=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S [tm] Volume 7, Issue 6 - May 30, 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 JASON KIM - Jason Kim INTRO BY MIGUEL MARTINEZ DE LA TORRE - Miguel Martinez de la Torre INTRO BY DAWN HINDS - Dawn Hinds D.G.I.F. PHONE HOTLINE - Myra Wong A LETTER FROM DEBBIE - D.G.I.F. A TALE OF TWO CITIES - Jeff Tharp BILLBOARD ARTICLE - Ronald Coulter DEBORAH IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - Robert Evans DEBWATCH 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 EMI April Music, Inc./Possibilities Publishing, 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 JASON KIM =- Jason Kim - Los Angeles, California (HiroUCLA@aol.com) May 8, 1995 It was the summer of '89. I was on vacation in Japan. My friend and I were at a roller-skating rink, which was equipped with surround sound and lots of television screens. The vision on the screens was Deborah. It was the "Electric Youth" video. The tempo gave me this urge to suddenly skate at a speedy pace. It was pretty cool. The very next day, I roamed the streets of Tokyo, in search of a record store. Once there, I bought my first Debbie Gibson cassette, which is now worn out due to excessive listening. My favorite Debbie moment is when she was on "Hollywood Squares." She was singing "Shake Your Love," with Jim J. Bullock dancing in the upper left square. She asked the host to repeat a question that dealt with three comic books. You had to see it. I guess it's strange that I listen to both Debbie and alternative music, since they really don't sound alike in style. My favorite musicians are the cranberries, Liz Phair, toad the wet sprocket, and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few. I guess I like Debbie's music because she's so creative. Her lyrics are far greater than most musicians out there. Can't wait for the next album. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY MIGUEL MARTINEZ DE LA TORRE =- Miguel Martinez de la Torre - Albacete, Spain (mmt@mat.upm.es) May 17, 1995 Hello there! Greetings from the other side of the ocean. I am a Spanish Debbie Gibson fan (I guess there are not that many Spaniards in BtL, are they?). I am now living in Madrid, the capital of the country, but I am here only for university (I'm finishing telecommunication engineering this year). I come from a little town in Southeastern Spain called Albacete. I am a fan of Debbie's since 1988. I had just gotten satellite TV at home by then and one day I heard _Out Of The Blue_ in a UK music program. I thought it was a very good song, but I forgot about Debbie and _Out Of The Blue_ for some time (you know how things are sometimes: out of sight, out of mind). A couple of months later I happened to find the OOTB album while browsing through the records in a department store. I don't usually buy a record if I have not listened to two or three of the songs on it before and I like them, but I gave it try. Boy, was it a stroke of luck! It surely was the best record I had ever bought, and maybe it still is. I got _Electric Youth_ when it was released, but then I lost track of Deb. I'm afraid that, unfortunately, her music is not very well known here in Spain. Some time later, just by chance, a schoolmate passed me an article from a magazine that announced Debbie's third release, _Anything Is Possible_. The article said that they didn't know why (I'm quoting) "Debbie Gibson, hailed worldwide as a talented singer and songwriter," didn't get the success she deserved here in Spain. I couldn't agree more with them, so I went out and bought AIP, although I had to get it from Germany! I didn't hear a word about her for some time again until I decided that she couldn't possibly have gone all that time without releasing anything. I had to raid the whole Madrid city searching for something new, and that's how I found _Body Mind Soul_ two Christmas ago. This year I got access to the Net, and I thought that if it was the information superhighway and all, I jolly well could try and find some information about Deb. After a lot of investigation I found a WWW reference to a Debbie Gibson page. FANTASTIC! But, alas! It was a wrong one, there was no Debbie Gibson page there. As it seemed it was in somebody's account, I had the cheek to email him and ask him the right reference. He answered back (a big 'thanks' to you, Jonathan Bradshaw!) and so I learned about BtL, alt.fan.debbie.gibson and all the other things, and here I am, now perfectly informed about Debbie's things thanks to you people in BtL. It is difficult to say why you like things (try to explain why you like vanilla ice cream best instead of strawberry to anyone if you don't believe me), so I find it hard to explain