American Love Songs (17 page)

Chris Collins
: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a ninja turtle.

Jake Brenner
: Thats true! He insisted on it right up until that time in fourth grade when he gave himself a black eye with his plastic nunchucks.

CC
: It was a soul-crushing day.

 

Jimmy Jones
: I used to have to lock my door at night because my mom would threaten to cut my hair.

 

(Jimmy has the most magnificent dreadlocks I have ever seen. This is tantamount to blasphemy.)

JB
: Parker has a tattoo.
CC
: Everybody knows that.
JB
: Of Rotas “Theme for Romeo and Juliet.”
(Parker sputters.)
Parker McAvoy
: How did you know that?

JB
: I took a picture of it while you were sleeping. What, you think I cant read sheet music?

 

CC
: So apparently, the little-known fact about Jake is that hes a creeper.

JJ
: Jake doesnt have any secrets.
PM
: Guys—Jake talks in his sleep.
JB
: What?! I do not!
CC
: No, hes right, you do, Ive heard you on the bus.
RS
: Has he said anything interesting?
PM
: Something about Elton John. I tried not to listen.
RS
: Tell us about your new album,
American Love Songs.

CC
: Dont get me wrong, its not a CD full of romantic love songs.

JB
: The idea is that we wrote it while we were on our first tour. Except for Parker, none of us had really seen the country before, gone on a road trip, so every song we wrote was really colored by the places we went.

RS
: “Crossing State Lines”?
JB
: Exactly.

RS
: You recently relocated to LA. Its not much of a leap in logic to say that some of your experiences came out in “City of Angels”?
JJ
: No, youre right, we did write that one while we were there. There are a lot of things we love about LA, and some we dont.
CC
: Its so different from where we grew up. Most of the time its great, but sometimes the city just wears on you.

 

RS
: Heather Allen of
Guitar World
compared it to the Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge.” Can you comment on that?

PM
: I think to some extent, because that song is so huge in the consciousness of anyone who is writing a love song to a city, or even anyone who just likes music, of course it probably influenced us. But I think we probably present a more balanced view.

JB
: Meaning we didnt forget to mention the smog and the crime and the paparazzi, I guess.

RS
: Whats your favorite thing about it?
CC
: Learning to surf.
JJ
: Definitely.
PM
: Watching these guys try to surf.
JB
: Aw, man, how can I choose?

RS
: Over the last year or so you have developed a reputation as troublemakers—not the usual bad-boy kind, but the kind who get up to another kind of mischief. Whats the stupidest prank youve pulled this time around?

JJ
: Dude, dont you rat me out.
JB
: Come on, you know we gotta.
CC
: So this story actually has two parts.

PM
: In the first part of the story—it was about a week and a half ago—we were hanging out at Jimmys moms place in Florida.
JB
: Jimmys mom is a pretty famous self-help guru, so its a nice place.

 

PM
: Right, and Jake and I were hanging out by the pool because—

CC
: Because they were too pathetic to live.
PM
: Because we didnt want to pick up—uh—
JB
: Sluts.
PM
: We just wanted to relax!
JB
: But Parker fell asleep under a sunshade.
RS
: That doesnt explain the peeling.

CC
: Parker sleeps like the dead. We picked him up and moved him onto a raft in the pool.

 

RS
: And where was Jake while all this was happening?
JB
: I was also asleep. In the sun. I dont burn like Parker does, but I woke up with an interesting tan line, to say the least.

RS
: So howd you get them back?
CC
: Thats the second part of the story.
PM
: They dont like this part.

CC
: Jimmys still bitter. They switched all of his condoms to snug fits.

 

JB
: Then we posted a video of Chris singing in the shower on YouTube. Instant viral hit.

RS
: So thats where that came from! The falsetto is a nice touch.
CC
: Yeah, were going to work it into the next album.

RS
: There have been some rumblings about a world tour when this one wraps up at the end of November—any word on that?

JB
: Well, we did get our passport photos taken, and actually this is going to be an international tour—weve got a few shows scheduled for Canada later in the tour, which should be interesting!

