34. Chase
Two weeks after Saint of Spades got dropped by Tribute Records, Missing Link went platinum.
Between the hype from the tour, double-charting hits, the media coverage of the Nashville show, and the publicity (both good and bad) geared toward Chase and Zak, it was a straight launch to the top for the band.
A new, more favorable batch of headlines populated the stands:
Rock’s Leading Ladies: Izzy Sartori Zak Parker, Legends in the Making
From Cat Fights to Stage Lights—Your Questions Answered About the Scandal Sweeping Rock Nation
Chase Payton Zak Parker: The Real Lovers All Along?
Scott Lee’s work phone blew up as soon as the news landed that Saint of Spades were free agents, and it hadn’t stopped ringing for days.
Zak’s father hadn’t assumed the job title of band manager in any official sense, but unofficially, he was happy to field calls for them and weed out the messages worth hearing. Though Scott was out of the public eye, he was still well-connected with the corporate side of music—and an easy point of contact for the band, now that everyone knew about his relation to their guitarist.
Every label in the nation suddenly needed to set an appointment with them. From the mom-and-pop businesses they’d met with before earning that first shiny platinum plaque, to divisions of the two other massive players in the music industry—Horizon Entertainment Studios and Arcane Records.
Saint of Spades had already received preliminary offers over the phone with advances that made sixty million not sound like such a highball figure for their first album after all, but everyone was reluctant to rush back into another partnership.
Their final week-long break before heading overseas was packed with meetings from eight a.m. to eight p.m., Sunday to Saturday.
Chase had done plenty of traveling, but had never experienced anything like it. They had to be breaking the record for “number of flights in seven days.”
In one room and out the other, then back on a jet to do it all over again.
Day after day, they collected prospective record deals like Boy Scout badges.
Still jaded by their experience at Tribute, Chase was wary of their last label’s top competitors. Even if it made more sense for a band with their ballooning fame to sign with a bigger company, it was difficult to shake the comparisons to their last experience.
In their downtime, Scott opened up more about his experiences as an artist now that Zak was willing to listen to him. He had spent the first year of his career with one of Horizon’s labels, and three years signed with a division of Arcane—the same one they were meeting with today.
From what Chase gathered, it had been at the height of his drug problem. Which was the reason he had little to say about his time there, and also the very issue that ended up getting him dropped when his contract had expired.
Walking into Arcane’s corporate office was much like stepping into an alternate reality. Instead of Madison Square Park, it overlooked the Cumberland River. Instead of white marble and glass, the lobby was decked out in flashy brass and warm beige.
The elevator hoisted them to the highest floor, a slow climb that brought Chase back to their last trip up—to get dropped by Trevor Simon.
However, the executive who greeted them looked nothing like Trevor. He was a short, husky middle-aged man, clad in a purple suit, paisley necktie, and rimless glasses.
“Oscar Alonso.” He greeted them each with a warm smile and a handshake.
“Chase Payton.” He clasped Oscar’s hand, his elbow absorbing the force of the firm, enthusiastic grip.
“Yes.” Oscar brought his palm to the center of his chest as he laughed. “I know who you are. And Zak, Edge, Alex, Dallas,” he ran down the line, not asking for confirmation because he already knew he was correct.
It wasn’t a difference that would make or break their decision, but it struck Chase as refreshing that Oscar seemed to be just as interested in meeting, and talking, to everyone in the band. Not only the frontman.
This new prospective GM was surely as shady as their last one, to have earned the position he was in, but the lack of condescension and abrasiveness was a welcome contrast.
“You did your research,” Zak noticed.
“Of course. It’s a pleasure. I’ve been looking forward to our meeting today.” Oscar led them down the hall to a conference room, where they sat at a polished wooden round table surrounded by brown leather chairs.
They each took a seat alongside the rest of Oscar’s team and went through introductions. Played nice through a few more pleasantries.