why I like Deb's music. If I am to say anything, I'll say I liked her music because it's fresh. What happens in her songs are simple things, things that could happen to you and me--and I bet quite a lot of them have really happened to some of us. Things work well in her world. Now it seems that there is some controversy going on over there about people accusing Deb (if accusing is the word that I want) of writing just 'teen' music. The Beach Boys have spent all their lives singing about surf, cars, girls and beaches, and they are well over 50 now, but I think no one accuses them of writing just 'teen' music because of it. So why can't you write songs like this and get away with it? When you are 'teen' you have all kinds of hopes, dreams and illusions. You don't let your dreams die, you always look on the happy side. So what's the bad thing of being 'teen' at heart? I am 23 now, and if it was for me, I would remain 17 or so for all my life. You bet I try to. Although now Debbie's music has become, say, more serious, more mature than it used to be, I think she still looks at everything that way. And it is nice to listen to songs written and sung by someone who still has that enviable point of view. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY DAWN HINDS =- Dawn Hinds - San Francisco, California (Dawnie82@aol.com) May 24, 1995 In light of previous introductions and submissions I felt the need to write mine. I have been a Debbie Gibson fan since I first heard "Only In My Dreams" at outdoor education in sixth grade. I became an instant fan. Since then I have support her every move. I feel that I have no place to criticize what she has done. Just because I didn't care for a song or a video, I am sure that Deborah had a reason for doing it and I am therefore proud of her for doing it. Everyone learns from there mistakes, you do, I do, and so does Deborah, don't punish anyone for them. I have found all of Deborah's musical works enlightening and enjoyable. In each and every song I found a way to relate it to my life. By doing this I have grown as a person. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= D.G.I.F. PHONE HOTLINE =- Myra Wong - San Diego, California (mkwong@ucsd.edu) May 30, 1995 D.G.I.F has set up a telephone hotline for all fans to obtain the latest information about Debbie Gibson. The phone number is (212) 803-5425. The hotline was started on May 8th. In general, the hotline is "announce only, no incoming messages taken." D.G.I.F. has a new, more direct mailing address: D.G.I.F. 300 Main St #201 Huntington, NY 11743 All deluxe renewals have been processed. The new button will be sent with the newsletter, and the new color photo will be sent with the 16 page color issue in July. The bonus gift, for those who renewed by the deadline, will be shipped with the newsletter. Message number two was recorded on Friday, May 12th. "For Better Or Worse" and "Didn't Have The Heart" could be faintly heard in the background of this message. According to that message, Debbie closed the Michael Awards show with "For Better Or Worse" on Thursday, May 13th. The awards ceremony was to honor "people who have achieved not only success in their field but have contributed towards children's charities." Debbie also sang the National Anthem at the Knicks' playoff game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, May 9th. May 17th's message (number three) was just a brief update about the upcoming New York City show--and they opened the phone lines to take names for a drawing for tickets for that show. Message number four from May 24th included the names of the 10 people who received tickets for the New York City show. The winner of the deluxe membership contest is Ricky Morgan. Debbie's stage dive at The Circle Jerks' show at CBGB's was discussed at length. The fifth message on May 29th was just a brief announcement that Debbie would be shown on "Inside Edition" that night. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= A LETTER FROM DEBBIE =- D.G.I.F. - Huntington, New York (DGIF@aol.com) May 12, 1995 Debbie asked that I post this letter to everyone, so here it is. (Unedited, for those of you who know who you are.) This is just a note to say "hi" to everyone and to say "thanks" to those of you who came to the latest St. Mary's dinner/dance on Long Island and Tin Pan South in Nashville. I can't tell you how touched I am time and again by your show of support and thoughtfullness. It was so much fun to get back to performing, especially these new songs that I've been waiting to sing live for what seems like ages! On another note, (sister) Denise recently had a piece in her school's big fashion show at the Beverly Hilton and we were all so proud of