An Hour Alone Ch. 02

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, This is the Don Williams quartet, like to introduce the band. Don on Piano, Bobby on Horns, Mac on Drums and Mike on Bass. Backing us up the incomparable Auntie Gill and my Mum Naomi, collectively they are the Ardenaires, me I'm Holly and I like to sing."

Holly swung her arm back and forth, clicking her fingers, head up she suddenly looked at the audience,

"Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear

And it shows them pearly white

Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe?"

We swung in behind her, the room buzzed, people swaying in their seats, the talking ceased and people sat with grins and smiles. Holly had them again. We were now at a larger purpose built venue, but somehow, Dave our erstwhile employer owned this place too. Back at our old home he had a blue plaque made, stating that this was the birthplace of Holly Arden and the Ardenaires with the Don Williams quartet, nice touch. We did a once a week "guest" spot there, on our day off from our new regular home.

We now had a purpose built stage, proper lighting, mic's and amplification. Not that Holly needed that. The tables were nightclub style with plush red velour type seats. No expense spared by Dave! We only did two sessions now, a random filler group appearing at seven thirty until nine to warm up the audience. We went on at nine thirty, until almost the the witching hour. We did a final session at one thirty in the morning, ballads, blues, slow tempo stuff finishing around three am. But I have to say in view of our status we now got paid what to us were the big bucks, six fifty a night each, plus a weekly percentage of the take. Don't get too many ideas it was a very small percentage shared between all of us.

Tonight we opened with "Sugar Town," an old favourite of Naomi's, followed by Girl from Ipenema. Then Holly had decided a lurch in another direction was required and we backed her surreal voicing on Paloma Faith's Picking up the Pieces. The place was electric from the moment she opened her mouth and Mac hit the beat with her opening note. She was alive, strutting, roaring, crying, they loved it. The girls filled in behind beautifully. Both had discovered their voices and could now add and colour Holly's performance intelligently. At rehearsals they would practise endlessly the fills and break outs with her, it paid off.

Without pause we ran into Stone Cold Sober, the old Rod Stewart number,

"Never get to bed before sunup,

always get caught in the rain;

sometimes I might get in trouble,

never was one to complain."

Holly had the mike stand in her hands twirling it around effortlessly as she swayed and strutted across the stage, she loved it. Mike had the lead on this and Naomi took the bass spot tonight. Sometimes it was Gill, they switched and swapped at will each time we did it. Mike hurled himself into the solo, riffing like nothing on earth. He nailed it and a huge cheer greeted his finish. As he strapped his bass back on we launched into Try, we couldn't not do it now. Roars of approval swept the room. Feet stamped and hands clapped egging us on.

As we finished, Holly walked to the side of the stage, then reappeared with a full length coat draped over her shoulders. The crowd went wild, I watched the girls move to take the coat from Holly as she launched into James Brown's I feel Good. The audience knew what was coming and waited eagerly for it. Oh that girl she ramped it up another notch and we nuked it. Holly falling to her knees, the girls covering her shoulders with the coat and leading her off. Theatrically she threw it off and strode back to the mic. Her voice blew them away and they begged for more. We banged them out and they screamed encore. Holly knew how to entrance her audience and instead of a rousing killer, let them down gently with her and the Ardenaires performing the old Everly brothers, When will I be Loved a cappella, Mike occasionally playing a gentle bar or two, Mac just skimming the drums.

Waving we went backstage to our communal dressing room. For some strange reason it never seemed to bother anyone about getting changed with the others present, although a stranger entering would cause shouts and squawks from the undressed. Holly was lying back in her chair, red faced and grinning. Gill's husband, Frank was handing round drinks and touched Gill's arm as he moved past her. Frank had no voice, as I'd discovered on his stag night. I did suggest later that he never, ever sing in my presence again, to much laughter.

Frank loved Gill though, with a passion and he lit up when she was near him. We loved Frank for the gentle, genial man he was and he became an accepted part of the crowd. Wherever we were Frank was. He helped haul kit, he ran errands, distributed drinks and ran interference for us with the more exuberant members of the audience, all this and he had a full time job too. Tonight he was the factotum par excellence. We rested and jabbered away, analysing what had worked tonight and what hadn't, Frank chipped in and his words were truthful and accurate. We accepted his views as we would any other member of the band.

Naomi was lying down on one of the sofa's in the room, a towel over her head. The gentle purring indicating that she had fallen asleep. Several of the others had done this over the period we had been together, you grabbed a few zeds if you could. Her head lay in Mac's lap and he sat still his hand on her shoulder. I winked and he nodded, raising his glass in the other hand.

