‘I’m not going to ask who those idiots were,’ Marlon said.
‘No, suffice to say they’re idiots. Thank you again. Where did you come from?’
‘I own the grocery. I was locking up. And there you were being gorgeous and giving me an excuse to talk to you.’
‘I should eat more fruit and veg.’
Somehow that led to the have you got a boyfriend/girlfriend questions. Marlon touched her hand and she didn’t flinch not so he’d notice anyway.
‘You got nice nails, blue and black. I’m interested to know if you was going home where were you going home from?’
Amy told him about Little Spirit and the video shoot. He said he’d seen posters in The Dog and Parrot.
‘They’re playing The Marquee tonight,’ she said.
‘Wow, they’re coming on.’
‘Yeah, they’re supporting The USed Wonz.’
‘Johnny and The Used Ones?’ Marlon seemed to choke a snarl.
‘Well, Johnny’s in The USed Wonz.’
‘Changed their name didn’t they; Stu the drummer insisted. Me and them goes way back. I tell you what if you think I’m up for a tussle you should see Johnny and Stu scrapping. By crikey theys stop at nothing.’
Amy detected a disturbing bitterness in Marlon but he soon relaxed and explained he’d had a veg stall in Shepherd’s Bush Market. Johnny and Stu started market work too and would often neutralise shoplifters.
‘Johnny seems an odd character,’ Amy said.
‘Johnny Won’s a strange one alright. If you’re on the right side of him he’s well loyal. Don’t get the wrong side though. And he don’t waste time with nobody what can’t help his ambitions.’
‘Did you get on?’ she dared ask.
Amy dismissed the rage she saw flash across his face.
‘We got on, for a bit,’ Marlon said loosening his grip on his glass. ‘I plays guitar and write songs, mostly for myself nowadays. I’ve got the shop and all but we was in a band together until he got them bloody girls in.’
‘Do I detect a little sourness?’
‘Johnny was sacking people all the time. I should’ve guessed I’d not last long. Suppose he’s happy now he’s got Stu on drums and them two babes.’
Babes? Amy thought.
Marlon said, ‘We should go see them.’
‘I’d love to but I’ve got to get back to study.’
‘Ah come on.’
‘I don’t believe you really want to see them,’ Amy said scrutinising his expression.
‘You’re right, theys can go to hell,’ he said darkly. But brightening he said, ‘I just wanna spends more time with my new girl here. Can’t I persuade you?’
Amy stuck to her guns and refused Marlon’s insistence to walk her home. He lived in the other direction anyway.
‘It’s nice you want to see me again,’ Amy said thinking of her exams and of Danny. She looked at the man Danny’s size and shape but who had rescued her. ‘What you did for me earlier …’
‘Yeah?’
‘Amazing. I’d happily see you again.’
Again thinking of Danny she refused him the flat’s phone number but took his and promised to call.
He didn’t believe she’d call to the point she became irritated. Despite this she rang the moment she arrived home and arranged a date.
* * *
Though The USed Wonz had the headline slot Little Spirit had to provide the backline. Stu had brought his own snare and cymbals, Johnny brought his guitar as did Mazz but Christine’s keyboards had to be hired from a Denmark Street music shop.
After Little Spirit set up, The USed Wonz took the stage claiming first soundcheck.
‘Will you be alright with my old amp?’ Danny asked standing beside his AC30 watching Johnny take the strangest deep dusty-blue and grey Stratocaster from its case.
Johnny glanced at the amp. ‘No worries, this guitar’s like magic; it’s the only electric I own. I could plug this into the spare wheel of your van and it’d sound great.’
Danny stood back relieved seeing Johnny notch the volume down a touch. ‘Cheers for the lend Danny, I’ll be gentle.’
‘Let’s hear her then,’ Danny said jumping down from the stage.
Tuning up Johnny said, ‘Sound’s best in the context of a mix.’ He played a few clean chords before stepping on a pedal and letting rip with a lead sound.
‘Lovely,’ Danny said but didn’t really rate the sound.
On the other side of the stage Mazz plugged into Calvin’s new Trace Elliot amp and thumped a sweet bassline.
For their soundcheck The USed Wonz didn’t so much play a song as hint at one. They checked their vocal mics with one, twos and ooh sounds.
