=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S [tm] Volume 7, Issue 10 - July 10, 1995 DDDDD D D D D GGGG D D G DDDDD G GGG G G GGGG A Debbie Gibson Discussion Forum =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CONTENTS =- ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES TWYH: HELLO OLD FRIEND - Andrew Vernon TWO TAKES ON _THINK WITH YOUR HEART_ - Shannon Muir/Lesley Muir TWYH: A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE - Ray Wilmott WORD-OF-MOUTH ADVERTISEMENTS - Jason Kim PEOPLE CRITIC "THINKS WITH HIS HEAD" - Richard Evans BOSTON HERALD ARTICLE - Douglas Trapasso OPINIONS, JUST BEFORE THE NEW ALBUM - Mike Falkner FIRST STOP -- PEABODY, MA! - Douglas Trapasso I DID IT! - James R. Twine 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@btl.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 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= TWYH: HELLO OLD FRIEND =- Andrew Vernon - Birmingham, Alabama (angus@scott.net) July 4, 1995 I ran into an old friend in the record store today. She seemed different, yet much the same when I last saw her in 1990. Her familiar blond hair looked just a little lighter than it used to and her eyes, though more wary than before, still sparkled and couldn't decide whether to be hazel or brown. We talked for a while and she sang a handful of new songs to me, her voice stronger and more expressive than ever. All too soon, she had to go, but left with an embrace, a song lingering in my mind and the hope she will return someday. When Debbie Gibson's 1993 release, _Body Mind Soul_, hit the streets, Gibson left her listeners wondering what happened to that old friend they knew and loved. Instead of that familiar smile, she stepped out in slinky clothes, eye-popping videos and hip-hop grooves that were, at best, uncomfortable and more often completely alien to them. So, is her new record, _Think With Your Heart_, a reintroduction? Gibson begins this album with a stirring "For Better Or Worse," where she sets the tone for the entire set. No more funky stuff, it's heartfelt outpouring time as we're swept up in one woman's love affair with loving itself. She finally probes her own relationships in her music, still only a few steps from first love and first heartbreak. On our trip through Gibson's joy and pain, she explores the lingering affection for one she left behind ("Didn't Have The Heart") and even gets one up on one who left her in the up-tempo "Dontcha Want Me Now?" Later, she gives us the caress of a strong companion to frustrated lover in "Think With Your Heart." Then she slinks around in big-band style with the clever "Too Fancy." From there, she gets defensive about her man ("You Don't Have To See") then observes the devotion of an old couple ("Two Young Kids") and hopes for the same herself. But what reunion with an old flame would be complete with without something to cling to for the future? "Let's Run Away" delivers the goods. A haunting song where Gibson professes her undying love and promises a paradise to share. This is what lingers with you as the strings and Gibson's heart-wrenching vocal ebb away, leaving you to ponder... and love once more. In her first effort alone as a producer, Gibson decided to infuse _Think With Your Heart_ with the warmth and intimacy her rare live performances radiate. After years of experimenting with heavily electronic and ersatz rock arrangements, she finally slips into comfortable strings and brass, all guided by her polished piano work-- elements that peeked through in _Anything Is Possible_ and all but buried under synthesizer mush in _Body Mind Soul_. Debbie Gibson went from teen phenom to disco chanteuse in her young life. Now she's back as the incurable romantic, and she wants to share all the stories from the trip with us. Welcome back. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= TWO TAKES ON _THINK WITH YOUR HEART_ =- Shannon Muir - Cheney, Washington (ShanEMuir@aol.com) Lesley Muir - Cheney, Washington (LMuir@aol.com) July 9, 1995 Shannon: On July 4th, my sister and I both bought copies of _Think With Your Heart_. We then came home, went to separate corners, and listened to it alone. Lesley: After listening to the album, we sat down and shared our opinions. What came out of that discussion is below... BIGGEST SURPRISE Shan: The songs "Too Fancy" and "Dontcha Want Me Now?" fit in this category. Debbie really has brought the flavor of her Broadway experiences into TWYH, particularly these two songs. They sound like big dance numbers for the stage! This is a departure from anything Deb's done on prior albums... I like it when she takes risks. L: I have to agree with that assertion. To me, "Too Fancy" sounded like it came straight out of a musical; it definitely has a different sound from anything that Deb's ever recorded. "Dontcha Want Me Now?" came as such a surprise to me, because it was such a driving number compared to the rest of the album. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT Shan: Believe it or not, at first the biggest disappointment was "For Better or Worse." It's not a bad song, but I really fell in love with Deb's solo piano rendition as performed on "Biggers & Summers." I found the percussion distracting on the album version. Happily, however, it grew on me with successive listens... so I guess the answer is "Dancin' In My Mind," which seems really dull and poorly arranged, as I will address later. L: For me it was "Dancin' in My Mind" that was the disappointment. I remember when I read the "spoiler" for this song and fell in love with the lyrics. However, I was disappointed with the musical arrangement for the song; I think "Dancin' in My Mind" ended up being the most boring song on the whole album. FAVORITE LYRICS Shan: My favorite lyrics are "For Better or Worse." They're really simple but not simplistic. The words convey love in a way that's easy to understand yet is incredibly deep -- as shown in examples like, "You could walk behind me/Or you could hold my hand" or "You could sing me love songs/Or just make me blue." L: "Let's Run Away" is my favorite, because of Debbie's usage of imagery. I believe this is the most imagery I've ever seen her use in her lyrics, and it works beautifully. I remember falling in love with a certain verse in the song when I'd read the "spoiler": "Imagine a place/Where pride could cease to exist/And we cannot speak of pain/And angels carry us on their wings/We are kissed/As we bathe in the pouring rain." Excellent! LEAST FAVORITE LYRICS Shan: "Dontcha Want Me Now?," to me, has the weakest lyrics. It seems to contain many forced rhymes and phraseology that borders on juvenile. Granted, it fits the character being sung about, but it does weaken the structure of the lyrics. This song feels like Debbie has regressed to the _Anything Is Possible_ days, where unfortunately a handful of the songs lack strength lyrically. L: I have to agree here. Personally, I like "Dontcha Want Me Now?" However, when you compare this song to the rest of the album, the lyrics do seem a bit "juvenile." FAVORITE MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT Shan: "Didn't Have The Heart" earns this honor. A beautiful, powerful, yet not overpowering performance by the orchestra lifts these lyrics and carries them to great heights. No instruments sound out of place. L: I agree with this assertion as well. With the combination of Debbie's voice singing the lyrics, the piano, and the orchestra, this song captures a definite mood. This song always moves me whenever I listen to it. LEAST FAVORITE MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT Shan: This one would be "Dancin' In My Mind." The sax comes off sounding sappy, and mixed with the strings sounds awful. It lacks cohesion musically, though lyrically it's not half bad. L: I agree. I love the lyrics to this song, but, unfortunately, the musical arrangement doesn't do them justice. BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE Shan: "You Don't Have To See" fits here. Deb carries the lines smoothly, with only subtle emphasis where needed. She says a lot with her voice without sounding like she's trying to say a lot... if that makes any sense. L: I thought she was best in "Let's Run Away." I think this is the best recorded performance of Debbie's. I think this song contains the most "mature" vocals I've ever heard Debbie use in a song. WEAKEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE Shan: I thought it was "Think With Your Heart," but only because of ONE LINE! The line "[i]t can be glorious heaven on earth" seems too long for the musical line but Debbie tries to force it in. It's definitely distracting and almost jarring. Otherwise, it's a great song and she's got a great voice! L: "Think With Your Heart" was also my choice for weakest vocal performance. And it's for the exact same reason cited above; there's nothing more I can add. DEB VS. CAROLE: WHO DOES IT BETTER? Shan: Having loved Carole King's version of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" for years, it's hard not to make comparisons. Deb certainly doesn't try to copy Carole, I applaud her for that. However, she doesn't seem to really claim the song for her own and bring herself into it. It's a good performance but not an exciting one. Carole's performance seems to be more impassioned. L: I have to agree with Shan's estimation. I've heard other Carole King covers over the past few years, and the artists who covered the songs managed to make the songs sound "uniquely theirs." Martika managed to do this in 1989 with her cover of "I Feel the Earth Move," and Gloria Estefan has done it with her current single (which is a cover of Carole King's song, "It's Too Late.") LEAST FAVORITE SONG Shan: "Dancin' In My Mind" is my vote, mainly for the reasons I gave under LEAST FAVORITE MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT. As I put it to L, if someone told me I could hear all the cuts on the album but one, this is the one I'd skip. L: For me it's "Dancin' in My Mind." Like I stated earlier, the musical arrangement undermines the lyrics. I tend to skip this song when I'm listening to the CD. FAVORITE SONG Shan: "Didn't Have The Heart" is