogether! Deborah couldn't have been more kind, outgoing and basically just her wonderful, special self! I want to thank you Deborah from the bottom of my heart for making time for a pesky fan, for donating your time to such a great cause, and mainly for just being you! Also thanks to Drew (thanks for hanging out with us talkative Americans!) and the entire support group at Lifebeat and J & R MusicWorld. Keep up the fantastic work Deborah! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- D.G.I.F. members in the U.S. have finally received D.G.I.F. Vol. VI, No. 4 via bulk rate mail. It is a black and white 3-page foldout newsletter consisting of mostly pictures of Deborah. There is also an order form for the 1995 calendar, a last minute stickered announcement about D.G.I.F. being online, and a brief note about the next magazine (after the bonus newsletter) being a 16 page color issue. The last month online has been absolutely amazing with Karen at D.G.I.F. participating in discussions and giving the inside scoop on the AIP (formerly Debhead) mailing list! Regarding the upcoming album, it is entitled _Think With Your Heart_ and includes a cover of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" written by Carole King. This year we are holding a contest for best article, as was first done in 1990 (Volume 2). During the summer, and at the end of the year, the current BtL moderators will select the best article(s) so far in Volume 7. The author(s) will win a prize. Keep those articles coming!