=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S [tm] Volume 7, Issue 3 - March 31, 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 MARK LEE - Mark Lee INTRO BY MARTIN FROWD - Martin Frowd D.G.I.F. BONUS ISSUE REVIEW - Mike Falkner 100 POINT SONG POLL - Myra Wong ADVENTURES WITH PC MAGAZINE - Ross Smith / Ron Coulter IN SEARCH OF YOUR OPINIONS - Mike Falkner THE INSIDE WORD FROM A FAN AT EMI - Eric Wong 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 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. -= BtL moderators =- Myra Wong : mkwong@ucsd.edu mkwong@ucsd.bitnet Felix Ng : fng@acca.nmsu.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY MARK LEE =- Mark Lee - San Francisco, California (Stratman97@aol.com) March 16, 1995 I heard Debbie's first single for the first time when I was a sophomore in high school. It blew me away when I found out that a person only 16 years old had done it. From that point I wanted to get into music. She did it and it gave me hope that someone like me could do the same. Well eight years later I'm not a famous music star - but I assembled my own "home studio" where I find much enjoyment in playing my own music and just simply making a lot of noise. But I can thankfully say that my home studio "experience" with recording was my stepping stone into more professional venues. I now work in a professional studio and cut the main sound effects for an ABC Saturday morning cartoon. And I can trace the genesis of my career to the summer "Only In My Dreams" came out. She was an inspiration for me then and still is. My tastes in music have changed throughout the years but my admiration and respect for Debbie have never wandered. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY MARTIN FROWD =- Martin Frowd - London, England (K939641@crystal.king.ac.uk) March 17, 1995 Greetings all you fellow fans out there! I may be a relative newcomer to the Internet (only managed to find alt.fan.debbie.gibson a couple of weeks ago and subscribed to this mailing list less than 24 hours ago) but I've been a fan of Debbie's music for years. The first song by Debbie that I remember hearing is, I believe, the first single she ever released in the UK (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), "Shake Your Love." At that point I was still in school but even then I already recognised musical talent when I heard it. (I'm an ex-musician myself - classical piano, but gave up when it began to interfere with my regular studies.) I went on to buy her first album, _Out Of The Blue_, as soon as it was released in this country, and continued to be impressed by her talent. [Editor's Note: Although "Only In My Dreams" was Debbie's first single in the UK. "Shake Your Love" was the first to gain success on the UK charts, which led to the re-release of "Only In My Dreams."] Through my years at school, Debbie's music continued to grow on me. In my humble opinion _Electric Youth_ is not merely her best album but _the_ best album around. Debbie has mastered what few other musicians, even those who have been in the business for far longer, have the ability to constantly project a positive image, a positive _message_ through her music. Both her more upbeat songs, such as "Electric Youth," "One Step Ahead," and "Kisses 4 One," and her slower, more reflective works ("Losin' Myself" and much of the Mood Swings side from _Anything Is Possible_) are examples of this, providing some much-needed positivity in an often negative world. Rodney's intro article struck an instant chord with me when I read it last night, because my own situation is quite similar. The very first time I heard "Lost In Your Eyes" on the radio I was with a girl who shortly afterward became my girlfriend. She was almost as big a Debbie-fan as I was. Sadly, Kate developed leukemia early on in our relationship and spent nearly the last two years of her life mainly confined to her bedroom, only leaving to go to hospitals for various tests. She died in my arms in June 1993, at the age of 16 years 4 months: her last words were the opening words from "Lost In Your Eyes." After Kate's death I turned even more to Debbie's music for consolation, and even now, although my musical tastes are varied, I sometimes go for days at a time without playing anything other than Debbie's music. I'm now 20 years old (will be 21 in November) and a 2nd-year geology undergraduate at Kingston University on the outskirts of London. I don't know if there are any other Brits on this mailing list, but I'll tell you anyway: Kingston's music shops are severely limited in their range of stock. I only found out that _Body Mind Soul_ existed thanks to alt.fan.debbie.gibson two weeks ago, and promptly went out and bought a copy (without even logging off from my user account, I was in such a hurry!). Thank you to afdg for letting me know that my favourite artist had a 4th album out...and I'm waiting eagerly for the 5th. A special message to Debbie : You have given my life some meaning again after my girlfriend's death. I was seriously considering suicide after Kate died, but your music gave me something to keep living for. Keep it up! And I know Kate would like me to thank you for lighting up her last