the best of this whole album, I think! Wonderful vocals by Debbie, strong lyrics (coming in a close second to "For Better or Worse" in that regard), good music. L: My favorite is "Let's Run Away." Debbie's strong vocal performance, the musical arrangement, and the imagery in the lyrics combine to make an incredible song. I love how the musical arrangement gives the song a kind of "ethereal" sound. IS THIS YOUR FAVORITE DEB ALBUM? Shan: It ends up a close second. Though I really like most of it, somehow it doesn't overthrow _Electric Youth_ at the top of my list. Maybe it's just nostalgia playing a part... or maybe I just like the wide variety on EY. Most of TWYH are ballads. L: Like Shan, my favorite Debbie Gibson album is _Electric Youth_; TWYH runs a close second. However, TWYH is definitely the most "mature" album Debbie's ever recorded. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= TWYH: A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE =- Ray Wilmott - Monroe, New Jersey (rwilmott@mars.superlink.net) July 5, 1995 I was all ready to sit down and write up my own little review of _Think With Your Heart_, just like I've done for the past two albums. But I decided there's enough *fan* reviews to go around, and so I decided to take the opposite approach: I played TWYH for my office-mates and some friends and asked for their input. Responses below represent about a dozen "non-fans," and range from three people who owned and liked the OOTB/EY albums to two who "can't stand her." Musical tastes were varied. Classic rock, pop, adult contemporary, alternative, oldies, reggae, jazz, classical and country tastes were all represented (rap, club, punk and metal aren't). Age range was roughly 22-38, and it's a mix of both males and females. The results, I'm afraid, do not seem to bode well for this album. By song, here are a few extracted comments: FBOW - "sweet song," "not bad," "voice sounds a little more mature" DHTH - "stop whining, Debbie" WYLMT - "do we really need to hear more remakes?", "shhh...I like this song" DIMM - "boring," "it just feels...flat" DWMN - "has a good beat," "corny, but the music's okay," "this one's good" CDIA - "monotonous," "pretty lame" TWYH - "the music is pretty," "sounds like a Disney theme song" TF - "it's...different," "breaking into the world of lounge acts?" YDHTS - "didn't we hear this already?", "did the same person write all these songs?"(*) TYK - "doesn't go anywhere," "I'm falling asleep" LRA - "voice sounds really pretty right here" (near the beginning) Three common observations/criticisms that came out were: 1. Debbie was an 80's phenomena, and her career highlight has come and gone. BUT -- 80's comebacks are "in" now, and "if Duran Duran and Bon Jovi can have hits again, then Debbie certainly should be able to as well." 2. A "Deb trademark" that everyone agreed on is that she likes to do high- pitched "oh-oh"s and "ooooooo-woooo"s, and generally puts more emphasis on some high notes than she should. They wish she'd just "calm down." ("She sounds so much better when she sings soft and sweet and in a lower register, rather than trying to stress it too much.") 3. (*) Several of the songs sound very similar. I informed them Debbie wrote all the songs except WYLMT. The feeling was that she should have others write some songs for more variety "like on _Out of the Blue_." I told them she wrote all those songs as well. The response was, "then why can't she do it again instead of writing a half dozen songs that sound exactly the same?" (By the way, the one common compliment/positive remark?: That she looks great on the album cover.) As a nine year fan of Deborah's, I was more than a bit disheartened to hear some of the above comments (and worse). I personally find this album to be a vast improvement over _Body Mind Soul_, which disappointed me. Still, it hasn't grabbed me the way I had expected it to when I heard it was going to be an adult contemporary album. I love "For Better Or Worse" and think it's one of Deb's best. "Dontcha Want Me Now?" and "Think With Your Heart" are also songs that I'm currently replaying over and over. I feel I must agree with the criticism, however, that this album doesn't have enough variety and that a few of the songs do sound very similar. Adding two or three additional up-tempo songs would have rounded things out nicely. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= WORD-OF-MOUTH ADVERTISEMENTS =- Jason Kim - Los Angeles, California (HiroUCLA@aol.com) July 5, 1995 I guess by now, most of us have a copy of the _Think With Your Heart_ album. I gotta say that it's one of the most beautifully performed albums I have ever heard in my life. Great job, Deborah!! Many of you might know the "Food Dehydrator" infommercial where our beloved Ron tells us to tell just one friend about the product so that his company can get some "word-of-mouth" advertising. In a similar fashion, we should all try to contribute by spreading the word about Deborah's new album. After all, we all want her album to sell really well, don't we? I have been telling all my friends of the alternative music community about Debbie's new album. I made them promise to me that they would listen to her tunes on radio. Every now and then, people of the alternative community listen to nice piano ballads. I guess that's why Tori Amos is so popular. Perhaps Debbie's new album would branch out to many listeners, other than the adult contemporary folks. We must also bring some friends along to her concerts. I'm really looking forward to seeing Deborah in Los Angeles. Let's see... who shall I take with me?? I also called many radio stations in the Los Angeles area to get them to play Deborah's new music. I just found out that it's better to call a radio station's production office than to call the request lines. I guess that's all for now. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= PEOPLE CRITIC "THINKS WITH HIS HEAD" =- Richard Evans - Gainesville, Georgia (neppie@mindspring.com) July 7, 1995 _Think With Your Heart_ was reviewed in the July 10th issue of People Weekly magazine. The article was unduly harsh. Here is the transcript, followed by my own comments. THINK WITH YOUR HEART Debbie Gibson Gibson's pleasant misfortune in the late 80's was to prosper as a musically talented teenager. Praise -- and there was much of it -- for her 1987 debut album, _Out of the Blue_, came with the risk faced by every teen success: that critics would turn against her as a grown-up. When her career indeed stalled in subsequent years with less successful albums, she wisely headed for the musical stage, playing Eponine on Broadway in "Les Miserables" (1991) and starring as Sandy in the London production of "Grease!" (1993). Less wisely, Gibson, now 24, returned to the studio to record her fourth album. A voice this unremarkable needs inspired production and strong songs, but gets neither here. (Gibson composed 11 of the album's dozen tunes.) The exception is that proven winner, Carole King and Gerry Goffin's plaintive "Will You Love Me Tomorrow." Otherwise, we have producer Gibson laying on strings ("For Better or Worse") to suggest big emotions, songwriter Gibson showing no spark, and singer Gibson adopting that peculiar singer-songwriter accent, in which "for" becomes "fo" and "Happy" becomes "happ-eh." When she tries her hand at rock and roll ("Don't You Want Me Now"), it's of the deadened, show-tune variety. Gibson should have heeded the advice of another song on this album: "Can't Do It Alone." (SBK) MARK LASSWELL Lasswell's final sentence suggests that he isn't aware that _Anything Is Possible_ and _Body Mind Soul_ were partly collaborations. More upsetting is that his review had what amounted to praise for the one song on the CD that wasn't written by Deborah. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" is a timeless classic, yet Deb's own music and lyrics stand up well against it. Initial reaction on the mailing list indicates that several other tracks are more popular than WYLMT. "Two Young Kids" is as emotional as music and lyrics come. It reminds me of the early Taupin/Elton John compositions (particularly "Sixty Years On" and "The Greatest Discovery"). It's no stretch to compare Deborah's talent with these artists. It confounds me that anyone could listen to _Think With Your Heart_ and then write that the songs have no emotion or spark; they've managed to spark tears from myself and others. I suspect Mark Lasswell couldn't believe what he heard, or was afraid to admit what he heard. With the failure of Deb's past two releases, TWYH isn't a good bet to write a favorable review for. The corporate goons at the magazine are keeping score, and it's usually smarter to go with the odds than with your instincts. If Debbie isn't able to overcome the prejudice against her name, then Lasswell's claim that returning to the studio was "unwise" will be on target. At least her fans will always be thankful Deborah chose to record TWYH. "A critic is someone who creates nothing and so feels qualified to judge the work of creative people. There is logic in this. He is unbiased. He hates all creative people equally." -- Robert A. Heinlein [Editor's Note: The review appears in the "Picks & Pans" section on pages 21-22. It is accompanied by a 2"x3" color picture of Deborah (same as the album cover). The caption reads, "DEBBIE GIBSON The former teen queen writes and produces her album, but not well."] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= BOSTON HERALD ARTICLE =- Douglas Trapasso - Boston, Massachusetts (demilove@tiac.net) July 5, 1995 Here's the text from an article that appeared in today's BOSTON HERALD: DEBBIE GROWS UP '80s Teen Queen Hopes New Album puts her 'Electric Youth' to rest. By Annette Cardwell Debbie Gibson is on a mission. With a new album arriving in stores this week, she aims to prove she's come a long way from her teen pop queen days of recording boppy tunes in the garage studio of her Long Island home. Although she's been busy with a theatrical career starring in Broadway's "Les Miserables" and a London production of "Grease", Gibson, 24, remains serious about recording. Her latest album, "Think With Your Heart" (EMI Records), aims for a more mature sound and more grown-up issues. "I think the people who were listening (in the '80s) were listening because I was singing and writing about things they could relate to, because we were all the same age," Gibson said of the fans who sent her records to the top of the pop charts four times. "I think if people realize that we're still the same age and I've progressed as they have in my personal life, they'd be able to relate to this music." At her peak, Gibson had No. 1 singles in 1988 with "Foolish Beat" and 1989 with "Lost in Your Eyes." Three other singles made it into the top five. But the scene where she once thrived has also changed dramatically. "What used to be pop music is now considered alternative, because it's alternative to what's popular," Gibson said. In her attempt to be the alternative, Gibson has essentially stayed the same; showing you can take the girl out of the mall, but you can't always take the mall out of the girl. Her album is chock-full of ballady and pseudo-bluesy songs that harken back to those top 40 days: true love, cute boys and happiness. She continues to model herself after idols Carole King and Billy Joel while mixing in some Broadway to boot. Gibson realizes that this style may not be the hottest-selling material, but she's convinced that it's more important to "have it be 150% you, whether it's going to slide right into radio's format or not." However, she does see a place for this new record. "(My fans) aren't really like the bar crowd. They're more like the coffee bar crowd, with people who read and go to school," Gibson said. "I really like the fans I come in contact with. They're really cool, intelligent people who look for an alternative to what the radio is throwing at them. There are actually people out there who want something different." Gibson also realizes that she's working with the handicap of having a "cheesy" teen-star label. Will a cynical, older audience that remembers her from her "Electric Youth" days take her seriously? "Probably a lot of the people who have preconceived notions about me have never seen me perform," Gibson said. "It does take people a minute to kind of readjust their way of thinking, but people should listen with an open mind and fresh ears to get what they want from the music." With this new album and a tour supporting it, Gibson wants to reach out and bring in whoever she can. "I'm targeting people, whoever wants to come and listen. I'm performing in places that are really for all ages; so, whoever feels intrigued by this music will hopefully hop on board." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= OPINIONS, JUST BEFORE THE NEW ALBUM =- Mike Falkner - Milwaukee, Wisconsin (mfalkner@csd.uwm.edu) July 6, 1995 Answers from the last poll... 1> You have a time machine and a Debbie Gibson CD. Which CD would you take to what point in time to play for whom? [Assuming you brought the CD player and enough batteries, etc.] Dawn Hinds: "I would bring _Anything Is Possible_ with me to World War II to see the U.S. troops in Europe. I'd want to play it for them to show that because they are fighting the war this is what happens and that people have the chance to do anything that they want!" Bob MacDowell: "I'd take Mood Swings (the back half of _Anything Is Possible_) and visit Richard Strauss (assuming, of course, he understood English). I think he would dig the romance and trials of that side. Might have even turned up in one of his arias, in German of course." Misty Cochran and Myra Wong had the same idea. Misty said: "I would go to July 4th, and get _Think With Your Heart_, so I could play it for myself!" 2> What are YOU looking for in this next album? Robert Evans: "Simply, I'm looking for a great A/C album to enjoy for quiet evenings or just about any time to relax my mind and be at piece after a long day. I believe this album will be just what the doctor ordered. There doesn't seem to be many artist making this kind of music over the past few years. It will be a welcome change from much of what is available now." Shawn Feeney: "To be honest, I'm just looking to hear new Deb songs! It's been so long! I know that Deborah has put her "Heart" into this album (just as she has on her previous 4), and I think that's all any of us, as her fans, could ask for." 3> What's the best way that you believe you can congratulate Deborah for her new album? Lisa Scobee: "Flood D.G.I.F. with letters of support -- call all radio stations and demand airplay for the new material." [Note: We have been! The response has been less than positive from radio.] Norman Eliaser: "By congratulating her through BtL." B. J. Law: "Buy it, give it a chance. Enjoy it. Play it until all the corners are rounded (that's the way John Byrne likes his comics appreciated). Try to participate in stuff just like this. That is her reason for doing it, that ought to be how it should be appreciated in the least." 4> I hated to sound morbid, but I asked: What Debbie Gibson song would you want to play, as a tribute, something to remember you by, whatever, at your funeral? "Goodbye" was obvious. "Where Have You Been?", "Electric Youth," "No More Rhyme," and even _Think With Your Heart_ got some mention. 