Mike and Roxy, chapter 2
Febuary 1977
Billie Joe Armstrong's POV
"Dude," Tre' nudged my ribs with his elbow, "that guys looks perfect for the band!"
I stared into the crowd of dancing people and asked, "Who?" He pointed to a tall, lanky figure from the band we had heard earlier. As he wiped down his guitar with a rag, I realised he was wearing tight black jeans ripped in the knees and a white sleeveless shirt. His blond hair was sprung out in all directions.
I scoffed, "How so, idiot? He looks like every other fuck up in this shitty club."
"He just has that style. And I'm sure that if he could pull off getting a gig in this worthless club he must have the attitude too," Tre' said.
I shrugged, for once, Tre' was right. "Should we even ask him, man? What happens if he says 'no'? Then we're back to where we started. Not to mention, we'll look like a buncha idiots."
Tre' grinned and said, "Who cares? We need a friggin' bass player NOW!"
I rolled my eyes and said, "Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Lets go ask him." I stood up with Tre' right behind me.
Flaring up the collar of my leather jacket, I said, "Hey kid, whats your name?" The guy looked up at me and replied, "Mike Pritchard."
"Well I'm Billie Joe Armstrong, and thats Tre' Cool. We were just wanting to ask you something." He stood up, leaning his guitar against the metal chair he had been sitting in. "Okay. What is it?" He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.
"Well me and Tre' have a band called Sweet Children, but yesterday our dick head bass player ditched us during a gig. So we were wondering if you'd be willing to fill his spot?"
He scratched the back of his head, "I only play guitar." My face dropped. I don't know why I expected him to play bass. I sighed and mumbled, "Its okay."
And then turned around to talk away. "Wait," Mike called. He grabbed my shoulder and yanked me around.
"What?" I asked. "If you teach me, I can learn to play the bass. My band sucks, I'd much rather be in a better, more connected, band. Just teach me. I'm a really fast learner." He was almost begging. I turned to Tre'. A huge grin had taken over his face.
I turned back to him and said, "Welcome to Sweet Children!" He grabbed my hand and shook it rapidly. "Thanks so much, dude!"
I huckled and replied, "No problem. Now uh...stop."
I yanked my hand away. He blushed slightly, "Oh...sorry 'bout that." I nodded and said, "Its cool, just don't do it again."
Billie Joe Armstrong's POV
"Dude," Tre' nudged my ribs with his elbow, "that guys looks perfect for the band!"
I stared into the crowd of dancing people and asked, "Who?" He pointed to a tall, lanky figure from the band we had heard earlier. As he wiped down his guitar with a rag, I realised he was wearing tight black jeans ripped in the knees and a white sleeveless shirt. His blond hair was sprung out in all directions.
I scoffed, "How so, idiot? He looks like every other fuck up in this shitty club."
"He just has that style. And I'm sure that if he could pull off getting a gig in this worthless club he must have the attitude too," Tre' said.
I shrugged, for once, Tre' was right. "Should we even ask him, man? What happens if he says 'no'? Then we're back to where we started. Not to mention, we'll look like a buncha idiots."
Tre' grinned and said, "Who cares? We need a friggin' bass player NOW!"
I rolled my eyes and said, "Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Lets go ask him." I stood up with Tre' right behind me.
Flaring up the collar of my leather jacket, I said, "Hey kid, whats your name?" The guy looked up at me and replied, "Mike Pritchard."
"Well I'm Billie Joe Armstrong, and thats Tre' Cool. We were just wanting to ask you something." He stood up, leaning his guitar against the metal chair he had been sitting in. "Okay. What is it?" He shoved his hands deep into his pockets.
"Well me and Tre' have a band called Sweet Children, but yesterday our dick head bass player ditched us during a gig. So we were wondering if you'd be willing to fill his spot?"
He scratched the back of his head, "I only play guitar." My face dropped. I don't know why I expected him to play bass. I sighed and mumbled, "Its okay."
And then turned around to talk away. "Wait," Mike called. He grabbed my shoulder and yanked me around.
"What?" I asked. "If you teach me, I can learn to play the bass. My band sucks, I'd much rather be in a better, more connected, band. Just teach me. I'm a really fast learner." He was almost begging. I turned to Tre'. A huge grin had taken over his face.
I turned back to him and said, "Welcome to Sweet Children!" He grabbed my hand and shook it rapidly. "Thanks so much, dude!"
I huckled and replied, "No problem. Now uh...stop."
I yanked my hand away. He blushed slightly, "Oh...sorry 'bout that." I nodded and said, "Its cool, just don't do it again."