couple of years with your wonderful talent for music. My greatest wish is to one day attend one of your concerts and meet you in person so that I can thank you properly for everything that your music has done for me. That's all for now... Martin GOTHMOG LORD OF BALROGS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= D.G.I.F. BONUS ISSUE REVIEW =- Mike Falkner - Milwaukee, Wisconsin (mfalkner@csd.uwm.edu) March 15, 1995 Wow. To think that D.G.I.F., through Karen, has only been on the Internet for two months, and that they've already taken so many of our suggestions to heart, is absolutely mind-boggling. This is evidenced in the first-ever bonus newsletter from D.G.I.F., which I received earlier this week. It is clear, after reading it, that the marriage between the Internet fan community and D.G.I.F. has been formally consummated. It is an eight-page newsletter, quite compact, and in much smaller type. Unlike the earlier official issue 6.4, this issue has no pictures. But it has tons of information. I'll start with page 8, for it is the back page, and the first one you see. The bottom half of the page has your mailing label [with something added to it now -- namely, the last issue of your membership], and all around it is news and info about the new album and the next issue. The only new thing we find out is that the new album will have 11 tracks, making this the third Gibson album to have 11 tracks. The top half of page 8 is a member survey about some of the offerings that D.G.I.F. might be offering soon. Along with a bunch of computer items, a most interesting proposal includes a possible charity auction through the fan club of various memorabilia. Opening up the issue at the fold takes you to page 1, a letter from the editor. [Who are we fooling?? It's from Karen!!] Basically, the letter brings the rest of the fans up to speed about the Internet connections that have been made, along with some of the ideas that have been forwarded to her. You will now be able to use American Express to pay for merchandise and membership fees. Also, notes on the new deluxe membership, merchandise listings, new features to the newsletter, and the scrapbook were on the first page. [As a side note: On the same day, it was posted to us that they had received clearance to use Visa and Mastercard as well.] What would page 2 be without a letter from Deborah?? She gives us a first preview [a very general one] of the album's style, as well as giving us an update as to how the last several months have been. One thing: These newsletters may be going out a lot closer to the time of gathering of the information than the magazines of the past. Page 3 is one of the new features -- a fan interview!!! BtL moderator Myra Wong suggested the idea, and she got to "interview" Deborah about the influences of her theater career and the relation between her theater career and her music one. This should be a most interesting feature. Page 4 is an on-line corner segment. BtL'er Patrick Colcord gives a thumbnail sketch of Compuserve, America Online, and Prodigy, along with his recommendations for those Deb-fans who are not on the Net as yet. Page 5 has an explanation of the BtL Internet multiverse, as well as a brief article on the Internet contribution for last holiday season [which was reported in BtL 7.1]. This has prompted D.G.I.F. to begin their own charity drives, where all the money raised between now and the calendar's designated "Charity Day" [October 26] will be totalled and given to charity. The first fundraiser is associated with buying multiple 1995 calendars, as stated on another page of the issue. Page 6 has pen pals. Thirteen of them!! You can even get a hold of 11 of us through e-mail addresses. Page 7 is a merchandise order form. The main item on that is a deluxe renewal. You may renew now, and if you do so, all issues on your current membership will also become deluxe [that is, they will be mailed by first class mail -- a long-time fan request]. In addition, deluxe members receive a new color (!!) photo and a 1995 button. Also, if you desire to order a second 1995 calendar, a donation will be made in your name to the charity fund described in page 5. This issue shows the dedication that Karen has for the Internet community of fans, and encourages many of the other fans to get on the Internet. In fact, since she asks fans to get on "Electric News," she's even getting people to get on board with us here at Between the Lines!! This represents an important statement, in my opinion, that D.G.I.F. is now working fully with BtL to get information out to the fans even faster than before. This is in sharp contrast to the opinion of many fans in the past -- that D.G.I.F. had considered Between the Lines an "underground" fanzine. Of course, one concern that can be expressed after this issue is, "What about those fans who cannot get on the Internet?" Karen has assured me, after asking that question at the request of another fan, that the fan club will try not to forget the non-computer fans. All the same, however, it is clear that D.G.I.F. has taken a large step with this issue, a step that will help to facilitate quicker communication between the fan club and the fans. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 100 POINT SONG POLL =- Myra Wong - San Diego, California (mkwong@ucsd.edu) March 27, 1995 It's been a long time since we've had a song poll in BtL (I did a small one for _Body Mind Soul_ in BtL 5.2, and Sandy Chen did a full poll way back in BtL 3.13). I want to do another favorite song poll before _Think With Your Heart_ comes out. I've run across a new point system which should solve the problems of weighting each vote, ties, too many favorite songs, etc. At the very least, it'll make things more interesting, and at the worse--a lot of calculating for me to do!! You will have 100 points to divide up between all of the songs you wish to vote for. For example, if you simply have 4 favorites, you could give the first 40 points, the second 30, the third 20 and the fourth 10 points. But if you absolutely love "Lost In Your Eyes," you can give it 75 points, and your runner-up 25 points. Or if you could just listen to one song for the rest of your life, you could give it all 100 points. There is no minimum or maximum to the number of points you can give each song, so long as you use only 100 points total. You may vote for *any* song that Debbie Gibson has written, recorded, or performed. This includes Japan-only-releases such as "Without You" and "Eyes of the Child," concert-covers "Crocodile Rock" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?", showtunes "On My Own" and "Hopelessly Devoted To You," childhood-ditties "Make Sure You Know Your Classroom" and "I Come From America," and more. No song is too obscure to vote for! You can vote for a remix of a song--those points will be added to the total for the original song. You may include comments in your entry and I will include some in the poll results writeup. Please submit your votes by Friday, May 12th, 1995. E-mail them to me at or send them via postal mail to: Myra Wong P.O. Box 927325 San Diego CA 92192-7325 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= ADVENTURES WITH PC MAGAZINE =- Ross Smith - Newark, Delaware (smith@cccc.com) Ron Coulter - St. Paul, Minnesota (rcoulter@winternet.com) March 28, 1995 As part of the January 10th "Best of Abort, Retry, Fail" article in PC Magazine, the following appeared: 20 Newsgroups You Can Actually Visit on the Internet alt.adjective.noun.verb.verb.verb alt.alien.visitors alt.american.olympian.choke.choke.choke alt.bad.clams alt.barney.dinosaur.die.die.die alt.bigfoot alt.binaries.pictures.furry alt.binaries.sounds-armpit.noises alt.bitterness alt.bob-packwood.tongue.tongue.tongue alt.butt.harp alt.cows.moo.moo.moo alt.devilbunnies alt.fan.debbie.gibson alt.pantyhose alt.religion.wombat alt.sex.boredom alt.spank.tonya.harding alt.timewasters alt.tv.90210.sucks.sucks.sucks Which prompted Ron to write this letter to PC Magazine: Dear Editors, In reviewing the column "The Best of Abort, Retry, Fail?" on page 155 of the 1/10/95 issue, I see no reason why alt.fan.debbie.gibson should be included among the freak "20 Newsgroups You Can Actually Visit on the Internet." This talented singer, songwriter and actress has sold over 10 million albums worldwide, has written over 1,000 songs, has starred in the Broadway production of LES MISERABLES and the London production of GREASE, and is always willing to donate her efforts to help worthwhile charitable causes. She has a sizeable following in virtually every country in the world and to lump her in with the other topics you choose to make fun of demonstrates a good deal of ignorance and malevolence. A greater appreciation of the talents and efforts of others by those you choose to write for your magazine would be greatly appreciated. Ron Coulter Here is how PC Magazine responded: Ron, Thanks for your letter to PC Magazine. I'm surprised that you would find our inclusion of the Debbie Gibson newsgroup in our list of 20 places to visit on the Internet so disturbing. The mere fact that Debbie has a newsgroup means that there is a hardcore audience who appreciates her talents, and now every PC Magazine reader is being reminded of that. I think we gave Debbie a pretty valuable PR boost. I hope she'd agree. Thanks, Don Willmott Executive Editor PC Magazine This letter prompted two (known) replies, one from Ron and one from me. Ron's first: Dear Mr. Willmott, Do you really think any reasonable person looking at a list of newsgroups the likes of: [selected list from the 20 newsgroups in the original article] wouldn't see the group alt.fan.debbie.gibson included in the list as an attempt to ridicule and belittle? One has only to look at the bizarre, peculiar topics shown to see the intent wasn't to help Deborah Gibson but to damage her image by association. If the intent was merely to show readers 20 interesting places on the Internet that they might find useful, the content of the list would look far different: rec.travel.air, rec.arts.animation, rec.antiques, alt.archery, rec.audio.high-end, alt.comedy.british, rec.music.celtic, rec.music.classical, alt.pub.coffeehouse.amethyst, alt.music.enya, rec.equestrian, rec.food.restaurants, alt.fan.debbie.gibson, rec.heraldry, rec.skydiving, alt.fan.letterman, rec.arts.movies This context presents to the reader a group of places