CC
: The plan is to hit Europe eventually—the UK first, and then maybe some venues in France and Germany and so on. But nothing is set in stone yet.

RS
: Meanwhile, your next tour date is…?
PM
: June fourth in Saint Louis.
RS
: Well, good luck, guys. I hope to see you there.

The Wayward Sons are an alt-rock group hailing from Independence, Kansas. Their second album,
American Love Songs
, from MERI Studios, hits music store shelves June 8
^th
. Meanwhile, you can hear their hit single “Hearts on Fire” burning up the airwaves on the American Top 40 Countdown, where it currently ranks as number seventeen.

“SIERRA RADOVICH,” Parker said. His body language tensed like he
was gearing up for a fight when he proposed it.

With their busy tour schedule and Mikes frequent cross-country jaunts, it had just worked out that the easiest place for them to meet up and hash out the details of Parkers magnum opus was New York.

Jake looked around to gauge everyones reactions, because the name rang a bell for him, but it wasnt blowing any whistles. Chris had his thinking face on, Jimmys expression was nonplussed, and Mike was slowly nodding to himself. “Broadway, right?” he said. “Shes doing—what,
Cats
?”

“
Rent
,” Parker corrected. “
Cats
is done.” Jake could tell he was relaxing a little, but he wasnt relieved just yet. He really wanted this girl for the song.

“Thats a pretty big name,” Chris said at length, obviously having placed it. “What if she wont do it?”

“Shell do it,” Parker said confidently, shoulders settling, leaning back against the wall. Hed been too fidgety to sit ever since theyd arrived at the New York MERI office, even though the chairs in the boardroom were pretty comfortable. “If she can, anyway. Shes pretty busy with performances; well have to record it here.”

Chriss eyebrows disappeared under his fringe. Jake thought,
Here it comes
. “Wait a minute,” Chris said, tone incredulous. “You
know
this girl?”

Parker blushed to his hairline, because Chris had pulled up a picture of Sierra on his iPhone, and she was totally hot and wearing a leotard. Jake figured it must be a promotional shot from
Cats
. “We went to school together. I helped her get through advanced composition.”

Jake wondered for a second if there was a history there, just from the way Parker said that, but then he realized that if there were, Parker wouldnt be thinking of her for the part. Not unless it was an ongoing thing, anyway. He suddenly felt a bit uneasy. “So whatre we waiting for? Call her up.”

“Wait, thats it? Dont you want to hear her voice?”

 

“I know her voice,” Mike said. “Shes perfect. Hot, too. The music video is gonna be smokin.”

 

Chris just shrugged. “I trust your judgment. Plus, Mike is totally right. She is….” He shook his head.

 

“Please dont finish that thought out loud,” Parker implored him. So maybe it wasnt like that. Jake relaxed a little. “Jimmy?” “Shes cute, but I just play the drums,” Jimmy said. “Tone-deaf, dude.”

 

“Looks like thats settled,” Jake smiled, sounding more confident than he felt. “Were gonna need to lay some tracks, Mike. ASAP.” “On it,” he said, digging out his Blackberry. “Ill let you know when and where.”

A
S LUCK would have it, Sierra had Wednesday morning free. Jake didnt know exactly what he was expecting when they met her in the lobby of the recording studio two days later, but it wasnt for Parker to drop his guitar case to sprint across the open space between them and sweep her up in a hug, leaving Jake to pick up the slack. He grasped the case resignedly and adjusted the bass slung across his back so it wouldnt paralyze him, following in his wake. Chris and Jimmy followed suit, exchanging a look Jake couldnt quite read from this angle.

“You couldve called yourself,” Jake heard the diminutive blonde admonish Parker as he approached.

“Yeah, but that wouldve spoiled the surprise.” There was another spontaneous hug, and Jake wanted to hang back at the sidelines and observe this interaction for a few minutes, because in the past thirty seconds hed already noticed a change in Parker, and he couldnt quite put his finger on what it was, but hed have liked to. He didnt get the chance, though, because in the next second, Parker was saying, “These are the guys—Chris, Jimmy, and Jake.”

