5. Happiness

"WHAT’S UP LEEDS!?"

The voice of Alex Gaskarth can be heard bouncing off every wall in the small 02 venue located in the UK city of Leeds, hundreds, maybe even thousands of kids crammed into every space, all gathered to hear their favourite music played right in front of their eyes.

‘This next one up is a new one, we’re releasing it real soon, but I wanted to try it out on you guys first, so let me know what you think. It goes like this.’

Mayday situation overload,
I’m restless, obsessed with your future,
And all my worries they don’t bother you,
Collect, you render me useless,
But I carry on

The beat kicks in and the crowd goes wild, because who cares if they don’t know the words? Who cares that they don’t know what’s coming next? Absolutely no-one, cause in this very moment they’re a part of something amazing. They’re a part of the debut live performance of their favourite bands new song. Never again will this song be debuted to a live audience, this one event bonds all the people in the room just that little bit more.

As the kids go crazy Alex looks across to the dark haired guitarist on his right, the grin on his face can’t help but grow as he watches his boyfriend put all his energy in to throwing himself around the stage, his smile remaining firmly in place as himself and the bassist dance intricate steps around each other.

The Englishman turns his focus back to the crowd of screaming teenagers in front of him, he tries to make eye contact with as many of them as possible, because although he’ll never understand why, he knows that it’s the kind of thing that makes these kids fall asleep smiling to themselves at night, the kind of thing they’ll talk about for weeks, about how Alex Gaskarth looked right at me!

I, don’t wanna say goodnight,
The city comes alive, when we’re together,
Why can’t Thursday last forever?
I, don’t wanna say goodnight,
I’ve never been so sure, just do it for the memories,
Do it for Baltimore!
Do it for me!

Alex remembers the night that inspired the lyrics he was currently pouring out to their fans.

It had been a Thursday as the words suggest, it hadn’t actually been that recent, in fact, it had been the night that started this whole shebang off. It had been the night that they were approached by Hopeless records after playing a local show. By this point they’d managed to get a decent sized fan base in their hometown consisting off their peers, and friends of friends, although it had started off at people their own age, the guidelines were gradually getting broader as more and more people took notice of the small high school band from Baltimore.

The crowd had been electric; all four members could easily say that had been the best show they’d played to date, the atmosphere in the room was insane, and it felt like the night would last forever, the band pushed their time limit as much as they possibly could, with ‘just one more song, I promise, just one more!’ being used at least three times, but as the day was pushing on its last few hours they eventually had no choice but to call it a day.

“Okay guys, Flyziks side stage over there giving me the look that suggests if we don’t get off stage right now, he’s going to rip my dick off, and as much as I’d love to have his hands on me I really would like to keep my penis, so looks like we’re gunna have to give you one last song to remember us by eh?” He’d winked at the tour managed before turning back and giving his soon-to-be signature lopsided grin to the crowd, “this one’s called Dear Maria and it goes a little like this-”

They’d put every ounce of their remaining energy in to their final song, intent on giving the crowd something to remember, their already diehard fans screamed along every word with all of their hearts, a look of pure admiration spread across their faces. The four boys from Baltimore had jumped, skipped and ran all over their tiny stage, megawatt smiles never leaving their faces.

The song was over but the occupants of the small venue continued to buzz, the energy high in the air despite the late hour. The murmurs got louder as a chant was decided ‘All Time Low! All Time Low!’ the sheer volume and intensity had left the band stunned, how is it that these four small town boys had managed to obtain such loyal fans in such a small amount of time? Alex quickly gained his composure and laughed in to the microphone.

“You guys are incredible, but seriously we really gotta go. I fucking love every single one of you, I just wish I could penetrate you all right this second, but unfortunately I think if I take any more time wrapping this up I may be lacking a manhood, and me and my dick have become quite attached over the years. We’re All Time Low, and you guys have been fucking amazing. We’ll see you guys soon!”

With that they’d run off stage, all still running on the high of their finally finished gig, no words were shared between the four, because none were needed, that electric feeling running through their veins was enough to tell that they couldn’t be the only ones feeling that way, not even the death glares they were receiving from their newly appointed tour managed could bring them down.

“That was ridiculous you guys! You can’t fucking do that. How do you expect to make it big when you can’t stick to the rules!” The tour managed had been fuming. On the inside he wanted to laugh with them, and congratulate them on the news he had yet to share with them.
“C’mon Matt, lighten up! The crowd out there loved it! We’re sorry for overrunning, but look out there! We’ve been gone 5 minutes now and they’re still stood out there hoping we’ll go back. We promise we won’t do it again, just chill out alright?”

Flyzik had just sighed and shook his head at them, “Whatever. Anyway listen, there’s someone here that wants to meet you guys.”

That had been the start of the conversation that was to be the start of All Time Low becoming what they are today. The person that had come to see them had turned out to be a representative from Hopeless Records, they’d been at the venue by chance and had instantly been blown away, so blown away in fact, he’d insisted they attend a meeting back at the Hopeless Records studios to discuss the possibility of their future even further.

