by Lexy Timms
“What?!” Logan stared in shock. Somehow he knew this would happen one day, just not this soon. He also didn’t expect the loyalty that tugged strong inside of him. “How can you even suggest that we cut our band off our albums?”
Bert Collins leaned forward. “Logan, we represent the best studio musicians around. They play for pay, rates not royalties. Royalties suck the money right out of album sales. We can market the two of you in the long term. The way I see it, we can use the press to our advantage to keep the steam rolling for a while. Stories can be written about your breakup, and then you can put out solo albums that will sell like hotcakes to fans who support one or the other of you. Even if we turn one of you into a villain, it’ll result in new fans and more sales. Everybody likes a bad guy now and then, right?” he asked, looking smugly at Logan. “The big money’s in solo artists, but to get you there, you need a story. We can give you that story.”
Fury began to pool in the pit of Logan’s stomach. He looked over at Ashley, and her face was set and white, her mouth hanging open. “So you expect us to dump our band and then pretend to break up?”
Mr. Collins’ cold eyes swept over them. “Let’s be honest. You two will probably break up long before that. Being a duo will probably be the hard part. By the time we’re ready for your solo album, we’ll be lucky to keep you from killing each other, and you’ll be sick of acting like a couple.”
Logan stood and pointed at Bert Collins, his whole body shaking from head to toe. “Dude, this is really uncool.”
Bert nodded. “Welcome to the industry, son. That’s the way it is. There are no happy endings in entertainment. It’s all just…Facebook fiction, trending bullshit. As much as we hate to admit it, it’s not about art or passion anymore. This is a business, concerned with profits and bottom lines. The sooner you start looking at it that way, the sooner you’ll get where you wanna go. You think the Biebers and Gagas of the world got where they are with no help from the agencies and the press?”
“I don’t want to do things like that,” Logan said. “Whisky Lullaby is the real deal, and if we can’t—”
“Don’t bullshit me, young man,” Mr. Collins said, rudely cutting him off. “You want it, all that fame and fortune, and I’m offering it to you. Walk out of here if you want to, but rest assured these offers don’t come along very often. Your band might be hot at this moment, thanks to Royale, but even the best dishes get cold mighty quick in the music business…and who the hell wants to eat a cold dish?”
“You don’t know anything about us,” Logan snapped.
Bert Collins laughed. “Kid, you’re a carbon copy of hundreds of others who’ve walked through my door. I’ll tell ya what, though. I like you, so I’ll give you this one free. Most people don’t get to walk outta here and come crawling back later, begging me to hand over the contracts. I’ll give you a day, though. Think it over but let me know by exactly this time tomorrow what you wanna do. If I don’t hear from you within twenty-four hours, I’ll assume you’re not willing to sign. That’s all. You may go.”
Unable to see anything but red, even in that unnervingly white office, Logan grabbed Ashley’s hand. “You won’t hear back from us,” he said stiffly as she stood from her chair and moved over beside him. “In fact, I’ll tell everyone I know to stay the hell away from you and this slimy studio.”
Collins shrugged. “Your loss…and theirs.”
“You want to split up our band!”
He leaned back in his seat, staring at Ashley. “Look, since you’re obviously not signing, I’ll be straight with you. I lobbied for just you. The other CEO said no way and insisted that it had to be a duo or a no-go. To be honest, I don’t care about her one iota. The only member of your band I want is you.”
Logan’s let go of Ashley’s hand and slammed his fists down on Bert Collins’ desk in a rage. His ribs expanded and contracted as he struggled to contain his anger. “You son-of-a-bitch!”
Collins stood to meet his hard stare. “I’m telling you this because I’ve known plenty of guys like you, hungry artists with real talent. I’ll still give you a day to think about it, but if you come back here to sign, know it’s for going solo. In other words, the two of you can sign now, or else it’ll just be you signing tomorrow. You got that?”
“I’m not signing anything!” Logan said, his guts practically boiling. His fingers clutched the edge of the desk so tightly that his knuckles were white. “Screw you.”
