Welcome to the first issue of what I hope is a long-lasting endeavor. This is the first issue of the EXPOSÉ EPISTLE a new newsletter dedicated to the vocal group EXPOSÉ..
My name is John R. Troy, and I formed this newsletter out of a dedicated devotion to Exposé, and to fulfill a need for their fans. To the best of my knowledge, there is no "meaty" newsletter being published for the group. When I first became a fan of Exposé back in late 1990, I had many questions, and found that it was difficult to get information about them, unlike other acts with more star prestige. The "Official Fan Club" wasn't very informative, and I had to do a lot of digging on my own. There's an old adage that "If you want a job done right, do it yourself." Well, here I am!
Annotation: I only wish I could have done this earlier. I didn't have a mailing list until 1995, and I didn't have a good computer until late 1994.
I've decided in this text to refer to fans of Exposé as the "High Exposed." While I don't like labels, I knew if I didn't pick one, we'd probably be stuck with another less lovable name, like Exposé-heads, Exposettes, Ex-heads, or something worse. "Exposed" has a natural connection to Exposé, and I chose the adjective "high" since, as die-hard loyal followers we care more about the group than, say, the casual radio listener. Thus, the name "High Exposed".
Annotation: With the postal membership only being about a dozen members or so, there wasn't much reason to worry about this. Still, being a fan of genre fiction, I was concerned about labels being placed on fans and the like, and the stigma attached to them.
This newsletter will be released on a bi-monthly schedule, six issues per year. This is the best way to keep a schedule, since I'm pretty busy with others things, yet is regular enough to satisfy its members. Of course, this could change. I might fall a week or two behind on some, so please bear with me. I'm willing to supplement this with extra mailing updates for local tour information and television appearances when I get them)
Annotation: The schedule went good for the first year. However, the second year saw some delays in issues, mostly due to a busier schedule, as well as due to the fact that the Internet was getting more popular and I was running out of articles to write.
The newsletter is available via several methods. Postal Subscriptions for 6 issues (1 year) will be made available for $12.50/year, shipped folded by first class mail. in the United States and Canada. Mail subscriptions and submissions to the following address:
Exposé Epistle
POB 654
Oxford, MA 01540-0654
Annotation: SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING TAKEN. PLEASE DO NOT SEND MONEY.
Please send check or money order, do not send cash, and make all checks payable to John R. Troy. This will cover my costs of paper and other supplies, as well as the needed postage. This is intended to be a non-profit endeavor and as such, all dues will be stored in a separate account, so I plan to have money allocated for refunds in case this project due to unforeseen circumstances folds.
Those who wish to receive it via E-Mail should send E-Mail to j.troy@genie.geis.com for information and inquiry. If you subscribe by this method, you will not owe any dues. Current decisions for the format of the electronic version of this magazine are still being determined, though at the very least an ASCII Text (using the MS-DOS method of breaking lines) will be available. Depending on demand and my capability, RTF files of these documents may be provided, as well as MS-Word files. Future issues may also be formatted via an electronic document processor, such as WordPerfect Envoy or Adobe Acrobat. Internet versions of any binary-format documents would be sent via UUEncoded files over Internet E-Mail.
Annotation: First, note that the e-mail address above is defunct. Regarding these initial plans: This was of course, the infancy days of the Internet. As this was prepared at the end of 1994, the World Wide Web was just starting out, and most people still accessed on-line services like Genie, CompuServe, and America On-Line.
I encourage the distribution of the document. You have permission to post it on any BBS, FTP server, or commercial computer network (such as AOL, CompuServe, Delphi, and Prodigy) that will accept it. You may pass it around to people, either hard copy or electronically. You do not have permission to modify, alter, or in any way change the nature of this document, as per US, UK and International copyright law. You may not charge a fee for distributing this documents, save for the standard fees for downloading if you are a BBS owner or on-line service provider. This document is ©1995 by John R. Troy, all right reserved.
Annotation: This annotated version is copyright © 2000 John R. Troy.
