=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S [tm] Volume 8, Issue 4 - May 31, 1996 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 FRED SCHUPPAN - Fred Schuppan INTRO BY SARA CHRISTENSEN - Sara Christensen INTRO BY TINE NIELSEN - Tine Nielsen INTRO BY JOHN R. GROUT - John R. Grout INTRO BY SEAN MCFARLAND - Sean McFarland D.G.I.F. 7.4 REVIEW - Myra Wong DEBBIE TAKES A DETOUR - Kazuto Okayasu AN ENGLISHMAN IN... PART 2 - James Minter 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 1996, Between the Lines. This forum does not necessarily reflect the views of Deborah Gibson, GMI Entertainment, Inc., Electric And Musical 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 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 $4.25 Cdn. for 5 issues / $2.50 Cdn. for back issues on disk United States $4.25 U.S. for 5 issues / $2.50 U.S. for back issues on disk International $6.00 U.S. for 5 issues / $3.50 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 t-shirts are available for $7.50 U.S. plus shipping costs. Please send e-mail to BtL@btl.org for more information. -= BtL moderators =- Myra Wong : mkwong@btl.org Felix Ng : fng@btl.org =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY FRED SCHUPPAN =- Fred Schuppan - Robbinsville, New Jersey (fschuppan@ets.org) March 12, 1996 More Than Just A Performer I'm 31 years old, and I've been a fan of Deborah and her music since _Out of the Blue_ came out. I've always admired her work, and that outgoing bubbly personality, but I became a true fan after recently reading the books "Between the Lines" and "Debbie Gibson: Electric Star" currently on the Net. I had always thought that the Gibsons had a relative, or friend in the business that gave Deb the start to her career. This may be a common misconception among most of her "critics". I often wonder what they had accomplished by the age of 17. I never pictured Deborah as a "teeny-bopper" (that term does not fit her professionalism), but to associate that description with her today borders on insanity. I don't know why this is still being mentioned about mature a 25- year old. The "critics" appear to be going out of their way to find fault with Deborah. And its not just the criticism, its the cruel tone that comes across in their reviews. First they criticize her for sounding too young, then she's trying to hard to sound mature. Either way, she can't win. They say her lyrics are too simple. In comparison to what? She's writing popular music, not an opera! It's a good thing that Deb's so resilient and has developed a thick skin. After reading these two books, I've learned that Deborah and her family are much more than what we see on the surface (which is considerable). Her career is indeed an entire family effort. I have to strongly disagree with Deborah that she needed a break to get into the business. It took incredibly bad breaks and prejudice to keep her out as long as she was. I graduated from college in 1987 about when her first album came out. I used to listen to pop music to some extent (I'm not a big fan of it in general), I suppose that I could stomach about 15-20% of what was played on the radio. I always preferred the 60s-70s-80s station and classical then. Now, I listen primarily to classical. I must confess, I never thought I would ever join a "Fan Club". I find it appalling that some successful celebrities have the gall to sell their autographs. Deborah has such a busy schedule and she gives to her fans probably her most valued possession, her time. She has no obligation to meet fans personally, complete with autographs and picture taking privileges after her performances. She always does this willingly and enthusiastically (even when she's not feeling well). She tries to keep a "semi-normal" lifestyle (if that is possible), which I find even more impressive. Most celebrities isolate themselves from the public in multi-million dollar estates only making public appearances to enhance their "images." They attend all the right parties and are part of the "in crowd." I have nothing in common with these people, and never will. I may admire their performances, but that's all. About 4 years ago, I had to do a three hour presentation at work to a group of people I had previously worked with. (I moved about 2 years prior to another group in the same company.) I had always been extremely nervous doing presentations, and this one even more so. The weekend before the presentation, I happened to rent the "Live Around the World" video. If Deborah could get up on stage in front of thousands and perform with no inhibitions, I could certainly do a presentation to a group of 16 people. I did the presentation and overcame my fear, and I owe some part of that to Deborah. I sometimes still get apprehensive about talking in front of a group (larger than about 4 or 5), but not anything like in the past. I hope she realizes how her work has positive affects upon people in ways she did not intend. I think she inspires her fans to be the best people they are capable of being. Probably what I find most attractive about Deborah is that she developed her mature attitude about life at an unbelievably early age. I share many of her views about life, I have never smoked, drank or used drugs to escape the realities of life. As Deborah says, they are negative influences on society. At times I thought that I was the only person to have this