An hour later Little Spirit played to a full house delighting Richard and Des and many who had attended the video shoot still sporting Little Spirit T-shirts.
After the encore Little Spirit thanked the crowd for making them feel so welcome at The Marquee. Back in their dressing room Johnny and Stu crashed in on them cooling off.
‘Bloody well done guys,’ they both said. ‘That was even better than last night.’
‘Fantastic,’ Raphael said seeing Johnny still looking like a cowboy. ‘You look good. Are you going on like that?’
‘Nah, the girls will be done soon. Only takes us a sec to do a quick change.’
‘Better shift though,’ Stu said.
‘We’ll see you out there. Best of luck,’ Calvin said.
Both bands left the dressing room. The USed Wonz headed for their dressing room and Little Spirit headed out to watch the show.
Since receiving The USed album Raphael had listened to it nonstop. He’d liked it immediately but with further listens he could hear elements that made him believe the USed sound might be even more professional than their own. Where Calvin and Danny found beauty in words and danced with rhyme scheme and cleverness Johnny’s darkened heart communicated a deeper more direct emotion to the listener. Moods swung from sadness or regret to joy or power. Only Magic Words had that kind of understated energy in Little Spirit’s set.
Calvin and Danny had begun to hear these things too and all three stood before the stage where they would appreciate The USed Wonz’ performance. But first Raphael fancied attempting another conversation with Linda.
He saw she’d dressed down in jeans and checked shirt and looked all the more American and still curiously attractive. Raphael, closer to Grace than Calvin or Danny, hadn’t worked out the chemistry between them especially after he’d reacted to her stage kiss.
He figured he’d wait until she engaged in conversation with Richard and Des. Then he turned to Linda.
‘Hi,’ he said giving her a friendly nudge with his elbow.
Linda took a sideways step and faced him. ‘Hello, Raphael,’ she said formerly offering her hand.
Raphael closed his around her fingers the way he always did with ladies in order to turn their hand and kiss it. However, intuition counselled him not to chance his French charm.
Linda smiled. ‘You were very good tonight, and last night for that matter.’
‘Better than Ze USed Wonz?’
‘No, not better than The USed Wonz.’
Raphael shook his head. ‘Really? But we were cracking; energised by ze video shoot and all that.’
‘I know, that’s why I said you were very good and you were, very good.’
‘But not better than Ze USed Wonz?’
‘You’ll see,’ Linda said pointing to the stage.
When he faced the stage he saw something that caused him to forget Linda and the shoot’s dancing models. Without introduction or music The USed Wonz had arrived. But Raphael didn’t see anyone other than the keyboard player.
Rather than face front Christine’s keyboards, positioned stage left, looked across the stage. She stood sideways to the audience where she could see her bandmates. The jeans and sweatshirts had given no suggestion of the body that existed beneath and now Raphael’s
heart raced seeing what he’d been missing. Under stage lights her chewing of gum detracted nothing from her un-rufflable persona now appearing all the more sophisticated with black eye shadow and plum lips. In a black off-the-shoulder jersey dress clinging to every curve Christine left no more than absolutely necessary to the imagination. His descending gaze stopped at a buttock-clinging hemline where deliciously soft skin vanished into thigh-high stiletto boots.
Raphael stared at the bare thighs moving to a steadily building hi-hat rhythm and stopped breathing.
When survival instinct took over Raphael drew breath breaking his reverie. He wondered about Mazz. Tearing his eyes from Christine he looked stage-right past Johnny and saw another transformation had occurred.
Mazz stood with similarly smoky makeup and in an equally figure-hugging but strapless dress pulsing a bass pedal note. Raphael longed to see more of the curves uncompromised by her comparative leanness. When she turned to face the drums the groove deepened and with her guitar out the way he saw Mazz’s tiny waist sweeping into a lovely pelvic swish. His eyes fell below the knee-length dress’s end and watched her perching on open-toe sling-back heels.
Though he knew Katherine would win hands down as most beautiful, Raphael sensed an appealing dirtiness in both Christine and Mazz and wondered how on earth he’d decide which girl to try his luck with.
