Perfectly Reckless
Chapter 2
Chain Reaction, Anaheim 1999
Let’s go back to a few years shall we?
After pushing ourselves to the limit where we went broke and had to steal dad’s credit card to promote ourselves, we finally got a gig in Anaheim. They have this place called Chain Reaction where you have to compete with other bands to perform here for a week and we just couldn’t miss this opportunity. Apart from being a two-piece garage band, playing at wedding parties and random opening act for random bands, we think we needed more.
We’re gonna play our original, called Don’t Mess with the Time Man which I wrote it together with RJ. We have plenty of other songs but I felt comfortable singing in this. I don’t really have to scream like I used to and just fucking sing.
“What’s up Anaheim!!!”
I heard the hostess with two pigtails and lime green leggings screamed into the microphone. The crowd yelled back, rowdy as they go. Little moshpits started to form eventhough there wasn’t any band on stage yet. It will be us next. Me and RJ were nervous as fuck, our palms sweating like a pig as we smiled at each other.
“Just..the two of you?”
We turned around and saw a tall muscular guy with tattoos spreading down both of his arms, dark eyeliners on his eyes – just as dark as mine - and snakebites on his lips, raising his eyebrows at us.
“Yeah man. We’re Halestorm-”
“How long have you been playing gigs?”
He ignored RJ’s introduction and just moved on to interrogate us. I looked at RJ. His face fell, and as a sister I can’t let people mess with my brother.
“Dude, I think you shouldn’t cut off people like that. It’s rude.” I claimed, holding a palm towards his chest. He let out a demonic evil laugh. I wonder whether he really laughs like that or he just made it up.
“Look, we’ve been playing here for fifteen times already and I don’t think any band could ever beat that. Certainly not a duo like you guys. What are you gonna play? That organ? And you? The drums? Just organ and drums huh? No fucking guitar? No bass?”
I curled up my hand into a fist; I was so tempted to break his jaw right now.
Yeah the thing about our band is we only have two members at the time; me and RJ. I’m on piano and RJ on drums. We blended pretty well on other gigs, why should this one be any different?
“What’s the name of your band again?” I heard RJ asked, quite politely. See, my brother is one who rarely got mad with somebody. He’s crazy alright but he’s also an optimistic fucker. How can he not get mad with this guy after all that shit I don’t even know.
The muscular guy looked at him and flashed a cocky grin. I caught a glimpse of dimples on both of his cheeks and I think that’s adorable –IF HE’S NOT THE RUDEST PERSON ON EARTH.
“Avenged Sevenfold.” He snorted proudly.
“Great to meet you, man. Who’s your drummer? I’m Arejay anyway, call me RJ.”
“Matt. Call me M.Shadows. Our drummer is Jimmy,” he pointed to a tall lanky guy who kept spinning his drumsticks and pointed back at us. “Call him The Rev.”
“Oh cool. That spinning thing, you have to teach me man.” RJ spoke to the drummer from afar. The drummer kept spinning his sticks more that I felt like puking. All of them, are a bunch of arrogant bastards, I’d tell you that.
“And…who would you be, gorgeous?”
I snapped and turned back to look at Matt or M.Shadows or whatever. My insides were churning with pretty much anger and he dared calling me ‘gorgeous’? I’m gonna punch his pretty face. But just as I was about to do whatever I intended to do, the hostess called our name and the crowd just applauded, no screams for us since we were really new.
I glared at Matt for one last time before heading on to the stage.
Don’t Mess with the Time Manwas a pretty much – I don’t know how to label it. Is it rock? No. Is it ballad? Not exactly. But it’s purely us. RJ and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. I played the organ and sing while RJ kicked his drums. Matt was right. NO fucking guitar, NO fucking bass.
The crowds weren’t really pleased with our song, so they only gave us a sloppy applause and I’ve never felt so damn embarrassed. We both headed to the backstage, past the Avenged Sevenfold guys and right when the hostess announced their name, guess what. The crowds went crazy as hell. Screams and yells emerged everywhere that I felt envious. So fucking envious.
The guy who wore thicker black eyeliners than me played a riff, which sounded really catchy and awesome that even I dropped my jaw. The drummer thumped a few times on his cymbals and Matt spoke into his microphone.
“Yo, we just wanna thank you guys for being here tonight. We appreciate your support. This song is called Lips of Deceit. GO!!”
Their song evolved from something slow to really progressive, and Matt just garbled random lyrics I can’t seem to hear clearly but the crowds were enjoying it! Damn. He was jumping up and down on the stage saying trash. You call this – singing? Come on!
Yeah of course they won that night. Why don’t I feel surprise?
Let’s go back to a few years shall we?