5> If this were Deborah's last album [only an assumption!!], what would you like to see her accomplish while this album is out? THIS is the one I got more flamage on [Feeney: "_Don't jinx it!_ This _will not_ be her last album." Cochran: "How dare you even _think_ about this being Deb's last album!?!?" Wong: "Now *that's* morbid!"], but I did get some good answers... Eliaser: "Win a Grammy for best record." James Minter: "A final and total dismissal on the U.S./Canada and even the UK of the 'teen' or 'former teen queen' handle; I mean, that was now 7-8 years ago -- time does move on (unless, of course, you work for the music media!)." Evans: "I couldn't possibly believe that this would be Deborah's last album. If it were the last album though, I would hope to see Deborah's career flourish into other entertainment areas such as Broadway, or film. I have 100% confidence in Deborah's talent & believe she can accomplish whatever goal she sets out for herself." Shelley Hayhurst: "I would like to see her stage dive in the middle of a ballad . The album itself is enough accomplishment for me, but it would be nice to see it sell truck loads of copies, top The Bodyguard soundtrack. It would be cool if it had CD-ROM capabilities. 5 #1 hits in a row!!! I really want to see her win that Grammy she's always wanted. MTV Award, dream on, right?" 6> Deborah made a big deal about climbing a tree in a letter in the last BtL. What thing that you did when you were a child would you like to have Deborah join you in doing? MacDowell: "Haha! Probably exploring the storm drains around my home-town." Jose Trujillo: "Learned how to ride a bike, and if she were there she could have helped me instead of my mother!" Minter: "The first ever holiday without parents -- 1984 school holiday to Paris -- 12 yrs. old and let loose in such a great city -- the fun and games had by all will live with me forever -- and I bet Deborah would have just loved getting lost in the Louvre art gallery whilst trying to find the 'Mona Lisa'!" Wong: "It would've been neat to go back in time and played hand/song games with Deborah. I bet she would have made up some neat songs herself! In the present day, I think it would be fun and goofy to play "Duck Duck Goose" with Deb (and a lot of kids)." YES NO 7> Will Deborah's mature look help her or not? 11 1 8> Finally, as we turn the page to the new album, what do you feel Deborah has learned about herself, us, and the world of music that she can take and give in this album? Feeney: "I think the album title explains it all! Deb has learned a lot about not only the music industry, but life. I think the most important thing she's learned is how important it really is to _'Think With Your Heart'_!" Evans: "Obviously, as Deborah has already stated in her recent interviews, she is now a 24 yr old woman with many more of life's experiences behind her now. Deborah can write songs about adult experiences from the heart, i.e. firsthand. She has also learned that the music world is an ever changing place, but at the same time she has fans that will always support and follow her in whatever venture she enters." B.J. Law: "I hope she knows that she's kept us waiting, we are waiting, and the world of music is waiting for this release. Here we are, thinking about the release, speculating about the release, indifferent to the release. I hope she's learned that it's a great time to step back and look at all the emotions balancing on a knife edge, and nothing's really happened yet! I hope she knows how to appreciate the attention she's got and not get too caught up in it so that years later it doesn't end up being a blur on her consciousness." So, now, with that in mind, and now with the new album in your possession, you know the theme of this poll -- the new album, and your first impressions. Deadline is Monday, August 7th, and you can e-mail answers to me at , or snail-mail them to me at: Mike Falkner, 2636A N Newhall St., Basement Apt., Milwaukee, WI 53211 So, with that, here are a few questions for this poll... 1> In one word, describe _Think With Your Heart_... 2> Now, you get 50 words or less to do the same. Describe the new album. 3> Given radio's outright contempt for Deborah, how do you think that all got started? 3a> Does that really matter in the final analysis anymore? Why or why not? 4> Is this Deborah's best album of her career? YES NO Why or why not? 5> What would it take to get Deborah's career back on a mainstream track? 5a> And does THAT matter at this point? 