her! Also, I got a new puppy, climbed a tree (it was a big deal to me!) and in general I've been hard at work on my music (old and new) and hard at play (fitness, dancing, etc!). I hope to see you guys soon. There will be many opportunities to meet up soon...We'll keep you posted. P.S. You guys think of the wackiest, most practical gifts... like that N.Y. Times Crossword Puzzle Companion. It's accompanied me on 4 flights already! - Deb =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= A TALE OF TWO CITIES =- Jeff Tharp - Indianapolis, Indiana May 9, 1995 On March 9th I heard the news that Deborah Gibson was to perform in Nashville, Tennessee for the Tin Pan South Celebration. I soon called my pen pal Cherie Kirby from Wixom, Michigan. I told her the exciting news about Deborah performing. We took turns calling Ticketmaster to see when tickets went on sale; March 20th was the day. I got our tickets shortly after 10 A.M. only to find out that it was general admission. Later, my North Carolina pen pal Louis Adams joined in on our adventure to Nashville. Soon, it was only two weeks away from April 19th. On Thursday, March 30th, a message was handed to me from God. When I picked up my mail after a long day at work, I had found my tax return money! I couldn't wait to cash it. I realized a letter from St. Mary's Children and Family Foundation was resting under my tax return check. I opened the letter and saw three cute smiling children telling me that Deborah Gibson was going to be a special guest at the 13th Annual Dinner and Dance. I found it hard to believe that I was going to meet Deborah two times in one month! The catch was that I had only one day to decide to go to New York and to get a good priced ticket for the airplane flight. Not to stress any further, I realized my tax refund would cover all the trip expenses and the donation to St. Mary's. I felt that God was really looking down on me. I felt there was a reason why I was getting two chances to see Deborah. I had called all my pen pals and no one could make it to New York with me. I knew that in the past, every time, seeing Deborah only once was not enough. So I decided to go. My flight left Indianapolis at 1 P.M. By the way, I was lucky to fly first class by receiving a free upgrade from the travel agency. I soon landed in New York at 3 P.M. Indiana time which was 4 P.M. New York time. Oh no! A big living nightmare was about to take place: rush hour! I was lost in the middle of the airport. I couldn't understand a word the people at the airport said to me. I had to find the car rental place. Instead of stressing out, I got on my knees and prayed in the middle of the airport. This was a special event and request. I was given from God and I needed his guide to get me to Huntington safely and on time. After my prayer I had spotted the car rental sign and waited for a bus to take me to the place. I was given a Ford Escort! Excellent! I knew how to drive these! It was even brand new! After driving an hour and a half for only 45 miles in bumper to bumper traffic, I began to see familiar sights of Huntington and Long Island. I had only seen it all less than 10 months ago the last time I went to a Deborah Gibson concert for St. Mary's. I couldn't believe how lucky I was that my hotel was a half mile down the street from the country club where the event was to take place. I soon arrived; right on time for the dinner dance. Every lady from St. Mary's came up to me and said, "You must be from the fan club of Deborah Gibson!" Each time I went through this they guided me to where I was supposed to be. I was guided to the Cocktail room for h'ourdevres to fill me up because dinner was going to be served at 9:30 P.M. Ouch! I was introduced to another fan, Stephen Winston from Columbus, Ohio. All that we had in common was Deborah Gibson. A couple from outside the fan club sat with us. It was less than five minutes before they left because all we could talk about was Debbie Gibson. Finally at 8 P.M., we were told to go to the main room! We found there was a table for Debbie's fan club members (table #1!) which was next to the stage! Oh! This gets even better! After finding the miracle table we were soon seated in two rows of chairs that sat only eight feet in front of Debbie's trademark, the piano! Wait, this even gets better! After a long speech about St. Mary's Anthony who will be graduating in May and even introduced at last year's event, "Gibson and friends under the stars," along came a speech about his best friend. Soon the doors opened, and there appeared Anthony and his best friend Deborah Gibson! Deborah sat down at the piano and she looked up straight at me. I actually was lucky to sit right in front of her! Then