As for other services... we'll see as time passes. I will try to start a Listserv mailing list for Exposé, if there isn't one already in existence on the Internet. I also hope to someday get these documents on the World Wide Web. Currently, I am only located on the GEnie computer network, so there are limits to my Internet access.
Annotation: Getting the documents on the web was done fairly quickly once I joined TIAC in the fall of 1995, however, I wasn't even able to start a listserv until 1998. At the time I joined GEnie, it was in its decline, slowly losing market share to AOL, falling behind on the technology, and once the Internet took off GEnie faded.
Please note that I am not the one to forward mail to Exposé. At this time, I have no direct contact with the ladies--although I hope that will change down the road. Send all correspondence to them either via the fan club or Arista Records, whose address are provided in the boxed text nearby. The official fan club is also the place where you can purchase merchandise for the group. Their current address (as of February, 1995 is:
Exposé Fan Club
1688 Meridian Avenue, Suite 801
Miami Beach, FL 33189
The above address is now defunct.
Please also not I can't legally provide stuff such as Song Lyrics to the fans. The copyright laws prevent me from doing that, as well as publishing pictures used in Arista promotion and on Albums/Singles/Tour Books. I will attempt to get permission from management and the record label(s) involved for Exposé. For legal purposes, I must state that all opinions in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of members of Exposé, their management agencies, Pantera Group Enterprises, or Arista Records. Opinions stated by subscribers do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this author.
I've felt I should define what companies call a mission statement here. I have a specific definition of Exposé, and what to make sure that you understand it, since it will influence what articles I write or publish, and what directions I'll be going in if certain situations occur.
Exposé to me is defined as members Ann Curless, Jeanette Jurado, Gioia Carmen, and Kelly Moneymaker. Those are the four individuals we're focusing on here--the vocalists who sing or have sung the songs. This is not a fan club for their record company, producers, or songwriters. For example, while I might do a related article on Arista, Lewis Martinee, or Diane Warren, I won't be promoting their projects outside of Exposé (like the fan club did for Lewis Martinee in their membership kit).
Annotation: Lewis kind of gave himself a big two-page plug in the fan club membership material. I just felt that it wasn't really "right".
Some of you know about the original girls who made up the pre-Arista group. (And if you don't, you'll find out in future issues) I don't plan on focusing on them except in historical references (such as the history file). Quite frankly, I've decided on this because they did not have enough influence on the groups history and public eye to allow any attachments. I doubt anybody has a fondness for them... save for one woman's lead vocal on one Exposé song, they have not had a presence in the groups career, and thus have not touched a heart with their voice, which is the most important thing that's needed for one to be "a fan". That may sound a little strange, but it's the primary thing I look at when doing this.
Annotation: Laurie Miller, one of those original members, has contacted me and has taken exception to that statement. I have never meant any insult to these people, and I believe I got a tad bit overzealous here.
I also emphasize the ladies over "the group" because there have been attempts in the past to make the group a producer-dominated group where members are rotated... Pantera at one point mulled firing Ann, Jeanette and Gioia and replacing them with younger women for the second album. I despise such treatment of vocalists. Technically, the name Exposé is owned by Lewis Martinee, and he could still do that. While it's doubtful he'd take this action, if he did, this magazine will ignore any "brand new Exposé" lineup... there must be at least on of the founding members in the group for me to consider it real.
And, I plan on still speaking about Gioia. She was an important part of the groups past, and doesn't deserve to be forgotten or ignored. She still has the songs she sang for the group on the first two albums, and nothing will change that. She's an important part of the past--she will not be ignored. This is the place where she can truly be praised.
Since I do focus on the people involved, if any of the ladies take up a solo project, we'll provide full coverage of the endeavor. I'd like to be on the group floor of a hopefully successful career. I also plan on giving details of projects Ann and the others do outside of music. While my priority is covering their musical endeavors, if it involves anything related to the media, I'll cover it. For example, one member might go into acting, do something on the business side of the recording industry, do something creative in the arts, or write/produce for another act.
I plan on being a quality journalist with my efforts here. That means I will report stuff that could be considered "bad news". For example, if a single by Exposé doesn't make it to the Top 10 or Top 40 I'll let you know. I will be positive, but I will also state the facts. I am not going to "ignore" facts like so many other official 'zines.