“I’ll make this short,” Lisa started their discussion. “This isn’t my client’s first meeting, and it will be far from their first offer. I hope you’ve come prepared to not waste their time with any introductory figures.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of such a thing,” Oscar replied. “In fact, I’ve been following your careers since the premiere of the show. Unfortunately, Tribute moved faster than our team. Though I can’t say it’s unfortunate for you all, because six months ago you would have gotten that introductory offer. Congratulations on your success so far.”
“Thank you,” Chase said graciously, while his bandmates mumbled a few more sarcastic responses.
“I’ll make this short and easy.” Oscar clicked the back of his pen. “I want to sign Saint of Spades, and I want to sign you today, if possible. Arcane has more resources at our disposal than any of the other record companies you’re currently in negotiations with. We have a dedicated marketing team that doesn’t have to stoop to cheap tricks like PR relationships.” He shared a knowing smile with Chase and Zak.
“And we believe in allowing our artists the creative freedom to do their best work here. We only sign musicians that shine in all aspects—the writing, the performing, and the music itself—and I think you’ll be a perfect fit for us. So, to be forthright, we’ll triple the advance from your first album, and we’ll offer a one-percent increase on each of your royalty shares. And in turn, you keep doing what you’re doing. Because whatever it is, it’s working.”
“If you’re serious about signing today, I advise putting forth a more incentivizing offer,” Lisa said.
Though the offer sounded damn incentivizing exactly the way it was. Whether that little spiel was something Arcane stood behind was anyone’s guess, but in theory, it was exactly what they were looking for. Music, with as little bullshit standing in the way of it as possible.
Oscar didn’t appear bothered by Lisa’s bluntness. He turned to the band and laid a half-written contract on the table before them. Laid a pen beside the faint line at the bottom. “Tell me, what can I offer to get your signatures?”
Chase knew they were supposed to filter these sorts of questions through their legal counsel, but his answer was on the tip of his tongue. He hadn’t stopped thinking about it from the moment he couldn’t afford to fix it himself. “Buy back the masters from our first album.”
Lisa, who never cracked her facade, looked at Chase like he was fucking insane. But it was worth it, to have Zak looking at him like he was her savior.
“Do you have any idea what that costs?” Oscar asked, but not like he was shooting the idea down. Like he was genuinely curious about what Tribute wouldwant for them.
“I have a perfectly clear idea of what it would cost me,” Chase said. “I can’t say that number would be the same for you.”
Oscar seemed intrigued but didn’t ask for further clarification.
“We want full ownership over all our music, actually.” Zak grabbed Chase’s hand under the table. “The first album, and the future ones.”
“You’re big talent,” Oscar admitted with a smile. “But that’s a big ask. What are you willing to offer in return?”
Lisa wrote a few sentences on her clipboard and showed them to the band, waiting for everyone to nod their agreement before she continued. “My clients would agree to a lower royalty increase than initially proposed. They’ll accept a point-five percent increase each, and would additionally agree to a licensing deal with their master recordings. This deal would grant Arcane the same royalty share from Saint of Spades’ initial contract with Tribute, for the length of their time signed with any label under your parent company.”
“And if the band dissolves? What happens then to the money we’ve invested into your success?” Oscar inquired.
“What would you consider fair?” Chase asked.
Oscar rubbed his chin. “Licensing deal for the duration of your time signed with Arcane. Plus fifteen years in the event that Saint of Spades chooses to dissolve our professional relationship. That, we could reach an agreement on. Provided Tribute is amenable to negotiations.”
It was a hell of a deal. Out of the corner of his eye, it even looked like steel-faced Lisahad to rein in her shock.
After the journey they’d all taken to get here, though, it should hardly be surprising. Chase’s fame had gotten them un-disqualified from Amped after their lead singer died, and losing the competition had gotten them a more favorable first contract. Only for violating that contract to allow them to accept an even better one.
Zak’s serious outer shell splintered. “You get to negotiating, and we’ll get to signing.”