Sep 15, 2009
How Things Work
The very next snippet of Happy Ending, following on directly from this bit.
HOW THINGS WORK
Ray calls me at ten thirty the next morning, which is first thing for him.
“Jack.”
“Ray.”
“You made the Daily Mail, but nothing else.”
“Thank God for that. No-one who reads The Mail will have heard of me. I’ve not lost any would-be album-buyers there.”
“Jack, that’s bad. I hoped you might at least make one of the red-tops, but someone marginally more famous than you vomited outside an AA meeting yesterday and the gossip pages are all preoccupied with that.”
“Good. I’m pleased they deemed someone else’s faux pas more newsworthy than mine.”
“Jack, an appearance in The Sun today would have given your career a very nice little boost. They told me they’d print your story as well.”
“Hang on a minute—you spoke to The Sun about this?”
“Of course. I want to see your name in the papers, because your name in the papers will sell records. I tried all the tabloids.”
“Did you ring them?”
“Yeah of course I did.”
“Fucking hell Ray. I can’t tell you what yesterday was like. I didn’t sleep last night. I thought I’d be woken up by gangs of rabid, placard-waving lunatics burning effigies of me outside the flat.”
“You need to chill out a bit, chap. I don’t think you understand, do you? As your manager, part of my job is to get you maximum exposure so people will go out and buy your records. You’re not going to get plastered all over the papers for being a bloody nice bloke, are you? You’re going to get in the papers for being a bad boy. Although the media pretend not to like them, they love bad boys. Good news doesn’t sell newspapers. Fact.”
“Ray—”
“Jack, this is how things work. Trust me.”
“Can’t I just release a good first single and a great album without too much unnecessary fuss and hope it sells because it’s a quality product?”
Ray sighs, theatrically. “I wish it were that simple, I really do.”
“Whatever. What was it you said yesterday about a video?”
“Ah, yes. Let’s talk business. I spoke to the record company guy and he says they’re willing to throw some cash at a video.”
“Which single do they like? Everyone Knows?”
“It’s a moot point.”
“So they haven’t decided.”
“That’s a moot point.”
“Ray…”
REIGNING FHM High Street Honey SAMANTHA LOUISE is to star in the SEXIEST MUSIC VIDEO EVER, a source close to the stunner said.
The video for the single PLASTIC WOMAN, by singer-songwriter JACK SMITH, will include the gorgeous Sam and two other lovelies dancing around in not very much at all.
To be filmed next week, Plastic Woman will overheat TV screens everywhere when it first airs next month.
.
G,
More good stuff. Perhaps you should be careful that your novel doesn’t turn into a script though. There is alot of direct speech. Keep churning it out mate.
Cheers,
Wilks
Point taken mate. Twas a short, dialogue heavy chapter to show Jack and Ray’s relationship. Next chapter will have a bit more *action* in it; where Jack films his music video and meets Samantha, who might just change his life…
G,
Wasn’t a critism as such, it’s a good way to convey their relationship rather than just spelling it out but anymore and it may, like I say become more of a script than a story. It’s keeping me interested though mate and to be honest is not the sort of genre that I would normally go for so keep it coming!
Wilks x
Hey Gaz, long time no speak. Hope all is well. Just saw the link to this on facebook so thought I’d have a look – really enjoying it! Andy Millman / Darren Lamb come to mind….Looking forward to the next installment.
Hi mate. All is good ta, how are you?
To be honest I was trying to avoid comparisons with Andy Millman and Darren Lamb! But I guess I have to accept that any artist-manager/agent relationship will always get compared to that because they did it so well. Hopefully as the story progresses you’ll see Ray is actually a very clever chap and ultimately a good manager. Hopefully.