A Note To Paula Abdul's Fans - Paula-Abdul.net Has Relaunched!

Apr 16th, 2014

Dear Fans and Friends,

Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the brand new, redesigned Paula-Abdul.net.  This launch culminates my vision of a building a comprehensive Paula Abdul web site that was built by the fans, for the fans.

Paula-Abdul.net continues to this day and, for the last 17 years, to be the largest Paula Abdul web site on the Internet.

I started building my Paula Abdul web site in 1997 because I didn’t like having to visit multiple web sites to get current information on Paula’s various projects. Based on a bet from my brother that I would never learn HTML, I picked up a book and used my love of Paula Abdul’s music as my inspiration for learning how to build a web site. I figured if I could indirectly help create more interest in Paula Abdul and her music, and thereby help sell more records, she may be able to release more music which I enjoy.

Flash forward two years and in the fall of 1999 I received a call from Keith Lewis (Music Producer on “Cardio Dance” and Paula’s unreleased song “Karma” - the theme song for “Hey Paula.”) Keith was helping Paula establish her presence on the World Wide Web in preparation for the launch of a new album and wanted to use my domain name for her official site that was being built at the time, by McCartney Multimedia.  For my cooperation it was agreed that I could be the official fan site and would have a link to my web site placed on Paula’s site once it was completed.

A year later, Paula’s official site never materialized, and neither did her new album.  Shortly thereafter, Kylie Minogue recorded “Spinning Around,” a #1 mega-hit song co-written by Paula and based on this had caught the attention of producers who were casting “American Idol” in the United States where she would be a judge from 2002-2009.

Over the years Paula has launched several incarnations of her official web site, built by various organizations.  In 2009 Paula had launched a paid fan club through her site, which promised fans that joined a free copy of her unreleased song “Boombox.” This never materialized and the fan club was discontinued. Paula’s official site today is just a doorway to Paula’s social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter and provides little-to-no information about her career.

Through my work on Paula-Abdul.net I have met several people associated with Paula Abdul, including Paula herself.

In 2004 I met Paula Abdul at a Toys R Us event in New York.  Paula knew exactly who I was from my work on the web site.  After the event, she took me with her in her limo to NBC where we went backstage at Late Night with Conan O’Brian.  I met Paula again at an event in New Mexico and again in 2008 when she was filming her live performance of “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow.”

       

Through the site I’ve had the pleasure of exchanging emails with dancer Bill Bohl, Bruce Deshazer’s son (from The Wild Pair), Dana Giordano (Co Dance), producer Keith Lewis, Paula’s manager, multiple contacts at VH1, MTV, Viacom among others.

I’ve become good friends with Paula’s songwriter and producer Elliot Wolff (“Straight Up”, “Cold Hearted”) and singer/songwriter Stacey Piersa (“Didn’t I Say I Love You”) and have visited them both many times. They are frequent songwriting collaborators. In fact, they both attended my wedding in 2005.  I also built Elliot’s web site (its several years old now and is being updated).

Elliot introduced me to songwriter/producer Oliver Leiber (“Forever Your Girl”, “Opposites Attract”) and we all had dinner together in Beverly Hills.  I ran into Oliver again in Los Angeles on the set of Paula’s live performance of “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow”.

Stacey introduced me to singer/actress Monalisa Young (pictured right) and I had the opportunity to build a web site for her.  You can hear Mona in the background on Paula Abdul’s songs “Bend Time Back Around” and “Ho Down” among others. Over the years Mona and her family have become like family to me. In fact, my family and I visited Mona and her husband earlier this year.

Through my experiences with Elliot and Stacey I was also able to meet several notable musicians including jazz extraordinaire Dave Koz, Tony Maiden from Rufus (who toured with Paula), Praful and Kátia Moraes.  Click Here to see photos.

I’ve also met several of Paula’s fans over the years, many of whom I still stay in touch with today.

I took a break from my Paula Abdul site in 2006 to get married and start a family.  I now have two daughters (4 and 6 yrs old) who also love Paula and want to meet her someday.

After an extended absence I’ve returned to my favorite pastime – connecting with fellow fans and updating my Paula Abdul web site where over the years I’ve tried to be a positive, trustworthy ambassador of the Paula Abdul brand.

I wanted to take time to explain my lack of updates to the site, and personally thank those of you who have been supporters of my web site from the beginning - for your loyalty to my web site and encouragement throughout the years.

I hope you enjoy the new and improved web site! Check it out now: www.Paula-Abdul.net

 - Dustin