Chapter 16
(Rebel)
It had shocked me to learn that the metal scene in Cheyenne was booming, but selling out the venue there had sure as hell driven that point home.
KWYX had invited us to perform a live, acoustic set, which we were just wrapping up at the huge amphitheater downtown, leaving us with a Q and A session with the fans in attendance, and honestly, I was looking forward to it.
With DJ No Doze acting as the MC, we sat on the edge of the stage, mics in hand, waiting to answer the questions they posed for us.
Rather than having the whole thing turn into a feeding frenzy, fans had been told to text their questions to a message board the station had set up. Talk about brilliant.
“Alright folks, simmer down, and let's see what you chose to ask the band,” DJ No Doze announced.
The folks truly must have been curious because the dull roar of cheers that still rang out began to smooth out to low murmurs and the occasional fangirl scream.
“So, this first question is directed at the band in general,” DJ No Doze declared. “Cherry Q. would like to know if any of you have hobbies outside of music.”
“That’s me; I’m Cherry Q!” A voice called, waving at us from atop a large man’s shoulders.
I could see where she’d gotten the name Cherry; her hair reminded me of the kind I loved to heap on top of my favorite dessert, not that I’d had an ice cream sundae in what felt like forever.
Couldn’t go to an ice cream parlor without a metric fuckton of security bullshit and getting them delivered half-melted wasn’t on any to-do list of mine.
“Alright Cherry,” Dash said. “I’ll take the lead on that one.
I do, in fact, have a hobby. I love to take pictures, specifically of all the amazing architecture we encounter on our travels.
The older the better, but I love modern buildings too.
Every region, hell, every city has something unique that begs to be captured and immortalized.
My favorites hang on the walls of my home to remind me of the amazing journey we’ve been on for the last decade.
Next year, when we head overseas for the first time, I’m looking forward to adding the cityscapes of London, Inverness, and Edinburgh, which you’ll all be able to check out on our website. ”
A cheer rose up from the fans, several of whom started typing away on their phones when DJ No Doze announced the website address for those who might not have found it yet.
“I guess I’m next,” Johnny declared, since he was sitting between Dash and Ozzy.
“I’m not sure if this counts as a hobby, but I’m a major foodie, so anytime I have the opportunity to try something new, especially if it’s extreme or, at the very least, not mainstream, I’m there.
Ultimate pickle challenges, monster sandwiches, and off-the-wall ice cream flavors, I welcome it all.
While we’re here in Cheyenne, I have every intention of diving into a Solar Eclipse Burrito just to see how far I’ll get. ”
“And how far into orbit he can send the tour bus when he starts farting up the place,” Ozzy added, drawing laughter and snickers from the fans, who seemed pleased that Johnny wanted to add one of their own local treasures to his laundry list of food challenges.
“Better have your gas masks handy!” someone in the crowd called out, making everyone crack up all over again.
“Yeah, we’re doomed,” Ozzy said. “But, having something, anything, to act as a brain break when you’re on the road as long as we are, is a healthy coping mechanism.
For me, it hasn’t been easy to find something that holds my attention the way my drum kit has, but I love getting my hands on a new card game and bribing the rest of the guys into playing it with me.
As a result, we have quite the mobile game collection.
I’m always on the lookout for a new one too, so if you’ve found one you love, drop me a line on the band’s message board so I can check it out. ”
He wasn’t the only one who loved those games.
Anytime he got a new one, I was the first one at the table, ready and willing to test it out with him.
Discovering that Kit was just as much of a fan had made for some amazing game nights already, especially during our downtime at the campground.
We’d played so many rounds of Doomlings that we’d finally got the hang of the game and didn’t have to consult the rules as often.
“So, I guess it’s on me,” Kit declared. “Though I’m kind of ashamed to admit that I really haven’t given much thought to anything besides helping to create new music since I’ve joined the band.
Back home, I’ve got quite a seashell and rock collection, though, and I love getting my hands on pieces of sea glass and driftwood just to see what I can turn them into. ”
Having said that, I made it my personal mission to ensure that the next time we played somewhere coastal, he’d have the chance to wander the shore and scavenge as many things as he could find.
“Tinkering with classic cars,” I said when it was my turn.
“If it wasn’t for shop classes, I’d have never had an A grade on my high school report cards.
I know they’re made of metal, but to me, all those old machines have a unique soul.
There’s nothing better than taking the time to restore one to its former glory, than heading out on a long road trip, windows down, radio blaring, just to leave the rest of the world behind me. ”
I didn’t add that I'd love to have someone in the passenger’s seat riding along, though I glanced at Kit when I thought it and caught him grinning at me.
I hoped it was a sign that he’d be up for volunteering, or I was going to be facing a lonely trip down the coast when the ‘63 Impala I’d been working on was done.
Wait.
That might be the selling point right there.
Miles of beaches for him to explore, a tote or two in the back for him to keep his treasures in, and the promise of seafood feasts beneath the stars.
Yeah. He might just go for that. My only hope was that Draven wasn’t going to require us to have guards present once the tour was over, because it would seriously suck to have eyes and ears present while trying to enjoy a bit of time alone.
Fuck. How was anyone supposed to get any privacy with permanent shadows along for the ride?
“Okay, here we go. The next question is for Ozzy. Terence G. would like to know if the rumors are true that you intend to leave the band.”
