Sequel: Making the Album ›
Changes
Shows.
Robert handed the manager the List.
"These are all the songs we'll be playing tonight, alright?"
"You want an opening song?"
"We've got it."
The manger watched as the lead singer walked away. Then he turned his attention to the grubby peice of loose-leaf in his hands.
1. Talk Dirty To Me : Poison
2. God Gave Rock and Roll : KISS
3. Welcome to the Jungle : Guns N Roses
4. Armaggedon It : Def Leppard
5. Back In Black : AC/DC
6. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You : Led Zeppelin
7. Def Leppard : Foolin
8. No One Like You : Scorpions
9. Mr. Brightside : The Killers
10. Round and Round : Ratt
11. Breaking the Law : Judas Priest
12. Motely Crue : Girls, Girls, Girls
13. Asleep : The Smiths
14. Come As You Are : Nirvana
15. Best Friend : Weezer
16. Everybody's Fool : Evanescence [sung by lead guitarist, Marie Antoinette]
"Stupid covers band." He muttered to himself, and took refuge behind the bar.
~~~
"They're playing tonight, Billie."
"I don't care."
"Tony's playing."
"Don't care."
"Billie-"
"TRE! I DON'T CARE!"
Without a moments hesitation, Tre punched him in the face. Billie toppled to the floor cursing.
"What the fuck was that for?" He demanded. Tre glared at him.
"Now listen to me, Billie, because I won't say this twice. You had her, you fucked up. You haven't lost her yet, she still gives a shit about you. But if you don't get your ass in gear, you WILL lose her, and probably to some asshole like Andy who'll treat her like shit. I may be just an idiot drummer, but I saw the way you two looked at each other."
Billie was silent, rubbing his injured cheek.
"For some reason, she loved you. And she took care of you. You owe it to her to make this better."
Tre looked at the clock, then back at Billie, still sitting on the floor.
"Mike and I are leaving in fifteen minutes."
And he walked out of the room. Billie cursed for a few minutes, feeling a spectacular bruise blossoming across his cheek.
Then he threw on a shirt, pulled on a tie and procceeded to walk to the Dolls gig with Mike and Tre.
~~~
They arrived just as the Dolls were taking the stage. For some bizarre reason, they always went on to the theme song from Angel, which was done by Darling Violette. He watched as they picked up their instruments and glared out into the audience, daring them to laugh.
And then they launched into their act.
It was amazing, everything a rock act should be and more. It was the first time any of Green Day had watched them properly and the show amazed them.
Robert was everything you could want for in a lead singer. He prowled the stage, alternately insulting and flattering the audience in beween lyrics. He leapt off amplifiers, stuck his tongue down Tony's throat [admirably, she didn't even miss a chord], screamed like a rock god and called his bandmates out for solos one at a time.
"May I present our bass player, NUMBER TWO!" Rob bellowed.
As Tom played, Mike's mouth dropped open. Tom strummed his bass with skill beyond something a skinny young boy should possess. The audience clapped and whistled. Tom stagedived, surfed, then returned to the stage, pounding his chest while yelling something unintelligible at the audience.
During Armageddon It, Robert apparently decided Tony's solo needed a bit more emphasis than the song allowed.
"Ladies and Gentleman, Miss Marie Antoinette!" He pointed to Tony who grinned at him.
And she took the solo, her fingers a blur on her guitar. She played Steve Clark's part, then expanded it. She made the guitar squeal, growl, and roar. The sound silenced the audience, who had hushed merely to hear her notes better.
And as she finished, they applauded so loudly that the Dolls had to wait a minute to start the next song.
The show was phenomonal. Song after song nailed, note after pefect note. Robert alternately wailed and crooned, depending on which song he was singing.
"And the DRUMMER!" Robert bellowed, sweat dripping down his face, as they finished their last song, Come As You Are by Nirvana.
And Blondie began a solo that would make Tre proud, pounding everything and anything attached to his drum kit, then knocking the entire thing over to the audience's roar of approval.
Then, when the crowd had quieted, Robert walked up to the mike, panting from the effort of holding that last note.
"Alright. Now, Miss Marie Antoinette is going to sing a song she's picked out. Pay attention, or she'll break your nose with her guitar."
Tony smiled and Billie felt his heart explode. She handed her guitar to Robert, who strummed it experimentally. The crowd whistled as Tony pulled off her polo shirt to reveal a black bodice. It wasn't exceptionally revealing, which just showed how drunk the crowd was.
"I wanted to sing this song because of something that's going on in my personal life. I think you all know this song from Evanescene's album, Fallen. It's called Everybody's Fool."
The opening notes rang out. Billie's blood went cold as Tony's beautiful voice rang out over the amphs.
Perfect by nature, icons of self indulgence
Just what we all need, more lies about a world
That never was and never will be
Have you no shame, don't you see me?