Annotation: My whole point here was to aim for a more or less journalistic approach. Fan Club and Press Releases tend to focus on the good and downright ignore the bad. That sounds more like a pep-rally or self-delusion.
One of the ways I'd like to make this fan organization different from others is have some reader input into this newsletter. Of course, I expect feedback. Write the letters to me. Let me know how I'm doing. But I'd also like some active contributions too... stuff that can be shared with the masses, or stuff that can help me write articles. As a vehicle for the fans, the fans should be able to contribute! Plus, I doubt I can do this totally by myself without some help!
Below are some of the things I'm seeking.
Information Contributions: Quite Frankly, I have limits to my knowledge of the group. Because I didn't actively pursue Exposé until late 1990, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge of the group. I've managed to tape several interview snippets from the various countdown shows these past few years, collected some old newspaper interviews, read Billboard articles, and asked questions of a few insiders. Impressive list, granted, but not complete by any means.
So I asking for assistance. If any of you have newspaper articles, magazine articles (popular and trade) videotaped or audiotaped interviews, personal photos taken in concert, etc...I'd like to get a copy of them. With this, I can complete the tapestry of knowledge and paint a complete picture of the group. I'm also hoping to set up a lending service where I lend out copies of this stuff for viewing or reading. (I can't legally copy some items and send them out, even for free--but I can lend a few copies from my own personal collection provided they are returned, much like a library does.)
Recollections: Another way to contribute is to send your personal experiences here. Have you seen Exposé in concert? Give us the details of the event. Have you ever gotten a personal letter from them? Share it with us if you like (send a photocopy please--I don't want people making this stuff up). Did you ever get a face-to-face autograph? Sharing your experiences with the masses enhances our view of the ladies.
Creative/Artistic Works: If any of you feel like submitting sketches, drawings, or artwork of the ladies, please feel free. Now, I can't promise they'll be published--I don't know how I'll handle artwork yet, but I do want to spice up the magazine. Poetry is also welcome. I do have one strict commandment though. Write a "real poem" please, no random free verse collections. Something with at least meter and rhythm, if not rhyme. If you think I'm being too harsh, just try to imagine if all of Exposé's songs were written like that. Scary thought, huh?
Many of you might be asking why Exposé's "Official" Fan club has been inactive for so long, why they haven't provided people with new merchandise, tour dates, etc. That's a good question. I wish I had the whole picture of what's happened, and final confirmation. I do have enough to provide an explanation for you: It boils down to problems with the company running the fan club, and their relationship with Exposé.
During the creation of the third album, Exposé was originally working with producer Lewis Martinee'. Most of the tracks on "Exposé" were already completed by the group and produced by Lewis. Exposé and Arista were dissatisfied with the production of several tracks, and the record company rejected those cuts and hired new producers to work on the album. There have also been hints of personal conflicts between Lewis and the ladies--at the very least relations were strained. Contact between the ladies and Pantera was Spartan. As a result, the fan club stopped monthly publication, and became less informative.
Pantera has also had other problems. In late 1992, Hurricane Andrew hit the Dade county area. Pantera was located in the Perrin district of southern Miami, a very hard-hit area, and their building nearly collapsed. Due to various financial difficulties, Pantera had no insurance and was working on a shoestring budget. This unfortunate turn of events shut down their offices for a long period, which is why the Exposé Fan Club was down as well. It was a very bad turn of events, as the new album, Kelly's introduction, and other facts weren't introduced to the fans at the critical time.
Even when operating during 1993, the fan club had a lot of problems. They advertised tour dates earlier in the year, but did not always have accurate information. There was absolutely no new promotional merchandise available for sale--anything they had was from albums and times before "Exposé".
Pantera Group Enterprises had financial problems that might continue to this date... public record shows that the IRS had declared at least two Federal Tax Liens against the company--in real terms, guys with suits come from Washington DC and say "gimmie my money"--so they've confiscated some money and financial assets. The partnership between Lewis Martinee and Ismael Garcia had also folded, with Ismael taking PGE somewhere else.
