Tammy Powell had told the band about the lost gig, the lost records and the lost photographs in her meeting the night before, during their band meeting. Neither she nor the band was happy with the way things were going and Tammy needed a quick solid victory if she was to continue to have the band’s trust.
Many of the situations had little or nothing to do with Tammy directly but she was in charge of them. The band was almost inept when it came to the business side of things.
It was why they had hired Tammy so quickly without even really knowing her or what she could do. She had befriended them and stuck up for them and that had been good enough at the time.
Now everyone’s careers were on the line and with all the troubles with Venom Records and the studio mishaps the band was careening toward a hard rock bottom.
She needed a win. Sitting in the the makeshift office the boys had set up for her in the back of their converted warehouse where the lived, wrote songs, rehearsed and hid out from society Tammy chided herself and not for the first time.
“Come on girl, get your act together. You wanted a big break, you couldn’t have gotten a bigger one. A Band on the brink of greatness in dire need of business skills, that you’re supposed to have, what more could you want?”
The telephone rang. It was the band’s toll free line. Not a lot of calls came in on that line since the band was practically unknown but Tammy had wanted to be able to do business in California and it was cheaper in the long run.
“Hello Powell Productions.” Tammy said into the receiver. She felt like she was back at Venom Records as a receptionist.
“Wow! It really is you!” Came a cheerful voice on the other end of the line. “ How are you girl? You must be doing great to have your own company already!”
Tammy nearly dropped the phone. “Ciara Kearney?”
“Yes! You act like your surprised to hear from me?”
“I am!” Tammy replied. “But I am also very glad, where are you?”
“Believe it or not I’m at a payphone at LAX. I’m on my way to New York. You told me to call and we’d hook up. So I’m calling.” Ciara said with a boundless enthusiasm that nearly made Tammy’s day for her.
“What time do you get in? I’ll pick you up at the airport.” Tammy said now almost as enthusiastic as Ciara.
“Oh don’t worry about that, the company rented me a car. I’ll call when I get to town and we’ll do dinner.” Ciara said. Then she added “I can’t wait to tell you about the job offer. If I get the gig I will be moving to New York.”
Tammy was now about to burst with joy that her friend from her days at UCLA was gonna be working New York. That’s when she asked the most devastating question she could have asked. “Wow that’s great Ciara who are your interviewing with?"
“Venom Records!” Ciara said.
Skullen Krossbonz had just launched another drumstick in the direction of the control room when Ira Roth came walking in the studio door.
The drum stick went right by his ear and he cursed as he walked into the control room.
“Haddon you’d better get these guys in line, I’ve come down here three days in a row now and you’re still working on the same tracks. I haven’t heard “Stick Man” over here sing a bloody note and if I didn’t know any better I’d say you guys were stalling. I know that can’t be the reason because I never thought these guys were any good anyway. You better have something for me tomorrow or I may just pull the plug on the whole project. I thought you were a good producer John? What happened to you? You suck as bad as this ridiculous band!”
Roth stormed out and was gone as fast as he had arrived.
Haddon couldn’t argue. He had nothing to show for almost a week now in the studio and it wasn’t like the band had been writing new songs or something that could explain the mess.
“Sorry boss about the drumstick,” Skullen offered as Haddon came out of the control with a note pad.
Forget it brother, Haddon told Skullen. “Roth’s not mad at you or me. He thinks he’s got something that will put him and Venom Records back on top of the charts and he’s wanting it yesterday, especially since he thinks he has a winning hand and you guys under a bad contract. Pushing us isn’t gonna get him what he wants but he also needs to throw his weight around a little so he still feels like a big dog.”
While all of this was going on Tyred Tendonz had been noodling on his guitar and scrawling out some chicken scratch on Haddon’s pad.
“What ya got there T T?,” Haddon asked seeing a big smile cross Tendonz’s face.
“I think I got the makings of a new song!” Said T T a little excitement in his voice. “Hey Stix come read these lyrics and let me know if I have the beginnings of something good!”
Stix picked up the note pad and stared at T T for a second and said, “Do you have some special lenses you want me to read this with? You shoulda been a doctor with your penmanship!” He cackled almost witch like. A sound he made when he was feeling a particular lyric.
He mouthed the words as he read them smiling every now and then and when he was done he glanced at John
Stix grabbed a chair and scratched to some words and rewrote a couple of lines.
And he handed the pad back to T T, I think the first verse is solid. Read it now.
T T read the words out loud:
“It was the dawn of a brand new day
in a city by the bay
a band of outlaws rode to fame
down the road called lost highway”
That’s the opening to your song: Sundown in a Ghost Town.
The band grabbed their instruments and began riffing off the groove T T had been quietly strumming and the rhythm of the song took shape.
Richie Statler didn’t miss a beat he hit record the moment they started tuning and captured the initial take.
They had the bones of a great song. Now it was up to T T and Stix to write the rest of the lyrics.
Ira Roth headed back to Venom Records peeling rubber as he sped away from the studio.
He left in such a hurry he didn’t hear them tracking their new song. It was a good thing too.
Stix was debating whether they should even let Roth hear this one.
Tyred Tendonz’s guitar on this was especially good as was the melody. TT was known for great riffs and searing solos. Melodies weren’t usually in his bag of tricks, but what had pulled Stix into the song was the melody. Not spectacular just simple and honest and it gave the song a feeling of a “one last ride” kind of road movie. Since the song was about a gang of outlaws riding off in their separate ways into the unknown it fit really good. It was weary and dusty like the road itself.
The lyrics were giving the band fits now though. Everyone had an idea and they went in every imaginable direction.
