John's Revenge
Video (Almost) Killed The Rock Star
Author's Note - Special thanks on this chapter goes to my friend Izzie, GSB name The Unknown.
**July 14th 1995**
*Billie's Point of View*
We had recorded the song, which we had named "Brain Stew", and it worked like a charm. Joey fell fast asleep when I sang it to him.
We had chosen all of the songs for our new album, and it was being edited, and ideas for videos being tested, ready for filming. That way, we wouldn't be messing around filming music videos during the tour.
We were planning on releasing the album in October, then we'd tour for a month and a half, come home for Christmas and a short break, then resume the tour in mid-January.
We were coming up with the concept for the video of "Walking Contradiction", the final song on the album, with our director, Roman Capolla.
"Well, then it's settled," Roman grinned. "I'll see you guys on Monday." We all shook hands with him, and I showed him out, shaking.
I walked back into the studio and sat down.
"Bill," Mike frowned. "You OK?"
"Um," I gulped, my throat was dry. "I...I can't. I'm scared."
"Oh my God!" Tré yelled. "Come on, we agreed we would all do our own stunts, all THREE of us, no backing out! Come on, it's going to be planned down to the very last detail, nothing will go wrong. If you don't want to do it, I will get a chainsaw and make sure you can't have more children!" Tré stomped off, then turned. "Remember, I know where you live!"
Mike and I looked at each other.
"I think it might be a good idea if I did my own stunts," I whispered.
"I need a coffee," gulped Mike.
* * *
I walked through the door and heard silence. Adrienne walked through and waved. I saw her lips form the word "Hi!"
"Oh my God! I'm deaf!" I gasped.
Adrienne came closer and kissed me on the cheek. "You're not deaf!" she whispered in my ear. "I just got the twins to sleep. I was thinking that if this keeps up, we could put them in the same room."
"Yeah," I whispered back as we walked through to the kitchen. It was gleaming, cleaner than I'd seen it in ages. "Wow. How long have they been asleep?"
"I did this earlier," smiled Adie, getting two mugs out of the cupboard. "They've been sleeping really well."
I smiled and gazed out of the window. "Do you ever want to have more kids?"
Adie froze, her eyes wide. "OK! Let's get these two out of diapers first! Come on sweetie, maybe one day, but for the moment, we've got Addy and Joey, 'K?"
I smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I know." She came over and kissed me.
"I'm not saying never, I'm just saying dear God, not now!"
We chuckled and Adie finished making the coffee. We sat, sipping our coffee in silence.
The phone rang and I ran to get it. "Hello?"
"Hello. Do you have double-glazing?"
"What is it Tré?"
"Um, who or what is Tré, because I'm not it! Do you have double-glazing?"
"Tré, please."
"Fine. How d'you know it was me?"
"Because you did the same thing yesterday."
"Oh yeah!"
"Why did you call me, Tré?"
"I didn't call you Tré!"
"No! I meant why did you call me, comma Tré?"
"Oh! Yeah! Um, have you made up your mind about the stunts?"
I took a deep breath.
"Hello? Billie? Will you do the stunts?"
"Yeah, I guess so," I sighed.
"Yeah! You rock dude," Tré yelled.
"Great, see you later," I grimaced.
"Bye."
I hung up. There was still silence. For the first time, the phone hadn't woken Joey.
**September 21st 1995**
*Billie's Point of View*
"A-and, ACTION!"
Shaking, I pretended to read a newspaper as I crossed a road full of cars. I heard cars around me crashing into each other, but I carried on walking. I heard Tré. He was behind me, with a chainsaw, as promised.
I stopped when I saw the wing mirror on the floor; it wasn't in the script, but...
I picked it up and pretended to examine myself whilst seeing the wrecks behind me. I walked to the other side, still messing with the mirror. It glinted in the sun and one of our extras was blinded by it.
"CUT!" yelled Roman. "Billie... "
He was cut off. "I'm alive!" I laughed. "Can you actually believe it! I'm still alive! Yeah! Woo hoo! Who's number one?"
I was met with silence. "Sorry."
"Billie, you inadvertently added great bit to the video," Roman smiled. "We'll get Stanley here down to the hospital, have a crane bring up the piano, he's blinded by your mirror and that's why he almost drops the piano on Tré!" He came over and slapped me on the shoulder as two onset paramedics helped the extra out to get help. "Good job."
Tré and Mike ran over. "Well done! That was the hardest stunt, I'm sorry I forced you into it," Tré said sheepishly.
"S'ok," I smiled.