Holly stood and pulled her dress of, walking round in her underwear to the clothes rack she kept here. She nonchalantly riffled through her outfits. Her voice sang languidly of love and loss, betrayal and redemption. One of her own compositions, which we were working on, for an independently produced debut album. The idea was to sell them before and after the first session, then after the last each night. There was a knock at the door, we froze, it could only be one thing. We were all used to the parade of guys eager to manage Holly, they appeared like woodlice every few weeks.

"What?"

"Can I speak to Holly Arden Please?"

"No Piss Off!"

"I really do want to speak to her,"

"Fuck Off!"

"One minute please?"

"What part of Fuck Off are you struggling with?"

Ironic laughter from the band.

"Please I want to produce her debut album."

"OOOOOHHHHH!"

"Please guys, just give me two minutes."

"Holl?"

"OK you got two minutes, starting now,"

"Can I come in?"

"Whatever, but the clocks ticking and you have one minute thirty left!"

raucous laughter whistles and clapping from the assembled crowd.

The door opened and Holly turned defiantly hands on hips, still clad only in a her bra and knickers.

"look at my tits and your dead!" she growled. The place went quiet.

"Fine!" He looked her in the eyes.

"I have a deal with a major record company, whereby I get studio time for seven hours a month and they get first dibs on the content recorded for the artists I bring." he looked at her hopefully.

"I want Don and the band, plus Mum and Auntie Gill, or no deal?"

"Done!"

"Done?"

"I've been watching your sets for a couple of weeks, I have several ideas on what to lay down."

"Okay your times up, but I like you. Sit down, let's talk about this. He sat and we crowded round. Naomi sat with Holly, Gill the other side of her. Frank stood behind Gill, hands on her shoulders.

"My name's Bob Bramwell, I have been around the studios for a few years now, acting as technical back up to several well known producers. I know enough to see you've got what it takes, the bands kinda okay too." he grinned. He had balls I'll give him that. We laughed.

"I've been working on some of my own stuff with Don."

"Well we'll need to hear them through and make some decisions. A mix of your own stuff and a few standards wouldn't be too bad a thing. Or if there's enough maybe two albums, one now and a follow up. We'll talk to the marketing guys about strategy. If this works, they may want you to tour, can you do that?"

"We'll see, do we need a lawyer?"

"Yup and an agent or two might be kinda useful."

"Frank, would you deal with that?"

"Finding you an Agent?"

"Nope, being my agent, Don?"

"Works for me, Boys?"

"Agreed!"

"Yup!"

"Ditto!"

"Mum, Auntie Gill?"

"Suits me,"

"Love it."

"OK, sorted, speak to Frank, he's our man."

Holly stood and held out her hand, Bob stood and shook it. Frank moved round the table and placing an arm around Bob's shoulder wheeled him out. He came back in sombre faced.

"Are you good people happy for me to act on your behalf?"

"Wouldn't have suggested it Uncle Frank if I didn't believe you could do it." Holly hugged him and he blushed beetroot red.

We settled down again, Gill now sitting on Frank's lap. Naomi cuddled up to me. Mac was reading Lord of the Rings and Bob and Mike were playing cards. Holly casually uncinched her bra and took it off. Looking at the dress rail again.

"Wear the red dress Holl, that really suits you," Mac said without even looking up.

The boys looked over at Holly standing topless and concentrating on the rail.

"The red dress is good,"

"Not the Red dress, the sweater and slacks, I always think that makes you look like Audrey Hepburn."

"Really, do I have the right figure for that?"

"Kid, you could wear a plastic bin liner and you'd look sensational."

"Thanks Bob, Frank do we have any bin liners?"

"Ha, Ha!"

"Holly, don't you feel a tad embarrassed standing there like that?"

"Mother, these are my guys, I trust them, they've seen me like this before, I'm sure it doesn't bother them, does it?"

"Nope, you're just one of the boys, kid."

"Never thought about it any other way,"

"What is Holly undressed? I never noticed, gosh so she is."

"Naomi, if it makes you feel better,"

Frank, lifted Gill off his lap, stood and peeled his shirt off and dropped his trousers, pulled them off and his shoes and socks, kicking them away.

More laughter, Gill especially, Naomi smirked, Holly laughed outrageously, her small breasts bouncing on her chest. Mac stood and stripped to his underpants, followed by Bob and Mike. I muttered what the hell and putting Naomi onto the sofa, stood and joined the boys. Gill peeled off her clothes and stood beside me in just her knickers. Naomi shrugged and disrobed. It was at that point that Bob Bramwell looked in again, did a double take and gawped.

"Don't worry Bob, we're just running through some ideas for the album cover," Frank said. More laughter. Bob came in and without speaking stripped off.

"Well I might as well get used to you lot, I'm sure this is going to be a lot of fun." Cheers and whoops, lots of slaps on the back and hugging.