Finally Stix had had enough. “Hey guys, these are all great ideas but there’s enough here to write a dozen songs. We need to back away and listen tomorrow with fresh ears. T.T. and I will take these note sheets with everyone’s ideas and we’ll work on them tonight. Richie’s got a great track on tape let’s move on to a song we have finished and try and get some work done. I don’t think Roth will be pleased with another half song recorded when he comes back tomorrow.”
The boys settled down and got ready to track again.
Roth walked into his office, muttering under his breath about how much he hated those “skeleton freaks” but truth be told he needed them to be good and he was getting anxious at having nothing. The single they had coming out wasn’t ready and Nathan Jenkins, who currently held the position of Production Manager for the manufacturing division in the basement was doing his level best to slow down any forward movement.
This was at Roth’s behest but now things were going too slowly and Roth was furious.
“Rona, get me Jenkins on the phone!” He snapped as he walked in his office and slammed the door.
Rona Rivers, Venom Record’s newest victim to fill the seat of receptionist did as she was ordered.
“Mr Roth, Mr Jenkins is on line 2.” She said over the intercom and when she was done she shut off the mic and turned on the speaker for the phone in the mastering lab.
Jimmy James was the mastering tech and Rona had been spying on him now almost since she started working there. Trying to get into Ira Roth’s good graces, Rona stooped to doing less than above board things. But spying on Jimmy had two purposes. Doing as Roth told her and because she had a crush on Jimmy James.
It was almost the weekend so today she was pulling double duty. Spying for Roth and seeing if Jimmy had any plans she could accidentally drop in on. But what she heard today was not what she expected.
“No, I don’t know why the single isn’t done, Tammy. I mastered that track two weeks ago. Well things have been a little hairy around here the last few days. Roth is really frustrated that y’all don’t have something done. Jenkins is acting strange and…
Tammy, I’m gonna have to go something just came up.”
With that Jimmy hung up the phone.
“Jenkins!” Jimmy hollered. “I have two masters to do this afternoon but my ears are a little fried so I am gonna go to lunch now. I should easily be done by five pm. I am gonna take a personal day tomorrow. I’ll be back on Monday.” And with that Jimmy disappeared.
Roth walked out of his office, lighting a cigarette.
“Mr. Roth, Jimmy James was just talking with that woman who works with the Skeleton Band.” Rona said, helpfully.
“What of it?” Roth replied lost in his current state self loathing as well as hating everyone else.
“Well I didn’t patch her through. Aren’t the managers supposed to call the main line and have me patch them through? On top of that they were discussing the new single and how it wasn’t ready and Jimmy told her he did it two weeks ago.” She said
By now Roth realized just how far Rona was willing to snoop.
He lit another cigarette and took a deep drag. “Well good job, Rona. Keep me apprised of the situation. I think I will stay a little longer at the session tomorrow to see if any strangers show up.”
After getting caught in a freak snowstorm in Denver Colorado over the weekend, Ciara Kearney arrived at Kennedy airport Monday morning at 9:45 am local time.
The limo provided by Venom Records took her directly to the offices where she sat silently in the lobby.
No one greeted her and no one asked if she needed any help.
She paced up and down the hallway as the pre-interview jitters grew wildly. She noticed the same decaying images that Stix and the boys had noticed when they came for their first interview.
Extinct band posters on the wall. Gold records hanging precariously instead of mounted to show authority and success.
Light bulbs were out that looked like they may have been the original bulbs installed when the building was constructed in the early 1900’s.
None of that mattered to Ciara. Venom had a reputation even if it’s appearance in person seemed tarnished and she had been recruited.
This was her big break and she wasn’t gong to let a little dust and her nerves mess that up.
Finally she sat back down and continued to wait anxiously.
At 11:57 am Rona walked through the lobby on her way to lunch.
“Can I help you ma’am?” She asked cluelessly.
After all Ciara had an appointment with her boss, Ira Roth that he was two hours late for now.
“I’m Ciara Kearney. I’m here to see Ira Roth about a publicity position with Venom Records. My appointment was scheduled for ten am. I have been sitting here since the limo dropped me off.”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. Mr. Roth canceled all his appointments today and I don’t even show you as being on the schedule to start with. You’ll need to come back tomorrow. I will leave a note for him.” Rona said, while trying to sound like she had some kind of authority and trying not to have to do anymore than what she had done.
“Can you tell me what studio he is at? I’ll go meet him there. I’ll also need to directions to my hotel, please.” Ciara replied.
“I don’t have any information on hotels for you and Mr Roth could be at any number of studios in town. I suggest you come back tomorrow.”
“A lot of help you are!” Ciara muttered under her breath. Then she said to Rona, “What do you expect me to do tonight?”
Just then Jimmy James appeared out of nowhere.
“Hey Rona, who’s your friend?” He said trying to be nonchalant and nosy at the same time.
After introductions and an explanation of Ciara’s predicament, Jimmy had a suggestion.
“Ciara if you don’t mind I can see Rona was on her way to lunch, if you come with me I’ll introduce you to someone in accounting who can help with you hotel reservations and you can come back tomorrow for your meeting with Roth - I mean Mr. Roth.”
Rona wanted to get away from the scene as fast as she could. Ciara asked too many questions she didn’t know the answer to and she didn’t want to work that hard to help anyway. So she gladly left.
Once she was out of listening range, Jimmy asked her a pointed question. “Do you know Tammy Powell?"
Ciara was wary at first to answer but Jimmy had waited until Rona was gone and he seemed genuinely concerned. “Yes I know, her. Why?” She asked just as pointedly.