6> Finally, has Deborah's music passed beyond most people in the music business/industry, and, if so, how and why? =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= FIRST STOP -- PEABODY, MA! =- Douglas Trapasso - Boston, Massachusetts (demilove@tiac.net) July 9, 1995 Debbie Gibson must have a certain affection for Massachusetts. Both the Electric Youth World Tour and the summer '88 leg of the Out Of The Blue Tour kicked off in Worcester, Massachusetts, and here she is again, taking her "mini-tour" to bookstores and malls, beginning with the Border's Books and Music in Peabody, Massachusetts (about half an hour north of Boston, with no traffic). Others have written in to the AIP mailing list about this date, and there isn't too much I can add to their comments but to say that it truly was a special night. I've seen Deborah in three concerts, along with Les Miserables, Grease, and of course, I have the three official videos of her. But she has never seemed as relaxed, as sure of herself, and as energetic as she was on July 6th at Border's. She began with "For Better Or Worse," and while I think it's a good, not great Debbie song, hearing it live made me appreciate it more. It's just not radio material, in my opinion. And radio has always been a little hesitant to play songs that were acapella (yes, I know it's just for a few seconds at the beginning, but some stations even were resistant to play Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" at first, and tried to pressure Arista into releasing a special edited version). >From there, she did "Didn't Have The Heart"; maybe a predictable choice, but she slowed it down a little from the album, and took some extra liberties with the vocal. This would be a theme all night; Deborah adding extra little touches to almost everything she sang or played. And she was _very_ talkative, almost playful, with the crowd. Next, she announced that she would be doing an oldie; and would need some help from the audience (close to 300, I would guess). What followed was without doubt, my favorite moment at any Debbie Gibson performance; both those I've seen in person (three) as well on video. She did, without a doubt, the funkiest, most energetic version of "Only In My Dreams" anyone probably ever will hear. She sang it virtually acapella; just adding enough piano bursts to provide a beat. The audience did the rest; adding "no no no"'s and "felt good, baby"'s right on key (well some of us, yours truly probably included were probably _off_ key, but we knew just when to jump in!) The original version of "...Dreams" had everything but the kitchen sink placed into the mix (actually on really _good_ headphones, I -can- pick up a kitchen sink in the background!) But stripping the whole thing down to just piano makes me fall in love with the song all over again. >From there, Deborah told a story about a "moral dilemma" she had to make one night when she had "nosebleed" seats with some friends for a Knicks basketball game, the same night her record company offered her courtside seats. Where would our Deborah, the singer we all grew up with, decide to sit? Well, I was disappointed by the end of this fable (she blew off her friends!), and despite the fact that I very publicly expressed my disappointment, she still proceeded to play "Too Fancy," the song that this incident inspired. Again, she took some liberties with the recorded version; adding an extra beat before "only friends" and singing the line about Balducci's with a VERY thick Italian accent (I have to check out this place out next time I'm in NYC!) Next was a medley of "Foolish Beat" and "Lost in Your Eyes," which, I have to admit, I'm not too crazy about. I dislike medleys in general, and especially these two songs, which express emotions that are diametrically opposed to each other. Naturally, this means that if there _is_ a full tour this fall, this is how we'll hear these two songs. And she closed after about a half hour with "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" which worked a little better live than on record. She spent the next ninety minutes or so signing autographs in the back of the bookstore. I had her sign the December 1994 calendar shot (one of my all time favorite shots of her), and I finally met Diane for the first time! I asked security if I could give something to Diane, and they said fine. I told Diane that I read the new D.G.I.F. newsletter; especially the part on page one that mentioned "adding to staff." I then told her "I thought to myself 'Why the heck not'?", as I handed her... well, Debbie asked first. "What is it mom?", she asked. Before Diane could answer, I blurted it out. "My resume!" Then I added "You'll probably be getting a lot of these." Both of them were very taken aback! Let's see if I _ever_ get called up for an interview. THERE'S a BtL article if I ever saw one! All in all, a very memorable night, and I look forward to reading reports from other dates. Here's hoping these dates are a precursor to a _real_ tour this fall! Douglas Trapasso =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= I DID IT! =- James R. Twine - New York City, New York (SJMR66B@prodigy.com) July 7, 1995 I DID IT!!! The only three words that come to mind right now! If anyone remembers my intro article, I stated that "One day..." I would meet Debbie Gibson, hand her a rose, and one of the poems that she inspired me to write. Well, that day came faster than expected! It was time to put up or shut-up! Thanx to two friends, Sara and Jean-Marie Lyon, I discovered that Deborah would