Collins chuckled and sat back down. “I like that. All that emotion will come in handy when we’re cutting tracks. I’ll see ya tomorrow, kid.”
“Like hell you will.” He fished in the air behind him, and Ashley found his hand. Logan led her to the door, and he didn’t dare look back. He was too afraid he would go over to that desk, snatch up a pen, and sign. After all, it was all there, all laid out for them: an actual music career, albums, music, money, and fame. Bert Collins had offered him all he’d ever wanted, but accepting it meant giving up his band.
“Logan, you have to go back,” Ashley said, tugging on his hand as soon as they stepped into the sunlit parking lot.
He glared at her. “What? Are you crazy?”
“You have to.”
“The hell I do.”
She put her hands on her hips. “The hell you don’t.”
He glared at her. “Are you nuts, or do you just need a hearing aid?”
“No, but you might. They want you. They’re willing to take me to get you, but you’re all they really want. This is your dream, everything you’ve ever wanted, what you’ve dreamt about. You have to go back in there and take the deal. Just do it, Logan.”
“No, Ashley.”
Her jaw tightened. “Logan, don’t stand here and tell me you don’t want this.”
“I want us: you and me and Whisky Lullaby.”
Her eyes searched his face. “Yeah, for right now, but how long will that be good enough?”
He sighed. “Look, I do want what he’s offering, the music career, but not like this—not at the expense of you and Charlie and the other guys.”
“This may never come your way again.”
He studied her face, wondering what he should do. He did worry that she would pack up and leave the band at the end of her senior year. If she does that, isn’t Whisky doomed to fall apart anyway? Hell, for all I know, everything will change when we all graduate anyway. He knew how hard it was to break into the music scene, and any deal with a label was a good deal, but he didn’t want to turn his back on the people he loved in order to take it.
Ashley shook her head. “Logan, you can’t walk out on this. You’ll regret it, and then… Well, one day, you’ll resent all of us.”
He ran a hand along her neck. “I won’t.”
She stepped back. “You will! Please at least think about it. At least take the day, like he said.”
“I don’t need to think about it, and I don’t wanna talk about it either.” He stormed toward the bike, with Ashley right on his heels. After she climbed on the back, he cranked the engine and sped out of the parking lot.
The wind blew around them, and Ashley had to hang on more tightly than usual because he was going too fast. Her heat seeped into his body, and he accepted it, even welcomed it, because at that moment, he felt really cold. He really didn’t want to think about Collins’ offer, because he knew it was wrong in every way. He just couldn’t ditch the people he loved and played with, not even for a record deal.
When they got back to campus and dismounted from the bike, Ashley rubbed her arms and looked down at her feet. “I have to get to the advisor’s office. I need to find another dorm room, a smaller one or something, before I get hit with a bill I can’t pay.”
He nodded but said nothing. His insides were twisted in knots. Speaking of bills, just how much money am I passing up by not signing? he wondered. Sure as hell enough for her not to have to worry about that stupid rent or the scholarships.
She walked off, and Logan wa
tched her go. Her jeans cupped her firm bottom, and her long legs moved with real power. He wanted to run after her, to grab her and make love to her right then and there. She always inflamed him so much, even when his mind was so full of everything else.
When Logan got back to his room, Charlie was waiting for him there. “Hey, man! Tell me what happened.”
Logan sat down heavily. “You don’t wanna know.”
“The hell I don’t!” Charlie passed him a cold soda.
Logan took it, popped the tab, and drank it down. The cold liquid and sugar helped balance him. He cleared his throat and said, “Dude, you won’t believe it if I tell you.”
Charlie leaned forward. “Try me.”
He rubbed his eyes, and the emptiness in his chest grew. “They wanted to sign only Ashley and me, but if I refused to sign us today, I have to go back in tomorrow and sign as a solo artist.”
Charlie leaned back and looked at Logan cautiously. “And what did you say to that?”