many might actually find interesting and worthwhile of their time to visit. The goal of your publication should always be to advance civilization and the quality of the reading experience, rather than to destroy through ridicule. At the same time, I wrote a note of my own to PC Magazine: I'm extremely dissapointed that you would choose to include the Usenet group alt.fan.debbie.gibson in your satirical "20 Newsgroups You Can Actually Visit on the Internet" in your January 10th issue. By associating the fan following of a fine, respectable upstanding young artist with such groups as "alt.spank.tonya.harding" and "alt.barney.dinosaur.die.die.die" you have demeaned not only the fans but the artist. Deborah Gibson is a talented artist that has had success across a broad range of the music business at an extremely early age. She has proven to be a prolific song writer, inspiring performer, and knowledgeable producer in the "pop music" recording industry. She has worked hard and achieved success on the stage in the Broadway production of Les Miserables and in the London production of Grease. Given more control over her career (now that she is a music industry "veteran" at 24 years old) she plans to release an Adult Contemporary album early next spring which promises to show a broader range of ability than her earlier releases have allowed her to show. She has donated concert proceeds and many hours of service to charitable organizations, and to classify her newsgroup following as "a Newsgroup You Can Actually Visit" shows at best a lack of information, given the theme you were attempting adhere to. You seem to think it odd that people would actually want to talk about someone who has been a perfect role model for young women aspiring to succeed in the music industry. You have questioned why people would want to discuss someone who has managed (through hard work and talent) to succeed at an early age and actually continue to grow and expand her range of talents and successful endeavors. I am not ashamed to be counted among those who eagerly discuss an artist that produced up-beat, inspirational, motivational music that didn't have to rely on skimpily clad women in music videos or sexual innuendo in lyrics to sell an album. In short, you can stand behind your lame, media-hatched idea that "there is no bad publicity" all you want, but the simple truth is that your magazine, through ignorance or spite, belittled one of the few "good people" in the entertainment industry, and those who choose to try and follow her career. A better choice (if you had insisted on having some alt.fan group represented) would have perhaps been alt.fan.amy-fisher. The scandal, weirdness and lack of respect associated with that whole branch of pop-culture would have been better suited for the effect you were trying to create. It also saddens me that instead of choosing 'real' newsgroups, you chose to select from among the poorly propagated alt.* hierarchy. Many sites do not get these groups, or if they do get them they get but a small fraction of the available groups. I guess I don't have to mention the fact that most of the groups you listed (unlike alt.fan.debbie.gibson) have had no traffic in months (or even exist at all on most sites). Oh, sorry, your intent was to be *funny* not accurate or informative. There were plenty of rec.* groups you could have chosen that would represent things that most people would consider off-the-wall, but that appeal to small clique of followers. Alt.fan.debbie.gibson would belong in such a list. But it certainly does not belong among the collection of scandalously ridiculous groups you listed. I hope you choose to exercise better judgement in the future. Ross Smith And this is the reply that I received: Ross, Just a quick note to let you know I received your e-mail letter and found your ringing endorsement of Debbie's talents to be very eloquent. She has a real fan in you. Happy Holidays, Don Willmott Abort, Retry, Fail? Editor PC Magazine Which I thought was the end of things, until this appeared in the April 11th issue of PC Magazine, in the Abort, Retry, Fail column: And Now, Equal Time for Debbie Gibson Several readers were--how shall we say it?--displeased when we included alt.fan.debbie.gibson in our recent list of strange groups you can actually visit on the Internet (January 10, 1995). In deference to Debbie and her talents, we feel it's only fair to print a portion of one angry letter we received. "Deborah Gibson is a talented artist who has had success across a broad range of the music business at an extremely early age. She has proven to be a prolific songwiter, inspiring performer, and knowledgeable producer in the pop music recording industry. She has worked hard and achieved success on the stage in the Broadway production of Les Miserables and in the London production of Grease. "You can stand behind your lame, media-hatched idea that 'there is no bad publicity' all you want, but the simple truth is that your magazine, through ignorance or spite, belittled one of the few 'good people' in the entertainment industry, and those who choose to try and follow her career." Noted. My thoughts: I guess Ron and I managed to get Deborah twice as much 'publicity' in a forum where it was strange that she should get any at all. I suppose I would have liked for them to reprint more of my letter; they left out some of my main points. What intrigues me is the 'several readers' part. I wonder what the exact percentage of PC Magazine readers that are Debbie Gibson fans is? I have to admit that although PC Magazine is one of the several dozen computer industry magazines my company receives in a given month, I hardly ever read it, and would not have known about the original "Best of" article if Ron hadn't pointed it out. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= IN SEARCH OF YOUR OPINIONS =- Mike Falkner - Milwaukee, Wisconsin (mfalkner@csd.uwm.edu) March 25, 1995 I was pleased with the response from the last poll. Here are some of the thoughts and opinions expressed: 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? 20 0 2. Is the presence of D.G.I.F. on the Internet and in the "Between the Lines" group a positive step? 20 0 Tammie Ekkelboom: "a very positive step! I'm still in shock!" Hayden Jones: "I'd be curious to know why someone would think not." (Note: As was I. That's why I asked a lot of questions that might sound obviously lopsided yes answers.) Rob Polinsky: "Definitely! Though not one of the world's most popular artists, D.G.I.F. is among the first in technological advances for fan clubs. I'm impressed!" 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? 17 0 (Several of the respondents had not ordered or received their calendars, so they could not answer the question.) The unanimous feel, as Deborah has stated about the album in the bonus D.G.I.F. issue, is that it's the most "her" yet, and the calendar does seem to give that indication (for those who have it)... 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? 15 2 Hayden Jones: "I think it'll take time for people to accept her this way." Anna S. Man: "If she is introduced to the adult contemporary audience correctly, I believe she can win over the adult audience. The Top 40/Pop crowd are younger and she needs to move away from that else she will be forever known as a 'teen star' or young performer." Glenn Stein: "Initially, no; but long-term, yes" 5. Would you think some direct communication link to Deborah from time to time would be feasible? 14 6 Most of the no votes actually came from that Deborah would either be, realistically, swamped, or that she is just too busy with her careers to do such an endeavor. Rob Polinsky adds: "...although asking Karen how much Deb knows about the information superhighway would be a very interesting question." 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...) Myra Wong gives a professional answer, and sums up most of the other feelings on the subject: "Already, BtL and the supplemental mailing lists are an excellent way for D.G.I.F. to stay in touch with the fans in terms of what we want for the fan club and in Deborah's music and image, and our reactions to her work, performance and career moves. BtL can continue to serve as the lines of communication for D.G.I.F. online--instantly having over 500 fans at your disposal is pretty useful. D.G.I.F. no doubt will increase the number of fans getting online and the accurate, up-to-the-minute news printed in BtL. Hopefully D.G.I.F. and BtL will complement each other with BtL handling the extensive discussion/opinions/reviews portion of printed material, leaving the more personal information, official news, and pictures to D.G.I.F." 7. What kinds of things would you like to see Deborah do with her careers? (Note: Plural) Steve Brown: "Music. Thats all. No more, no less. Provided she's producing good music then I'm happy - don't let herself get caught up anymore with what's good for publicity, just keep pumping that positive attitude message - she IS being heard, maybe by the people who already know it, but if just one person listens to Deb and is uplifted then she has achieved something." Kazuto Okayasu: "Her work in the theater seems to be going pretty well (I haven't been able to see her preformances, however) and is probably a good idea to continue that. Although I doubt Deborah would ever have the sort of following that the HUGE stars do (nor does she really want to(??)) I think her existing fans are very dedicated (us) and her "new direction" has potential for a lot of growth, so her singing should continue as well (in a direction that would probably be dictated by the success (or lack of) of the new album." 