* * *
The promoters had been effective and plenty of people had heard about and taken the opportunity to see The USed Wonz on this rare occasion. But the packed Marquee crowd hadn’t settled. Calvin stood with Katherine amongst chattering souls. He thought how most bands panicked if they thought they’d lost an audience and either tried too hard or became disheartened. The USed Wonz plain ignored it.
The song began slowly and though Johnny still hadn’t sung or touched a note the band crescendo’d. Eventually he stepped to the mic and, as all sound dropped away but for keyboards Johnny barely whispered the verse of the first song.
The audience chattered on. Knowing the song Calvin wished everyone would shut up and let The USed Wonz play. Seeming oblivious Christine looked up from her keys past Johnny. Mazz looked back. Though neither girl reacted Calvin sensed assurance in their exchange. Mazz pulled a bass note leading the chorus.
Still ever so quietly Johnny opened his arms as if to embrace the audience and sang, ‘How can we be so happy, when we have nothing at all?’
Like a hypnotist issuing the trigger word all conversation evanesced and Calvin saw audience members suddenly zone in on Johnny.
Danny had been thinking the same as Calvin but now the hairs on the back his neck awoke in anticipation of the chorus which swept in carrying Johnny’s bewitching Stratocaster. The warmth of his overdriven sound sliced the mix and penetrated hearts. Danny understood that Johnny hadn’t exaggerated when lauding the blue and grey instrument.
Songs passed and standing between Calvin and Grace, Katherine witnessed for the first time in ages a band in the same league as Little Spirit. The USed Wonz had it all covered, their songs and sound meant something to everyone. Where Little Spirit had limited their image to three colours, The USed Wonz limited theirs to only black. The reformed girls in their dresses looked sexy and inscrutable. Stu pulled his vest off halfway through the show. Johnny wore black silk, unbuttoned. If he stood at the right angle, possibly whilst swigging from a Austin Daniels bottle, Katherine could see his chopping board hard body and the suggestion of some private hair; given the low fit of his leather pants. She controlled her breathing and took Calvin’s hand.
Raphael’s eyes had been oscillating from Mazz to Christine but Johnny had taken over. And Stu, who despite not lambasting the drums somehow crashed into the kit with an avalanche of sound and tom-tom riffs.
With the crowd in the palm of their hands The USed Wonz’ songs rocked, rolled, bounced and sailed by.
They played their last track and the crowd cheered, calling for more. Acknowledging Linda only briefly Raphael approached Richard. A few rows back with Grace and Trudie he beckoned Richard out of Trudie’s earshot. ‘Were they always this good?’
‘No,’ Richard said, ‘but they bloody well are now.’
‘They’re truly fantastic,’ Raphael said. ‘What’s happened?’
‘I don’t know. I mean, they always were good.’ Richard scratched his head. ‘I’ll tell you a secret. They weren’t my choice. Grace heard their demo after seeing them live. I wasn’t that interested but she got me along to a gig. She tried to make it look like fate by getting Johnny to say certain things from the stage; like it was meant to be. We wouldn’t have signed them if they weren’t good but they’ve notched it up since then.’
‘Who’s choice was Little Spirit?’
Richard laughed. ‘Ah well, after The USed Wonz I couldn’t believe when you guys came along. The comparisons between you guys and The USed Wonz … I don’t know, you’re almost the same band in terms of your attitude to music and to hard work. You sound very similar too in many respects.’
‘So we were your choice?’
‘I wouldn’t have signed you so soon but again Grace persuaded me you were the right band. There seemed no point waiting. I have to say she’s the best thing that’s ever happen to GMD. She helped me find the confidence I’d lost.’
Raphael looked over to the redhead standing with Trudie and smiled. Grace waved back before cheering The USed Wonz’ return.
‘By the way that was decent of you to check Grace was alright at the shoot,’ Richard said.
‘I’m not sure what came over me.’
‘You were probably just being protective. Johnny felt that way about Grace too.’
‘Did he?’ Raphael said thinking Johnny might be protective by nature.
‘I tell you what, if you want to know what’s changed with The USed Wonz speak to her.’ Richard pointed to Linda.
Raphael waited until The USed Wonz completed their final encore before approaching Linda.