“Of course I told him to fuck off. What else would I say?”
“Man, are you crazy?”
Logan rubbed his temples and shook his head. “What’s with you people? Ashley said the same thing, that I should just take the deal and not worry about her or the rest of the band. Hell, she even thinks I should sign on solo. I don’t even know what to say to her right now.”
Charlie’s lips curved upward. “Try thanking her, ’cause she’s right, Logan. This is your big shot…but wait. Why doesn’t she wanna sign on with you?”
Logan poured the whole story out for Charlie, right down to the part where he wanted to stab Mr. Collins in the eye with the pen.
Charlie stood and paced the floor. “She’s right, bro. You should do it. We’d all understand.”
“But I wouldn’t. It’s wrong.”
“Logan, I’m shocked, man. Really. This is all you’ve wanted since we were kids. Yeah, Whisky’s good and all, but you’re the star, and we all know it. You’re the songwriter, and—”
“Ashley helps with that…a lot.”
Charlie nodded. “Okay. Well, anyway, she’s great onstage, with a real good voice, and smoking hot. But a star? Nope. She just isn’t. Haven’t you ever noticed that the fans are drawn mostly to you? You can’t buy that kind of star power, Logan. It’s just something you’re born with, and you’re the only one who has it. The label sees that, and they wanna capitalize on it. What’s wrong with that?”
“That’s bullshit.”
Charlie shook his head. “It’s not. It’s the flat-out truth. You’re the only one of us who even comes close, the only one with a real chance. Don’t blow it, dude. Nobody’s gonna be mad at you for takin’ your shot.”
“I’d be mad at me.”
“Then you’re crazier than I thought,” Charlie said. “Man, if that had been me, I woulda signed so fast you guys wouldn’t even have time to say goodbye before I was gone.”
Logan glared at him. “What?”
“You don’t have to worry about that, ’cause nobody’s knocking down my door for the next star bass player. I’m a good musician, but I’m never gonna be in the Hall of Fame, man. Hell, I’ll probably wind up working a regular job during the week and playing gigs on the weekend, if I’m lucky. If I’m real lucky, I’ll be able to stop washing those damn pizza plans and make a living as a studio musician, but I don’t even think that’s a possibility.”
Logan knew he was right, but he certainly wasn’t going to say so. As far as Logan was concerned, he would never be a success unless Whisky Lullaby was, and he wasn’t about to walk out on them. “I’m not breaking up the band,” he said emphatically. “I know you think I’m the kind of person who would, but I’m not.”
The door opened, and Lisa, Zip, and Mike walked in. They all looked tense and nervous but excited, too.
Great, Logan thought, not at all excited to repeat the story of what had happened at the studio. They were all expecting good news, and he had none to give them.
“So? What’s up, dude? Are we gonna be signing on the dotted line?”
Logan signed and opened his mouth to speak, but Charlie cut in. “He’s an idiot. They offered him a deal, either for a duo act for him and Ashley or for him as a solo artist, and he turned both down.”
“What the hell?” Zip said, plopping down in a chair.
Lisa’s mouth hung open, and Mike actually blinked several times.
“So they don’t even want the rest of us?” Zip asked.
Logan sighed. “I don’t wanna go into it right now. I told him we’re a package deal, period. It’s Whisky Lullaby all the way or nobody.”
No one spoke, and Logan just stared at them.
Finally, Mike nodded and asked, “Okay, so now what?”
Logan shrugged. “Beats me. I mean, I know what I’d like to do, and since we’re all here—”
“Except for Ashley,” Zip added.
“Right, but she’s heard this already. I’d like us to go into the studio and make a record. Maybe we can do some gigs in other cities around here or tour over the summer or something. I know that might impose on everybody’s summer plans, and some of us would have to find a place to live.”
Charlie frowned. “That actually sounds good, but what if we don’t make it, man? I mean, we gotta be realistic here. Is it fair for us to hold you back?”
