Time Spent, chapter 2
"Oh my god... " I heard Brandon whisper under his breath.
I didn't move, I didn't blink, I just stood there staring. I don't think I truly believed my eyes. I should have known it was going to happen seeing as how we were under the same record label, but I thought I would be more prepared. The thing is, you can't really be prepared for something like this.
They ended their discussion with the man they were talking with and began to move in our direction. None of us said anything; to be honest we were dumbstruck. As they got nearer to us I realized how stupid we must look standing in the lobby with our jaws on the floor. I tried to recover my cool- and my dignity.
"Guys, play it cool. I don't want the coolest band on earth to think the new band is a bunch of losers." I said quietly to them.
Brandon snapped back to reality. "Yeah... um... act natural."
"Natural?" Pete questioned.
Green Day had entered the lobby as we tried to get a grip on ourselves.
"Uh, hey," said Billie Joe. "You must be the new band they signed, Time Spent right?"
Pete elbowed me.
"Yeah, we just go done with the papers," I managed to choke out.
"That's cool. I'm Billie Joe by the way. And this is Mike and Tre."
We all shook hands and introduced ourselves.
"So what are you standing around here for? You should be celebrating! You just got signed to a major label!" Mike told us.
"Yeah we got pretty wasted when we got signed," Tre started. "I remember... "
"Don't finish that sentence." Billie Joe said, cutting him off before turning back to us. "So where ya gonna go?"
"We hadn't gotten that far, anyplace good around here?" Travis asked them.
"I know! I know!" Tre shouted jumping up and down.
"Uh Tre... you do realize they're underage, right?" Mike looked at him with his eyebrows raised.
Tre groaned and stopped jumping. "Oh well... "
"Hey, I know a good place. Care if we join you?" Billie inquired.
I looked at Pete, wondering if he had heard the same thing I just did. His eyes said that he had.
"Not at all," Brandon said. "We'll follow you."
***
We arrived at a restaurant outside the city. It was a small place, a hole in the wall restaurant and I liked the atmosphere.
"I know the owner here. I've been eating here forever," Billie Joe explained.
We filed inside and were seated. Tre immediately proceeded to get drunk while Mike and Billie Joe rolled their eyes at him.
We ordered food and talked about different things. We were having a really good time.
"So I have a confession," Billie Joe began. "I heard your demo tape. A friend of mine wanted to know what I thought."
Oh god.
"... And what did you think?" asked Brandon, slowly.
Billie Joe took a drink. "I have to admit I was impressed."
Relief.
"I didn't expect much out of a band still in high school," he continued. "But you guys have some real talent. When do you think you'll put out your first record?"
"No idea. We only got signed tonight so they haven't discussed deadlines yet." Pete said.
"I heard you guys were working on a new record. How's that going?" I asked them.
"Itsh won... won... derful... " Tre's head slammed down on the table. Travis giggled.
"Its not going how we planned," Mike explained, rolling his eyes. "But we're working with it."
"Might even come out around the same time as yours," Billie Joe added. "If it does, we may need an opening act. That would be major publicity for you."
"That would be kick ass!" Travis yelled excitedly.
"Hey, no promises," Mike said smiling holding up his hands. "I guess you don't know how these things work yet."
"Ok so let me guess... " Billie Joe said, pointing at Brandon. "Singer?"
"That's right. Singer and guitar," Brandon informed him, puffing up slightly.
Pete and I giggled at him making him deflate slightly and give us both a murderous look.
"Ok so what about you three?" Mike asked.
"Guitar," Pete answered.
"Drums man,"
"Bass," I told him.
"Ah, so you're the bass player. I figured the girl would be on guitar," Billie Joe said, grinning evilly.
"That's insulting!" I yelled back in pretend hurt and grinning back.
"Don't listen to a word he says, bass players are always the coolest people of the band. I mean, just look at me!" Mike cut in, spreading his arms out and posing.
"True!" I managed to get out in between bursts of laughter.
We were all laughing so hard that Travis started turning blue and the people sitting behind us actually got up and asked us to quiet down.
***
We left the restaurant on top of the world that night. Billie Joe and Mike had insisted on paying and we waved goodbye to them as we headed to the car. They attempted to wave back but it was taking two of them to support Tre who had passed out cold.
We piled into Brandon's car and my head was whirling. I couldn't wait to tell everyone what had happened.