It took some time, but Pantera Group Enterprises has apparently recovered and reformed, now operating out of Miami Beach, Florida. They seem to be stable enough, but please note that they do not handle Exposé's main management skills. Thus, their connection to the group is tenuous and based on a clause in a contract signed a while back, as well as the "ownership" of the Exposé name.
So... that's all I know about that subject. If I find out anything else, I'll be sure to let you know.
Since this is the first newsletter, I have written this introduction in lieu of regular features. However, with the next issues, you'll be seeing regular features. In addition to special articles or editorials,
Annotation: Ann-ism's didn't last too long. I was not trying to favor Ann, but rather noticed that she talked a lot more than the others when it came to press interviews, so I figured I should find the most humorous statements.
I am not an island. This project, my commitment and devotion to it, and my data gathering have all been assisted by certain individuals, important to me enough that I wish to thank them here in the debut issue.
Annotation: A few quick points
Rick was Deep Throat. He had told me his experiences
with Exposé. He was a valuble source of information in the past. Since
he has become very busy as an on-line person for The Motley Fool, I have
not heard from him for quite a while, but I am still very greatful for his
past input.
Florence was the first friend I made on the Internet, and helped me with some
stuff. Sadly, we lost touch after a few years once I got a little bit busier and
I think we just drifted apart.
To this day, David is still one of my few closest friends.
Yes, the Gary Gygax is the same guy who created the whole Role-Playing games with
Dungeons & Dragons. His fame and status is not what it used to be, but
he's still considered semi-famous. I correspond with him regularly and help him out
with current projects when I have time. He with Frank's Help published a small
newsletter for a struggling game, which I contributed to, and that showed me
just how rich a newsletter could be.
Normally, this news section will be an update of what's going on with Exposé since the last newsletter. Since this is the first newsletter, we need to play catch-up on all the events that occurred with the third album.
The Album Exposé has done decently, although it's been rough going, and sales have been poorer than the last ones. Exposure sold close to 2,000,000 copies, What You Don't Know sold Platinum. Exposé hasn't yet reached Gold status (500,000), it has stalled at around 300,000 copies. That's a very stable showing for an act, yet many people find such a shift in sales to be bad tidings.
When Exposé was released in 1992, the group faced a lot of competition. Both Madonna and Bon Jovi released albums during that month--both acts had both a lot more star potential and rabid eager fans.
Into this situation, the first single, I Wish the Phone Would Ring, did well at first, but ultimately failed to spark the same chord Come Go With Me and What You Don't Know did in the past. I can't say for certain why the single wasn't as accepted. The single was a different tempo for Exposé, not the up-beat dance anthem people might have expected, instead a mid-range R&B flavored ditty. Perhaps they were aiming this song to be similar to those sung by Amy Grant, but it didn't fit people's image of Exposé. This, and the fact the single wasn't suitable for a decent club remix prevented the dance market (their root audience) from picking them up. For the masses, its Lyrics may have been too corny to be taken seriously. The major video channels have become so polarized to certain formats, and as Exposé fit in none of them that channel of promotion was lost.
The Single peaked just before Christmas time... and then fell quickly from the charts. Some radio stations became leery of Exposé, wondering if their star had lost its shine. Retail was also a little nervous, as many singles ordered ended up unsold.
February saw the release of the next single, I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me). Curiously, the song was the B-side of the first single--perhaps there was some initial interest in the release. Arista really pushed the single this time around--discounting it at retail, and working it to both the Top 40 and Adult Contemporary formats. Gradually, these inroads led to some airplay. The ladies had started a promotional tour, visiting radio stations, doing some track performances, and a few television appearances. All of this brought extra awareness of the group back into the public. Furthermore, the ballad truly struck a chord with listeners. VH-1 started playing the video, and programers put it at the top of their playlists. All in all, this was a Top 10 hit for the group, and a Number 1 hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart.