attitude. Drinking was so prevalent on college campuses in the 80s, (I think somewhat less so today) people often thought there was something wrong with you when you turned down a beer. I had questioned it myself sometimes, but in the end I decided that I was right in my beliefs. It's nice to know that there is at least one successful celebrity that shares my views in this respect. I find it amazing that Deborah can get inspired at any time, and compose a song in under 15 minutes! This is incredible; what a God-given talent! Although Deborah's rock songs are excellent, I think her ballads are her forte. In my humble opinion, she is the greatest ballad composer and singer I have heard. (Sorry "critics") Her voice is sweet, strong, and so clear, especially so in _Think With Your Heart_. (I can detect a slight New York accent in her speaking voice, but not in her singing voice.) Many of the ballads of TWYH are the combination of the two types of music I love. Even if Deborah never puts out another CD like this again (which would be a tragedy, song writers like Deborah come along maybe once in a generation), I will treasure this one forever. In my opinion, TWYH is destined to become a classic (the music is timeless). This type of music will be Deborah's legacy for future generations. The lyrics may be simple, but they are a true reflection of her inner being, and that's what ballads should be all about. These songs not having a place on the radio is a sad reflection on the current state of American popular music, most of which, in my opinion, is quite disposable. The music industry should hang its head in shame that these beautiful songs are not being played so the public can decide for themselves. I want this album to succeed for a very selfish reason, she might produce another very similar one. After going through some back issues of Between the Lines it may be true that Deborah does not have the largest quantity of fans, but she probably has the highest quality fans. I found it surprising that many of her fans feel very similarly about her work as I do. This may be one reason Deborah does not mind taking time out to personally talk to each one. I just hope that she gets one-tenth as much out of it as her fans do. I have not always been such a strong supporter of Deborah's work. I found many of the lyrics of _Body Mind Soul_ to be lacking the positivity as in _Out of the Blue_, _Electric Youth_ and _Anything Is Possible_. and I did not care for the music in particular. She was also developing an "image" (or at least I hope it was an image) of someone very different from who she started out as. I did not follow her career very much at all from 1992 through late 1995. The time between releases of BMS and TWYH did not help either. I now know that Deborah was busy with other projects (thanks to the web), and I was occupied as well. I still eagerly awaited her next release, but my expectations were now significantly lowered. In November 1995 I discovered Deborah's spot on the web. I do not frequent record stores that often, and I was surprised to learn that she had released another album the previous summer. I know for a fact that I checked the stores at least twice. I cannot believe that she had TWYH released for 4 to 5 months without me knowing! (They were either sold out, or did not carry it.) When I read the reviews, and found out it was mostly ballads, I had to get this CD. TWYH and its promotion (unfortunately I missed it) gave me a renewed respect for Deborah. The Deborah I knew and admired (the artist and the person) had reemerged. Unlike the typical fan, I did not purchase the album immediately after learning of its availability. I was in the process of finishing up a Master's Degree, and I knew I would be so distracted, I would not be able to study. I purchased the album 15 minutes after my final exam ended. The wait was worth it! (and I also did get an A in the class) TWYH was better than I ever could have expected (except the length). It took a full year for some of AIPs' songs to grow on me, and most of BMS never did, but like OOTB and EY, TWYH was instantaneous. Most artists require an "image" to sell their works because their music cannot stand on its own. Deb's "image" is unique, because its REAL. Anything less, in my opinion, detracts from the message behind the music. I hope that she will not change in this respect, no matter how many or few albums she sells. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY SARA CHRISTENSEN =- Sara Christensen - Washington (maggie@harbornet.com) March 19, 1996 I just subscribed to Between the Lines via email and I was told to write and submit something about myself so here it is: I am 17 and I've been a Debbie Gibson fan since _Out of the Blue_ came out. I have a deep love for music and always have. Debbie Gibson is a large part of that. I've grown up listening to her. I remember when _Electric Youth_ came out my parents took me to the store the day it was being released because I had to hear it. I had played _Out of the Blue_ until my parents were ready to go insane and I think they were glad Debbie was releasing a new album so they'd at least have new songs to hear over and over again. I'm very eclectic and I jump from one type of music to the other from one day to the next, but Debbie has remained a constant through all of my musical phases. I have every album except _Greatest Hits_ and I