* * *
Two weeks later, we were all at Adie's and my house, about to watch the rough copies of our videos for Insomniac, our new album. Adrienne and Liv walked downstairs and sat on the couch. Mike was sitting on a beanbag, as were Tré and I.
"OK, so the first one is for a song called 'Stuck With Me', then 'Geek Stink Breath', then 'Brain Stew/Jaded'," I said, grinning at Adie. "Then finally, 'Walking Contradiction'." I inserted the video cassette into the player, and we sat back to watch it.
* * *
"Wow, guys," Annie grinned, "these are great."
"Shh! Last one," said Tré.
* * *
"Oh. My. God." Adie gasped. "Billie, what did you do?"
"What do you mean, what did I do?" I said nervously.
"In the video! You crossed a road full of cars, Tré was chased by a truck, Mike gave some dude an electric shock, you were fucking almost run over," Adie babbled. "Why would you cross a busy road when the sign was red?"
She wasn't yelling, but I was scared. "Tré made me!" I blurted it out before I thought.
Adie rounded on him, so did Annie and Liv.
"How could you do that?" Liv gasped.
"Poor Billie! He must have been terrified." Annie frowned.
Adie was silent. She stood over him, glaring at him. He looked at her.
"Um, hello." He smiled nervously, then stopped.
"Don't you ever do anything like that again, or you'll have me to deal with," hissed Adie.
Tré looked as if he'd wet himself. "Yes, Mrs. Armstrong. Sorry, Mrs. Armstrong." He stood up and ran out of the house.
"I'd better go," said Liv, stifling a laugh. "See you later." She ran upstairs and came back a moment later, carrying Ramona. "Bye." She stepped outside and laughed.
"Can you believe it?" she giggled. "He's left the car here and he's running down the street!"
* * *
Annie and Adie went upstairs to play with the twins. I refilled our coffee cups, and Mike and I went to sit in the garden.
"So, got any plans for tonight?" I asked.
"Well," Mike blushed. "I'm taking Annie out to dinner, and I'm going to propose."
I almost spilled my coffee. "Dude! Congratulations, that's fantastic!"
Mike sat back and smiled down into his coffee mug. "It just feels right, you know?"
I patted him on the shoulder, smiling. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
* * *
*Mike's POV*
For the second time, I waited as Annie went to the restroom. I checked my pocket.
It wasn't there. I checked my pockets; three outside my jacket, two in my pants, oh God!
Finally, I remembered I put it in my inside jacket pocket. I sighed with relief as Annie sat down.
"What's up sweetie?" She smiled at me, quizzically.
"Oh nothing." I smiled back at her and took her hand over the table.
"I've been meaning to talk to you, Mike," Annie smiled at me and placed her other hand over mine. "I think we should...I think we should break up."
"W...what?" My throat was dry and I felt my world crashing down around me.
"Well, we've been together almost two years now, we don't live together," she looked me right in my eyes. "Where is this relationship going?"
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. I don't know how long I was laughing, but Annie started hissing at me, "Mike! Michael! Stop it! Everyone's looking at us!"
I calmed myself down and took my hand away from hers. I got up from my seat and knelt down next to her, drawing the box out of my pocket. Her eyes widened, and her hands flew to her mouth.
"Annie, I bought this, like a month ago, and I've been waiting so long to say these words. I fucking love you more than anything else in this world, will you be my wife?"
Tears filled her beautiful eyes, and she knelt down next to me, kissing me.
"Yes," she whispered. "I love you, Michael Dirnt."
We laughed and walked out of the restaurant as I slipped the ring on her finger.
*Billie Joe's Point of View*
Tré and I sat in the dining room, drinking beer, whilst Liv and Adie brought the dessert in.
The doorbell rang, and I went to get it before Addy, Joey or Mona woke up.
Annie and Mike stepped in, smiles on their faces. I took Annie's coat and began grinning myself.
Aha! He did it!
I sat Mike and Annie down in the dining room with Tré and went to get Liv and Adie. We all sat down at the table and I poured Annie and Mike glasses of wine.
"So guys, I thought you were going out for dinner?" Adie asked.
"We did," smiled Annie.
"And you're still hungry?" frowned Tré.
"I know that smile!" shrieked Liv, pointing at Annie. "He didn't!"
"He did!" Annie said. The three girls started squealing, and crying, and hugging each other.
"Um, OK," said Mike. "I proposed to Annie, and she said yes."
We congratulated Mike, and Adie got a bottle of champagne.
"Here's to the bride," I raised my glass to Annie. "And the groom," then to Mike. "We wish you a life-time of health and happiness."
"And good sex!" added Tré, winking.
We put our glasses together and then drank. Mike put his arm around Annie and kissed her.