The Third Single was released in September. As Long as I Can Dream. Initial acceptance at Adult Contemporary was great, and it debuted faster on the charts than the other singles. However, the single stalled on the hit charts, not really cracking Billboard's Top 40 chart. Perhaps two ballads in a row didn't strike listeners fancy. On the Adult Contemporary side, the single faced a lot of competition from AC veterans such as Phil Collins and Mariah Carey, and thus did not crack the Top 10 of this chart. I also suspect the nature of the song hurt it's success... it's a wonderful song, but the complex arrangements didn't have the same hook as I'll Never.
In January 1994, Exposé released a promotional single to AC radio. In Walked Love tried to recapture the magic of I'll Never. It was accepted at AC, and a true single was released for the track--no video was created, however. A few Top 40 stations played the single, but it fizzled in the high ranges of the charts. Facing a lot of competition from acts such as Michael Bolton, Madonna, Jon Secada, and lots of people, the Single could not break the Top 10 AC market--but I think it was accepted better than the last one in this market.
I will be publishing more chart information in a future newsletter for the statsticians out there.
Initially, Exposé did not do too much promotion for the new album. They did the standard stuff all artists (or should I say most artists) do when releasing new work. They did your standard radio show interviews--mostly a promotional one sent out to radio countdown shows and other syndicated venues. However, because of the late release date for the album, a tour wasn't undertaken right off the bat.
With the resistance to the first single from Radio and Retail, Arista and Exposé's management decided to schedule several promotional spots. Unfortunately, booking them in major venues was difficult, and for whatever reasons, a full tour (90 minutes or more of songs with a backing band) was put on the back burner. Exposé ended up doing shows in conjunction with radio station appearances. These were small venues, and they did small 4-6 song sets with instrumental tracks. While not a very profitable tour, this presense did help Exposé get some prestige and extra sales and airplay. They also did autograph sessions after most of the shows, further strenghtening their bonds with the loyal fans.
Along with this promotional touring, in 1993, Exposé appeared on several TV shows: Regis and Kathy Lee, Friday Night Videos, Together for Our Children: MUSICares, In a New Light II (an ABC special on AIDS awareness), Battle of the Bands (an ABC pilot show), The Jerry Lewis Telethon, and the Les Brown Show.
A full-scale tour was planned for the fall season. I had the fortunate opportunity to see a full set with musicians in late September, 1993. However, by Halloween, I found out they were doing track dates again. From my sources, Exposé had to cancel their full-tour for several reasons: they had difficulty selling tickets and filling the halls, and supposedly muscians were hard to keep due to personality conflicts. Most of my information about dates they toured came from Pantera's fan club--and I did not hear from the again after October.
I hope that you all got a chance to see them. I was lucky enough to see a full set done by live musicians, as well as one of the promotional appearences.
Exposé is currently finishing up work on a new album. The release from Arista will be a greatest hits compilation. I'm not sure of the title of this album. It's release date was scheduled for October 25th, 1994, but apparently has been pulled back to sometime in 1995, I believe for a March or April release.
Like many of today's compilations, the album should have new songs to promote as singles. How many will there be? I'm not sure, but based on Arista's other greatest hits packages, I'd estimate between 3-5.
I can only speculate at this point. I think that we'll finally see Kelly Moneymaker on a lead vocal. I do believe they'll be touring again the following year to promote the collection. And, hopefully, with the greatest hits release, we'll also get a video collection of their 3 videos from Exposé as well as the new ones filled for this package.
We'll just have to wait and see... as soon as I get information, you'll hear it in these pages.
One of the most pressing concerns of the fans right now is Gioia's situation and status. Many of you know little about the situation of Gioia's departure, except for the fact that she left due to throat problems. I'm sure many of you've been concerned, if not worried, and also very frustrated regarding the lack of information on her.
Sometime in 1990, Gioia was stricken with a very bad throat problem. She developed some form of Cyst or nodule on her vocal cords. I'm not sure of the exact problem, but I know it was serious and required a lot of treatment, and could affect her permanently. I believe she had a Cyst removed, which damaged the cord. From what I've compiled, from Miami's "deep throat", Gladys and Lewis, the diagnosis went something like this: If she was to continue to sing, she'd end up speaking with a froggy voice, as the stress of singing strained the cords. There was also some optional surgery that Gioia could have undertaken, but it carried a good risk of doing more harm than good, if failing preventing her from even speaking--sort of like Russian roulette.