“You aren’t. I need you guys,” Logan said, trying to convince them of what he was sure he already knew.
Ashley walked in after a brief knock. “Oh, hey, everyone,” she said, looking around at her bandmates.
Charlie grinned. “Yeah, we’re here…and we already know. I agree with you. He should do it.”
Ashley looked at the others. “Anyone else agree?”
Zip looked down at the floor and shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, where does that leave the rest of us?”
“Behind,” Charlie said cheerfully, “but we gotta suck it up and accept that it just might need to be that way.”
“It’s nobody’s decision but mine, and I’m not doing it.”
Ashley leaned against a wall, Lisa took Zip’s hand, and no one said a word.
“Anyway, we need to start a website,” Logan continued. “I think it will help us land more gigs. We can make a contact page, so our fans can—”
Charlie interrupted. “Man, are you sure?”
Logan really wasn’t sure at all, and the more time that went by the more unsure he was. His eyes went to Ashley. He had no idea what was going to happen with the band, but he loved Ashley and knew they could make it, no matter what anyone else said or felt. He also knew she loved him, too, because if she didn’t she never would have told him to take the deal. She loved him too much to selfishly hold on to him, and she wasn’t in it for her own fame and desires. Her smile broadened as she looked at him, and his heart nearly exploded in his chest. As much as he wanted Ashley, though, he also wanted Whisky Lullaby.
He lifted his hand when she approached, and she wrapped her fingers around his. “No matter what that bastard said today, music isn’t a business. It’s about something totally different, at least for us.”
Ashley sat down on his lap, and he rested his hands on her waist. “What is it for us then, Logan?” she asked softly.
His head rested against the small of her back for a moment, and then he looked up and at Charlie. “Family.”
She leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Now, let’s do what we do best.”
She giggled, and his smile grew wider as he read her dirty little mind.
“Let’s make some music, Whisky Lullaby!”
“Hell, why not?” Charlie said.
Within moments, they were all standing in a circle.
“Okay, so we’re all in…all the way?”
“All the way and forever,” Ashley said, then put her hand in first.
“Always and forever?”
“Yes!” they all cried, in perfect harmony, of course.
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From Up-n-Coming magazine:
Rock Star Royale left everyone drunk with excitement for Whisky Lullaby, the group fronted by cellist and musical prodigy Ashley Slater and hottie music genius Logan Murphy. We got an exclusive look inside what the band’s doing next, and wow, are they really taking full advantage of the win!
Whisky is on the Web, with their site up and running, complete with tour dates. They’re booked almost every weekend from now through the summer and will be gracing venues and clubs in Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and even New Jersey. Not only that, but they’ve also teamed up with former child actress-turned-rock-crooner Tawny Wyld and her Down East, the band that came in second at Royale. Obviously, there are no hard feelings, as the two talented bands are collaborating for a few dozen club dates, with both bands taking turns as openers and headliners.
It seems the two bands have hooked up in a few other ways as well. The rumor mill has it that Whisky bass player Charlie is currently making sweet music with Tawny offstage! Rumor also has it that we may see some recordings from both groups working together. Fans are demanding it, because two great bands like these, with so much star power between them, can be nothing short of pyrotechnic.
Whisky Lullaby has also landed a few festival gigs, most notably in Memphis this May and down in ’Bama, for a three-day jam. They may even play a few spring break festivals at Panama City Beach.
It’s exciting to watch this band onstage. It’s even more exciting to watch them break out, skyrocketing as they deserve to. As of late, they’ve added a unique spin with Ashley’s cello onstage, giving us some serious power melodies that go perfectly with their already funky and raucous vibe. The songs are getting better all the time, and the band has begun selling their music through a few streaming services. Their “Breaking Down” has become a regional and college radio hit, and it’s just a matter of time before Whisky Lullaby takes the music scene by storm! Keep your eye on them, folks, because they’re not just up and coming. Whisky Lullaby is up and going places, cello and all!
THE END
Whisky Harmony
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