"Wow," Adie mused. "Three engagements in just over a year, you guys haven't done that badly."
**July 14th 1995**
*Billie's Point of View*
We had recorded the song, which we had named "Brain Stew", and it worked like a charm. Joey fell fast asleep when I sang it to him.
We had chosen all of the songs for our new album, and it was being edited, and ideas for videos being tested, ready for filming. That way, we wouldn't be messing around filming music videos during the tour.
We were planning on releasing the album in October, then we'd tour for a month and a half, come home for Christmas and a short break, then resume the tour in mid-January.
We were coming up with the concept for the video of "Walking Contradiction", the final song on the album, with our director, Roman Capolla.
"Well, then it's settled," Roman grinned. "I'll see you guys on Monday." We all shook hands with him, and I showed him out, shaking.
I walked back into the studio and sat down.
"Bill," Mike frowned. "You OK?"
"Um," I gulped, my throat was dry. "I...I can't. I'm scared."
"Oh my God!" Tré yelled. "Come on, we agreed we would all do our own stunts, all THREE of us, no backing out! Come on, it's going to be planned down to the very last detail, nothing will go wrong. If you don't want to do it, I will get a chainsaw and make sure you can't have more children!" Tré stomped off, then turned. "Remember, I know where you live!"
Mike and I looked at each other.
"I think it might be a good idea if I did my own stunts," I whispered.
"I need a coffee," gulped Mike.
* * *
I walked through the door and heard silence. Adrienne walked through and waved. I saw her lips form the word "Hi!"
"Oh my God! I'm deaf!" I gasped.
Adrienne came closer and kissed me on the cheek. "You're not deaf!" she whispered in my ear. "I just got the twins to sleep. I was thinking that if this keeps up, we could put them in the same room."
"Yeah," I whispered back as we walked through to the kitchen. It was gleaming, cleaner than I'd seen it in ages. "Wow. How long have they been asleep?"
"I did this earlier," smiled Adie, getting two mugs out of the cupboard. "They've been sleeping really well."
I smiled and gazed out of the window. "Do you ever want to have more kids?"
Adie froze, her eyes wide. "OK! Let's get these two out of diapers first! Come on sweetie, maybe one day, but for the moment, we've got Addy and Joey, 'K?"
I smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I know." She came over and kissed me.
"I'm not saying never, I'm just saying dear God, not now!"
We chuckled and Adie finished making the coffee. We sat, sipping our coffee in silence.
The phone rang and I ran to get it. "Hello?"
"Hello. Do you have double-glazing?"
"What is it Tré?"
"Um, who or what is Tré, because I'm not it! Do you have double-glazing?"
"Tré, please."
"Fine. How d'you know it was me?"
"Because you did the same thing yesterday."
"Oh yeah!"
"Why did you call me, Tré?"
"I didn't call you Tré!"
"No! I meant why did you call me, comma Tré?"
"Oh! Yeah! Um, have you made up your mind about the stunts?"
I took a deep breath.
"Hello? Billie? Will you do the stunts?"
"Yeah, I guess so," I sighed.
"Yeah! You rock dude," Tré yelled.
"Great, see you later," I grimaced.
"Bye."
I hung up. There was still silence. For the first time, the phone hadn't woken Joey.
**September 21st 1995**
*Billie's Point of View*
"A-and, ACTION!"
Shaking, I pretended to read a newspaper as I crossed a road full of cars. I heard cars around me crashing into each other, but I carried on walking. I heard Tré. He was behind me, with a chainsaw, as promised.
I stopped when I saw the wing mirror on the floor; it wasn't in the script, but...
I picked it up and pretended to examine myself whilst seeing the wrecks behind me. I walked to the other side, still messing with the mirror. It glinted in the sun and one of our extras was blinded by it.
"CUT!" yelled Roman. "Billie... "
He was cut off. "I'm alive!" I laughed. "Can you actually believe it! I'm still alive! Yeah! Woo hoo! Who's number one?"
I was met with silence. "Sorry."
"Billie, you inadvertently added great bit to the video," Roman smiled. "We'll get Stanley here down to the hospital, have a crane bring up the piano, he's blinded by your mirror and that's why he almost drops the piano on Tré!" He came over and slapped me on the shoulder as two onset paramedics helped the extra out to get help. "Good job."
Tré and Mike ran over. "Well done! That was the hardest stunt, I'm sorry I forced you into it," Tré said sheepishly.
"S'ok," I smiled.
* * *
Two weeks later, we were all at Adie's and my house, about to watch the rough copies of our videos for Insomniac, our new album. Adrienne and Liv walked downstairs and sat on the couch. Mike was sitting on a beanbag, as were Tré and I.