Deborah began to sing "For Better Or Worse." I eventually had tears in my eyes because of how beautiful the song was. How wonderful the place was and that Deborah was singing right in front of me. During each song, Deborah made a lot of eye contact, mainly to her fans who sat right in front of her. She would even recognize each familiar face. You would know if she remembered you because of the way she would smile at you and the twinkle in her eyes. She also sang "Too Fancy," an upbeat tempo song which was the only time a band played with her, including her best friend Anthony who played the saxophone and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"! She even talked to the audience in between songs. She tried to correct herself by saying that she didn't mean for this to sound like a promo concert for her new album she laughed by saying, "Well, all these songs are new ones from my upcoming album which will be out in July." Soon Deborah left the room. Now a miracle was about to happen for Deborah's fans who showed up. Since only 12 of her fans showed up, we were escorted into a small room to find out we would be having a private conversation with Deborah for a half hour! Deborah took her time with each fan who showed up. She made sure everyone got a picture taken with her and an autograph on her new promo picture. Well, I was pleasantly surprised when it was my turn. She remembered my name and I actually got to talk to her for awhile! Now this was the best part. When it was time for the picture, I had forgotten to tell the person how to take our picture with my camera. After Deborah and I put our arms around each other, I left Deborah to tell the person how to operate my camera. Deborah began to laugh and said, "Look! The main subject of the picture is leaving. Quick! Get a picture before he could leave." Well, no problem, I still got the picture taken with Deborah! We talked again and she told me she will see me in Nashville. Now it's time to get the pictures developed. I had forgotten to state at the beginning of this story that everyone at work knew about me being a fan of Miss Gibson's. I proudly had our picture of Deborah and I from last year's St. Mary's concert framed up in my room at work. After being there a year, everyone found out the cute girl who was in my arms in the picture was Deborah. The day I left for New York my boss had seen me leave work at 10 A.M. I quickly ran to my car so he wouldn't ask any questions. Well, that didn't work. He asked and all I replied was that I was leaving for a fun weekend in New York. Well, everyone at work saw me printing an 8"x10" of Deborah and I before I left work. They told my boss when he asked why Jeff was in a hurry to leave. Before I could drive out of the parking lot, my boss came running out and shouted, "Are you going to see Debbie Gibson?" All I could do was smile with a red face. "Jeff, you're not pulling my leg are you?" replied my boss. Well, that Monday morning after the miracle weekend, I had my film developed at work minding my own business. I was soon the main attraction because of a pervert who developed my film. Todd was really jealous and told everyone at work and showed everyone our picture (Deb and I). It was April 19 and more fun began! Cherie Kirby called the day she arrived in Nashville with her friend Shawn. She called to tell me about the long drive I was going to take to see Debbie in the Tin Pan South celebration. Well my boss got a call for me and no one except my parents would call. My boss said a girl was on the phone. Next thing you know, everyone at work thinks it's Debbie Gibson on the phone because I told one co-worker who was going to take fill-in for me while I was in Nashville. Of course this co-worker told everyone so they all think I'm good friends with Debbie Gibson. Not to spoil their fun, I didn't say a word and left. Louis Adams and I arrived in Nashville to meet Cherie Kirby and Shawn Durrant. We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe before the concert. Before the concert, we were lucky to meet up with Deborah Gibson and her mom. We were also joined by Misty Cochran and her mom. We spent a lot of time talking with Deborah and her mom and got all our stuff autographed. We were requested to meet with Deborah again after the show privately before she had the meet and greet with the rest of her fans. I really don't want to go into any details because you'll have already read everyone else's report of the show. Deborah, I really want to thank you for a wonderful time we had! Thanks for taking the time to meet my friends, Cherie, Louis and Shawn. Thank you for everything you have done for us. It was really nice to visit you and your mom. I will be looking