***
I rolled over for the millionth time that night. I picked up my cell phone and read the numbers. 2:45.
My head was still buzzing from meeting Green Day. They were so cool and down to earth, so much cooler than I had ever imagined. And Billie Joe. I had always thought he was incredibly hot on all the posters I had covering my room and he was exceptionally talented, and he was even more amazing in real life. I remembered his divorce from a couple of years ago and I couldn't help but wonder if he had a girlfriend....
I heard a noise at my window; apparently I wasn't the only one lying awake. I went to the window and opened it.
"Oh good you're awake, I was hoping you'd be. None of us could sleep."
Pete was suddenly pushed over and went out of sight. I saw Travis laughing hysterically over him but was cut short by Brandon grabbing him and pulling out the door and downstairs. I laughed when I saw Pete sit up again, cursing them under his breath.
"Yeah my mind is too busy. I can't wait to tell the guys at lunch what happened! Signed with Reprise and met Green Day! They'll never believe us!" I said hardly being able to control my laughter.
"Especially Jon and Alex!" he added.
"Ha, agreed. I can't wait to see the look on their face!" I giggled imagining what they might look like.
"They were really cool. I was so caught off guard when I saw them." he told me.
"Pete... do you think we could really ever go on tour with them?"
He looked down and started picking at the window sill. "I don't know. Could happen I guess... hey why don't you just come over here? We're gonna watch a movie since we can't sleep."
"Yeah ok, I'll be over in a minute."
I grabbed a hoodie lying across a chair, slipped on a beat up pair of converse, and walked outside headed towards Pete's house next door.
***
About two weeks later we were in the studio discussing 'the lines' as Brandon called them: guidelines, timelines and deadlines.
Our new manager, Fredrick McMillan, was there telling us the protocol of writing and recording in the studio and a bunch of rules and things we would have to follow. I have to admit I spaced out a lot on all of that.
"We would like the record to be done and ready to go by the twelfth of August and then released on the fifth of October," McMillan informed us.
Our first record was planned to be released on my birthday. What a birthday present.
"That's not much time... " Travis commented.
"Well we only have two more weeks of school left and most of it doesn't even matter to us seniors. We can exempt all our exams and after graduation we don't even have to come," Brandon said.
"So really it's more like one and a half weeks left. That should be plenty of time if we give it our full attention," I interjected.
"Excellent. I expect it to be on time," McMillan pressed. "It would not be smart for your first record to be late. The label will not appreciate that very much. It will give you a bad record with them."
Brandon looked nervous. "We wouldn't want that... "
"Can we start today?" Pete asked McMillan.
"I am going to get somebody to give you a tour of the studio you will be recording in and the general layout of the building. This place will be like your home away from home, trust me," McMillan informed us.
***
After touring the studio we sat in a meeting room and brainstormed about what kind of sound and mood we were going to go for. Ideas were thrown around and things started to get heated.
"I'm gonna go find a bathroom." I told nobody in particular, not that they even heard me.
I left the room and started down a hallway, hoping to run into a bathroom. I couldn't help but hope to run into something else, or rather, someone. Funny thing is I did- literally.
"Oh shit, sorry!" I mumbled rubbing my head and bending over to pick up the papers they had dropped.
"That's ok. Oh hey Christina," said a voice strangely familiar, taking the papers from me.
I glanced up. Oh great, I just made a fool of myself in front of fucking Billie Joe Armstrong.
"Oh... uh hi. Um, please call me Chris. I've never liked my full name. Sounds so... I don't know... proper? Sorry about that by the way," I told him.
You idiot! You sound stupid! Be cool!
"Huh, I should have been watching where I was going, knowing there was another bass player loose in the building." He told me winking.
"I'm going to ignore that comment," I teased him, beaming.
"So have you started on your record yet?" he asked.
I laughed. "Attempting but failing miserably. I think we're going to tear each other apart first."
He laughed too. "Yeah I know that situation VERY well. Don't worry, it just takes time. Where you headed by the way?"
"Oh I was hoping I'd find a bathroom somewhere around here. I'm still a little lost I guess," I admitted.
He smiled. "Just around the corner. Well, see you around!"
"Bye... "
I leaned up against the wall. Control yourself! He's WAY out of your league. And so much older than you! Get a grip! Ugh but his smile... and his charm... NO! He's just a fellow musician under the label. That's all. Yeah... that's all.