8. Besides the closest city to yours/your hometown, where would you like most to see Deborah perform (if money were no object)? Levien de Braal: "A few places: The next inauguration of a U.S. president. Opening act for the Grammy Awards. Perhaps at the Oscar Awards too?" Steve Brown: "Romania, in aid of the orphanages left behind by Causesceu" Hayden Jones: "I would like to see her perform somewhere around a major tennis event so I could see my favourite sport and her in the same day." 9. If you could give Deborah one gift, ANY gift, what would it be and why? Robert Evans: "Honestly? If I could give Deborah anything, something that money can't buy. I would give her a lifetime of health with no disease, medical problems, and just see her live a full life...well I think this would be one of the greatest gifts anyone could give. Let's face it, without your health, how important are material goods?" Someone else said: "A pair of K2 Rollerblades, because they're the most comfortable fit blades on the market right now and it's an excellent sport." Sara Gauchat: "What do you give a girl who has everything? But if I had it in my power, the greatest gift I could ever give her would be a lifetime of happiness and success doing what she loves. That and my everlasting fierce support of everything she does!" Andy Hock with a very interesting one: "I'd invite her to attend one of the 'Healing the Inner Child' workshops that we present when she tours in the Ohio area. Even if she has had a happy childhood, there are often issues which, when dealt with, help a person to understand themself better." Lee Yu Jin: "My photograph with her. At least she'll know she has a die hard fan." 10. Conversely, if she could give you one gift, ANY gift, what would it be and why? Robert Evans: "How about a job cleaning her pool or recording studio for the rest of my life? Seriously, I would love to have one of those evenings together say dinner? Ya know, like I have seen stars do before? Win a dinner date with your favorite entertainer for the evening." (Note: This was also done for the last album as well. Although BtL'ers must've flooded the place with postcards, no one on the list won.) Sara Gauchat: "- In the long run, the greatest gift she could ever give me would be that she continues working and doing what I love to see her do! On a slightly more selfish note, I'd love to see my name mentioned in the thank-you's of an album (I know - dream on)!" 11. Finally, a two part question: a> Has Deborah recorded the song that means the most to you? 13 6 b> If so: What song was it? Showing the great love of Deborah that shows through her music, fans came up with quite a list of songs. Only In My Dreams Come Home This So-Called Miracle Foolish Beat (3) One Step Ahead Free Me Lost In Your Eyes Stand Your Ground Goodbye (2) Electric Youth (2) One Hand, One Heart (2) We Could Be Together (2) Try Jourdyn Torgerson could not make up her mind, so she basically chose them all: "Every song she has ever wrote that is positive. She is definitely a great influence in my life and always will be." If not: What song could she record that would mean the most to you? Andy Hock came up with one: "The song is called 'I Cause You to Remember.' It was written and recorded by two guys named 'Carlos and Johnny.' I don't know where they are from (I think one of them is dead now). I got the tape from my ex-minister, who got it from Edwene Gaines and Bert Carson in Mentone, Alabama. I believe the singers are Christian, but the song is not real 'Jesus-y'. It's a very spiritual song about remembering that we come from God." With that, let's move on to this month's poll. Remember, you can either e-mail your responses to me at or snail-mail your responses to: Mike Falkner 2636A N Newhall St Basement Apt Milwaukee, WI 53211 Deadline for responses for the next poll is Friday, April 21st, 1995: First, to expand on Myra's song poll [which should go to her, not me...] 1> What are your three least favorite Debbie Gibson songs? 2> What is your favorite song from each album? Out of the Blue: Electric Youth: Anything Is Possible: Body Mind Soul: 3> And what is your least favorite song from each album? Out of the Blue: Electric Youth: Anything Is Possible: Body Mind Soul: 4> Inspired by the D.G.I.F. bonus issue survey: If you had the money, and the item was offered, what one piece of Deborah's memorabilia and the like would you want, and how much would you be willing to pay into the charity fund for it? 5> I can tell you that one member of the AIP list does work as an intern for EMI Records. If you had the opportunity to do this, what would you tell EMI/SBK Records about Deborah, and what would you tell them to do with this album? 6> A question often asked of Deborah in interviews is: "If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?" Let's turn that question around: As a FAN, what would YOU have done differently if you had to do it all over again from 1987? 7> Finally, with the album release just a couple of months away, what kind of performance [using whatever criteria you choose] would you think that _Think With Your Heart_ must have to be a success with you? And, with the album release a couple of polls away, probably, I can always use suggestions for questions for future polls. Remember: You can e-mail or snail-mail answers to me at the addresses above for this month's questions, and the deadline for submission is April 21st. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= THE INSIDE WORD FROM A FAN AT EMI =- Eric Wong - New York (eqw6875@is.NYU.EDU) March 20, 1995 I've been watching this forum for awhile trying to think of something worthy to share with all of Deborah's devoted fans. After listening to an advance copy of Deborah's new album, _Think With Your Heart_, I am positive that this will be the album that will win the hearts of fans new and old. Not only does this new album show the growth of Deborah as a songwriter, producer, musician, and artist, but also the maturity of Deborah in capturing an adult contemporary audience. Although I would love to tell everyone everything about the new album, we at EMI/SBK cannot reveal too much, yet, since the new single will not be released until May and the album will not be released until June. But it ill be worth the wait. I promise you all that. Now I know there have been lots of speculation over the first single. I've read that many heard that the first single will be the title track. But, to my knowledge, that is not official. Personally, there's a song on the album entitled "Didn't Have The Heart" which I feel have the best potential although every song on the new album are worthy to be released as singles. One thing I can tell all of you devoted Deborah fans is that this new album has 12 beautiful track - 9 intense ballads which includes a remake (HINT HINT: if you watched the Live Around The World compilation, you can figure out which song she beautifully remade with a complete orchestra doing justice to the extremely respected artist/songwriter of the original version.) Also there are two midtempo songs, one with the feel good vibe of "Should've Been The One" and the other has Deborah jammin' in a cabaret. In addition there is a brief instrumental "rehearsal" interlude. You will all definitely fall in LOVE with this new album. Because all of you are so faithful to Deborah, I'd thought you would all love a snippet of my favorite lines from each new song. -"You could leave me stranded, or hold me with your eyes" -"I didn't have the strength not to fall apart" -"Tonight the light of love is in your eyes" -"Music makes lovers of all of us out on the floor" -"Even if you want me, you're not gonna get me" -"It's not like anyone is to blame" -"Touch me and feel your world become whole" -"Don't want 'em finely tuned, 'cause quirky men are cool" -"You don't have to want this to work" -"Perfect love exists. I've seen it for myself" -"Love is not a secret to take to the grave" Are you all excited as I am? I will post the official release dates as soon as I get them. One more thing: When the new single is released we, as fans, must do everything humanly possible to spread the word of Deborah's new release. I will try to get a list of all the radio stations that will have the single so that we can all call and request airplay. 'Cause we "Can't Do It Alone" (HINT HINT - quotation marks), we must all support Deborah to the fullest. Eric Wong EMI Records Group D.G.I.F. #2506 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- D.G.I.F. members were sent a flyer from St. Mary's Children and Families Foundation about their 13th Annual Dinner Dance on Friday, April 7th, 1995 at the Cresthollow Country Club in Woodbury, New York. Debbie Gibson will be making a special guest appearance, performing 2-3 songs, to benefit "her special charity." Limited tickets are available for a donation of $250. For reservations, please call (516)921-0808 Ext. 113. Deborah is scheduled to perform in Nashville, Tennessee during "Tin Pan South '95" at The Ace Of Clubs on April 19th at 7:00 P.M. She will be doing a half hour performance on the piano. "Tin Pan South" is a weeklong festival honoring songwriters. The April 19th performance will feature various songwriters and is called "Piano Night". General admission tickets are already on sale and cost under $20. For more information, call (615)251-3472 or Nashville Ticketmaster at (800)333-4849. (The Ace Of Clubs is a 21 years and older club.) There are a few BtL members already planning on attending this event. GMI has sent out an extensive survey to past and present D.G.I.F. members to find out about Debbie's past audience and where they are now. This survey is available online from . According to the March 24, 1995 issue of Entertainment Weekly and BILLBOARD, Debbie Gibson has recorded background vocals for the punk group The Circle Jerks on one song called "I Want To Destroy You" on their upcoming album _Oddities, Abnormalities, and Curiosities_ on Mercury Records. According to D.G.I.F., "Deb's mix engineer produced the record and asked her to sing backup on one track. The album hits the stores in early June on vinyl and late June on CD and cassette. It was just something fun for her to do." Don't forget! This year we are holding a contest for best article, as was first done in 1990 (Volume 2). During the summer, the current BtL moderators will select the best article(s) so far in Volume 7 (before the release of the fifth album). The same will be done at the end of the year. The winning authors will win a prize. Submit your articles now! According to D.G.I.F., _Think With Your Heart_ will be in stores on July 4th, with the first single being on sale on May 23rd. (Dates given previously were shipping dates--June 22nd and May 11th, respectively.) The single is being released to radio on May 22nd. "...everything is proceeding exactly according to schedule." Today, March 31st, 1995, marks BtL's 6th anniversary. In six years, we have grown from a group of 15 fans to 550 members. BtL 7.3 is our 73rd issue. Thanks go to all our longtime members, and welcome to those who have joined us recently!