‹ Prequel: Changes
Making the Album
Making Amends.
"Tom, you're pretty damn quiet." Robert stepped away from the microphone, looking at Tom with concern in his eyes. Tom shrugged.
They all knew he and his father had had a confrontation. And they knew why. But Tom hadn't told anyone what his father had said to him. He didn't tell them how much it hurt, hearing those words coming out of his father's mouth.
And the thing that scared him, and this was full out, heart stopping, blood-freezing fear he was talking about, was that he knew his father was serious.
Looking back, Tom knew it wasn't a conscious realization. If he'd had any idea of what was going to happen, he would have hired security, called the police. Done anything to prevent it.
But then, he was just a twenty-something year old who'd had a fight with his father.
"Rob, you know how it is. Parents... I said some things I didn't mean."
";You did what you had to do." Robert replied, his face hard. "He doesn't respect you, Tom. Doesn't respect you as a musician."
"I know... but I wish things had turned out differently."
Robert's face softened. Tom knew he was thinking about his own mother. Robert had confided to Tom that his mom had died a few weeks earlier. They'd both been somewhat drunk, Robert more so than Tom. And in the hotel room, the singer had broken down.
"She wanted the world for me. She did everything for me. And she died, old and alone, in a fucking hospital with no one there but a few nurses and doctor who doesn't give a shit about her."
"Rob, she wanted you to be happy. She gave you her blessing."
"She should have been on tour with me! I should have sang for her, made sure she heard me!"
"You did what you thought was best."
"And I was fucking wrong!"
"You weren't wrong. Coming on the road with us would have killed her for sure. She knew that. She'd heard you sing. And she'd be so happy if she knew that she could turn on the radio and hear you singing."
"You think so?"
"Man, I know so."
"God, Tom... when did you get so fucking smart?"
"Don't beat yourself up. You did the best you could. He knows you love him."
Robert stepped back to the microphone and began to sing. Tom sighed, and sat quietly cradling his bass against his chest. He wanted to believe Robert was right.
But Robert hadn't seen the look of insanity on Tom's father's face.
***
"Alright. We've recorded almost every song, with the exception of 'She', '(Stand Up) Kick Love Into Motion', and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine. Once we finish these, we pick a single, film a video, appear on talk shows, arrange a tour and then collect various awards. Then poof. You're rock stars."
Barry looked please with himself. Tony cheered and did an impromptu dance with Tom, who looked somewhat like his old self. Blondie watched them with quiet jubilation on his face. Robert let out a wild howl worthy of Kurt Cobain and kicked over a chair. Mike watched them, a small smile playing about his lips. Tre celebrated by kicking the chair out from under Billie, who vanished beneath the table with a yelp. Barry laughed.
"Now, you guys tell me what you want as a single."
A storm of arguing promptly erupted, in which Billie sidled over to Mike.
"Heard from Jay? I saw him leaving the hotel last night."
"He's staying on the tour bus, for your information, nosy." Mike replied shortlly.
"Hey. Don't start sniping at me if you two have argued."
"We... alright, fine. We had the mother of all arguments. And he walked out. That can't be a good sign."
"Have you talked to him since then?"
"Nope."
"Giving him space?"
"Yes."
"Which translates to, you're terrified that you've been dumped and don't wanna find out?"
"Exactly."
There was a moment's pause. Billie cast a glance at the arguing band. Tre wasn't helping matters. The drummer was taking sides with devilish delight, changing his vote every two minutes. Barry looked tired, but appeared to be listening.
"You want me to talk to him?"
"God, yes."
"Remember to buy me the world's greatest birthday present."
"You've already got Tony."
Billie considered, and then looked at Mike with a grin on his face.
"Buy her an outfit that makes Tre go, 'OH'."
And he vanished out of the studio.
They all knew he and his father had had a confrontation. And they knew why. But Tom hadn't told anyone what his father had said to him. He didn't tell them how much it hurt, hearing those words coming out of his father's mouth.
And the thing that scared him, and this was full out, heart stopping, blood-freezing fear he was talking about, was that he knew his father was serious.
Looking back, Tom knew it wasn't a conscious realization. If he'd had any idea of what was going to happen, he would have hired security, called the police. Done anything to prevent it.
But then, he was just a twenty-something year old who'd had a fight with his father.
"Rob, you know how it is. Parents... I said some things I didn't mean."
";You did what you had to do." Robert replied, his face hard. "He doesn't respect you, Tom. Doesn't respect you as a musician."
"I know... but I wish things had turned out differently."
Robert's face softened. Tom knew he was thinking about his own mother. Robert had confided to Tom that his mom had died a few weeks earlier. They'd both been somewhat drunk, Robert more so than Tom. And in the hotel room, the singer had broken down.
"She wanted the world for me. She did everything for me. And she died, old and alone, in a fucking hospital with no one there but a few nurses and doctor who doesn't give a shit about her."
"Rob, she wanted you to be happy. She gave you her blessing."
"She should have been on tour with me! I should have sang for her, made sure she heard me!"
"You did what you thought was best."
"And I was fucking wrong!"
"You weren't wrong. Coming on the road with us would have killed her for sure. She knew that. She'd heard you sing. And she'd be so happy if she knew that she could turn on the radio and hear you singing."
"You think so?"
"Man, I know so."
"God, Tom... when did you get so fucking smart?"
"Don't beat yourself up. You did the best you could. He knows you love him."
Robert stepped back to the microphone and began to sing. Tom sighed, and sat quietly cradling his bass against his chest. He wanted to believe Robert was right.
But Robert hadn't seen the look of insanity on Tom's father's face.
***
"Alright. We've recorded almost every song, with the exception of 'She', '(Stand Up) Kick Love Into Motion', and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine. Once we finish these, we pick a single, film a video, appear on talk shows, arrange a tour and then collect various awards. Then poof. You're rock stars."
Barry looked please with himself. Tony cheered and did an impromptu dance with Tom, who looked somewhat like his old self. Blondie watched them with quiet jubilation on his face. Robert let out a wild howl worthy of Kurt Cobain and kicked over a chair. Mike watched them, a small smile playing about his lips. Tre celebrated by kicking the chair out from under Billie, who vanished beneath the table with a yelp. Barry laughed.
"Now, you guys tell me what you want as a single."
A storm of arguing promptly erupted, in which Billie sidled over to Mike.
"Heard from Jay? I saw him leaving the hotel last night."
"He's staying on the tour bus, for your information, nosy." Mike replied shortlly.
"Hey. Don't start sniping at me if you two have argued."
"We... alright, fine. We had the mother of all arguments. And he walked out. That can't be a good sign."
"Have you talked to him since then?"
"Nope."
"Giving him space?"
"Yes."
"Which translates to, you're terrified that you've been dumped and don't wanna find out?"
"Exactly."
There was a moment's pause. Billie cast a glance at the arguing band. Tre wasn't helping matters. The drummer was taking sides with devilish delight, changing his vote every two minutes. Barry looked tired, but appeared to be listening.
"You want me to talk to him?"
"God, yes."
"Remember to buy me the world's greatest birthday present."
"You've already got Tony."
Billie considered, and then looked at Mike with a grin on his face.
"Buy her an outfit that makes Tre go, 'OH'."
And he vanished out of the studio.