I didn't move, I didn't blink, I just stood there staring. I don't think I truly believed my eyes. I should have known it was going to happen seeing as how we were under the same record label, but I thought I would be more prepared. The thing is, you can't really be prepared for something like this.
They ended their discussion with the man they were talking with and began to move in our direction. None of us said anything; to be honest we were dumbstruck. As they got nearer to us I realized how stupid we must look standing in the lobby with our jaws on the floor. I tried to recover my cool- and my dignity.
"Guys, play it cool. I don't want the coolest band on earth to think the new band is a bunch of losers." I said quietly to them.
Brandon snapped back to reality. "Yeah... um... act natural."
"Natural?" Pete questioned.
Green Day had entered the lobby as we tried to get a grip on ourselves.
"Uh, hey," said Billie Joe. "You must be the new band they signed, Time Spent right?"
Pete elbowed me.
"Yeah, we just go done with the papers," I managed to choke out.
"That's cool. I'm Billie Joe by the way. And this is Mike and Tre."
We all shook hands and introduced ourselves.
"So what are you standing around here for? You should be celebrating! You just got signed to a major label!" Mike told us.
"Yeah we got pretty wasted when we got signed," Tre started. "I remember... "
"Don't finish that sentence." Billie Joe said, cutting him off before turning back to us. "So where ya gonna go?"
"We hadn't gotten that far, anyplace good around here?" Travis asked them.
"I know! I know!" Tre shouted jumping up and down.
"Uh Tre... you do realize they're underage, right?" Mike looked at him with his eyebrows raised.
Tre groaned and stopped jumping. "Oh well... "
"Hey, I know a good place. Care if we join you?" Billie inquired.
I looked at Pete, wondering if he had heard the same thing I just did. His eyes said that he had.
"Not at all," Brandon said. "We'll follow you."
***
We arrived at a restaurant outside the city. It was a small place, a hole in the wall restaurant and I liked the atmosphere.
"I know the owner here. I've been eating here forever," Billie Joe explained.
We filed inside and were seated. Tre immediately proceeded to get drunk while Mike and Billie Joe rolled their eyes at him.
We ordered food and talked about different things. We were having a really good time.
"So I have a confession," Billie Joe began. "I heard your demo tape. A friend of mine wanted to know what I thought."
Oh god.
"... And what did you think?" asked Brandon, slowly.
Billie Joe took a drink. "I have to admit I was impressed."
Relief.
"I didn't expect much out of a band still in high school," he continued. "But you guys have some real talent. When do you think you'll put out your first record?"
"No idea. We only got signed tonight so they haven't discussed deadlines yet." Pete said.
"I heard you guys were working on a new record. How's that going?" I asked them.
"Itsh won... won... derful... " Tre's head slammed down on the table. Travis giggled.
"Its not going how we planned," Mike explained, rolling his eyes. "But we're working with it."
"Might even come out around the same time as yours," Billie Joe added. "If it does, we may need an opening act. That would be major publicity for you."
"That would be kick ass!" Travis yelled excitedly.
"Hey, no promises," Mike said smiling holding up his hands. "I guess you don't know how these things work yet."
"Ok so let me guess... " Billie Joe said, pointing at Brandon. "Singer?"
"That's right. Singer and guitar," Brandon informed him, puffing up slightly.
Pete and I giggled at him making him deflate slightly and give us both a murderous look.
"Ok so what about you three?" Mike asked.
"Guitar," Pete answered.
"Drums man,"
"Bass," I told him.
"Ah, so you're the bass player. I figured the girl would be on guitar," Billie Joe said, grinning evilly.
"That's insulting!" I yelled back in pretend hurt and grinning back.
"Don't listen to a word he says, bass players are always the coolest people of the band. I mean, just look at me!" Mike cut in, spreading his arms out and posing.
"True!" I managed to get out in between bursts of laughter.
We were all laughing so hard that Travis started turning blue and the people sitting behind us actually got up and asked us to quiet down.
***
We left the restaurant on top of the world that night. Billie Joe and Mike had insisted on paying and we waved goodbye to them as we headed to the car. They attempted to wave back but it was taking two of them to support Tre who had passed out cold.
We piled into Brandon's car and my head was whirling. I couldn't wait to tell everyone what had happened.