forward to seeing you later this year. You've made my life happier now! It's actually fun to have my co-workers at work tease me. I hope I will get the chance to introduce you to my mom someday. She has only seen you on television and she is very proud of me getting to meet you! I wish you the very best with the new album and with SBK Records. Thank you God for the special memories and special friendship I have with Deborah! And most of all I'm very thankful for meeting Cherie Kirby. If it wasn't for me being a fan of Deborah's or if Deborah never decided to sing for her career, Cherie and I would've never met. How can I not forget you, Louis! Finally we got to meet. I'm glad to hear you had a wonderful time. But don't forget who got you the chance to hangout with Deborah. Oh, let's not forget the wild and crazy times in Nashville and the Ace Of Clubs. Shawn, don't forget how lucky of a fan you are. You've been a fan for three months and got to see and meet Deborah. It took me 7 long years. Both of these trips will never be forgotten. Thank you Deborah and Diane, thanks so much! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= BILLBOARD ARTICLE =- Ronald Coulter - St. Paul, Minnesota (GBSB67A@prodigy.com) May 25, 1995 Here's the text of the article from the May 27, 1995 issue of BILLBOARD, pages 12-13: DEBBIE GIBSON PUTS 'HEART' INTO DEBUT ALBUM ON SBK by Larry Flick NEW YORK-As she contemplates the July 4 release of her SBK/EMI Records debut, "Think With Your Heart," Debbie Gibson cannot help but momentarily marvel at her survival of an adolescence spent as a top 40 teen icon. "At the time, I thought it was a piece of cake," she says. "Very often, I was playing three clubs a night, sleeping two hours a night, and dashing off to high school. It all seemed very normal to me at the time-especially because I've always believed that success comes from hard work. But I don't think I could ever go back to that kind of lifestyle and not completely lose my mind." In leaving behind the frantic pace of her tenure at Atlantic Records, during which she enjoyed a string of hits that includes "Only In My Dreams," "Shake Your Love" from the triple-platinum album "Out Of The Blue" and double-platinum "Electric Youth," Gibson has also stepped away from the peppy, radio conscious sound that dominated her previous albums. Produced by Gibson and largely recorded live with a 44-piece orchestra, "Think With Your Heart" is made up of stately, piano-driven ballads shaded with subtle classical string flourishes and the occasional swing/jazz reference. It is a collection that vividly displays the singer/songwriter's creative maturity. "I've been wanting to make a record like this for a long time," Gibson says. "But it was hard to get the wheels turning, because everyone wanted me to stay in that pop radio vein. The truth is that I'm not really into a lot of what's on pop radio right now." Sizing up the potential audience for "Think With Your Heart," Gibson and her label ventured into cyberspace, specifically America Online for research. "What we found is that there is a whole network of people who are college age and older, who are fairly well educated and are looking for an alternative to what's on pop radio," she says. "They are into books, movies, and go to cappuccino bars instead of alcohol bars-they are actually a lot like me." Jane Berk, VP of marketing at EMI, agrees. "She still has an incredibly active fan club who were just disappointed by the last album. They wanted an honest reflection of who Debbie is, and I believe she has created a beautiful album that accomplishes exactly that." However, the album may be a tough sell to her fans if they feel she's made too much of a change, says Roy Burkhert, buyer for the Troy, Mich.-based Harmony House chain. "I'm looking forward to hearing the record because it's probably more up my demographic," he says. "But if she's going for the AC audience, it might be out of the reach of the "Only In My Dreams" fans who have grown up with her. What's left of the Debbie Gibson fan base may be disappointed. If she has a radio-driven hit, it should do well, but I don't think we'll sell a lot of pieces on name value alone." "Think With Your Heart" will be launched in mid-June, when the single "For Better Or Worse" goes to AC radio. Shortly thereafter, Gibson will embark on a promotional radio and retail tour of key U.S. markets. Dates are still to be confirmed. Berk says a concert tour is being eyed for late summer/early fall. Although Gibson says she is excited at the prospect of finally unveiling a batch of songs that she has been writing over the past three years, she is no longer preoccupied with being in the thick of music industry trends and