be doing a in-store performance at Border's, in White Plains, New York, all of *10 minutes* away from where I am working at! Needless to say, that day (today) I took a LONG lunch break! I arrived at about 12:35, and already, some people had started to gather. Deborah's performance was delayed about 30 minutes (had to tune the piano). By the time she started, there were over 100 people there, and I only expected about 50 tops! Boy was I surprised! Glad to see that there are other Debbie fans like me in the same state! I did not see anyone that I knew, as this was the first Debbie performance that I ever attended (why did I wait so long?). But there were LOTS of smiling faces around. For anyone that was there, I was the tall one with the blue and white striped button-down shirt, carrying a wrapped rose, sitting in the middle of the back row. Debbie sang about six songs, the exact ones I cannot remember, as I was VERY excited (thank God I did not eat lunch before, I woulda lost it!), and quite nervous. I remember her singing three songs from the new album, and I think three older songs. Before she started signing, she said that if people knew the words to any of the songs that she was singing, do not be shy, join in and sing along! We did! It was GREAT! Oh, I want to apologize to anyone that was sitting next to me. I know my singing is not great, but I could not help myself! Hearing her sing her songs in person was quite an experience! Deborah is even more attractive in person (if that is possible!). And I was entranced by her voice. It too, was more beautiful in person. I was never so excited in my whole life! My heart rate did not fall below 120 BPM during her performance! Thank God I did not eat lunch before I showed up, I think I would have lost it! After she finished with the songs, we all had to line up for the autographs. I did not hurry to get in line, as I had waited this long, I figured that a few more minutes would not matter! Finally, after about 30 minutes, I got to Debbie. I handed her my copy of _Think With Your Heart_ and asked her to autograph it to "James the ButtNutt" (long story...). She found the nickname interesting. After signing my CD, I asked if she could sign one for a friend that could not make it. She did. That friend, by the way, is VERY thankful! And no, I was not trying to pull a fast one, although I DID have all of the other four CDs with me, in hopes of getting them signed as well. But no luck... After getting the signed CDs back, I told her that I had written in BtL about what I would do when I finally got to meet her, and then I handed her the rose and the poem. She said "Thanx!", and I then made my way to the cashier's desk to re-pack the CDs into my bag. I left right after. They say that hindsight is 20/20, and I suppose that I should have wrote down the songs that she sang on my notebook, and hung around after the autographs, just to see what happened, but I did not. My mistake. Well, having said all that, I just wanted to "share the wealth," so to speak. On, funny thing, the day before, July 6th, I had bought the new CD, got the information about her making an appearance the next day, and when I got home, my D.G.I.F. stuff was in my mailbox! What a day! Well, I will end it here. I have to say, however, if you have not been to any of these performances, please do so. I promise you, it will be something that you will NEVER forget! My life is complete, and I can die now! Waitaminute! What about those other four CDs... - James R. "ButtNutt" Twine. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- Debbie Gibson performed at this year's Special Olympics in New Haven, Connecticut on Wednesday, July 5th. According to Michael DiBiasio, Debbie was interviewed by two Boston radio stations (WSSH and WXKS "Kiss-108") on the morning of Thursday, July 6th. Set your VCRs! Debbie Gibson is scheduled to appear on the morning talk show, "Live! with Regis & Kathie Lee" on Tuesday, July 11th. According to the latest RADIO & RECORDS, "For Better Or Worse" has been officially added to ten stations, and is the third most added Adult Contemporary song this week. Debbie Gibson's promotional tour for _Think With Your Heart_ continues, after successful performances over the past four days in Peabody (Boston, MA), White Plains (NY), Westbury (NY), Paramus (NJ), Bryn Mawr (Philadelphia, PA) and Albany (NY). Confirmed appearances for the next 10 days are as listed below. Detailed itinerary appears in BtL 7.9. No location for the July 21st Los Angeles, California appearance has been announced yet. July 13th - Washington D.C./Arlington, Virginia July 14th - Cleveland, Ohio July 15th - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania July 16th - Chicago, Illinois July 19th - Indianapolis, Indiana July 20th - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota BtL 7.10 filled up more quickly than expected. If submissions continue to pour in at this rate, BtL 7.11 will be released in approximately a week's time. Please send in your album reviews, promotional tour show reports, and any other articles as soon as possible!