“Roth is probably at the studio where she is with her client. That would be Black Wolf Studios. You did not hear it from me. Don’t even mention that you met me.”
Jimmy looked at her intently, nodded once and then walked away.
Ciara arrived at Black Wolf Studios at about 12:30pm.
The band had wanted to break for lunch at eleven thirty but getting Roth to leave had been difficult. Roth had spent all weekend at the studio and he’d been there since 6am today. The band had gotten a lot of work done under the leadership of their producer John Haddon and chief engineer Richie Statler.
Stix has feigned a sore throat so that he didn’t have to sing while Roth was there. He had faked a fever and then managed to stay out of sight while the band recorded rhythm tracks.
Today, Tyred Tendonz had tracked guitar overdubs and he had done his best to annoy Roth with some really loud, obnoxious pings, squeals and pick scrapes in the hopes of running him off. At about ten minutes after twelve, he finally left.
T.T. finished his last solo and Fingers Bonz would take over after lunch doing keyboard parts.
They were all just sitting around when Ciara came in looking for Tammy.
“Hi, I’m looking for Tammy Powell.” She said inquisitively.
“She isn’t supposed to be here until after lunch.” Richie said helpfully. “You’re free to hang out as long as you’re a friend of Tammy’s.” Richie was a good looking guy but he was not the smooth ladies man he thought he was. Everyone could see where this was going and Stix intervened.
“How do you know Tammy?” He asked as gently as he could interrogate someone.
“oh, we went to school together at UCLA. I promised I’d look her up when I got to New York for my interview.” Ciara said cheerfully feeling totally comfortable with the band though she didn’t know them at all.
“Cool!” T.T. said before giving Richie another chance to flirt with her. “Who are you interviewing with?” He asked.
“Oh. I’m interviewing for the director public relations at Venom Records.!” She said
A pall fell over the whole studio.
Tammy walked in just as she finished saying those last two dreaded words.
“Hey guys, what’s going on? Oh! You’re here!” she screamed and embraced Ciara.
Then she noticed the darkness in the room.
“Maybe we better continue this over lunch.” Tammy said and she practically pushed Ciara out of the studio into the lobby.
“What’s the matter with you?” She hissed at the boys as she ducked her head back in the control room. That’s a good friend of mine. I’ll deal with you when I get back.” And she left with Ciara.
Tammy and Ciara went to the Grill Room at the Four Seasons. A popular hangout where power lunches were held.
Neither side knew it just yet but power would be a big part of their lunch.
“I’m so sorry about their rude behavior, Ciara. They are normally the sweetest bunch of guys you’d ever want to meet.”
“That’s OK.” Ciara replied. “Everything was going great until I mentioned I’d be working public relations for Venom Records.”
Tammy spit her drink halfway across the room.
“No wonder. That explains so much. I’ll forgive them a little and I’ll fill you in on why that label is such a sore spot with them.”
“Good. Then maybe you can tell me a little about Mr. Ira Roth. I was supposed to interview with him today but I wasn’t even on the schedule. I am surprised got picked up at the airport.” Ciara said hoping Tammy would relieve some of her fears about Venom Records which were gradually growing over this not so encouraging lunch.
“Well he’s the reason my client is in the predicament they’re in and he’s in charge of public relations so you’ll be working directly for him. He also spent an inordinate amount of time at the studio this weekend. You know our friendship will be tested by this gig don’t you?” Tammy asked wistfully.
Ciara said, “Yeah. It looks like if I get the gig I will be your adversary. We won’t be having many friendly lunches like this in the future.”
Just be careful and make sure the gig at Venom is what you want. I know it’s a big break to be recruited by a label with a reputation. I used to work there too you know? My first gig when I got to New York. I won’t fault you either way and we’ll still be friends but we won’t be able to hang together without getting someone into trouble.” Tammy urged her friend.
Out of the corner of her eye Tammy caught a glimpse of Jimmy James at the front door. He motioned for her to come to him and then he ducked back outside.
“I’ve got to go,” Tammy said and she excused herself and left to meet Jimmy.
Tammy darted out the door and was gone before Ciara could say goodbye.
It certainly wasn’t the welcome she had hoped for but she knew now that her gig at Venom Records might not be the dream she had anticipated.
Tammy had left enough money for lunch and a tip so Ciara left and went back to her motel. She stopped on her way at the library and ended up spending the rest of the day in the microfilm room reading old news paper stories about Venom Records. By six pm she was less than excited about working for them.
Ciara went to the motel she had booked for the night. Staying in a hotel was out of the question on her own dime. A clean bed and a lock on the door was all she cared about. She was taking a gamble coming here and now it sounded like she might have to foot the whole bill for the trip and she was not about to waste a penny. She shut off the light and turned in.
When Tammy had met Jimmy outside he handed her a slip of paper and disappeared.
The paper read: Meet me tonight eight o’clock here 1117 West Rogers St. Do not let anyone follow you or the trip will be worthless.
It was now eight o’clock and Tammy was sitting across the street from 1117 West Rogers St. having coffee at an outdoor cafe. There was hardly anyone else around.
She was thinking about leaving when the front door opened and Jimmy looked around. He spotted Tammy and made one more look in each direction then motioned for her to cross the street. Then he ducked back inside.
Tammy was worried that Jimmy may have thrown a disc or was off his rocker with all this secrecy and cloak and dagger stuff but she walked across the street and walked through the door. Jimmy grabbed her by the arm and dragged her about half way down the corridor into another corridor and then down to the last door on the left. Not aggressively mind you just as if he was in a very big hurry to get there. There were now just three walls and the corridor where they were and Tammy was starting to get a bad feeling. She needn’t have though. Jimmy opened the door and they walked into a full blown professional recording studio in a building that housed document storage facilities in every other office. No neighbors to disturb and no one even knew it was there.