Annotation: A correction--Gioia never had surgery, the surgery if taken would have permanently damaged her voice. It's kinda complex, and not something I can really explain very well here. Mostly because I need more details!
Supposedly she also had a chance of making a recovery with time. She decided to rest. Being a tight unit and friends with each other, Exposé took time off. The 1990 What You Don't Know tour was canceled mid-way. Exposé still had time to do some promotional appearances in 1990 (like supporting the release of Video Exposure), and had recording a duet with Barry Manilow for his 1990 Because it's Christmas album.
During 1991, work on the next Exposé album began. Gioia's status prevented her from doing direct recording work. I believe was Lewis Martinee's intention to record all the background vocals and instrumentals, and perhaps overdubbing Gioia's voice. Or, perhaps Gioia was able to sing at this time and began suffering relapses during the recording process. In any case, due in part to Gioia's problems, the recording process was delayed again.
Gioia was mentioned in most promotional material, as well as a spot Ann did for a countdown radio special in 1991, so she was still considered a member of the group. There was one confusing event, however. Late 1991 saw the release of a companion video to Barry Manilow's "Because it's Christmas" video. Gioia did not appear with Exposé in this video, instead a performer named Sinoa Loren stood in. Why the heck this was done I still have no idea. Most of the Video was lip-synched to the original album, but added to the tracks was a live improve duet as well. All this was accompanied by a bizarre legal notice, indicated that Sinoa was not a member of Exposé and Gioia's vocals were being used. This, plus the fan club statements about the situation, indicated that she was still part of the group.
Finally, after two years of vocal therapy with insufficient improvement, Gioia left Exposé in the late Spring of 1992. This has obviously hurt the other members a lot. It took a lot of looking to find somebody with a similar extroverted personality they could get along with (Kelly). According to Ann, they also keep in touch with her a lot. In a personal letter from Kelly from October of 1992, she told me she was looking forward to meeting her.
Annotation: Sadly, I was a bit naive here. Kelly did get to meet Gioia, but only for about 5 minutes backstage at a concert. In retrospect, I don't think Ann said they kept in touch "a lot", but rather just kept in touch. I'll give her a little benefit of the doubt, since she might have intended to do so, but all apperances seem to indicate that Ann and Jeanette might have been LYING when they stated that. Which is pretty darn disappointing.
What else has transpired in Gioia's life? I've been informed she's divorced from her husband Joseph, but still has custody of Brianna. If anything, she has the advantage and comfort of being able to care for her daughter without undergoing the grueling structure of touring. She has also found some career niche in the arts. Gioia has opened a Dance Studio in Florida.
Annotation: Gioia no longer owns this studio now that she is concentrating on singing. She also had an import/export business.
Now for a few (editorial) comments...
Annotation: Here's where I become really passionate.
I find it completely and totally unconscionable that Arista records would treat Gioia so coldly and write her off like garbage. They have shown an incredible amount of insensitivity and utter gall.
Now, I am fully aware of the problems that losing a member causes the marketing department and the promotion. You have to accentuate the positive, and make the new member (Kelly) feel welcome. However, in attempting to downplay something mournful, they engaged in half-truths and shady practices. Here are some of them:
Annotation: I truly and honestly hate the way
marketing and business can run roughshod over the English Language as well as
obscure the truth.
I was really angry with the first bullet item since after seeing the ad, I got the
news about Gioia, and this stung. And with the other statements--maybe I
overreacted, but I felt if you're gonna show the past, let's be accurate.
In my mind the Manilow Christmas video appearance was the worst transgression. In this event, Arista knowingly and willingly substituted another woman for Gioia! To promote a Barry Manilow video, they sacrificed Exposé's status as recognizable individuals. It was completely and totally out of line.