You know you've got everybody fooled.
Her eyes found his, and she didn't break away. SHe was singing to him, about him. Her pain made the song more than potent, hushing the rowdy crowd in a way that only Tony could.
Look, here she comes now, bow down and stare in wonder
Oh, how we love you, no flaws when you're pretending.
But now I know she never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled
Tony paused, listening with her eyes closed to the instruments roaring behind her. Then she opened them, looking directly at Billie and he knew that she was looking directly at him. She sang the next words ever so gently.
Without the mask, where will you hide?
Can't find yourself, lost in your lie
Her voice rose and she screamed out one, perfect note before launching into the next verse.
I know the truth now, I know who you are
And i don't love you anymore
When she sang that, Billie felt himself freeze. He couldn't quite tell if she was serious, but her voice, her voice had spoken of tears and sorrow and anguish that only losing love could bring.
It never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled
It never was and never will be, you're not real and you can't save me
somehow now you're everybody's fool
Then she grabbed the guitar, the guitar Billie had lent her, that had just been repaired, that he knew meant the world to her.
And she smashed it to peices over an amph with tears streaking down her cheeks, while Robert, Tom and Blondie played away, jamming together in a wonderful, wordless soundtrack to Tony's hurt that wove a spell through the club. The BANGs of the guitar hitting the amph punctuated Blondie's drumming, as if the drummer had yet another drum hidden away that he was pounding on.
The guitar crumpled into peices and Tony dropped to the floor of the stage, sobbing as though her heart would break.
Or maybe as though it already had and the pain was just starting to hit.
Before he could think about the possible consequences of his actions, Billie jumped up, knocking over his chair in the process, pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the stage. He leapt onto it and knocked the microphone stand out of his way.
And before Tony could do or say anything, he dropped to the ground next to her, pushed her onto her back and leapt on top of her.
"BILLE! What the fuck are you - "
He didn't care what she had to say. He kissed her long and hard, pinning her hands to the ground before she could hit him.
When he pulled away, Tony looked up at him.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because I love you, Tony." He told her, keenly aware of how many people were in the club, straining to hear what was being said.
"I love you, I never want to be without you. I need you, you complete me. And being without you, makes me hurt."
"Billie...I can never be Adrienne. I could try, and make myself hurt, but I can't be her. You have no idea how horrible it was to hear you whisper her name to me. And I don't know about...us..."
"Then let me remind you."
And the second he touched her lips with his, he knew they were back together.
"These are all the songs we'll be playing tonight, alright?"
"You want an opening song?"
"We've got it."
The manger watched as the lead singer walked away. Then he turned his attention to the grubby peice of loose-leaf in his hands.
1. Talk Dirty To Me : Poison
2. God Gave Rock and Roll : KISS
3. Welcome to the Jungle : Guns N Roses
4. Armaggedon It : Def Leppard
5. Back In Black : AC/DC
6. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You : Led Zeppelin
7. Def Leppard : Foolin
8. No One Like You : Scorpions
9. Mr. Brightside : The Killers
10. Round and Round : Ratt
11. Breaking the Law : Judas Priest
12. Motely Crue : Girls, Girls, Girls
13. Asleep : The Smiths
14. Come As You Are : Nirvana
15. Best Friend : Weezer
16. Everybody's Fool : Evanescence [sung by lead guitarist, Marie Antoinette]
"Stupid covers band." He muttered to himself, and took refuge behind the bar.
~~~
"They're playing tonight, Billie."
"I don't care."
"Tony's playing."
"Don't care."
"Billie-"
"TRE! I DON'T CARE!"
Without a moments hesitation, Tre punched him in the face. Billie toppled to the floor cursing.
"What the fuck was that for?" He demanded. Tre glared at him.
"Now listen to me, Billie, because I won't say this twice. You had her, you fucked up. You haven't lost her yet, she still gives a shit about you. But if you don't get your ass in gear, you WILL lose her, and probably to some asshole like Andy who'll treat her like shit. I may be just an idiot drummer, but I saw the way you two looked at each other."
Billie was silent, rubbing his injured cheek.
"For some reason, she loved you. And she took care of you. You owe it to her to make this better."
Tre looked at the clock, then back at Billie, still sitting on the floor.
"Mike and I are leaving in fifteen minutes."
And he walked out of the room. Billie cursed for a few minutes, feeling a spectacular bruise blossoming across his cheek.
Then he threw on a shirt, pulled on a tie and procceeded to walk to the Dolls gig with Mike and Tre.
~~~
They arrived just as the Dolls were taking the stage. For some bizarre reason, they always went on to the theme song from Angel, which was done by Darling Violette. He watched as they picked up their instruments and glared out into the audience, daring them to laugh.
And then they launched into their act.
It was amazing, everything a rock act should be and more. It was the first time any of Green Day had watched them properly and the show amazed them.