Tammy immediately felt relief then began to wonder why they were there.
“Rona has upped the ante on her spying. She overheard my conversation with you and reported it to Ira Roth. That was why he was at the studio all weekend. He thinks there’s a spy at Venom and he thinks it’s me and he thought I was going to show up there this weekend. Since I am burned as a contact now at least directly I took a personal day and came down here and cleaned this place up. I have three brand new rolls of tape. All the equipment has been cleaned and tuned. If no one knows you came here tonight you now have a secret recording facility at your disposal to protect your best songs from Roth.
Tammy was dumbfounded. This was not what she was expecting but she knew Richie Statler and John Haddon would be thrilled. The boys had never been in a pro studio before working at Black Wolf so that was their first taste of the big time. They would be out of the skulls over a set up like this.
“Why?” She asked not knowing what else to say.
“This is my studio and I haven’t been able to use it for a while because Roth is keeping tabs on me too. So I thought if you guys used it I wouldn’t be paying rent on it for nothing. And it helps me stick it to Roth for sicking his pit bull Rona on me.
By the way I finished the single master you asked me about two weeks ago Friday. So someone, maybe Jenkins is holding it up on purpose. I’d start bugging Roth about it so it keeps him occupied and he thinks you’re being diligent about the contract and maybe that will make him ease up a bit. Although he did just hire some girl to be PR at the label. The girl you were having lunch with at the Grill today as a matter of fact.”
“Oh I know about her,” Tammy said with a smile. “She’s an old friend and she told me about her interview with Roth after he stood her up to be spying on us.”
“Well if she’s OK, do you mind if I ask her out?” Jimmy asked a little too eagerly.
“Down boy!” Tammy laughed. “Just a minute ago you were highly suspicious of her now you want to ask her out?”
“Well you said she was OK!” Jimmy offered sheepishly.
“Yeah, Lover boy! It’s OK with me but maybe you should wait to see if she gets the job. Otherwise she might go back to California.” Tammy winked at him and Jimmy smiled.
“One more thing. This is very generous of you but we’ll get you some money to cover costs as soon as I figure out how. Thank you so much!” Tammy said.
She shook Jimmy’s hand and he showed her the back entrance and gave her a key that opened either door in case they needed to show up without being seen. They shook hands again and Jimmy disappeared down the alley and Tammy walked down a block and then over one block back to her car. Seconds later the street was empty.
Tammy stopped at nearby pay phone and called Ciara’s motel. The desk clerk patched the call through to her room. After the fourth ring Ciara sleepily picked up the receiver and said, “Yeah what on earth do you want?”
Tammy giggled. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“Oh no it’s fine!” Ciara said as she suddenly sprang awake. “After you left in such a hurry today I was wondering if we were still friends.”
“Oh yeah no problem there, in fact I have a proposition for you. I know it will take everything we both have and all the determination and guts we can muster but how about we start our PR firm? You forget working for Venom Records and we’ll work together.”
Ciara dropped the phone…
It was five o’clock in the morning again and the band was back at Black Wolf Studios.
Their producer John Haddon and engineer Richie Statler had spent the night before mixing down the rough tracks for “Hate Myself 4 Lovin’ U” and setting up the studio for Stix Stonz to cut lead vocals.
They had stalled all they could and Ira Roth head of A&R at Venom Records had pressing matters at the label today so they could record in peace.
They had finally gotten a handle on how they wanted the track to go after recording it six different times.
When Tyred Tendonz had come up with a riff and then doubled it and added a harmony on top of it well it changed the nature of the beast.
Now they had a song they could finish and give to Roth and it would get him off their backs and they felt like that breakthrough would lead to bigger and better things.
They had taken a mediocre song that Fingers had wanted to pitch on the side and turned it into a decent track. Even though it was Stix and the Boys playin on it, it really wasn’t a Stix Stonz and the Skeleton Bonz song.
In a way it worked to their advantage as Roth still had their next six tunes held hostage by the one sided contract he had made with Tammy Powell.
This song would get them one step closer to renegotiation or a chance at a new contract with another label. It would also protect the best songs they were trying not to let Roth get wind of.
Stix came in at about 6:15 am and was in rare form with the wit and humor.
Gargling salt water and pretending to warm up his non existent vocal chords by pulling on them ever so gently while singing “me, me, me, me, me, me”
“Hey guys I was just watching Disney’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow and I saw Ichabod Crane do this weird vocal exercise. Does it work for me?” As he kept doing it the band laughed and Drummer Skullen Krossbonz threw a drumstick at him. It missed and landed with a thud in the side of a road case.
Stix deadpanned, “You could just said, ‘no’ S.K. No need to get violent.” and the studio roared again with laughter.
Stix put his headphones on and gave a thumbs up to Richie who said, “tape’s rollin’.” And the band fell silent as Stix rocked the house with a pretty decent vocal take.
“Can you roll that back and let me have a listen please?” Stix asked.
“Tape’s rollin’.”
After the first chorus Stix waved “cut” with his hand and spoke into his mic, “Richie let’s roll that back and take it from the top. I’ve got a better one than that in me.”
Richie nodded but then he look at Haddon and said, “you want me to put this on another track, so we can keep that first one just in case?”
John Haddon was an experienced producer especially with young unseasoned singers in a recording studio for the first time. “Yeah go ahead, that first one is good so we don’t want to lose it in case Stix is a bit overconfident.”
