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Shout the Call
Chapter 1
My bedside clock let out its shrill alarm, notifying me it was time to get my backside out of bed. It had been set for six thirty am, religiously, ever since I started my job at New Music; Non Stop. I’m a feature writer, reviewer, interviewer and photographer (the latter being for my own business first and foremost and the magazine second). Over the past eighteen months of working at the magazine, I’ve covered some of my all time favourite bands; not bad at all when you consider I have had no formal training or qualifications for it. I got the job out of “your pure passion for music and how it makes you feel,” according to our editor, Hanley James. He’s always said that this industry needs more like me.
I turned my laptop on, swiftly followed by my phone. Luckily, I’ve never been the kind of person who feels the need to leave my mobile on overnight; even that muted buzz of silent mode was enough to totally disturb a decent night’s sleep. I keyed in my password when my laptop prompted and left it to load up; it was time for my ritualistic morning shower. After a brief yet refreshing wash and spruce up, I headed back to my bedroom and plonked myself down on my faux-antique chair in front of my faux-antique dressing table, dragging my index finger over the mouse pad. The laptop screen burst into life after lying in dormant standby. This is another ritual; every Monday morning I check to see the barrage of emails I’ve received over the weekend and previous week. I never have much chance to do this over the week as I’m almost always off and away from home, working ridiculous, unsociable hours. I can’t grumble though; who else can say they get paid for doing something they absolutely adore? I opened my email account to just find junk mail, tons of the stuff. Shockingly, there were only two from work.
FROM: hanjames@nmns.co.uk
TO: beaharvey@nmns.co.uk
SENT: Sunday, 10:27
SUBJECT: You’re not going o believe this…….
Hey Bea
Sorry its short notice but you’re going to be out of the office ALL of this week unless I tell you otherwise. Let’s just say, I’ve managed to bag AAA for one of your favourite bands ever but I’m not telling you who it is just yet as there are a few loose ends to tie up. Once everything’s confirmed 100%, I’ll mail you again. Man, is this comes off, it’s going to be HUGE – for us and for you!
Catch ya later
Hanley xxx
Oh my Lord. Could it be who I was thinking? I opened the second email almost immediately.
FROM: hanjames@nmns.co.uk
TO: beaharvey@nmns.co.uk
SENT: Sunday, 13:09
SUBJECT: You’re not going o believe this…….
Hello again my beautiful Bea
So, you want the good news or the even better news first? Nope, don’t answer that. Here goes:
You know how I thought it’d be just one week out of the office for you? Well, it’s just turned into six. You’ll be the official tour photographer/reviewer/general ‘jack-of-all-trades’ for ……….. SHOUT THE CALL! Basically, you need to pack, like yesterday! Like I’ve already said, I really am sorry for the late notice on this but I wouldn’t have given this gig to anyone else Bea.
Can you call me as soon as you get this? You’ll need a pen and paper or something; you’ll need to take down a few details. I won’t email you with further info; you’ll be asleep before you read to the end.
Speak soon
Hanley xx
This was unreal! I couldn’t do anything but carry on staring at the screen. The minute I came to, I grabbed my phone, searched through ‘recent’s’ for Hanley’s number and hit call.
“Hanley.”
“Hey Bea,” Hanley replied, sounding excited, “so I can assume you got the emails?”
“Um, yeah and wow; Hanley - I don’t know what to say.”
“Look, you can thank me and all that when you get back. Have you packed yet?”
I immediately felt bad.
“Ah, sorry – no,” I replied guiltily, “I only just picked up my mail. You know I never look at them over the weekend, especially on Sunday. It’s my only day to chill.”
“Yeah, yeah; I know,” Hanley replied, sounding a little irritated but not angry. “Anyway, you can pick in a minute. Here’s the deal: the band’s management will meet you at The Britannia at Euston Station, London. They’re only based in Camden so I’ve told them you’ll give them a call when you get to there. You’ll be doing your very first interview with Shout The Call, there – in the pub. By all accounts and according to Jim Stanley, the manager, they enjoy a pint or ten. You will then be heading back to their shared house in Camden and then tomorrow you’ll be out on the road with them. All expenses will be covered Bea, and of course, I’ll be depositing a weekly allowance of three hundred pounds into your account in addition to your regular wage. They want this coverage badly, Bea and apparently, the band’s lead singer has asked for you specifically. He loves all of your work honey. Well done!”
I was flabbergasted. Aaron Holmes, lead singer of Shout The Call, wanted me - albeit just on a professional basis. Any basis at all is good for me.
“Honestly, Hanley; I just don’t know what to say!” I replied.
“Well, you’ll have plenty to say later at the interview, I’m guessing,” Hanley said, “I know you well enough to know that you know a ton about the band already but I suggest you get your research up to date and your questions sorted on the train honey. You know the drill; keep it relevant, edgy and to the point. Make it yours. Now; any questions?”
