TEEN IDOL VINYL

“Da Do Ron Ron” by Shaun Cassidy was one of the first two 45 singles that I ever bought.  (“Looks Like We Made It” by Barry Manilow was the other) So it comes as no surprise that I was also a huge Andy Gibb fan and bought all of his records as soon as they were released. It was a big deal at the time that he had three number #1 Billboard hits in a row- I just want to be your everything, love is thicker than water and shadow dancing.  Of course, I bought them all and loved each and every poppy morsel! 

I vaguely remember the duet with Victoria Principal, mainly because of the picture sleeve, but I don't think I was fully aware that they were dating at the time.  I probably had many other pressing issues like a big zit or some other tween angst. And I wasn't a big reader of Teen Beat or any of those magazines back then. He was EVERYWHERE – he was the first male solo artist to have three #1 hits in a row and was all over American and European Television 

Andy Gibb singing “I Just Want To Be Your Everything” live on Top of the Pops 

Being only 12 at the time that he came to San Francisco in concert, I was too young to attend his concert alone and my parents simply weren't going to pitch for that or drive me there. Still, I'm convinced that he came to San Bruno Park to promote his album, and I remember that there was just such a huge crowd and I was trying to meet him by running through the foliage to the back entrance which led to Crystal Springs Road but missed him. I've asked my friends from that time and my family whether they remember this happening.  My neighbor and close friend, Nancy W. (now Nancy C.) thinks that I might have dreamed it up or made up the story and perpetuated it for so long that I believe that it really happened.  Hmmm.

Love is Thicker than Water – Andy Gibb strikes again with his second #1

I was so fired up by Nancy’s comment that I might be delusional, that I did all this internet research.  I found (from Concert Setlists) that he WAS in the Bay Area for TWO nights of shows in 1977, and he signed LPs at Tower Records in San Francisco during one of those days. Robin Williams had come to the San Bruno Park around the same time to promote a walkathon or something, so it's not unrealistic that Andy did some in person promotional pop-ups down the peninsula where we lived.   I wanted to find out and prove this so bad that I even bought his biography on Amazon hoping that it would elaborate on his 1st US tour and time in San Francisco. Not only was the book missing that type of detail, but the biography was also so dry that I just wasn't feeling it all- which says a lot for somebody who has thousands of celebrity biographies. Amen to Amazon's return policy! (And yes, Nancy, I still believe he was there!) 

Andy’s third #1 “Shadow Dancing” on a TV show 

When Andy died of a drug overdose attributed to years of alcohol and cocaine abuse, it really blew me away.  Not only because he was so young (30), but because in 1988, a lot of people I knew socially in my age group were doing blow and drinking.  I mean it was a natural thing to go to a “Dynasty” watching party and have cocaine be passed around along with the champagne. Trying to comprehend the immense quantities that he must have been ingested over a short period was mind-boggling to 23-year-old me.  Nowadays, overdoses (celebrity or otherwise) are just a daily occurrence – always in the news and on social media.

Many Teen Idols are dismissed as being untalented and disposable pieces of the pop music industry machine, but Andy Gibb actually wrote his own songs and of course comes from The Talented Gibb family.  He released literally only four albums, and I am sure had he not passed away, that he would have continued on for quite a while. But as is often the case in entertainment, when you take off like a rocket, you can have too much too soon. RIP Andy G. 

Let’s skip generations to the 90’s teen boy idols Jeremy Jordan and Joey Lawrence

Jeremy Jordan had a hit with “Right Kind of Love”.  Here’s the typical video of the time with his shirt open.  Blonde boy candy video requirements per MTV.  Not to mention that he had been photographed in the nude by Bruce Weber.  I’m not sure if/when any lines were drawn with the peddling of teenage sex symbols!

Here’s a change of pace with Jeremy Jordan singing live on a TV show with screaming girl fans in the audience. 

Jeremy released 3 albums, 5 singles and then transitioned into acting.  The lifespan of a Teen Idol is less than that of a used Kleenex, so he made a good move. 

 Joey Lawrence came on the scene and busted out with HIS open shirt video and bubblegum pop hit of "Nothing My Love Can't Fix".  I had known him from “Gimme a Break”, thought he was handsome, and actually adopted that open plaid shirt look at the time.  “Influencer” indeed. 

What really stands out about Joey’s music career is the promotional material, especially for the international market.  The commercialization and sexualization of young pop stars have been forever and a day!  Joey gets true props from me though from his role on “American Dreams” as an American Bandstand-type producer – I loved that series and thought it was great to see Joey as a handsome adult in a good role. 

P.S.  Check out “American Dreams” performances on YouTube to see performers like Lil Kim, Kelly Clarkson, Ashanti re-creating 60’s performances by Shirley Ellis, Brenda Lee and Dionne Warwick (respectively) – and many others.  Very fun!