Robert was everything you could want for in a lead singer. He prowled the stage, alternately insulting and flattering the audience in beween lyrics. He leapt off amplifiers, stuck his tongue down Tony's throat [admirably, she didn't even miss a chord], screamed like a rock god and called his bandmates out for solos one at a time.
"May I present our bass player, NUMBER TWO!" Rob bellowed.
As Tom played, Mike's mouth dropped open. Tom strummed his bass with skill beyond something a skinny young boy should possess. The audience clapped and whistled. Tom stagedived, surfed, then returned to the stage, pounding his chest while yelling something unintelligible at the audience.
During Armageddon It, Robert apparently decided Tony's solo needed a bit more emphasis than the song allowed.
"Ladies and Gentleman, Miss Marie Antoinette!" He pointed to Tony who grinned at him.
And she took the solo, her fingers a blur on her guitar. She played Steve Clark's part, then expanded it. She made the guitar squeal, growl, and roar. The sound silenced the audience, who had hushed merely to hear her notes better.
And as she finished, they applauded so loudly that the Dolls had to wait a minute to start the next song.
The show was phenomonal. Song after song nailed, note after pefect note. Robert alternately wailed and crooned, depending on which song he was singing.
"And the DRUMMER!" Robert bellowed, sweat dripping down his face, as they finished their last song, Come As You Are by Nirvana.
And Blondie began a solo that would make Tre proud, pounding everything and anything attached to his drum kit, then knocking the entire thing over to the audience's roar of approval.
Then, when the crowd had quieted, Robert walked up to the mike, panting from the effort of holding that last note.
"Alright. Now, Miss Marie Antoinette is going to sing a song she's picked out. Pay attention, or she'll break your nose with her guitar."
Tony smiled and Billie felt his heart explode. She handed her guitar to Robert, who strummed it experimentally. The crowd whistled as Tony pulled off her polo shirt to reveal a black bodice. It wasn't exceptionally revealing, which just showed how drunk the crowd was.
"I wanted to sing this song because of something that's going on in my personal life. I think you all know this song from Evanescene's album, Fallen. It's called Everybody's Fool."
The opening notes rang out. Billie's blood went cold as Tony's beautiful voice rang out over the amphs.
Perfect by nature, icons of self indulgence
Just what we all need, more lies about a world
That never was and never will be
Have you no shame, don't you see me?
You know you've got everybody fooled.
Her eyes found his, and she didn't break away. SHe was singing to him, about him. Her pain made the song more than potent, hushing the rowdy crowd in a way that only Tony could.
Look, here she comes now, bow down and stare in wonder
Oh, how we love you, no flaws when you're pretending.
But now I know she never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled
Tony paused, listening with her eyes closed to the instruments roaring behind her. Then she opened them, looking directly at Billie and he knew that she was looking directly at him. She sang the next words ever so gently.
Without the mask, where will you hide?
Can't find yourself, lost in your lie
Her voice rose and she screamed out one, perfect note before launching into the next verse.
I know the truth now, I know who you are
And i don't love you anymore
When she sang that, Billie felt himself freeze. He couldn't quite tell if she was serious, but her voice, her voice had spoken of tears and sorrow and anguish that only losing love could bring.
It never was and never will be
You don't know how you've betrayed me
And somehow you've got everybody fooled
It never was and never will be, you're not real and you can't save me
somehow now you're everybody's fool
Then she grabbed the guitar, the guitar Billie had lent her, that had just been repaired, that he knew meant the world to her.
And she smashed it to peices over an amph with tears streaking down her cheeks, while Robert, Tom and Blondie played away, jamming together in a wonderful, wordless soundtrack to Tony's hurt that wove a spell through the club. The BANGs of the guitar hitting the amph punctuated Blondie's drumming, as if the drummer had yet another drum hidden away that he was pounding on.
The guitar crumpled into peices and Tony dropped to the floor of the stage, sobbing as though her heart would break.
Or maybe as though it already had and the pain was just starting to hit.
Before he could think about the possible consequences of his actions, Billie jumped up, knocking over his chair in the process, pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the stage. He leapt onto it and knocked the microphone stand out of his way.
And before Tony could do or say anything, he dropped to the ground next to her, pushed her onto her back and leapt on top of her.
"BILLE! What the fuck are you - "
He didn't care what she had to say. He kissed her long and hard, pinning her hands to the ground before she could hit him.
When he pulled away, Tony looked up at him.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because I love you, Tony." He told her, keenly aware of how many people were in the club, straining to hear what was being said.
"I love you, I never want to be without you. I need you, you complete me. And being without you, makes me hurt."
"Billie...I can never be Adrienne. I could try, and make myself hurt, but I can't be her. You have no idea how horrible it was to hear you whisper her name to me. And I don't know about...us..."
"Then let me remind you."
And the second he touched her lips with his, he knew they were back together.