“Nope” I replied honestly because I didn’t; not even one. I still couldn’t quite believe what I’d just heard and even with the scribbled notes I’d made on a page of my reporter’s notebook, I couldn’t get my head around it.
I turned my laptop on, swiftly followed by my phone. Luckily, I’ve never been the kind of person who feels the need to leave my mobile on overnight; even that muted buzz of silent mode was enough to totally disturb a decent night’s sleep. I keyed in my password when my laptop prompted and left it to load up; it was time for my ritualistic morning shower. After a brief yet refreshing wash and spruce up, I headed back to my bedroom and plonked myself down on my faux-antique chair in front of my faux-antique dressing table, dragging my index finger over the mouse pad. The laptop screen burst into life after lying in dormant standby. This is another ritual; every Monday morning I check to see the barrage of emails I’ve received over the weekend and previous week. I never have much chance to do this over the week as I’m almost always off and away from home, working ridiculous, unsociable hours. I can’t grumble though; who else can say they get paid for doing something they absolutely adore? I opened my email account to just find junk mail, tons of the stuff. Shockingly, there were only two from work.
FROM: hanjames@nmns.co.uk
TO: beaharvey@nmns.co.uk
SENT: Sunday, 10:27
SUBJECT: You’re not going o believe this…….
Hey Bea
Sorry its short notice but you’re going to be out of the office ALL of this week unless I tell you otherwise. Let’s just say, I’ve managed to bag AAA for one of your favourite bands ever but I’m not telling you who it is just yet as there are a few loose ends to tie up. Once everything’s confirmed 100%, I’ll mail you again. Man, is this comes off, it’s going to be HUGE – for us and for you!
Catch ya later
Hanley xxx
Oh my Lord. Could it be who I was thinking? I opened the second email almost immediately.
FROM: hanjames@nmns.co.uk
TO: beaharvey@nmns.co.uk
SENT: Sunday, 13:09
SUBJECT: You’re not going o believe this…….
Hello again my beautiful Bea
So, you want the good news or the even better news first? Nope, don’t answer that. Here goes:
You know how I thought it’d be just one week out of the office for you? Well, it’s just turned into six. You’ll be the official tour photographer/reviewer/general ‘jack-of-all-trades’ for ……….. SHOUT THE CALL! Basically, you need to pack, like yesterday! Like I’ve already said, I really am sorry for the late notice on this but I wouldn’t have given this gig to anyone else Bea.
Can you call me as soon as you get this? You’ll need a pen and paper or something; you’ll need to take down a few details. I won’t email you with further info; you’ll be asleep before you read to the end.
Speak soon
Hanley xx
This was unreal! I couldn’t do anything but carry on staring at the screen. The minute I came to, I grabbed my phone, searched through ‘recent’s’ for Hanley’s number and hit call.
“Hanley.”
“Hey Bea,” Hanley replied, sounding excited, “so I can assume you got the emails?”
“Um, yeah and wow; Hanley - I don’t know what to say.”
“Look, you can thank me and all that when you get back. Have you packed yet?”
I immediately felt bad.
“Ah, sorry – no,” I replied guiltily, “I only just picked up my mail. You know I never look at them over the weekend, especially on Sunday. It’s my only day to chill.”
“Yeah, yeah; I know,” Hanley replied, sounding a little irritated but not angry. “Anyway, you can pick in a minute. Here’s the deal: the band’s management will meet you at The Britannia at Euston Station, London. They’re only based in Camden so I’ve told them you’ll give them a call when you get to there. You’ll be doing your very first interview with Shout The Call, there – in the pub. By all accounts and according to Jim Stanley, the manager, they enjoy a pint or ten. You will then be heading back to their shared house in Camden and then tomorrow you’ll be out on the road with them. All expenses will be covered Bea, and of course, I’ll be depositing a weekly allowance of three hundred pounds into your account in addition to your regular wage. They want this coverage badly, Bea and apparently, the band’s lead singer has asked for you specifically. He loves all of your work honey. Well done!”
I was flabbergasted. Aaron Holmes, lead singer of Shout The Call, wanted me - albeit just on a professional basis. Any basis at all is good for me.
“Honestly, Hanley; I just don’t know what to say!” I replied.
“Well, you’ll have plenty to say later at the interview, I’m guessing,” Hanley said, “I know you well enough to know that you know a ton about the band already but I suggest you get your research up to date and your questions sorted on the train honey. You know the drill; keep it relevant, edgy and to the point. Make it yours. Now; any questions?”
“Nope” I replied honestly because I didn’t; not even one. I still couldn’t quite believe what I’d just heard and even with the scribbled notes I’d made on a page of my reporter’s notebook, I couldn’t get my head around it.
♠ ♠ ♠
So my plan for this is: it's going to be my next, full length novel and because of that, I may only post up a certain amount of chapters, the number of which I haven't decided on just yet. I want people to buy the book, once it's available to do so. So look at this and the coming chapters as a bit of a taster. I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've loved writing it.