Sierra shook each of their hands in turn, smiling. “Thanks for giving me the chance to do this. I havent worked with Parker since before we graduated, and I missed him.”

Jake caught Chris mouthing words at Parker over Sierras head while she was introducing herself to Jimmy. He was no expert lip reader, but unless he was badly mistaken, he was pretty sure Chris had just said, “Smokin.” The way Parker rolled his eyes seemed to confirm the theory.

When it was Jakes turn, Sierra took his hand firmly, her skin smooth and dry. “Its nice to finally meet the guys Parkers told me so much about,” she said. Something about the way she said it made Jake feel like he was being measured, sized up and held against whatever mental picture of him she might have had.

“Well, he hasnt been so forthcoming with us,” Jake said, shooting a sideways glance at Parker, who, typically, averted his eyes and blushed. “So youll have to excuse our ignorance. I take it youre a busy woman, though, so thanks for making time for us in your schedule.”

“Are you kidding? I would have flunked out of advanced comp if it werent for this guy.” A blinding, white, perfect grin lit her face, and Jake could just imagine why she was so popular on the stage; shed light it up like the fourth of July. “I owe him. Plus, Im nosy and wanted to meet you, and my sister wants your autographs.”

“So your motivations are purely selfish,” Jake said, laughing. “Fair enough.”

“Come on,” she invited, releasing him and linking her arm through Parkers. “Were going straight to the sound booth—I have to be back on Broadway for a dress rehearsal at three. Does that work for you guys?”

“Can we eat first?” Jimmy asked, always the pragmatist, and someones stomach rumbled on cue.

Sierra shot him a perky smile. “Oh, I like you. What say we hit up the deli a few streets over? They deliver, and they make a mean Reuben.”

“Sold,” Chris told her, turning the charm up to eleven with a smooth smile.
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Jake hung back a little after that, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

In reality, there was no need for all of them to spend the day in the studio. The rhythm, lead, and bass guitar tracks had all been laid already and were waiting for them, and so were the drum and keyboard parts. They had really only brought the guitars in case someone had a flash of insight about something that might sound better—unlikely, though it was possible. But Jake couldnt pass up the opportunity to meet someone from Parkers elusive past, especially someone so interesting and, if Chriss leers were anything to go by, sexy, and the others had agreed.

³⁵
Somewhere in hell, a devil got his horns.

 

Besides, theyd been hard at work on tour, and they deserved a break.

It only took two rehearsals and a handful of takes before the vocal tracks were laid down. Parker and Sierra had such perfect harmonic chemistry that the first time Jake heard the raw, unmixed sound, goose bumps rose all over his body and his nipples got hard again—though, okay, that could have just been the cold room. Frankly, Jake found it hard to believe that that much power and sound could come out of such a tiny little body.

Outside the soundproofed box where the two of them were hard at work, Chris gave a low whistle. “That songs going straight to number one,” he said with a shake of his head. There was no trace of jealousy in his voice, just a parental kind of pride.

“And a hundred thousand teenage girls emo playlists,” Jake added with a wry smile.

 

“Well, there is that.”

Jake flicked a sideways glance at Chris, who was watching Sierra maybe a little too intently through the soundproof glass. “So, are you going to make a move, or what?”

“Honestly?” Chris asked him, finally tearing himself away. “I have no idea. You tell me—is there something going on there? Because I know Im an asshole, but Im not really that kind of guy. I wouldnt do that to a friend.”

Jake facepalmed. Across the room, Jimmy snorted indelicately, but luckily, no fights broke out. “Youre hilarious.”

For the first time, Jake allowed himself to consider the possibility that Parker might have been celibate for the past year and a half because hed been waiting for someone—for this cute, blonde, bubbly someone currently heating up the studio with him. “Man, youd really have to ask Parker; he doesnt tell me anything.”

Snorting, Chris turned away from the booth and settled into one of the cushioned chairs to wait. “If he aint told you, he aint telling anybody else,” he reasoned, rummaging through a stack of magazines until he found a back issue of
Cosmo
.
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