After that we settled down, but no one got dressed, we just sat in our pants and carried on as if nothing unusual was happening. Holly and Bob were sat at the opposite end of the table to Bobby and Mike, talking in low tones as he scribbled in a small notebook he'd produced. Looking up he beckoned me over.

"Don, this is a rough list of numbers I'd like to have you lay down, can you highlight the six or seven you think you and Holly should do?"

I noticed some of the numbers had a tick beside them, Holly's choices I guessed. I went through and added a red tick and saw they mostly coincided with Holly's choices.

"Not Try?" she inquired, "or I feel Good."

"Those are better live and certainly I feel Good, is an audience participation number like Mustang Sally. I'd say yes if it was recorded live."

"Hmm, now there's an idea." Bob said and grabbing the notebook, he scribbled some more.

Without looking up Bobby said,

"We'll do three studio albums, a live one, then a Best Of, we can then call it quits and live off the income."

giggles and titters from the assembled company.

"Are you taking this seriously?"

"Yeah!"

Bob grinned and carried on scribbling,

"Good, because I'd hate to think you were taking the piss."

"Would I?"

"I guess not."

"I want to split acrimoniously after the third album and go solo."

"I'm thinking of becoming an alcoholic by the time the Live album comes out,"

"I want to get caught doing inappropriate things to small furry animals."

"You are taking the piss!"

"Us? Heavens no,"

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"You can be replaced!"

"Ahh, but never bettered, Frank, I want that noted, every riff and phrase I want copyrighted."

"Yeah Right."

"Okay, enough, I'm never going to win this am I?"

"I think he's getting it."

There was a knock at the door,

"Hi Guys fifteen minutes, you good to go?"

"Cheers Steve, we'll be out in ten."

"Right troops time to saddle up, Frank can you look after Bob while we're on?"

"No that's fine, I'm going front of house to watch, break a leg guys. Holly I know I shouldn't say this, but you look fucking sensational."

"Why thank you kind sir, your quite buff yourself, see you after."

Bob pulled on his clothes and waved a goodbye. There were a couple of handshakes and a slap on the back or four. We meanwhile began to get our shit together. Ten minutes to the second later we walked to the wings and waited for the MC to spot us and announce the set. Holly having taken advice wore the sweater and slacks, Naomi and Gill in matching outfits. Why did we guys look so bloody casual beside them. I made a mental note to talk it through with the boys. Not that I could see them in dinner suits and dicky bows or lounge suits with ties, but maybe a little more formal.

The set went well, Holly and the girls sailing through the numbers. The place was full but quiet and applause was loud and came often. Finally after encoring with Moon River, we came off. Exhausted and thirsty we went back to the dressing room.

We opened the door to find it covered in flowers, there were bouquets for everyone of us and dozens for Holly and the girls. All from Bob, he must have planned it earlier, with the connivance of Frank, who stood grinning arms open wide. Bob knocked and came in, shaking hands and hugging us all.

"Just to say thank you and good luck, what a set, absolutely brilliant. Well done all of you, now I have to go back to my lonely bedsit and sleep, as I'm in the studio at eight. I will talk to Frank and arrange studio time, meantime.."

He knelt in front of Holly

"Stay as sweet as you are

Don't let a thing ever change you.."

He kissed her hand and stood, hugged her waved and left.

"Kid's got a good voice.."

"Maybe he should record himself!"

"He's sweet on Holls, ain't that the truth?"

"Ahhh bless!"

"Leave it!"

"Now now Miss Arden, we're only saying..."

"Mac..."

"Oh Holly! the boys in love,"

"Bobbbeeeee?"

"You see that guy, that guys in love with you.."

"Yes he's in love who looks at you the way he do.."

We all picked up on it,

"How can he show you he's glad he got to know you 'cause.."

"He needs your love, he wants your love.."

"Tell him now is it so, don't let him be the last to know.."

Bobby's trumpet came in with the break, we grinned, Holly reddened and nodded, her hips swaying gently. She sang,

"My hands are shakin' don't let my heart keep breaking 'cause

"I need his love, I want his love,"

Bob knocked and walked back in,

" if not I'll just die.."

Bobby played the theme gently, as Bob hugged Holly. Gill and Naomi, teared up and Mac wiped one away too. I just grinned and passed my hankie over. Bob was there every night for the next three weeks, making notes, offering his take and hugging Holly. So that's how Bob became a fixture, Frank became our agent and Holly fell in love.

We go into the Studio tomorrow morning at eight and we have some standards and a couple of new numbers to play around with. Bob wants to lay down two or three tracks to show the Exec's and is sure that will be enough to persuade them to give us more time to finish the album properly. Fingers crossed.