***
I rolled over for the millionth time that night. I picked up my cell phone and read the numbers. 2:45.
My head was still buzzing from meeting Green Day. They were so cool and down to earth, so much cooler than I had ever imagined. And Billie Joe. I had always thought he was incredibly hot on all the posters I had covering my room and he was exceptionally talented, and he was even more amazing in real life. I remembered his divorce from a couple of years ago and I couldn't help but wonder if he had a girlfriend....
I heard a noise at my window; apparently I wasn't the only one lying awake. I went to the window and opened it.
"Oh good you're awake, I was hoping you'd be. None of us could sleep."
Pete was suddenly pushed over and went out of sight. I saw Travis laughing hysterically over him but was cut short by Brandon grabbing him and pulling out the door and downstairs. I laughed when I saw Pete sit up again, cursing them under his breath.
"Yeah my mind is too busy. I can't wait to tell the guys at lunch what happened! Signed with Reprise and met Green Day! They'll never believe us!" I said hardly being able to control my laughter.
"Especially Jon and Alex!" he added.
"Ha, agreed. I can't wait to see the look on their face!" I giggled imagining what they might look like.
"They were really cool. I was so caught off guard when I saw them." he told me.
"Pete... do you think we could really ever go on tour with them?"
He looked down and started picking at the window sill. "I don't know. Could happen I guess... hey why don't you just come over here? We're gonna watch a movie since we can't sleep."
"Yeah ok, I'll be over in a minute."
I grabbed a hoodie lying across a chair, slipped on a beat up pair of converse, and walked outside headed towards Pete's house next door.
***
About two weeks later we were in the studio discussing 'the lines' as Brandon called them: guidelines, timelines and deadlines.
Our new manager, Fredrick McMillan, was there telling us the protocol of writing and recording in the studio and a bunch of rules and things we would have to follow. I have to admit I spaced out a lot on all of that.
"We would like the record to be done and ready to go by the twelfth of August and then released on the fifth of October," McMillan informed us.
Our first record was planned to be released on my birthday. What a birthday present.
"That's not much time... " Travis commented.
"Well we only have two more weeks of school left and most of it doesn't even matter to us seniors. We can exempt all our exams and after graduation we don't even have to come," Brandon said.
"So really it's more like one and a half weeks left. That should be plenty of time if we give it our full attention," I interjected.
"Excellent. I expect it to be on time," McMillan pressed. "It would not be smart for your first record to be late. The label will not appreciate that very much. It will give you a bad record with them."
Brandon looked nervous. "We wouldn't want that... "
"Can we start today?" Pete asked McMillan.
"I am going to get somebody to give you a tour of the studio you will be recording in and the general layout of the building. This place will be like your home away from home, trust me," McMillan informed us.
***
After touring the studio we sat in a meeting room and brainstormed about what kind of sound and mood we were going to go for. Ideas were thrown around and things started to get heated.
"I'm gonna go find a bathroom." I told nobody in particular, not that they even heard me.
I left the room and started down a hallway, hoping to run into a bathroom. I couldn't help but hope to run into something else, or rather, someone. Funny thing is I did- literally.
"Oh shit, sorry!" I mumbled rubbing my head and bending over to pick up the papers they had dropped.
"That's ok. Oh hey Christina," said a voice strangely familiar, taking the papers from me.
I glanced up. Oh great, I just made a fool of myself in front of fucking Billie Joe Armstrong.
"Oh... uh hi. Um, please call me Chris. I've never liked my full name. Sounds so... I don't know... proper? Sorry about that by the way," I told him.
You idiot! You sound stupid! Be cool!
"Huh, I should have been watching where I was going, knowing there was another bass player loose in the building." He told me winking.
"I'm going to ignore that comment," I teased him, beaming.
"So have you started on your record yet?" he asked.
I laughed. "Attempting but failing miserably. I think we're going to tear each other apart first."
He laughed too. "Yeah I know that situation VERY well. Don't worry, it just takes time. Where you headed by the way?"
"Oh I was hoping I'd find a bathroom somewhere around here. I'm still a little lost I guess," I admitted.
He smiled. "Just around the corner. Well, see you around!"
"Bye... "
I leaned up against the wall. Control yourself! He's WAY out of your league. And so much older than you! Get a grip! Ugh but his smile... and his charm... NO! He's just a fellow musician under the label. That's all. Yeah... that's all.