listen to them constantly. When I was eleven (or maybe ten) my older sister took me to see Debbie in concert. I can still remember thinking, "oh my GOD, she's right there!" and just staring. It was awesome! My favorite album is probably _Anything Is Possible_, but it's a really hard call to make. I really love _Think With Your Heart_, too. My favorite song is always changing. But my two all-time favorites would have to be "We Could Be Together" and "One Hand, One Heart." The thing is, there's not one of Debbie's songs that I don't like so it's so hard to pick favorites. When I found out that Debbie was touring with Grease I was so excited, but the closest the tour came to me (I live near Seattle, WA) was Portland and I couldn't make it. Then I was even more depressed when I found out that she was going meet and greets at all the shows. When I found this address on the Internet I was so excited because it's so hard to find info on Debbie and now I'll be sure to make it if she's doing anything anywhere near me. I will meet her someday. I think this newsletter is the coolest idea and I hope that it will put me in touch with other fans and keep me informed. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY TINE NIELSEN =- Tine Nielsen - Koege, Denmark (tinen@dorit.ihi.ku.dk) March 22, 1996 Hiya everybody! Before I start this introduction to how I became a Deb fan, I'd like to say, how big a relief it's been to get online and discover, how many Deb fans we really are. It's nice to know, that I'm not alone anymore. I'm a 20 year-old student at the University of Copenhagen, my major is Latin. Well the first time I heard Debbie Gibson was in 1988. One day, I, by accident, turned on my local radio and out of the speakers came "Foolish Beat." I knew from the first time I heard it, that I loved it. It was and still is such a beautiful, beautiful love song. I was hooked. I ran down to my local record store and bought the maxi-single at once. Soon after, I bought the _Out of the Blue_ album and loads of other singles. I remember my first notion being: Oh my God, she's got such a lovely, lovely voice. I was also fascinated by the fact that she was almost my age, and I could kinda relate to the things she was singing about, and I still can. Then came "Lost In Your Eyes" *the smash hit*, "Electric Youth," "Anything Is Possible" and so on. I have bought all her albums and I really love them all, can't really say which one I'd take with me on a desert island if I had to choose. It's like Deborah once pointed out, music really is the soundtrack of our lives and I feel each album represents a period of my life I wouldn't want to live without. I've never actually met her or seen her perform live, but I can tell from all the descriptions in BtL and the live videos, that it's a superb experience and I can't wait 'til she comes to Europe again. I was close once though, I meant to go to London and see her in Grease, but when I finally got to London she had quit the show and I was left with Sonia (need I say, she was a big disappointment), the show was great though, and I got a lot of Deb stuff while I was in London, so the trip was far from being a waste of time; quite the opposite actually. One of the reasons why I love Deb and her music is the positivity she is spreading around herself and through her music. She's a true inspiration for me because she has proven to me that it pays off to be hardworking and determined. I really admire her when she says in "Live Around The World": "Kids are getting the idea that it's wrong to be a good person, and I think that's wrong, and that's what I wanna convey in my whole image and my music." And I might add she has succeeded in doing just that. Some of my favourite songs are "Foolish Beat," "Didn't Have The Heart," "In His Mind," "Lost In Your Eyes," "Losin' Myself" and "Let's Run Away." You can say I'm a sucker for her ballads. I also like the more upbeat songs like "Dontcha Want Me Now?," "Little Birdie," "Reverse Psychology" and many more. In the late 80's, I thought there were a lot of Deb fans around me. Now it funny when you mention Deb's name here people tend to say who ?, when I explain to them, that she's the girl who wrote all those dancy tunes in the late 80's they always say, "is she still recording?" Therefore I've made it my mission to spread the word of Ms Deborah Gibson, in every way I possibly can...and maybe soon there'll be another Debbie Gibson boom in Denmark...you know Anything is Possible. P.S. - I'd love to correspond with other Debbie fans, so if you are interested email me. Another place I like to hang out is The Void MOO. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY JOHN R. GROUT =- John R. Grout - Urbana, Illinois (j-grout@uiuc.edu) April 5, 1996 My name is John Grout, I'm a 36-year-old Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and I live in Urbana, Illinois. >From the first time I heard "Only In My Dreams," I was a fan of Deb's. I bought the single, and, after hearing how young Deb was, I wasn't sure if she would be recording a debut album... and was pleasantly surprised to see _Out of the Blue_ a few months later. A conversation I had with the record store owner (back in northern New Jersey) where I bought _Out of the Blue_ turned out to be prophetic. He was a bit nonplused to see a guy in his late twenties buying a "teeny-bopper" record, and, when I told him that I thought she was a very gifted songwriter and artist, he told me he was sure that she would record better albums later in her career. In the years since then, as Deb has gotten older and been in relationships of her own, her songs have gotten "older"... which may have been what that record store owner was looking for... but, when I play any of her albums... from _Out of the Blue_ to _Body Mind Soul_ to _Think With Your Heart_... I'm struck by her perception about relationships, her literate lyrics, her solid composition, and, most of all, her positive attitude... and that's what has always sold me on Deb's music. Though I'm a bit nervous about people's reactions to my being a fan of Deb's, I discovered last year that I was proud enough to stand by her. Just before Christmas, I got into a conversation with a couple at the next table at a Chicago restaurant. After a while, the man asked me who my favorite female pop artists were... and, after mentioning Jane Wiedlin (songwriter and member of the Go-Go's) and Deb, I realized just who his date was... a _very_ famous female pop artist. Later in the conversation, Deb's name came up again... when this artist shared that she might originate a role in a musical, not only did I mention Deb's roles as Eponine and Rizzo, but I also shared Deb's perspective about how important it was to really like one's role. When she complimented me (she said I was "wise"), I felt proud, but I also felt that Deb was the one who really deserved the compliment. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY SEAN MCFARLAND =- Sean McFarland - Cincinnati, Ohio (DPBand@aol.com) May 1, 1996 Hi. My name is Sean McFarland, D.G.I.F. member #011424, and I have been a fan of Debbie Gibson's since the first time I saw "Only In My Dreams" on MTV or VH1. I collected both _Out of the Blue_ and _Electric Youth_, but then lost track of her when I started college. After updating my computer in 1995, I heard about _Think With Your Heart_ and bought it as well as _Anything Is Possible_, _Body Mind Soul_ as well as some other Deb recordings. I was also able to join BtL, and D.G.I.F. I understand Deb reads this from time to time so I want to publicly apologize for being away for awhile Milady it won't happen again. And now on to the story. I won the D.G.I.F. fund-raiser and went to Minneapolis to see Deb for her last week in Grease. On Saturday May 2, I arrived at the State Theater around noon to pick up my ticket. On my way out I spotted a familiar face in the bagel shop down the hall. I was going to be seeing her later so I went on my way. As soon as the doors opened for the show I went in and found an usher to ask if anyone from Gibson Productions was in the theater. They pointed me toward the head usher who asked the head of security. I explained my situation, but no one knew what I was talking about. They said they would check and I should check back at intermission. At intermission still no news, but was told that I should go to a certain spot after the show. As soon as the show ended I went to the spot and was told that I should go to the stage door immediately and that Diane would be waiting for me. When I got to the stage door, no Diane and the security guard had no idea what I was talking about. I thought, "not again," but then as he went to check, Diane came out of the elevator. After confirming my ID she escorted me to Deb's dressing room. When Deb came out, smiling as usual, she shook my hand and thanked me for the work I'd done. I said my pleasure and took my coat off. She immediately commented me on my "Let's Run Away" t-shirt I got from Britta, "love the shirt, have one myself" she said. We talked about the online following, chat rooms, and the fan club's desire for her to get some much needed rest. She asked if I had a camera with me, I wasn't that out of it, but first thing first. I got out the gift I had brought with me and handed it to her. As she sat down to open it, her eyes widened as the contents, jewelry, came out. "Is all this for me?" she said, "no wonder you won the contest." In my opinion, she was like a kid on Christmas morning as she opened and showed each piece to her mom. We were discussing my conversation with Brit about giving my extra copy of the Japanese _Think With Your Heart_ to her. Britta said she couldn't possibly accept it. I told Deb that I told Britta that I had her address and if "accidentally" fell in the mail I couldn't help it. Deb looked up, smiled, and said, "accidentally, huh?" I then got my picture taken with her as well as a couple autographs. After the evening show, I returned with the flowers I had promised her at the afternoon show. As I handed her the package she asked if I had sat in the theater with the large bundle, making a comment about a Sesame Street episode. I got another picture and asked her how many Planet Hollywood jackets she had. She said too many and was starting to give them away to friends and family. I had a great time and hope to meet some more fans when I attend the convention in July. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= D.G.I.F. 7.4 REVIEW =- Myra Wong - San Diego, California (mkwong@ucsd.edu) May 15, 1996 The latest issue of D.G.I.F. started arriving in fan club members' mailboxes in mid-April, after much delay. (Volume 7, Number 4 should have come out at the end of 1995.) The 12-page full-color magazine apparently ran into a lot of problems at the printers. The first noticeable error is the "DGIF" on the front cover is printed as "D61F" with numbers substituted for the "G" and "I." Here is a descriptive summary of the issue: The front cover is a color photo of Deb in a retro style outfit: a silver jacket with a big collar over a lavender top, white pants, matching yellow shoes and bag, and her hair in two pigtails. This photo is from the same photo shoot as the first photo in Detour. Page 2 is this letter from Deborah; it is typeset rather than handwritten as in recent previous D.G.I.F. issues: D.G.I.F. Gang... Well, here I am in San Antonio ready to begin my final week of Grease. It's kind of bittersweet because my time out here on the road and my new friends are great (wait, the time _was_ great and the friends _are... college anyone?) My biggest accomplishments out here were personal. I first started the tour living a bit like a hermit, and look at me now! Day bike trips, roommates, heck... I've even done laundry! And playing Rizzo was a huge challenge for me and I feel like I've grown tremendously since I began four months ago. The TV pilot thing is still "in the works". I may have to wait until the fall (Fall...with a capitol...OK, it's early!) for a great script... so far, nothing, and what's the point if it's not perfect!?!?!? I'm anxious to being demoing again... I've written tons'o'stuff, some songs along the lines of TWYH material, and others a bit edgier. Oh yeah, there's also that thing about having a life this summer... you know, nieces and friends and swim- ming pools and traveling without an _itinerary_.... sounds fun, eh? Well, gotta get my luggage to the bus and catch the plane... It's been wonderful as always seeing you all at the Stage Door, and thanks to all those who worked so hard raising money for the charities and those who donated directly to them in my name...it was _so touching_. Lots of love and have a blast this summer! Love, Deborah P.S. I've recently seen some facts and figures about TWYH and despite the low key promotion, it's quietly doing quite well! You guys have quite an impact! Thanx... Page 3 is another full page color photo of Deb sitting on a plain white background, her knees bent and feet pointed outward. She's wearing a sky blue and light blue shirts, her legs are bare, and her eyes are closed showing off her purple eye shadow. This is the photo that will be on the new t-shirt. Page 4-5: Candid photos! - Cast members of Grease! backstage. TOP ROW: Michelle Bombacie (Cha Cha Degregorio), Tom Richter (Sonny), Marissa Jaret Winokur (Jan), Deb (Rizzo), Sally Struthers (Miss Lynch), Timothy Edward Smith (one of the Straight A's) BOTTOM ROW: Drew Jaymson (Roger in London's Grease) and friends, Beth Lipari (Frenchy) and Robb McKindles (Kenickie understudy) - Deb, Marissa and Drew. - Sally "tour mother" Struthers. - Deb at the San Diego Zoo! She's standing in front of a sign for Gibbons, a kind of primate. Her head is covering the second "B" and the caption of the picture reads: I always knew I belonged at the zoo! - Deb and Steve "Kenickie" Geyer sharing a milkshake. The centerfold (pages 6 and 7) feature various color photos and outtakes from familiar photos from over the years. The title of the spread is "WHO'S THAT GIRL???" Page 8 and 9 are two black and white photos from the "Greased Lightin'" portion of Grease! Too bad these weren't in color since this is a color issue!! Page 10 is mostly devoted to thanking all the participants in the 1996 D.G.I.F. fund-raiser which raised over $5,000 for sponsoring children through Children's International and starting a scholarship fund for St. Mary's. Page 11 is a letter from a mother of a fan, Brenda Timmer, who met a fan from Ireland, Mark Limpert, through D.G.I.F.'s penpal section about 3 years ago. They fell in love and are now engaged to be married next month! Finally, the back cover of the magazine is another full page color photo of Deborah singing at piano wearing a black sleeveless dress. This photo was taken by Jeff Tharp at Tin Pan South on April 19th, 1995. This is a nice magazine, though a bit on the thin side, probably due to the high cost of color printing. My criticisms of this issue are pretty basic. There seems to be a lack of text content and professional-looking layouts. The informative Fan Interview/Questions & Answers section was missing. Pages 10 and 11 were one-column pages of text printed in large font. Surely more room can be made and material included to make the D.G.I.F. publication more readable. It will be interesting to see how the fan-produced D.G.I.F. issue from the convention will look. A merchandise order form was included with this issue. D.G.I.F. is offering a gold-plated I.D. bracelet in both men's and women's styles, a mousepad featuring 8 inspiration sayings by Deborah, a new photo t-shirt, and "Dare to Dream" baseball hats and coffee mugs. They have also discounted the 1996 calendars, posters and Grease postcards. D.G.I.F. plans to send out Volume 8, Number 1 in early June. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBBIE TAKES A DETOUR =- Kazuto Okayasu - Irvine, California (kokayasu@uci.edu) April 12, 1996 "Aha. Here it is," I said, as I flipped through the April issue of DETOUR magazine at the newsstand. What started out as a mention of the article in a D.G.I.F. hotline message finally appeared as a full-page picture and a full-page interview in a magazine subtitled as "Entertainment with Style." The things that caught my eye were the two pictures accompanying the article. On the left-hand page is a full-page picture of Debbie and a short introduction which includes a truncated description of Debbie's mid-song bug smashing incident at her House of Blues concert. She stands on a sidewalk in Hollywood with a big grin on her face and her hair in pigtails. The second, smaller picture is of Debbie in a dark wig, wearing a flowered dress and a red jacket, using a pay telephone. They were quite unlike any other pictures I had ever seen of her, and I thought the funky pictures alone were worth the $4.95 cover price of the magazine. Though I haven't read very many interviews of Debbie in recent months, I thought the range of questions in this one was a nice departure from the run-of-the-mill ones I'm used to seeing. The following is a transcription of pages 124 and 125: debbie does detour written by dennis hensley During her recent gig at L.A,'s House of Blues, squeaky-clean '80s refugee Debbie Gibson not only proved herself an evocative songwriter with a powerful set of pipes, but a cold-blooded murderess as well. I could hardly believe my eyes when at one point during one of the sweeping ballads that make up her new _Think With Your Heart_ album, she stopped playing mid-verse to kill an innocent bug--one of God's creatures, if you will--with her bare hands. "It's the dark side of Debbie Gibson," she hissed as she flicked the bug's remains into a nearby candle before returning to the song. It was the first of many surprises I'd get from the former pop princess who's traded in her _Electric Youth_ for an adulthood of artistic maturity, Broadway musicals, and the occasional Circle Jerk. * DENNIS HENSLEY: Why the big emphasis on love songs on this new album? DEBBIE GIBSON: It seems that nine out of ten songs that I write are ballads, in general. So I just really decided to let that show. I know as a listener, I miss melodies. There are a few bands right now that have really great melodies, but a lot of the stuff is more about a groove or an attitude. * Do you tell people when you write songs about them? A lot of times I do. People are usually flattered. Some people go on an ego trip about it. * They're like, "Why isn't my song a single?" Oh, please, I get that all the time. "When's my song going to be a hit?" I've got news for you, pal, it's not even being released. * Where's the oddest place you've ever heard one of your songs? When I was still in high school, I heard the Muzak version of "Shake Your Love" at the mall. * How did you end up singing with the Circle Jerks? The guy who mixed my album produced their album, and they were like, "Maybe she'll stop by and sing something with us," so I just went in and did it, and did it, and then they wanted me to sing live with them, and Rolling Stone did something about it, and I was like, "God, you can't get this kind of publicity when you're trying to." * What was the song? "I Want To Destroy You." * That's right up your alley. Totally up my alley, but you know, I can let my hair down and rock out with the best of them. And then I stage dove at CBGBs in New York. It's like you're floating on a sea of hands. A lot of Mohawks and piercings. * Where did you end up? They just put me back on stage. They were really nice. They didn't let me down. * Were you on your stomach or on your back? I think I should have been on my back. But, you know, I didn't know. I just dove head first. * Demographically, who do you think your fans are these days? Mainly people between like 20 and 30 who are looking for an alternative to alternative; a lot of college people who aren't really the clubby hipster type. It's people like myself, I think. * Are there any people that you were surprised to find out are fans of yours? Well, when I first met Elton John, he was up on every aspect of my career. He knew how I started and where my song was on the chart at the time. I was shocked. He invited me up to play with him and Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden. I did "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," and Elton was like, "I only have one extra keyboard, so do you mind playing on mine with me?" Do I mind? Hello! * When I was in Japan a few years ago, I saw a clothing store named after you. Yeah, I had one. We've since closed it. What happened was this team of backers and designers literally came to my house in Long Island and looked in my closet and imitated what they saw. And I just thought, This is so funny. I'm a girl from Long Island who shops at the mall. They're going to imitate THIS? * You also endorsed a perfume for Revlon called "Electric Youth." Did you actually wear it? Not really. I didn't go THAT far. * What do you think is the biggest misconception people have of you? I used to hear the phrases "Teen Queen" and "Pop Princess," and it's as if you live in this sheltered world and you get driven around from place to place. I think people had this image that I don't live in the real world, and that's not the case. * What's the oddest thing you've ever read about yourself? That I was chasing Vanilla Ice. Ice was never my type. * Have you ever met Tiffany? Oh, yeah. We met on one of the very first TV shows we did, "Top of the Pops." Tiffany was really nice. I just always felt like she was unhappy. I don't really know her that well, but I felt