’80s pop star Debbie Gibson on her memoir: ‘I have this rocker spirit’
Debbie Gibson captured the effusive pop sound of the 1980s as a teenager, landing multiple hits, including two No. 1 songs.
Nearly four decades later, Gibson has written a memoir, “Eternally Electric,” that chronicles her battles in a male-dominated music world, her complicated relationship with her “momager” Diane and various mental health issues she has struggled with over the years.
Gibson, 55, is coming to the annual Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta Book Festival Saturday, ready to sign books and answer questions from fans.
“I’m in a good place in my life,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate things more and focus on gratitude.”
Here are highlights of her interview with the AJC, touching on topics ranging from “The Celebrity Apprentice” to her social media feed to boxing.
What people will get from her book: “It’s very raw and real about my challenges in this book. But my story is more subtly colorful than Charlie Sheen’s story. I was never a TMZ magnet. Going through my past, it reminded me how resilient I am and gave me this newfound freedom and empowerment to move forward right now.”
What her Q&A will be like: “I love spontaneity and reading the room and seeing where the vibe is. Whether I’m doing something musically or in this realm, I love people to leave with a shift. I hope they leave feeling better than they did walking in. The book has been doing that for sure, which is the ultimate compliment.”
Her unlikely friendship with Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame: “He and I got close on ‘Celebrity Apprentice.’ We were part of a double firing. Both of us kept our heads down and avoided the shenanigans and gossip. We made for boring reality TV. But we bonded. Dee read my book cover to cover and he said he didn’t realize how much we had in common: our Broadway paths, our songwriting and our Long Island roots. And deep down, I feel like I have this rocker spirit. I even borrowed his tour manager this year. I’m going to have to give him back next year!”
On her active Instagram page (see her sing “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” to an actual neighbor or show a flashback clip of her crooning the national anthem at the 1988 Dodgers World Series after the Dodgers won again): “I do all my own social media except for some editing by a Debhead (the nickname for a hard core fan.) I could hire someone for $3,000 a month, but this is why my feed resonates with people as organic because it’s authentically me.”
On digging up her 1983 Casio keyboard for a recent “Tonight Show” appearance: “It uses D batteries. Nobody has those anymore. I had to order them from Instacart! As I note in my book, I’ve lost a lot of memorabilia over the years. Some of that is my fault, and some of it is not. But the fact I still have that Casio is unbelievable.”
On her upcoming appearance for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: “This is my third time. I am a native New Yorker, so this always means a lot. As I get further along in my career, everything has more meaning and becomes cooler. I celebrate it more. I am really going to savor this one.”
On her recent “Legendary” video featuring Gibson boxing: “I did boxing classes for months. This was the most intense training I’ve ever done. The message I wanted to impart was that people of my generation who think they are too old should try something new. It became such a source of joy for me. The boxing gym was full of guys, and they looked at me like men did when I was a young girl in the music business. I was there every day, three hours a day, and they began fist-pumping me. That’s how I do everything. I go all out.”
If You Go
Debbie Gibson Q&A and book signing
8 p.m. Saturday, $45 for a ticket and book, $75 for two tickets and a book, Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. atlantajcc.org
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