‘You’re right,’ he said, ‘Ze USed Wonz are better than us.’
‘That was good even by their standards,’ Linda said. ‘That’s made the trip worthwhile.’
‘Richard told me they weren’t always that good.’
‘Maybe, but they’ve always had something.’
‘Something changed. What is it?’
‘Probably nothing specific. I book them gigs and they don’t complain. I’ve never known anything like that before. All bands get tired and whingey eventually.’
‘But not Ze USed Wonz?’
Linda nodded. ‘So I filled their gig diary even more and still they don’t complain. I sometimes feel I’m on a mission to break them.’
‘So you think their brilliance comes from prolific gigging.’
‘Sure. If you ask a bricklayer if he’s good at building walls he’s bound to say yes; if that’s all he does. Gig as much as these guys and you’d have to be that good.’
‘Makes sense.’
After a moment Linda asked, ‘So which one d’you fancy?’
* * *
‘Congratulations, that was sublime,’ Calvin said as the first member of Little Spirit to enter The USed Wonz’ dressing room. ‘Thought I best mention they’re calling last orders at the bar.’
‘Ee crikey,’ Mazz said. ‘Come on, no time to change.’ She grabbed Christine’s hand and the two girls ran out still in full stage regalia.
Raphael wanted to chase after them but thought it better to coax Johnny to the bar first. ‘Do you and Stu not want a beer?’
‘I’m good,’ Stu said.
‘I don’t drink,’ Johnny said.
‘Eh?’ Calvin looked at Raphael and back to Johnny. ‘We’ve just seen you quaff half a bottle of JD.’
‘This bottle?’ Johnny said shaking it.
‘Yeah.’
‘It’s tea,’ Johnny laughed.
‘Tea?’
‘Yeah, it’s a bit silly really. I might stop doing it. Have a pull if you don’t believe me.’ Johnny ha
nded him the bottle. Calvin sniffed and sure enough smelt tea.
‘How come you don’t drink?’ Danny asked.
Johnny curled his nose and looked down. ‘Never got into it. Dulls the senses.’
‘Johnny had a tough upbringing,’ Stu said. ‘Needed to stay sharp.’
‘I don’t drink either,’ Raphael said.
Johnny brightened as if having found a partner in crime. ‘Really, that’s very rare these days? How come?’
‘Don’t like ze taste.’
‘Good for you. Should save a few pennies not to mention liver and brain cells.’
‘That’s ze plan.’
‘Hey Danny,’ Johnny said. ‘Thanks again for the lend of your amp. I don’t know how it sounded out front but on stage it sounded tremendous. I’ll be looking Vox up when I get back for sure.’
‘Really?’ Danny said. ‘Because I’ll be looking for Stratocasters come Monday. You’re right your guitar sounded amazing.’
‘You won’t find another Strat like that. Maybe you guys come over to the States and we’ll share gear.’
‘That’s fair. I owe Raphael a go on my drums,’ Stu said.
‘There’s a plan,’ Danny said. ‘So how come I won’t find a Strat like yours, isn’t it a proper Fender?’
‘Oh it’s Fender alright. But they all vary from year to year, model to model. That one’s just freakishly good’
‘Not seen a grey and blue one before.’
‘No,’ Johnny said. ‘Possibly not the best idea but that was me and Stu’s handiwork.’
‘He nicked it,’ Stu said. ‘Then we stripped and lacquered it so no one would know who it was robbed from.’
‘I’m not proud,’ Johnny said. ‘The guy who owned it couldn’t really play. It was a lovely Sunburst colour. We saw his band a few times and just had to have that guitar because I went all over London but couldn’t find one as good. In the end I left a bunch of cash in his case with and a beginner’s electric and a note saying I was sorry but had plans for it. I tried kidding myself I’d bought it.’
‘Didn’t people wonder how come you’d got a Strat all of a sudden?’ Calvin asked.
‘Well, the first thing me and Stu did was break into a workshop after hours to strip and lacquer it. Once it was disguised I did as I always did before I had pennies to rub together, I told people I’d won it. That’s how I came by the surname Won. People thought I was saying one like the number. I’d say, no it’s Won as in past tense of win. Then these buggers nicked it and we became The USed Wonz.’