Furthermore, Arista may also be "indirectly" responsible for the "avoidance" policy undertaken in other events. With all the new singles, Arista did not indicate who does lead vocal on them. An appearance on The Les Brown Show only displayed the groups third album cover, when other acts showed several. Furthermore, there was at least one instance in concert where Exposé referred to "a change in line-up", without even mentioning her name. I even suspect the reason why Ann and Jeanette offered no special thanks to Gioia because the record label asked them to. I'm a little hurt Exposé does this, but from what I can tell, it's based on management suggestions.
Annotation: With the knowledge that Ann and Jeanette don't really keep in touch with Gioia, I no longer think that. I'm deeply hurt that they would just abandon Gioia, and that they did not even bother to say a goodbye message or recognize her as they should have. If the friendship they had meant anything, they should have at least done a bit more here.
Exposé, unlike other groups, have always had a distinct individual look. More people in the industry and more listeners seem to know who these people are. But Arista and their management, in downplaying this, may have hurt this point, and thus their future as both a distinct group and individual artists. This type of treatment just narrowly falls short of the legal definition of false advertising, if it doesn't cross that line. It certainly breaches the ethical code of conduct. Worst of all, it is a direct insult to the many fans of Exposé who have been there before album Exposé. We obviously know there was a change. They should Reference it and confront it head on rather than trying to hide it like a scared child!
So what can we do about this? How can we rectify these major transgressions. How can we be sure this doesn't occur in the future?
Unfortunately, by the time most of you receive this, the Greatest Hits Compilation should be out, so there is not much we can do to change this new release. At the very least, Gioia must be named as lead vocalist of all her songs to satisfy me. I'm really hoping they take the time to get her to write up a few special thanks if the record allows it. I'd personally prefer it if they don't show any members on the cover out of respect, since about 1/3rd of the record is from her vocal performances. If Arista Records tries to ignore her presence on the album by not including any of her Top 10 hits on the release, or credits for her work on the singles, I will consider this a form of commercial fraud and act upon it accordingly!
Annotation: Just call me the Ralph Nader of Exposé, I guess. I was seriously pondering a class act suit if they had tried that stunt, although I doubt I would have been able to get it off the ground considering my then-financial situation. As we know, Kelly and the others were on the album cover, but Gioia was featured in the group history and pictures within the album. No lead vocals were credited, however, unfortunately.
The best way to make your thoughts known is to write to the people in charge. Write to members of Exposé, letting them know how you feel. Ask them how she's doing, and ask them how they feel about her. Ask them to let Gioia return if she recovers, and of course--keep Kelly, since Exposé can work as a Quartet. Make them know you love them all equally.
Even more importantly, write to Clive Davis, the President of Arista records, since he has a lot of power at the label and will likely respect your wishes. It is he who makes many of the business and general direction decisions for the label, and thus Exposé. The addresses to contact him are:
ATTN.: Clive Davis
Arista Records
6 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
Bill Wilson is on the Internet at:
74431.2011@compuserve.com
Annotation: The above address is most likely defunct. Arista has their own website right now, http://www.aristarec.com/, so they should be contacted through that address.
And please, keep writing to Gioia like you write to the other members. We must not let their official fan organization forget about her--at the very least they must continue to forward mail. She still gets it--but they had a problem where they could not send mail to her for over a year, thus she got all the sympathy letters over a year late, and I'm concerned they won't follow through with this promise. While she is "fine", she has lost a lot: a talented gift, income and status. But she can still have our respect, affection, and devotion.
I still feel the great loss--Exposé will never fully complete without her. I still mourn, and even weep, for her.
Annotation: A joyful piece of me was lost in 1992 and
never returned until 1997, when I found out about Wet. (And that's saying a
lot since I tend to be very melancholy). I was able to be happy, but
not fully happy, since I knew Gioia's dream was lost.
Even today, I still worry
about her a bit.
Ann-isms
Quirky Quotes from the mind of Ann Katherine Curless
"I'm so WASP-y it's disgusting."
Taken from the Sunday September 6, 1987 issue of the Los Angeles
Times,
Home Edition, Calendar Section, reported by Dennis Hunt.