With a shake of several hands, the man left a group of four stunned band members in possession of his card. It had been Alex who had recovered first, the almost too-big grin on his face expanding even more as he turned his gaze to his best friends.

“We have to do it, right? We have to! This is what we’ve been aiming for guys! I’m pretty sure our dreams just came true right now!” As the sentence progressed the excitement within the singer had grown considerably, leaving him hopping slightly from what foot to the other as he rocked on to the balls of his feet, his hands becoming more and more animated.

“I don’t know Alex, we’re barely out of high school.” Alex merely sighed at his friend, Rian had always been the mother of the group, always trying to think about things ‘logically’

“Rian’s right ‘Lex, we’d be expected to tour more, and I mean gigs like this are fine, but I don’t know if my ‘rents would be up for the big travelling.” Zack made sure to make eye contact with the singer in order to get his point across.

“But this is what we’ve been working for guys! What was the point of all the hard work we put in if we were going to turn down the best offer we’re going to get at this stage?”

The debating continued back and forth and eventually they moved to the cramped dressing room of the small venue to continue the discussion on the fate of All Time Low. The boys spent a whole hour in the room, eventually resorting to the old fashioned method of drawing up a pros and cons list. It was close but in the end the pros won, much to Alex’s pleasure. In all of the excitement he hadn’t noticed the lack of input from his best friend.

“What about you Jacko? You in?”

“I don’t know ‘Lex-” The younger had tried to protest, but before the words had even finished leaving his mouth his best friend was already cutting in.

“C’mon Jack please! We can’t be a crappy high school cover band forever. I know we have a couple of our own songs, but think of how much better we can do if we went with this! And besides, think of how much happier people would be here if they got rid of us, y’know I’ve heard you can hear us practising from two streets across, we’d be doing people a favour by leaving! Do it for Baltimore, Jack! Do it for Baltimore!” Both boys broke out laughing before the Alex had even finished his speech, both not being able to ignore how corny the whole thing had sounded.

“Well, when you put it that way... I still don’t know. This is a really big thing ‘Lex.”Jack sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“I know Jack! But we can do it, I know we can. Please give this a shot, if not for Baltimore,” he gave his best friend a wink, “do it for me, please?” He continued to give his best puppy dog eyes, not blinking for a whole minute straight as he watched his friends defences crumble.

“I hate how much control you have over me. Fine, I’ll do it, I’m in, whatever you want to call it. Let’s do this.”



The last chords of the song rang out as the song finished. The four twenty-plus year old men couldn’t help but grin at the crowd in front of them. The academy full of teenagers had gone wild for a song they’d never heard before, and that was all the band could have ever asked for, because this right here was living proof that they had some of the most loyal fans on this earth.

“Okay guys, I think it’s about time to wrap this shindig up, because right now Flyzik’s side stage over there giving me a look that tells me if we don’t get off stage within the next 6 minutes he’s going to castrate me, and as much as I love having his hands on me, I really would like to keep my dick. I think you guys know how this works by now, this is Dear Maria and it goes like this-”

They played their final song, and the intensity of the atmosphere only increased, you could feel every ounce of energy pumping through every member of the crowd as the concert reached its climax. The teenagers jumped and pushed and screamed and cried as they savoured every moment of their favourite band playing in front of their eyes, the last time most of them would witness such a sight for at least another year.

The song finished and the crowd began to chant. Chant for the hope of just one more song! but the four men didn’t do that anymore. Alex couldn’t help but think of how similar tonight was to the night this had all started, although it seemed only appropriate due to ‘For Baltimore’s debut. He gave them all a sorry-full smile as he took the mic in his hand once more,

“I love every single fucking one of you. Your response to our new song tonight was incredible, and it’s ‘cause of you guys that we get up on stage every day and do what we do. You’re all fucking amazing and if we didn’t have to get off stage right now I would come down there and penetrate every single one of you – yes even you fellas, but we gotta go now! We’ve been All Time Low, and we’ll see you fuckers later!”

The men discarded their left over picks, drum sticks, water bottles and towels in to the crowd before making their way off stage and to the dressing room back stage. None of them moving towards the shower, instead opting for collapsing on to the couches in one corner of the room.

“That-”

“Was-”

“Fucking-”

“Incredible.”

The four laughed at how even after nearly ten years they were more in sync than they had ever been. Alex reached over and took his boyfriends hand in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze and
turning his head to look at the Jack as he turned his head to return the gaze.

“Yeah, ‘Lex?”

“I love you, you know.” Jack didn’t question what had caused his partner to become so sentimental. He didn’t question because he already knew. Songs like ‘For Baltimore’ always made him like this, especially when they were based on things so important to them. He smiled softly in response,

“I know. I love you too.”

“Thank you Jacko.” The younger was genuinely confused, the emotion clearly evident on his face.

“For what?”

“For doing it for Baltimore.” The infamous smirk had placed itself upon Alex’s lips as Jack let out a small laugh and cupped his boyfriends jaw in his hand.

“I didn’t do it for Baltimore, I did it for you.” He then placed a gentle kiss to the others lips, and right at the moment, the pair could swear if you stood close enough to them you could feel the happiness radiating from them.