The band members?
Steven Weigand
I remember Fred Zarr as synthesisor specialist, Tommy Williams on
electric guitar, Adam Tese on sax (or was it Jeff Smith?), Lou Appel
on drums, and Kirk Powers on bass guitar. I've probably left out
some of them. The band members that appear on her first video tape
"Out of the Blue" (the video compilation) are Adam, Tommy, Lou, Kirk,
and one of the two dancers, Buddy Casimano. I believe Keeth Stewart
was the other dancer and a damned good singer as well. I've never
seen the other members of her band, like Bashiri Johnson and Jeff
Smith, but they are mentioned more often then their counterparts
Lou Appel and Adam Tese (respectively).
So my question now is... Who comprises her band in all? Who used
to be in her band and now isn't and why? I am guessing she has a
"concert" band (which actually goes on tours and all with her), and
a recording band (which are the people you hear on the albums). Is
this correct?
I really haven't had any time since around 1990-1 to keep up with
this sort of stuff as much as I would have liked, so I guess I'm
out of it. Has anything else happened with her and her management/
producers since 1990?
Thanks,
- Steve Weigand
(wei...@udel.edu)
???
>I was wondering just what happened to all the original band members?
Fred Zarr was Debbie's main producer for the _Out of the Blue_ and
_Electric Youth_ albums, while he only produced one song on _Anything Is
Possible_. He was never in her stage band, except when he played keyboard
for Deb at Atlantic's 40th Anniversary show. I assume he is still
doing producing.
When a listener asked Deb on WPLJ 1/21/93, she said she hadn't seen Adam
Tese (saxophonist/percussionist/musical director) in a while. His last
show with Deb, I think, was November 30, 1991 at the Concord Resort in NY
which was a post-One Step Ahead tour show. When Debbie played Atlantic City
in february 1992, Adam was not in the band.
Lou Appel hasn't worked with Debbie since the Out of the Blue tour.
He was replaced as drummer by Fred Levine for the Electric Youth tour.
In DGIF, Deb says this was because one person was more suited for
the style of music they were doing.
Tommy Williams and Kirk Powers - I don't know what happened to them.
They both performed on the Electric Youth tour at last sighting.
>and one of the two dancers, Buddy Casimano. I believe Keeth Stewart
>was the other dancer and a damned good singer as well. I've never
Boddy Casimano is still with Debbie as a dancer and choreographer.
He has his own choreography company.
Keeth Stewart was her dancer through her Electric Youth tour. After that,
he got a recording contract with MCA and hass been working on his album
since (still no official word when it till be out), and meanwhile he does
a lot of dance workshops and talent competitions (running them, etc).
>So my question now is... Who comprises her band in all? Who used
With the sporadic touring, there isn't any definite members of her band
anymore. At her latest show for Earth Day in NYC (April 1993), she had
a group of musicians deemed the "Planet Groove Band", however, she had
only rehearsed with them 3 times.
>a recording band (which are the people you hear on the albums). Is
Since the latest album _Body Mind Soul_ was produced by many people and
in different places, and that there was a lot more electronics involved
and a lot less live instruments (drums, guitars, etc), Bashiri Johnson
is the only musician who performs on this album as on previous albums.
>out of it. Has anything else happened with her and her management/
>producers since 1990?
Debbie Gibson is still managed by Gibson Management Inc. The president
of GMI is Diane Gibson (Deborah's mother) and the vice-president is Karen
Gibson Lampiasi (Deb's sister). So far, Debbie Gibson is their only
high-profile artist that they manage, however, last year one of their
clients, Chris Cuevas (Atlantic) scored with a Top 40 song.
Hope that answers all your questions.
-Myra
mkw...@scf.nmsu.edu