Richie armed channel 21 and disarmed channel 20 and let the tape roll.
Stix’s singing was exceptionally strong and he seemed to be on a different level entirely. He finished take two and didn’t even ask to listen.
“Let’s do another one. It’s not quite there yet.” He said. Then he looked at Richie, “It’s OK man use another track but I guarantee you when I’m done with this take you’ll erase those other two and use the channels for the harmonies.”
Richie grinned and armed channel 22 and disarmed channel 21.
“Tape’s rollin,” he said across the talkback mic.
Stix took it to yet another level and delivered a vocal better than he had sung since they started the project months ago.
The track ended and everyone just sat silently.
Richie stopped the tape and looked at John who was grinning for the first time in weeks and the band let out a collective rebel yell that would have rivaled The 37th North Carolina Infantry!
“Hello? Ciara are you there?” Tammy Powell continued to asked until Ciara picked up the receiver again.
“I’m sorry Tammy, I dropped the phone. Ciara Kearney replied. “I was shocked when you said you wanted to go into business and it took me a minute to stop spinning. Yes! I’d definitely want to start a P.R. firm with you. But why all of a sudden are you offering?”
“When you called from LAX, I was knee deep in alligators trying to solve my client’s major contract problems and I still had the minor problems to solve when I was done. When you said you were interviewing with Venom Records I initially thought it might be good to have a friend on the inside. Then I realized that it would be unfair of me to use our friendship like that.”
“Well maybe we should just shoot straight with each other then.” Ciara interrupted.
“That’s why I am calling now. You are a great publicity agent and my client needs a really good marketing campaign. Between our connections and your talent you could have us in the black by the end of the year.”
“Well what are we waiting for? Ciara asked enthusiastically.
Tammy once again being the calmness in the chaos said, ‘Well the band is a little leery of you because you were planning to work for Venom. I will have to smooth that over. Plus they don’t know you like I do so there is going to be a trust issue after the Venom contract debacle and all the snooping around that Ira Roth has been doing.”
“do you think they will object outright or just be cautious?” Ciara asked cooling her passion for the moment.
“I think everything will be fine but they will need some kind of assurance that you aren’t spying for Venom Records. A contract between us with fix that. Then it will be up to you to provide some sort of proof that you know what you’re doing. I can leave that in your capable hands because I know you can pull a rabbit out of your hat almost at will. Come by the office in the morning. We’ll sign a contract and I will discuss that with the band and you can set about to do your magic.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Ciara said She said goodnight and hung up.
Ciara slept restlessly for about 4 hours and then got up. She showered and changed into something that gave her more of a rock and roll vibe, than the clean business suit she had on the day before.
She got to the house where the band lived and Tammy had an over the garage apartment and an office set up in the garage.
Tammy was still wearing the same faded holey jeans and Judas Priest t-shirt she had on at the studio yesterday. She had been working for 26 hours straight and was about to collapse.
Ciara walked in and Tammy said, “Here’s the contract look it over and sign it. I’ll drop it by the attorney’s office on my way to the studio and that will be that. Have you thought of what you could do to help smooth things over with the boys?”
“Not yet,” she said skimming though the contract in a highly trusting manner. We should probably talk about the situation some before I meet them so I can at least sound like I know who they are though.”
“We can do that in a little bit. I need a couple of hours of sleep before we go meet them. Then we can go over our strategy so far on the way to the studio. Make yourself at home for the next couple hours and we’ll talk after my nap.”
About fifteen minutes later there was a knock at the door. Ciara answered it. There was a delivery guy standing there with about ten boxes of record sleeves.
“Can I help you?” Ciara asked.
“Yeah I need you to sign for these please.” He said in a gruff voice and very grumpy attitude.
Ciara looked at the address on the box - Venom Records. “Why are they being delivered here? This the address of the label?"
“Look I went there and they said deliver them here. This is way out of my way, just sign for them and let me get outta here.”
Ciara shrugged “Tammy will know what to do with them I’m sure.” She thought to herself. “OK here ya go!” She said as she handed him the clipboard. “Here’s something for your troubles,” she smiled and handed the driver a tip. He stormed off without even a grunt.
Ciara dragged the packages into the office and proceeded to open one. Inside were black record sleeves for the new single. They said Stix Stonz and the Skeleton Bonz in a cartoonish font and underneath that “Hate Myself 4 Lovin’ U” no liner notes, no musician credits, no publishing credits, nothing else on the sleeves.
Ciara didn’t know much about the band yet but one thing she did know. This was poor marketing and Tammy would have a fit when she woke up from her nap.
Tammy came down the steps into her office and Ciara looked up at her.
“You know about this?” Ciara asked. “These are lousy!”
“What are they?” Tammy asked as she grabbed the one in Ciara’s hand. “Plain jackets? Where did these come from?” Tammy muttered not really expecting an answer.
“A surly delivery guy dropped them off and demanded a signature. Instead of waking you I just signed for them. Are these the album covers for our client?” Ciara answered concerned.
“No single covers. But they were supposed to have the band’s picture on the front and there was a full panel of liner notes on the back.” Tammy replied. Sitting down on an amp and staring at the plain black jacket in front of her. “Now what are we supposed to do?” She said half out loud.
Ciara didn’t reply to her half asked question. “Get in the car let’s go see the band.”