politics. "The ideal situation would be to bypass all of the drama and mayhem and just get the music right to the people," she says. "I'm confident that we'll eventually figure it out." In the meantime, Gibson is actively chipping away at a lengthy list of goals that includes another potential theatrical stint. Gibson has appeared as Eponine on Broadway in "Les Miserables," as well as a yearlong stint as Sandy in the London production of "Grease." "The cool thing is that people have been so responsive to my work on stage that I've actually had to turn things down," she says. "I have so many things I want to do, from flying an airplane to writing a symphony, and doing motivational speaking to groups of teenagers. Making records is now only one part of a great big picture in my life." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBORAH IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE =- Robert Evans - Morristown, Tennessee (VRQL91A@prodigy.com / DGIBSONFAN@aol.com) May 20, 1995 Hello fellow fans, seeing Deborah perform in Nashville, TN for the Tin Pan South Songwriter's event was beyond words. Her vocal range amazes me, especially when you are lucky enough to catch a live show like the "Tin Pan South" event in Nashville. Deborah has really developed a powerful voice since the _Out of the Blue_ days, for watching her sing the new songs at the Ace of Clubs put chills down my spine i.e. such energy! I've had the pleasure of seeing Deborah twice now in the past year and it just makes a fan hungry for more concerts, shows, or any event where Deborah will sing songs for her fans. After understanding what the Tin Pan South event was all about, I now know how much it meant to Deborah to be up on the stage with fellow songwriters i.e. some old and some new talent as well. I think that being recognized as a singer/songwriter means much more to Deborah than just being a singer, but this is nothing new to fans who have kept up with her career. When I think back to all the artists whom I've seen perform in the past, I can't remember any who put so much effort into his or her show. Deborah came out on stage wearing a long black dress with straps over her shoulders. Her hair was long and shiny coming on stage as she sat down to play the piano. Before she started singing, Deborah talked to the crowd bringing everyone up to date on what she's been up to during the last few months. As she spoke of being in London while playing Sandy in the hit musical Grease, she mentioned how living in London was like "living under a rock"; also, saying how great it was to get back into her singing for live crowds plus producing her new album _Think With Your Heart_. She really seemed happy with her life and career. Deborah began her set by singing "For Better Or Worse" which comes from the new album. If any fans have called the new D.G.I.F. hotline and can make out the music in the background of message number two, you will have heard this song and I must say it is top notch adult contemporary music. Next, she sang "Didn't Have The Heart," followed by "Your Love Amazes Me," and then came to "Too Fancy," which I really got a kick out of because songs like this one don't come around very often. This song which Mike Falkner described in BtL 7.5 is going be a favorite of many fans I'm sure. After "Too Fancy," Deborah got into an old favorite "Lost In Your Eyes" -- this song is truly timeless. Finally, she sang not one but two more songs off the new album i.e. "Let's Runaway" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?". I loved all the new material as this show was different from last year's Oheka Castle concert because during the Oheka show Deborah sang a collection of all the old hits plus a few showtunes. The Tin Pan South show was all new material with the exception of "Lost In Your Eyes." After Deborah's set of songs, all of us (the fans) had been told Deborah would meet us at the back of the club for a "meet and greet." I must thank Karen/ D.G.I.F. for all the information that was relayed to the mailing list. I'm really happy to see D.G.I.F. online and actively addressing fans on the Internet. Nice! Things were a bit confusing after Deborah finished, but soon all the fans were lined up outside the Ace Of Clubs waiting to meet Deborah with her mother Diane at the rear stage door. What a treat it was to see Deborah in person again, as I had seen her only once before, that being in Long Island last year at the Oheka Castle concert. Both times I've had the pleasure of meeting Deborah, she's really comfortable in talking with her fans. I think she looks forward to her fans input about her music and career. Anyone who happens to be on this mailing list knows that if you are looking