Status: Finished
God Bless the Children of the Beast
Gettin the band together
A few days later Jake and I sat outside the diner we had met at. We had checked papers and bulletin boards all over the strip but nobody seemed to be or even know a bassist. I was getting frustrated. I crushed my empty Pepsi can and exhaled angrily. Jake tapped a beat on the table with his fingers. “Hey lovebirds” a voice said from behind me. Jake and I started and looked for the person that spoke. Jake glared instantly. “Hey Mick!” I said happily, glad to see the only sane member of the Crue. He leaned on the railing that separated the street and porch. “Word on the street is you need a bassist.” “There is no word of anything.” Jake growled. I shot him a look and returned my gaze to Mick. “What of it?” I asked coolly. He looked over the rim of his glances and shot me a wry smile. “I might be able to help you out.” Now we were getting somewhere. I folded my arms and watched Mick curiously.
He took that as a sign to continue, despite the angry look Jake was shooting him. I wasn’t sure why, but he hated Motley and anything to do with them. I only hated Nikki. Occasionally. “I have a friend who plays pretty good. I don’t know if he’s looking for a band, but you could give him a go. I got his number with me if you want it.” I nodded and took the folded up paper he handed me. He stood back up and gave us a two-finger salute and headed back down the road.
I unfolded the paper and recognized the number. “The guitar shop?” I asked myself. Jake reached over and snatched the paper from me. “He’s playing with us.” Jake said, tossing the paper. I watched it blow down the street. “Stop being such a piss ant! We need help, and he’s trying to provide it. Damn.” I stood up and headed down the street. “Where are you going?” Jake called, turning around to watch me go. “The guitar shop.” I said without looking back. I could tell he was aggravated, but a moment later he caught up and walked steadily behind me. The shop was just down the road, so we got there in no time. I pushed open the door to the small cool building and glanced around. There was a blonde guy behind the counter reading a magazine. He didn’t even look up at us.
Since he wasn’t paying any attention, I took my time to study him. He wasn’t particularly cute, but he wasn’t ugly either. His pale blonde hair fell in waves around his face, curtaining his green gaze. Jake pushed past me and headed over to drum stuff. I curiously wandered over to the bass section. It wasn’t a large place, just enough to fuel the fire burning in the Strip at night. Accessories, strings, straps, and only a few basses to choose from. “Looking for anything specific?” A voice said from behind me. I forced myself not to jump in surprise as I noticed the blonde behind me. “Probably something I won’t find.” I sighed, returning my gaze to the wall of instruments. “You won’t know until you look.” He said, picking up a bass and tuning it. I watched him curiously. “You play?” He nodded. “Do you?” I smiled deviously. “Guitar. In fact, me and my buddy Jake over there are looking for a good bassist.” He looked up at me and replaced the bass. “I don’t know one.” My heart sank and I watched him return behind the counter. “What about you?” I asked, trying not to sound desperate. He shook his head again. “I don’t do the whole band thing. I prefer to go solo.” I glared at him. “It must not be you.” I mumbled, turning around and leaning on the counter to watch Jake. “Not me?” He said. I exhaled angrily. “Mick said there was a bassist here I could get in my band, I guess Jake was right, he lied.”
“Really, Mick?” I turned around and shot him a look. “So what?” He smiled. “Well, it’s just that Mick told me two big shots might come snooping around for a bassist.” “You know Mick?!” I growled. “Big shots?!” Jake added, now beside me. He laughed. “Tell ya what, come back later after closing and I’ll see if you two are worth my time.” I nodded and tried to keep my temper at a minimum. I could tell Jake was steaming beside me and I wanted to get him out. “You know what-“ Jake started, but I smacked his arm and gave him my death glare. “We’ll be here.” I confirmed, grabbing my ignorant drummer and heading toward the door. I went to pull it open when it flew open by itself and I jumped back in shock.
A guy ran in and nearly fell over the counter as he stopped. “Where’s bass strings at, I got practice in 5 minutes and the guys are gonna kill me!” “Nikki?” I asked incredulously. He froze and turned his head slowly. “Why the hell are you here?” He smirked. “None of your business.” Jake retorted. “Heh, bet you still don’t have a bassist do you?” Both Jake and I didn’t know what to say. “Actually they do.” The blonde that worked there said. “ We’re going to rehearse tonight, aren’t we guys?” I beamed. “Right!” “Who the hell are you?” Nikki spat, turning on the guy. “Rocky,” he answered, “their new bassist. Now I suggest you get your gear and get out so we can practice mister Sixx.” “Whatever.” He muttered, grabbing a pack of strings and pulling his wallet out. He turned to leave and shot Jake a glare. “Good luck with your ‘band’ Jakey.” He said just to piss him off. “And I’ll see you later Sami.” He said, kissing me as he walked out. Jake was seething. I grabbed his arm. “Don’t worry, I won’t be seeing him any time soon.”