All the way to the studio Tammy kept cursing Venom Records and more directly Ira Roth for once again messing with her client. Too bad this screw up belonged to Nathan Jenkins and not Roth. Jimmy James would not be able to fix this disaster even though he was their inside man. He couldn’t by pass Jenkins for this kind of problem even if he wanted to. And with Roth’s secretary Rona Rivers keeping tabs on him he was more of a liability to the band and Tammy right now anyway. Still she kept trying to figure out what to do. Ciara on the other hand was silent. She just kept twirling the pencil in her hand while her mind was racing.
They got to the studio just as Stix had finished his final vocal track on “Hate Myself 4 Lovin’ U”
“Nice job Stix!” She said after the boys had quenched their celebratory rebel yell.
“Thanks, but you look like you’ve got more bad news.” He said anticipating yet another in the many setbacks they had had so far.
“Well that depends on how you feel about a blank album jacket. Just a cartoon logo and the song title.” She said, tossing the cover to Stix.
The boys gathered round an they all stared at it. “How are we gonna get any publicity with this?” Skullen said, miffed.
“Yeah like who is gonna recognize us from this thing?” Tyred Tendonz moaned from his corner where he hit a crushing E5 chord shaking the walls and making Stix’s teeth rattle.
Stix tossed his headphones across the room and then with a sheepish look, glanced toward producer John Haddon and said, “Sorry, John. That was unprofessional.”
Haddon just nodded, knowing the band had just been screwed over yet again by the snake that ran Venom Records.
As a pall fell over the room and despair was setting in Tammy said, “Oh yeah one other thing. I want you to meet your new publicity agent, Ciara Kearney. Not sure what she’s actually going to be able to publicize right now but she’s here.
“Hey” said Tyred Tendonz, dejected and only slightly aware of the person in the room.
“I’d say it was good to have you, but right now… well you see what we’re up against.” Skullen Krossbonz said as he dropped his drumsticks on his snare with a clanging thud.
Ciara was determined to prove her worth and to do something to raise the band’s spirits. They had been demoralized time after time from Venom Records and this one hurt big…
Ciara said, “Listen guys, you don’t know me and you have no reason to trust me but I do think I can help.
"Skullen what did you say a minute ago? Who is gonna recognize us from this? Right?”
“yeah” he said sitting up wondering if this new team member had a plan.
“Well the answer is no one and that sucks right?”
He sat back and sighed, “yes, yes it does.”
“What if it doesn’t have to?
The room fell silent with anticipation. Now everyone was listening.
“No one will recognize you but we can use that to our advantage. What better way to get publicity for a band than to have a mystery surrounding them?"
The band glanced at one another.
“No one knows anything about you right?” Ciara continued, “So what if we make our campaign slogan “Have you seen this band?”
“And we encourage fans to send in pictures with the band.” Tammy said.
“We won’t confirm or deny anything but after a while we’ll offer a reward, maybe create some Old West Wanted posters and get people to submit their photos of sightings of you. We’ll intentionally keep you a secret and let everyone else generate the buzz about the band.”
Fingers Bonz suddenly perked up. “Yeah we can even submit blurry shrouded photos of us in dark places just to add to the mystery.”
Johnny Rottun Bonz smiled and said “and we could mislead people telling them where we are not going to be to see if they follow us to try and get a picture.”
Stix raised his hand to quiet the room. “we still need to get this song in the can, guys. Background vocals are next and Ciara welcome to the team but you’ve got your work cut out for you. Let us know when you need us for stunts, etc. and we’ll be there, until then we’ve got more songs to do.”
Everyone welcomed Ciara and she and Tammy left for their garage office and then Stix and the boys got back to work. By the end of the day they needed “Hate Myself 4 Lovin’ U” done and they needed to get started on the next song. Roth still had five more songs coming his way and the sooner they got them done the better.
The band got back to work and by the top of the hour had finished backing vocals on "Hate Myself 4 Lovin’ U.”
They listened together to the final playback in the control room with Richie and John and they cheered as a group when it was done.
The night would be long for Richie and John though.
They still had to mix and master the track.
Ira Roth wasn’t gonna let them slide on production values the track had to be pristine. Of course his version of pristine wasn’t the level it used to be. If he had any idea about the real songs Stix and the band were hiding from him he’d be demanding more than “Hate Myself.”
“Stix you wanna try and track another song live with the band so we can maybe get the whole rhythm track in one shot?” John Haddon the band’s producer asked him.
“Sure I still have enough gas left in the tank for a few passes. What’s the rush?” He replied.
“I want to make sure he thinks we’re pushing to finish the six tracks we owe him. If he hears another whole track even if we haven’t done overdubs, maybe he’ll stop hangin’ around so much.” Haddon replied watching Stix’s reaction.
“Oh you’re wanting to sneak out later in the week and work at Jimmy’s on the good stuff.” He said leaning in and almost whispering the words in John’s ear.
“Hey! That’s a good idea!” John said as he winked at Stix and walked back toward the control room.
Stix grabbed the cans and put them back on and did a little vocal check. “OK, Boys! Black Magick Eyes in E from the top and no mistakes. If we get it done in a couple takes I can probably still do a full vocal on it before we quit for the night.”
Skullen counted it off and they lit into the intro with passion. The entire studio came alive with the sounds of rock and roll.
Tammy and Ciara got back to the office and sat down at a small table in the corner to brainstorm a marketing campaign to make use of the messed up record jackets they had in the garage.
Tammy was still stuck on the mistake because it was a huge blunder by Venom Records and she’d had enough of Roth’s incompetence. But Ciara was more proactive in this particular arena. “Don’t fret my friend. This is gonna work great. And I’ve got an idea to protect their secret recording studio project as well.” Ciara said cheerfully.
