Bar crawl.
-Are you nervous? - asked Jerry, accompanying him along the Illinois streets with a hint of simple admiration. -This bar used to host Nirvana in its early days when all the band members were just young, noisy music lovers. Even David Bowie performed here, one of the most iconic singers of the era. -
Jerry's melancholy wasn't accompanied by tears; he was too old to cry over past events. The only good thing about being famous was that they didn't need a cast of guards. Billy's fame could be called virtual, like a star passing in the night, seen only for a few hours, ephemeral.
Both entered through the front door; Spencer was there, young Connor was there, and a new bassist who had recently joined, Jack Suece, an excellent bassist who stole the starting spot after impressing Gloria at a talent contest.
There was one of the bands that had breathed new life into music since 1992, with their hit single "Creed." Thom Yorke, the singer or lead vocalist, along with his piano and guitar skills, was illuminated today by the words of Roy Elffen, a music producer who had come here for the sole simple reason of seeing Billy Carson. Roy Elffen was an English producer and a close friend of Ahmet Atergun, who, at Jerry's insistence, decided to present them with a wonderful gig in Chicago, three bands, and a great event that, if successful, would share some exposure with Radiohead, Local H, and Billy on the Rock Day at his discretion.
What was interesting was that from the very beginning, Ahmet detected Billy's pride when he insisted on naming a band by its name. He didn't accept a band name and continued as a solo artist, inciting new paradigms, although many had done it before; it's just that few had truly gained recognition. The reasons were twofold. First and foremost, you can't keep great musicians tied down in the shadows. This behavior is common; an artist's pride is not something to be toyed with and certainly cannot be disregarded. Secondly, everyone wants success. If recognition is gained by only one person, it would cause discontent. However, it's different when you're powerful, when the music is powerful, and people decide to stay to witness history unfold before their eyes.
-How have you two been? - Jerry asked Connor and Spencer.
Connor looked just as skinny, with dark circles under his eyes, and he looked paler than usual; the cold didn't agree with the young drummer.
-Mr. Wrexler, everything's been perfect. Thank you for this magnificent opportunity to showcase ourselves. From my gratitude, both for me and for Connor, - Spencer said.
Wrexler only had Spencer because he was an excellent guitarist, and well, the boy Connor seemed to be Billy's friend; nepotism shone brightly in the presence of the poor sugar cube, who had lived some time playing with the band.
-Don't even bother. Go get ready. You'll play last, but a bit of the musical atmosphere would do you good to calm your nerves before the gig, - Jerry said.
Heading upstairs to the tables, curiously, Woody Allen was chatting amiably with Roy Elffen about some of their music varieties, by the farthest window, along with two glasses of wine. They were both talking eagerly.
-Roy, Woody, I didn't expect to see you here today, - Jerry Wexler said.
-I didn't expect to see Roy either, but here we all are, - Woody said.
-Well, I've been somewhat busy, but Jerry wants me to see some of his boys. He hasn't asked me since '87, almost 13 years ago. The last time before that was in '73 when he insisted on three days in my office. Here I am again, for the third time someone insisted on me, leaving my grandchildren momentarily to see this kid play, - Roy said.
Woody's eyes lit up. "How good is he?"
-Oh, it must be quite a feat for you to come here, even forgetting my birthday, and that time I made it to the Times, you only sent me a letter inviting me to lunch, which you subsequently declined, - Woody said with a laugh.
Roy felt embarrassed. "Things came up, but now I have more time. Call me when you're free, if your movies don't take up as much time as they used to.," Roy said, already starting to retire from music. On the other hand, Woody's life in cinema only seemed to improve; he recorded more, with more enthusiasm, without waiting for enough time or approval; they let him unleash his imagination.
-Success comes to us all, although it wasn't easy. Things started to improve only recently, - Woody said.
The bar began to fill up with people, even the small VIP section was packed. Jerry and Roy's table wasn't the only one; many people decided to use the space to listen to Radiohead and Local H, which was popular in some ways. Their hometown Chicago had gained some love from the surrounding public; it wasn't their debut; they were veterans in the bar circuit. It was clear: first, Local H would open, followed by Radiohead, and lastly, Billy, a brave challenge as the latter could be underestimated due to all the performances. Whereas the former was just a matter for novices who lost their nerves, both bands were established.
-Listen to my boy. He has this vibe that makes my hands tremble, - Jerry said.
-Don't worry; I have a keen ear for these kinds of events, - Roy said, ordering a serving of fries and a sandwich with three beers.
The band Local H declared their performance. The music didn't wait, drowning out the conversation between the two old men.
🎵🎶🎶🎵
Born to be down
I've learned all my lessons before now
Born to be down
I think you'll get used to it
And you just don't get it, you keep it copacetic
And you learn to accept it, you know you're so pathetic
And you just don't get it, you keep it copacetic
And you learn to accept it, you know you're so pathetic
And you don't
And you don't
And you don't
And you don't
Born to be down
I think that I've said this before now
Born to be down
What good is confidence?
🎵🎶🎶🎵.
Principio del formulario
A Local H song - "Bound for the Floor" - was enough to liven up the atmosphere. It was followed by two more songs from the band, "All the Kids Are Right" and "Fritz's Corner."
Although it may seem somewhat unbelievable, only the song "Bound for the Floor" has achieved some international popularity, reaching number 46. This is a clear indication that success is not always immediate but can still reach many parts of the country, especially on the East Coast of the United States.
The small corner at the back seemed to be a storage room, arranged for singers. It was large and separated by the distance of the furniture. The bands were more than content, looking at the newcomers not with apprehension. Who hasn't heard the latest album, "Strong"? A true rock gem, as many newspapers claimed. A young Thom Yorke, still with his sun-kissed blonde hair and without the sparks of a long career, his beard not yet gracing his face, just observed.
Similarly, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood, and Phil Selway stopped the party to focus; they were playing for 35 minutes and needed to excel. Roy Elffen may have ignited sparks in their hearts by mentioning that they would be eaten alive today in the performance. A young promise that could make them see stars.
They saw a kid.
Billy listened to the rock band in his mind, projecting the songs he would sing, shining from the outside as he concentrated on his system. The progress was more than evident, although he didn't have a piano at home. His mother was not discreet at all about deserving many good things for Christmas, like a piano. Moving beyond the term semi-professional was a challenge, four months stuck at that level.
He didn't wish to communicate with anyone; he was in meditation, focusing his thoughts on the three songs he would sing in the next hour. Meanwhile, Spencer nervously sweated, using a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his cheeks.
Connor just ignored the world around him as usual, practicing his state of freedom over people.
...
Status:
Billy Carson.
Vocals: (76/80) Level 4: Semi-professional.
Piano: (6/20) Level 2: Novice.
Guitar: (19/20) Level 2: Novice.
Rating: Global.
380/8,340,000
Numbers: Followers.
2,802,244.
…
Although it didn't explain anything about the global rating, this must be related to his position in the music industry, the visible number that his band occupies currently. He doubted that historically it was so close; the average for outstanding artists reached 500 in this era and the next.
-We have to give a concert, - Billy said from his chair upon hearing the first band of the night start playing.
The gleam of his words began to create a palpable sense of anxiety. He liked that feeling of fear, terror, and panic forming in his heart.
...