Shit. Should have seen that coming. We’d been vague, up until now, regarding the reason for Kit’s presence on the road with us. Now a stillness fell over the audience as we all waited to see how Ozzy would respond.
“Yes,” Ozzy said, his answer met with an ocean of boos and catcalls.
He waited for them to die down some before attempting to proceed.
“I’ve been dealing with a degenerative form of arthritis that has severely impacted the mobility in my hands and my ability to play the types of sets we're known for," Ozzy declared. "There’s no reversing the damage done and no stopping it from progressing further. At this point in time, I do not have a firm exit date in mind, though I would love to make it to Rocktoberfest, where Blissfully Immune will be playing on the final night of the event. No matter what happens, these guys will always be my family, and I will contribute to the continued success of the band in any way I can long past the time when I am able to remain on the road with them.”
That seemed to settle the crowd down a bit. There were even a few tears in the eyes of those close enough to the stage for their faces not to be blurry.
“I think I speak for everyone here when I say that your presence within the music community will be missed,” DJ No Doze said. “I hope that doesn’t mean an end to the drum tutorials you’ve offered for so many years.”
“No, I intend to keep producing videos for as long as I’m able to, though ultimately I know a time will come when I’ll need to turn the channel over to someone else so we can keep aiding future drummers in expanding their skills.”
Several folks started chanting his name after that, and Ozzy, being Ozzy, waved one of his sticks in the air, urging them on before finally hurling it into their midst for some lucky fan to take home with them.
A small scramble ensued before a squealing little girl emerged with it and leapt into her mother’s arms, clinging to her while she clutched her prize.
Oh, hell yeah. There weren't nearly enough lady drummers out there, so if that kid turned out to be one of them, I hoped that someday, they’d reference this moment and that stick so we could celebrate the impact Ozzy and our music had on her.
“Rebel, this next question is for you.”
Aw shit! The words almost slipped out too. I half dreaded the question, because there were a few things in my past I did not want to have to elaborate on.
“Knightly would like to know what your favorite brand of tequila is and if you’ll be at the afterparty tomorrow night at The Withering Skull, because he’d love to share a bottle with you.”
Phew, fuck, okay, the question I could handle, though the fucker who’d asked it damn well knew the answer to that.
“1800. You come find me and we’ll have that drink!”
“Hell yeah!” Knightly boomed, the massive man standing there in biker leathers and holy shit, he looked rougher than the last time I’d seen him.
Well game on then, the night had just gotten a hell of a lot more interesting. If there was anyone whose brain I could pick regarding how to get a bit more free time while on the road, it was the legendary former guitarist of Hateful Dolls.
Folks around him must have picked up on it too, because cameras turned his way, and Knightly started waving and posing for pictures, while Kit leaned in to whisper into my ear.
“Is that who I think it is?”
“Yup.”
“Oh shit.”
“Tell me about it. Wanna join us?”
“As long as I don’t have to drink tequila.”
“You don’t have to drink at all if you don’t want to," I whispered back. “You can just yell encouragement as I race him to the bottom of that bottle.”
“Bet.”
It took time for that fiasco to calm down, but that was Knightly, always performing, even when his ass hadn’t been up on a stage regularly in almost two years.
I’d been in the front row for that final Hateful Dolls show, fanboying out in one of their t-shirts; the damn thing had been holy as hell by then, after all the years I’d spent wearing it.
The history between us was complicated, like most things in my life.
He’d been the first guy to pin me down and truly give me a taste of submitting to someone, and when I was being honest with myself, I could admit that I’d been searching for a hint of that ever since.
Back then, Blissfully Immune had barely been known well enough to be awarded the opening act spot of the festival Hateful Dolls had been headlining, and yet somehow, he’d noticed me and hunted me down backstage after our set.
To say that I’d been flattered was an understatement.
It had been hard as hell to keep from tripping all over my tongue when I’d been talking to him.
We’d slipped away from the rest of the band and gone wandering along the waterfront, his hotel not far from a goth club we’d played later that week.
Drinking, moshing, getting sweaty and trashed in a room covered in black light paint and black-clad bodies was one of the most memorable nights of my life.
He’d ordered snakebites at last call, and instead of shots, they’d served us these tall-ass monstrosities we’d had to pound before closing time, the room spinning when I’d hopped off my barstool.
He’d slung my arm over his shoulders, and together we’d shamble-staggered back to the hotel, singing Crazy Train at the top of our lungs on our way up the elevator.
We’d probably woken a ton of people up and pissed off the staff in the process, but his fame had earned us a pass, and we hadn’t ended the night in cuffs.
His bed, on the other hand, was a different story.
Drunken fumbling and the hard press of his body pinning mine to the bed had been the best ending to a night ever, even if I’d paid for it with the worst hangover of my life the following day.
I waited to be hit with the urge for a repeat performance, but with Kit sitting next to me, all I could think about was how much I wished I hadn’t just made that offer for him to join us.
Not because I wanted to slink away in the middle of the after-party for a bit of fun with Knightly, but because a part of me was worried that Knightly would set his sights on Kit.
Shit.
When the hell did I get jealous over anyone?
I had a hard time keeping up with the question and answer session after that revelation, but somehow I managed not to flub my answers or completely space out while soul-searching for the root of this new, and somewhat astounding, development.
Unfortunately, the answers weren’t ready to be found.