Tammy looked at her dumbfounded. “Ho- Ho- How did you know about that? I hadn’t told you that yet.”
“Yeah but your notes were in the folder open on your desk. Open folders are fair game.” Ciara said as she giggled at pulling a fast one on her friend. “Besides it gave me a great idea to help push out the campaign.”
"OK, let’s have it genius.” Tammy responded playfully
“I have a friend who used to record here in town before he moved to L.A.” Ciara replied. “He told me there are about twenty studios in this town that can barely keep their heads above water because of lack of publicity. What if we got the band to come out of or go into everyone of those studios and we took grainy, blurry pics of them. We could start leaking the pics that the band is recording in each studio and get people hanging around outside waiting to see them. That will generate news for the band but also the studios as well. We can always do it at night when the studios are often unbooked.”
Tammy smiled and wanted to interject but she let Ciara who was on a roll continue.
“Here’s the best part we never photograph the studio where they go to record the good tunes. Roth can never find them and he will just think if he accidentally sees them near that studio that it is just part of the publicity.” Ciara took a breath and finally stopped.
Tammy didn’t say a word when Ciara was finished she just picked up the phone and dialed a number.
“Hey, Jimmy?” Tammy said. “I need you to swing by the office after your shift please. I want to introduce you to a woman who needs to meet some studio owners. We’re going to do a publicity stunt and we are gonna need their help.”
“Sure I can do that. How about 6:15 or so? I’ll bring a pizza.” Jimmy said.
“That would be great!” Tammy said as she hung up.
Jimmy hung up his phone never noticing that the intercom light was on and Rona Reeves, Ira Roth’s secretary at Venom had heard every word.
Rona disconnected her speaker monitor and punched the office button for Ira Roth her boss and the head of A&R at Venom Records.
“Mr. Roth I just heard Jimmy making plans to meet with Tammy Powell and her new cohort that woman that said she had an appointment here.” She exclaimed breathlessly as if she had discovered the secret Watergate tapes.
“Thank you Rona,” Roth said calmly. “ That’ll be all. You can have the rest of the afternoon off.” Then he hung and it another cigarette. “Maybe I’ll pay Ms. Powell an office visit too.” He said to himself as tried to decide which spy game he would play today. Go back to the studio or go see the blond trouble maker that used to work for him.
He put out the cigarette and lit another one. He hadn’t paid enough attention to the first one so he had to try again.
Finally he grabbed his jacket and headed out. He was on his way to see the blonde trouble maker.
Tammy and Ciara Kearney her business partner and the marketing director for Stix and the band were very animated as they discussed how to turn the disaster that Venom Records had handed them into a win.
“If we play this right Tammy, we can save a whole lot of the marketing budget by letting other people do the work. And if we make it look good on paper we can keep that money for the good songs when the venom contract comes due for renegotiation.” Ciara said. Sure that her plan would work. Tammy was more skeptical however.
“How can we be sure the fans will do the work?” She asked. Obviously worried that they were putting their eggs into a basket that had no guarantees whatsoever.
Just then a car door closed quietly. Like someone was trying to be stealthy. Both Ciara and Tammy heard it and immediately switched conversations.
“How many covers did we receive Ciara? I have to report to Venom this afternoon exactly what we got.” She said innocently as she caught Ira Roth coming into the garage where they were working.
“Hey Ira,” Tammy said, choosing to be on an even playing surface with him she refused to call him Mr. Roth anymore like she had to when she worked for him.
“What can we do for you?” She asked.
“I thought we could discuss your marketing strategies but maybe we ought to wait until the rest of your crew is here.” He replied eyeing Tammy for her response.
She stood firm and did not give in to anything. “The band is working in the studio all day and then going on a marketing tour tonight around the city. It’s just me and Ciara doing the hard work tonight.”
Realizing being subtle wasn’t going to work and he couldn’t trick her into revealing that Jimmy was stopping by he tried to be direct without giving away his source. “I heard you had a third person on the marketing crew and he was stopping by later.”
“You’ve been listening to the rumor mill, again Ira.” Tammy said confidently with a slight chuckle for effect.
Ciara had snuck away unnoticed by Roth. He had never considered her a threat. She dialed Venom’s number in the other room and asked for the mastering lab. Rona did not recognize Ciara’s voice on the phone and she patched her through.
“I don’t think it is a rumor anymore and I’d like to meet the rest of your staff since we’ll be working so closely together on this project.” Roth said menacingly.
Ciara made sure Jimmy was listening and she laid the receiver down and walked back into the room.
“If we’re going to be working so closely on this project why do you keep making it so difficult then, Roth?” Ciara countered as she strolled nonchalantly back into the room with a cover in her hand.
“Like how could you bungle this so badly if we’re supposed to be working closely?” Throwing the record sleeve at him as she walked passed and stood beside Tammy.
“We’ve got twenty five hundred of these and they’re worthless. It’s too late now to change them so our first run is gonna cost us big time. We’re going to spend half of our budget on the first wave of marketing.”
“Mistakes will happen.” Roth countered with no remorse whatsoever.
“Maybe so but they all seem to be happening on your end.” Tammy chimed in.
“And just so you know, Roth, your little spy is not very good at what she does. If she is your ‘rumor mill’ her cover’s been blown. We laid a trap for her and so far she’s fallen for two totally untrue things. Including a supposed meeting you just said we were having.” Ciara added. Playing to the strength of their argument and the fact that Jimmy could verify because he had been listening to the whole exchange.
“What if we told you she was a spy for a rival label that knows you have a weak contract with our client?” Ciara was no longer pretending she was shooting from the hip and her shots were hitting their mark.