like she was surrounded by the wrong people. At that age, you don't want to be surrounded by the wrong people. * Do you get frustrated trying to figure out where you fit in today's music scene? I don't get too frustrated because I'm not a bitter person, and I like a lot of what's out there. It's just not what I do. I don't sit home and watch MTV and go, "Arrgh, why aren't I on there?" But I do kind of say, "Well, it is a shame that they won't give music like my music a chance at this point in time," because I think they should. I know that they're not awaiting me with open arms at the moment because my name's not Hootie. There is this connotation that my name has. There are people that assumed that someone had handed me all this and I was going to live it up for a while, but I've been into music since I was two, and I'll be in it forever, in some way, shape, or form. * Is your record company committed to doing another record? Yeah. I really want to spend this summer demo-ing. I've been writing a ton since I've been out on the road. I also want to do a Broadway album some time next year. * Is it true that you're developing a sitcom pilot with Warner Brothers? Yes. We're still firming things up this week. There are like five different ideas, a couple of which have singing involved, but I think it's everyone's consensus that it would be silly to kind of burst into song every week. * You're currently playing Rizzo in the touring company of Grease. Do people react differently to you as a brunette? With blonde, you get "cute" and "pretty." With the short dark wig, it's "sassy" and "sophisticated," and you're a little more intimidating. People are much more sexual when I'm Rizzo, even backstage. * Do you smoke as Rizzo? The funny part is, I just won't smoke. I'm often seen with a cigarette, but it's just never in my mouth. * Is being in Grease helping your CD? Totally. I think I've always had that perception around me. I mean, people still come up to me and go, (whispers) "I have your albums," like they can't admit it. So even if they genuinely want to see me, it says "Grease" on the front of the building, it doesn't say Debbie Gibson, and they can come and check it out. * What's your biggest laugh line in the show? Probably my line about the swimming pool, where I say, "Oh yeah, really fun, right until you hit a warm spot." * Peeing-in-the-pool humor always works. It really does. They keep telling me to change it back to the original "If you like swimming in Clorox" line. I make sure that I do the Clorox line when the writer or the director is there, and then I do the other line every other night. See, I have a little mischief in me. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= AN ENGLISHMAN IN... PART 2 =- James Minter - Lancashire, England May 22, 1996 Hello again to everybody in BtL land! I must apologise if this article seems to have taken so long to appear to those I have met, but as you will know, I have been a little busy. (You know who you are!) Also, if this article seems rushed in parts, it is because my wish to make Felix's job of transcribing this piece a little quicker! Okay, here we go. After the events in August '95 which I was lucky enough to attend ("The Mike & Maty Show" taping, House of Blues) little did I know of what was to come. My "proper" holiday of '95 in November was originally planned to be a "simple" matter of arriving in San Diego on November 2nd, departing Seattle on the 19th - plenty of time to travel up the coast, hopefully seeing Los Angeles again, San Francisco, and up to Vancouver to see all the friends I have come to know (Karim, Leanie, Michele (note it is ONE L!) and of course Felix), but a short phonecall to the D.G.I.F. hotline changed all of this - GREASE HAPPENED!! Only one "small" problem - the time I was in the U.S. the show's nearest port of call to the West Coast was Columbus, Ohio, just 2700 miles away. So my first task was to organise tickets for the shows - this was simple enough, but then I had to try and figure out how I was going to travel from one side of the country to the other, this would prove to be quite an adventure. November 2nd. Farewell, damp England, hello California! After 12 hours flying via Chicago, arriving in the warmth of San Diego in November was a delight. After finding my hotel, it was off for an evening out in my short term home in the sun. All I can say about San Diego is that I could live there permanently. (I like the place!) On the 4th I went out and about with Myra Wong (thanks for lunch), and we visited Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which is part of U.C.S.D. - a very interesting and informative aquarium, to me better than the "tackier" tourist trap places - naming no names. Early evening we went our separate ways, said our farewells, and I was back looking to enjoy nightlife of this gorgeous city. On the 5th, I got up late, and got lost in Horton Plaza, possibly the most frustrating shopping mall I have ever been to. To those who haven't visited San Diego - the map for the mall seems to show four levels of shops, but there are sub-levels connected by ramps as opposed to stairs; a little confusing I thought! Then in the afternoon it was to a sports bar/diner I had found downtown, to watch the Chargers play football, but they lost! On Monday, I visited Mexico (well Tijuana, which seems more like an extension of California, but what the heck, I