“Come on in. They’re just relaxing after the show.”
“Good stuff up there tonight,” Mark says, taking the chair across from Jacob.
“Thanks.” I perch on the edge of the couch and glance over at Mallory who seems to be trying to blend in with the wallpaper.
“So, Andrew swears you guys are more than the ‘Candy Jar’ fluff piece,” Cutter says, digging right in.
I knew that fucking song would haunt us.
“Absolutely.” Jacob sits forward, all business now. “Chaser and I wrote it as a joke in like a half hour. But it took off from there.”
“Pretty successful for a joke. If that’s what you two can do in a half hour, I’m eager to see what you can do with more.”
“We have a pretty extensive list of material we’re considering for our new album,” Garrett says.
Extensive is a bit of a stretch, but we’ve collected enough for a full-length album and a few B sides.
“Is ‘Queen of the Road’ one of them?”
“Yes,” I answer carefully, not really in the mood for him to say it’s crap.
“Complex tune. Has an interesting feel to it. Different.” Cutter nods. “Who’s the main songwriter?”
We all look at each other. “Everyone contributes,” I say.
“The big definitive riffs are Chaser,” Alvin explains. “We all help with the lyrics, but Jacob and Chaser write the bulk of it.”
“That’s fair,” Jacob agrees.
“We collaborate best when we’re all together,” I explain. “I’ll bring a riff and a handful of lyrics to the guys sometimes. Alvin helps me stretch it out. Garrett layers on the melody around it. Jacob listens in and works out lyrics to fit the piece.”
“Teamwork. Good.” Cutter squeezes his chin between his thumb and index finger. “Here’s the thing, ‘Candy Jar’ is your only song that’s charted.”
“Uh, ‘Hammer to the Heart’ also made the Top 100,” Alvin points out.
Sure, it only made it to number ninety-eight. Still counts.
“Right.” Cutter wags his finger at all four of us. “Now, that’s a good one. Very original. Your label should’ve given you more support on it.”
“That’s kind of what we want to get back to,” Jacob says. “That grittier, raw, real life, intense feeling in our music.”
“Excellent. So, I think you know I’m a busy man. I’ve got a few bands I regularly work with. When it’s time to get in the studio, we’re all in, and there’s no fucking around.” He glances at Jacob then me. “Everyone gets their ass into the studio on time and works together or I walk.”
I shift my gaze Jacob’s way, since he’s the only one who’s ever had an issue with time management. “That’s what we’re looking for.”
“My time is too valuable to waste,” Cutter continues. “Kickstart doesn’t have enough history for me to take the risk.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. My stomach rockets into my boots.
“So, here’s what I propose,” he says slowly, like someone should be taking notes. “Round up all the material you’re considering for the new album and narrow it down to your four best. Not what you think I want to hear. The songs that best represent the essence of who Kickstart is as a band.”
We’re all hanging on to his every word.
“Book some studio time and make me a demo of those songs. That’ll show me that you’re serious. If I like what I hear, we’ll work together. Andrew says you’re going out on the road with them, so get the demo done before you leave. By the time you’re back, I’ll have you on my schedule and ready to go. That way, you can work out the pieces on the road. Toss what isn’t working. Improve the songs that are.”
Damn, that doesn’t align with the timeline the record label wants for us to put out the next album.
“The label wants them to re-record a new version of ‘Cry it Out,’ do you want that too?” Valerie asks.
“No. New stuff,” he answers, without looking at her. “You want to add ‘Cry it Out’ when we go into the studio, that’s fine. Right now, I want your energy focused on new stuff.”
After he leaves, we sit and stare at the door.
“Shit.” Garrett runs his fingers through his hair. “Fuck.”
“Why so deflated?” Val claps her hands together. “Cheer up. This is great news.”
“Great?” Jacob can’t hide his irritation. “He’s making us interview.”
“It’s not uncommon.” Val places her hands on her hips and stares us down. “You heard all the rules he laid out? He did that because he wants to work with Kickstart. He wants you to nail this. Don’t let him down.”
“Who’s paying for the studio time?” Jacob asks.
“Who cares? We’ll find the money.” I can’t believe that’s what he’s worried about.
“Easy for you to say when your girlfriend’s apparently loaded,” he grumbles.
I knew letting him see the guitar Mallory bought me would bite me in the ass eventually.
“Settle down.” Val glares at both of us. “The record company will cover it. As long as you get it done quickly, I don’t think it will be an issue. They want you to put something out soon.”