Ira Roth was now questioning his own informant and it was all a bluff.
Finally Roth lit a cigarette and blew a puff of smoke in the girls’ direction and said, “Well make the best of this situation and we’ll do better on our part next time.” He left with more doubt in his mind about his own backyard now than he had for Tammy and Ciara. He didn’t trust them at all.
Tammy turned to Ciara, “ I knew you were good but you bluffed with almost nothing in your hand.” She said.
Ciara just smiled, “I wouldn’t say nothing,” she said with a wicked grin. “I just did what my ancestor did. I shot from the hip.”
“Your Ancestor?” Tammy asked bewildered.
“Oh didn’t I ever tell you? Ciara smiled devilishly, “My great great grandfather was Jesse James!”
Ira Roth walked through the doors of Venom Records and went straight to the basement.
“Jenkins, where are ya?” He hollered.
“Right here, Ira what’s going on?” He replied
“Did you send those girls the record sleeves early on purpose or are you just stupid?” Roth asked clearly agitated.
“I didn’t send anything to anyone, Ira. As far as I know those covers were being shipped here to us tomorrow.” Jenkins replied keeping his cool even though Roth was still irritated with him.
“Well they have them and they are madder than wet hens. He responded.
“There’s nothin’ they can do about it so why worry?” Jenkins replied trying to get Roth to relax. “It’s not like they have leverage.”
“Well they have something because they know about Rona spying on Jimmy James and they got out of a trap I laid for them. They left me twisting in the wind and you know I don’t like that Jenkins, don’t ya?”
Jenkins swallowed hard. Every time he had been busted down a level it had always been after hearing that phrase. “What can I do for you, boss I’ll take care of it.” He offered trying to keep himself employed.
“Keep an eye on Jimmy for me will ya?” Roth said in a slightly less distressed tone. “Find out where he’s going after work today and see if you can’t find out what’s going on in that garage office and at Black Wolf Studios. It’s almost like they know I’m coming when I show up out there. Do you know anything about bugs?”
Jenkins choked again and said. “Yeah?”
“Well see if you can get a bug in that garage. I want to know everything that goes on in there.” Roth said as he mashed out his cigarette in the floor of the pressing plant with his shoe and turned abruptly to go bak upstairs.
Jenkins took a deep breath as Roth walked away and let out a slow long sigh. He was extremely familiar with bugs as that was how he got caught the first time. He made himself incredibly knowledgeable about bugs but he never thought he’d have to use them on someone else. He had just gotten really good at finding them not planting them.
“Somebody get over here and clean this cigarette up and clean the whole plant while you’re at it. I’m going to run an errand. I ‘ll be back later and I want this place spic and span.” He grabbed his jacket and left through the street level door and was gone.
Jimmy James looked out of the open door to the mastering lab and watched as Roth stepped on the elevator and the outside door close behind Jenkins. Then he went into Jenkins’ office and shut the door. Using Jenkins’ phone he dialed a number.
“ Hello Powell and Associates.” Tammy answered the phone.
“It’s me.” Jimmy said quickly. “It may be best if I don’t come by tonight. Go to plan B.”
Click.
The line went dead on Tammy’s end and she hung up the receiver. “Ciara? Ciara, where are you?” She hollered out into the garage.
“I’m here. I’m setting up to do a band photo tonight when they guys get back from the studio.”
“Scratch that we’re doing plan B tonight.” Tammy said a little frustration in her voice.
Ciara glanced at Tammy and saw the anger building. “What’s up?” She asked, giving Tammy permission to let loose if she needed to.
“Never mind.” She said disgusted as she picked up the phone. She rolled her eyes at Ciara as the phone rang incessantly on the other end. Finally someone picked up. “
“Black Wolf Studios.” The voice said.
“Hey Richie, let me speak with Stix for a minute please.” Tammy asked.
“Hey Tammy, what’s going on?” Stix asked.
“Are you guys gonna work tonight?” She asked hopefully.
“Yeah we’re planning to finish up a couple of tunes, do you need us?” He queried thinking she needed them.
“No, that’s great. Ciara and I will be out all evening so I just wanted to make sure we weren’t cutting out on you. Have a great session and we’ll leave the basement door open for you tonight.”
They said goodbye and Tammy replaced the receiver in its cradle.
She dialed again. This time she got through on one ring. “Todd Roberts.”
“Hey Todd, you wanna take me up on that dinner offer?”
“Hey Tammy, sure I am ready to eat and I need a break from this case I am working on anyway.” He said cheerfully.
“Great, uh can you bring a date for my friend, Ciara?” She asked hesitantly.
“Sure I know just the guy. She’ll love him.” Todd said.
Ciara rolled her eyes wondering what kind of mess Tammy was getting her into. Tammy winked at her.
“Ok see ya tonight at 8:00pm at the Copper Chime.” She said and hung up.
“We’re going out tonight.” She said to Ciara.
“I thought we were working tonight.” Ciara shot back not really looking forward to a blind date.
Tammy smiled. “Just get ready, it’ll be fun I promise you.
It didn’t take either one of them long to go from working to ready for a night on the town. At about ten minutes till eight they were sitting in the Copper Chime waiting to meet Tammy’s date and his friend.
Right on time in walked Todd Roberts and his friend. They walked up to the table where Tammy and Ciara sat. Todd leaned down and kissed Tammy on the cheek.
“Todd, I’d like to you meet my good friend and business partner, Ciara Kearney.” Tammy said.
Ciara shook his hand and said hello politely.
“And I’d like to introduce you to my friend and your date for the evening. This is Jimmy James.”