He took that as a sign to continue, despite the angry look Jake was shooting him. I wasn’t sure why, but he hated Motley and anything to do with them. I only hated Nikki. Occasionally. “I have a friend who plays pretty good. I don’t know if he’s looking for a band, but you could give him a go. I got his number with me if you want it.” I nodded and took the folded up paper he handed me. He stood back up and gave us a two-finger salute and headed back down the road.
I unfolded the paper and recognized the number. “The guitar shop?” I asked myself. Jake reached over and snatched the paper from me. “He’s playing with us.” Jake said, tossing the paper. I watched it blow down the street. “Stop being such a piss ant! We need help, and he’s trying to provide it. Damn.” I stood up and headed down the street. “Where are you going?” Jake called, turning around to watch me go. “The guitar shop.” I said without looking back. I could tell he was aggravated, but a moment later he caught up and walked steadily behind me. The shop was just down the road, so we got there in no time. I pushed open the door to the small cool building and glanced around. There was a blonde guy behind the counter reading a magazine. He didn’t even look up at us.
Since he wasn’t paying any attention, I took my time to study him. He wasn’t particularly cute, but he wasn’t ugly either. His pale blonde hair fell in waves around his face, curtaining his green gaze. Jake pushed past me and headed over to drum stuff. I curiously wandered over to the bass section. It wasn’t a large place, just enough to fuel the fire burning in the Strip at night. Accessories, strings, straps, and only a few basses to choose from. “Looking for anything specific?” A voice said from behind me. I forced myself not to jump in surprise as I noticed the blonde behind me. “Probably something I won’t find.” I sighed, returning my gaze to the wall of instruments. “You won’t know until you look.” He said, picking up a bass and tuning it. I watched him curiously. “You play?” He nodded. “Do you?” I smiled deviously. “Guitar. In fact, me and my buddy Jake over there are looking for a good bassist.” He looked up at me and replaced the bass. “I don’t know one.” My heart sank and I watched him return behind the counter. “What about you?” I asked, trying not to sound desperate. He shook his head again. “I don’t do the whole band thing. I prefer to go solo.” I glared at him. “It must not be you.” I mumbled, turning around and leaning on the counter to watch Jake. “Not me?” He said. I exhaled angrily. “Mick said there was a bassist here I could get in my band, I guess Jake was right, he lied.”
“Really, Mick?” I turned around and shot him a look. “So what?” He smiled. “Well, it’s just that Mick told me two big shots might come snooping around for a bassist.” “You know Mick?!” I growled. “Big shots?!” Jake added, now beside me. He laughed. “Tell ya what, come back later after closing and I’ll see if you two are worth my time.” I nodded and tried to keep my temper at a minimum. I could tell Jake was steaming beside me and I wanted to get him out. “You know what-“ Jake started, but I smacked his arm and gave him my death glare. “We’ll be here.” I confirmed, grabbing my ignorant drummer and heading toward the door. I went to pull it open when it flew open by itself and I jumped back in shock.
A guy ran in and nearly fell over the counter as he stopped. “Where’s bass strings at, I got practice in 5 minutes and the guys are gonna kill me!” “Nikki?” I asked incredulously. He froze and turned his head slowly. “Why the hell are you here?” He smirked. “None of your business.” Jake retorted. “Heh, bet you still don’t have a bassist do you?” Both Jake and I didn’t know what to say. “Actually they do.” The blonde that worked there said. “ We’re going to rehearse tonight, aren’t we guys?” I beamed. “Right!” “Who the hell are you?” Nikki spat, turning on the guy. “Rocky,” he answered, “their new bassist. Now I suggest you get your gear and get out so we can practice mister Sixx.” “Whatever.” He muttered, grabbing a pack of strings and pulling his wallet out. He turned to leave and shot Jake a glare. “Good luck with your ‘band’ Jakey.” He said just to piss him off. “And I’ll see you later Sami.” He said, kissing me as he walked out. Jake was seething. I grabbed his arm. “Don’t worry, I won’t be seeing him any time soon.”