for opinions, this is a great place to start. Many fans brought gifts to Deborah in Nashville i.e. Sean McAllister, Mike Falkner, are just a couple that come to mind. I know this was Sean's first time meeting Deborah in person and I can say from my experience at Oheka that there's nothing better than getting a chance to meet someone whom you admire and respect so much. In chatting with Ron Coulter, he asked me if I could remember the names of Deborah's songs and in what order she played them. When it was his turn to speak with Deb, he asked her about the songs and she seemed really excited about his interest; in fact, she turned to Diane a couple of times, asking what order she played her set of songs. She then filled Ron in on the names of her new songs she sang. As most of you should have read in Deborah's online letter, she really enjoyed Mike's gift of a New York Times traveling crossword puzzle. Because it was Sean's first time meeting Deb, he had brought her a huge teddy bear. I'm sure Deborah will remember that gift for it could have taken up a seat on the plane ride back home. (Nothing better than being with Deborah and fellow fans!) When it was time for me to meet Deborah, I tried to have my act together a little more this time than when I had first met up with her at Oheka. For those of you who have met Deb, you know it can be an overwhelming experience. During this meet & greet, I told Deborah I thought the new songs were wonderful, really nice, as I gave her a letter of appreciation and encouragement towards the new material. I had a couple of pictures with me from last year's meet and greet which I showed her. One was of Deborah and I and the other was of a fellow fan I'd met up with at Oheka, that being Christine Rudakewycz from New Jersey. Christine has been a great penpal since the Oheka concert, for it was Christine who let me know about this mailing list. Deborah seem to enjoy the photos I showed her from our former meeting. She asked me if I meant for her to keep the photos. Of course, I wanted her to have them as well as the letter of appreciation. I then got a picture with Deb and she signed my Tin Pan South program. Thanks Deborah for a great show, and meet and greet! I'm looking forward to the new album with each passing day. Robert Evans D.G.I.F. #11218 From East TN =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBWATCH =- Here's a summary of significant television appearances shown since the last issue of BtL. 05/30/95 : INSIDE EDITION A brief news story about Debbie was shown at the end the day's show. Included were clips of her performing "For Better Or Worse" at home and at her recent New York City show at CBGB. A detailed report of this segment will appear in BtL 7.7. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- In early May, some fans received their "Pot Luck Pix" that were offered in the D.G.I.F. bonus issue. One was from the "Losin' Myself" video shoot, while another was from late 1992. According to Sara Gauchat, a picture of Debbie appeared in the NEW YORK POST on May 9th with the caption, "Debbie Gibson was seen licking a lollypop at the 50th anniversary celebration of Fantasticks." (Fantasticks is a show that runs in Greenwich Village in New York.) On Friday, May 19th, The Circle Jerks performed in New York City at CBGB's. According to D.G.I.F., they called up Debbie and asked her to come sing for the one song ("I Want To Destroy You"). At the show, she was interviewed by MTV News (who has shown brief news clips over the past week), which was when she was asked if she was going to stage dive. After being encouraged by the audience, she took her first stage dive. As a result, a picture and story of the event appeared in the NEW YORK POST the next day (Saturday, May 20th). Debbie also talked to New York's Z-100 about it on Monday evening (May 22nd). Back issues of the NEW YORK POST can be obtained by sending $2.00 (check or money order) to: New York Post, 210 South Street, New York, NY 10002, Attn: Back Issues According to Shaun Stuart, the July issue of Sassy magazine has a short interview with Keith Morris of the Circle Jerks. He mentions Deb at the end and also describes the song she sings on: "It's the track that Debbie Gibson and Suzie Gardner [from the band L7] sing on. It's a pop song, but it's also a political song. It's basically about the people who sit in front of the television and have everything pumped into them, the people who believe everything they read in the newspaper - the robots and zombies. By the way, put Electric Youth out of your head - Debbie Gibson is now a woman!" 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. BtL 7.7 will be released in early June. Keep those articles pouring in!