ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Learning about Fefe Dobson is not easy. The usual sources were useless, with bios repeating the “official” information, word for word, adding the obligatory mention of another singer. I bid on a ten-minute phone call with Fefe auctioned off on eBay. Lacking a spare $99, I was shut out. But don't worry. Unlike every other writer, I will not be mentioning Avril Lavigne. Sure there are surface similarities: both are Canadian, hitting with their first albums, young chick rock-n-rollers and, of course, possessing unusual names. Fefe's album may be slightly more sophisticated and polished, but comparison is witless. Playing them together reveals that they are quite dissimilar. Here are the few facts I gleaned: born Felicia Dobson, 28th February 1985, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. Siblings include one older sister, two brothers. Has her own apartment. Feel informed now? Parental authority types sick of slutty influences on our youth will rejoice that Fefe is not some skinny, scantily-clad blonde, parading her body. (Don't you hate that? Me too.) She seems partial to tee shirts, so maybe one day she'll wear one of our gtees. Fefe strikes me as demure. Her attitude is in her voice and her stance. Musical influences include music from my favourite film, "Flashdance," and Nirvana, Coldplay, the Vines, Cyndi Lauper and Judy Garland. Go figure.

©2004 gt slade