"OK, so the first one is for a song called 'Stuck With Me', then 'Geek Stink Breath', then 'Brain Stew/Jaded'," I said, grinning at Adie. "Then finally, 'Walking Contradiction'." I inserted the video cassette into the player, and we sat back to watch it.
* * *
"Wow, guys," Annie grinned, "these are great."
"Shh! Last one," said Tré.
* * *
"Oh. My. God." Adie gasped. "Billie, what did you do?"
"What do you mean, what did I do?" I said nervously.
"In the video! You crossed a road full of cars, Tré was chased by a truck, Mike gave some dude an electric shock, you were fucking almost run over," Adie babbled. "Why would you cross a busy road when the sign was red?"
She wasn't yelling, but I was scared. "Tré made me!" I blurted it out before I thought.
Adie rounded on him, so did Annie and Liv.
"How could you do that?" Liv gasped.
"Poor Billie! He must have been terrified." Annie frowned.
Adie was silent. She stood over him, glaring at him. He looked at her.
"Um, hello." He smiled nervously, then stopped.
"Don't you ever do anything like that again, or you'll have me to deal with," hissed Adie.
Tré looked as if he'd wet himself. "Yes, Mrs. Armstrong. Sorry, Mrs. Armstrong." He stood up and ran out of the house.
"I'd better go," said Liv, stifling a laugh. "See you later." She ran upstairs and came back a moment later, carrying Ramona. "Bye." She stepped outside and laughed.
"Can you believe it?" she giggled. "He's left the car here and he's running down the street!"
* * *
Annie and Adie went upstairs to play with the twins. I refilled our coffee cups, and Mike and I went to sit in the garden.
"So, got any plans for tonight?" I asked.
"Well," Mike blushed. "I'm taking Annie out to dinner, and I'm going to propose."
I almost spilled my coffee. "Dude! Congratulations, that's fantastic!"
Mike sat back and smiled down into his coffee mug. "It just feels right, you know?"
I patted him on the shoulder, smiling. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
* * *
*Mike's POV*
For the second time, I waited as Annie went to the restroom. I checked my pocket.
It wasn't there. I checked my pockets; three outside my jacket, two in my pants, oh God!
Finally, I remembered I put it in my inside jacket pocket. I sighed with relief as Annie sat down.
"What's up sweetie?" She smiled at me, quizzically.
"Oh nothing." I smiled back at her and took her hand over the table.
"I've been meaning to talk to you, Mike," Annie smiled at me and placed her other hand over mine. "I think we should...I think we should break up."
"W...what?" My throat was dry and I felt my world crashing down around me.
"Well, we've been together almost two years now, we don't live together," she looked me right in my eyes. "Where is this relationship going?"
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. I don't know how long I was laughing, but Annie started hissing at me, "Mike! Michael! Stop it! Everyone's looking at us!"
I calmed myself down and took my hand away from hers. I got up from my seat and knelt down next to her, drawing the box out of my pocket. Her eyes widened, and her hands flew to her mouth.
"Annie, I bought this, like a month ago, and I've been waiting so long to say these words. I fucking love you more than anything else in this world, will you be my wife?"
Tears filled her beautiful eyes, and she knelt down next to me, kissing me.
"Yes," she whispered. "I love you, Michael Dirnt."
We laughed and walked out of the restaurant as I slipped the ring on her finger.
*Billie Joe's Point of View*
Tré and I sat in the dining room, drinking beer, whilst Liv and Adie brought the dessert in.
The doorbell rang, and I went to get it before Addy, Joey or Mona woke up.
Annie and Mike stepped in, smiles on their faces. I took Annie's coat and began grinning myself.
Aha! He did it!
I sat Mike and Annie down in the dining room with Tré and went to get Liv and Adie. We all sat down at the table and I poured Annie and Mike glasses of wine.
"So guys, I thought you were going out for dinner?" Adie asked.
"We did," smiled Annie.
"And you're still hungry?" frowned Tré.
"I know that smile!" shrieked Liv, pointing at Annie. "He didn't!"
"He did!" Annie said. The three girls started squealing, and crying, and hugging each other.
"Um, OK," said Mike. "I proposed to Annie, and she said yes."
We congratulated Mike, and Adie got a bottle of champagne.
"Here's to the bride," I raised my glass to Annie. "And the groom," then to Mike. "We wish you a life-time of health and happiness."
"And good sex!" added Tré, winking.
We put our glasses together and then drank. Mike put his arm around Annie and kissed her.
"Wow," Adie mused. "Three engagements in just over a year, you guys haven't done that badly."