After pushing ourselves to the limit where we went broke and had to steal dad’s credit card to promote ourselves, we finally got a gig in Anaheim. They have this place called Chain Reaction where you have to compete with other bands to perform here for a week and we just couldn’t miss this opportunity. Apart from being a two-piece garage band, playing at wedding parties and random opening act for random bands, we think we needed more.
We’re gonna play our original, called Don’t Mess with the Time Man which I wrote it together with RJ. We have plenty of other songs but I felt comfortable singing in this. I don’t really have to scream like I used to and just fucking sing.
“What’s up Anaheim!!!”
I heard the hostess with two pigtails and lime green leggings screamed into the microphone. The crowd yelled back, rowdy as they go. Little moshpits started to form eventhough there wasn’t any band on stage yet. It will be us next. Me and RJ were nervous as fuck, our palms sweating like a pig as we smiled at each other.
“Just..the two of you?”
We turned around and saw a tall muscular guy with tattoos spreading down both of his arms, dark eyeliners on his eyes – just as dark as mine - and snakebites on his lips, raising his eyebrows at us.
“Yeah man. We’re Halestorm-”
“How long have you been playing gigs?”
He ignored RJ’s introduction and just moved on to interrogate us. I looked at RJ. His face fell, and as a sister I can’t let people mess with my brother.
“Dude, I think you shouldn’t cut off people like that. It’s rude.” I claimed, holding a palm towards his chest. He let out a demonic evil laugh. I wonder whether he really laughs like that or he just made it up.
“Look, we’ve been playing here for fifteen times already and I don’t think any band could ever beat that. Certainly not a duo like you guys. What are you gonna play? That organ? And you? The drums? Just organ and drums huh? No fucking guitar? No bass?”
I curled up my hand into a fist; I was so tempted to break his jaw right now.
Yeah the thing about our band is we only have two members at the time; me and RJ. I’m on piano and RJ on drums. We blended pretty well on other gigs, why should this one be any different?
“What’s the name of your band again?” I heard RJ asked, quite politely. See, my brother is one who rarely got mad with somebody. He’s crazy alright but he’s also an optimistic fucker. How can he not get mad with this guy after all that shit I don’t even know.
The muscular guy looked at him and flashed a cocky grin. I caught a glimpse of dimples on both of his cheeks and I think that’s adorable –IF HE’S NOT THE RUDEST PERSON ON EARTH.
“Avenged Sevenfold.” He snorted proudly.
“Great to meet you, man. Who’s your drummer? I’m Arejay anyway, call me RJ.”
“Matt. Call me M.Shadows. Our drummer is Jimmy,” he pointed to a tall lanky guy who kept spinning his drumsticks and pointed back at us. “Call him The Rev.”
“Oh cool. That spinning thing, you have to teach me man.” RJ spoke to the drummer from afar. The drummer kept spinning his sticks more that I felt like puking. All of them, are a bunch of arrogant bastards, I’d tell you that.
“And…who would you be, gorgeous?”
I snapped and turned back to look at Matt or M.Shadows or whatever. My insides were churning with pretty much anger and he dared calling me ‘gorgeous’? I’m gonna punch his pretty face. But just as I was about to do whatever I intended to do, the hostess called our name and the crowd just applauded, no screams for us since we were really new.
I glared at Matt for one last time before heading on to the stage.
Don’t Mess with the Time Manwas a pretty much – I don’t know how to label it. Is it rock? No. Is it ballad? Not exactly. But it’s purely us. RJ and Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. I played the organ and sing while RJ kicked his drums. Matt was right. NO fucking guitar, NO fucking bass.
The crowds weren’t really pleased with our song, so they only gave us a sloppy applause and I’ve never felt so damn embarrassed. We both headed to the backstage, past the Avenged Sevenfold guys and right when the hostess announced their name, guess what. The crowds went crazy as hell. Screams and yells emerged everywhere that I felt envious. So fucking envious.
The guy who wore thicker black eyeliners than me played a riff, which sounded really catchy and awesome that even I dropped my jaw. The drummer thumped a few times on his cymbals and Matt spoke into his microphone.
“Yo, we just wanna thank you guys for being here tonight. We appreciate your support. This song is called Lips of Deceit. GO!!”
Their song evolved from something slow to really progressive, and Matt just garbled random lyrics I can’t seem to hear clearly but the crowds were enjoying it! Damn. He was jumping up and down on the stage saying trash. You call this – singing? Come on!
Yeah of course they won that night. Why don’t I feel surprise?
Notes
A/N: ahah! first encounter with the boys~ what do u think? XD
@RyeBellamy
You're very welcome
7/29/18