had visited another country). Late in the afternoon I made my arrangements for my trip to Columbus by way of Amtrak and Greyhound, and for the other leg of the journey from Columbus over to Seattle and Vancouver. On reflection now, it probably would have been cheaper and less strenuous to fly but then I would have missed a lot of scenery and not met so many characters on board the train! Tuesday 7th, 8:30 A.M. depart San Diego - then by way of Anaheim and Fullerton in L.A. it was off into the "wild-blue yander" heading East through Las Vegas, Salt Lake City then into Denver, where due to a security threat the train we was delayed for four hours, but I did get to see FBI agents going about their business. Anyway, it was on through Nebraska, Iowa, and over to Galesbury, Illinois to board a bus to Indianapolis to connect with the train to Cincinnati. Arriving in Cincinnati at 6 A.M. after nearly 72 hours I was a little tired but excited at the prospect of seeing Grease in 13 hours time. Greyhound to Columbus was "interesting" - my suitcase took four hours more than myself to arrive. "Scully and Mulder should be called," I thought - it was an X-File of its own. Checking into my hotel a full 80 hours after leaving San Diego, I needed both sleep and a bath, but I fell asleep waking at 9:00 P.M.!! Nightmare, I missed the show! Looking back I should have asked for a wake-up call, but thinking was not on my mind. Anyway, on the 11th, I walked around the city, found the theatre and stage door, then got in touch with Carrie Sapp (Howdy country girl!!!) We saw the Saturday night show which I really enjoyed - Deborah was superb although the show is quite different from the London show. After the show, it was autographs via "Post-It note" if you get the idea - it was very cold, windy and snowing. Around 10:50 P.M., she emerged, and went straight into her car. On Sunday 12th, I saw the matinee show, and this time the weather was a little kinder, Deborah came out and signed stuff for everyone. She signed my Rizzo poster out of the show programme, asking if I was the James who had the article in BtL regarding the HOB show etc., she commented that it was a good article, so now I know for sure, she does read BtL!! Sadly later that evening I had to depart Columbus, with many happy memories. This time I traveled back through Cincinnati, then to Chicago where I had six hours between trains, I quite enjoyed a walk round the downtown area, also going up the Sears tower was great fun. In the afternoon it was time to board the train for Seattle. This was not as long or spectacular as the California - Ohio trip, but it was enjoyable still. Going through Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Fargo and Spokane (O.K. not in that order!), then onto Seattle, with two hours before the bus up to Vancouver. During my short stay in Vancouver at Karim's house (thanks again!!) some interesting events occurred. Tickets went on sale for Grease in Vancouver, and there was a special day at the Hard Rock Cafe with giveaways etc. Karim was kind enough to organise first night and another night's tickets, should I be able to return in January 1996. Finally on 19th November, I had to fly home from Seattle, after a holiday which included nearly 6000 miles without flying across the U.S. and into Canada, meeting new faces and Deborah again! Final note: On 31st December I made it to Vancouver for Grease shows in January '96. I saw 4 out of 8 shows, met Deborah again and thoroughly enjoyed 16 days living in "my other home"!! (see my LA story for an explanation), finally meeting the elusive Tony and achieving my "goal" of becoming the only person to see Grease in all three countries where Deborah has appeared in the show. Thanks to all the people I met - see you in '97. Hopefully, it my Visa card can stand the pain, I will be in New Jersey for the convention in July, see ya there! To Deborah, once again thanks for being so open and kind to your fans, who will always travel from far and wide to hear your wonderful voice and to meet the friendly personality which Deborah Gibson has become known and loved for all over the world. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBWATCH =- Here's a summary of significant media appearances shown since the last issue of BtL. 05/08/96 : PERSONAL FX Deb joined the hosts of this collectibles show on the fX cable network. She brought part of her hat collection with her. 05/10/96 : GERALDO Deb was the celebrity guest for Geraldo's weekly celebrity gossip show. She announced that day's top stories, and was later interviewed by Geraldo. More details will appear in the next issue of BtL. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- Deborah Gibson did an unexpected live chat session on America Online on March 27th. The transcript of it will appear in the next issue of BtL. According to D.G.I.F., there will be an article and photo of Deb in the June 17th issue of People magazine. The first D.G.I.F. convention will be held on Saturday, July 13th from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. at the Sheraton Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey. As of May 9th, there were still spaces available. For more information, contact: D.G.I.F. Convention, 666 Fifth Avenue #302, New York, NY 10103, phone hotline 212-803-5425, or FAX 212-541-7547. BtL 8.5 will be released in mid-June. Please submit your articles soon.