Camera Shy

C-3 - Blurred lines.

The more TJ and I talk about the band the more I respected his role in it. They all had met in school but originally, they started as a trio. They had started out calling themselves the Three Amigos until a quiet Reece had passed them on the field and started singing along to one of the songs they were singing. Then, almost instantly, they became Deadly Sins, although that was not actually the first band name they had come up with.

TJ sits with me for hours, showing me their old photos and videos of them singing at talent shows and even their local town gigs.

"We had used at least three different band names to try and get us noticed, or at least attempt to be remembered and then Reece chose Deadly Sins and it weirdly stuck. My mum hated it and I'm fairly sure she still prays for my soul on Sundays" TJ laughs away as he continues flicking through his phone.

"This was our first image; we all wore shorts and caps. We called ourselves 'God's Gift' lame, right?" TJ smiles waiting for my reaction and all I can do is laugh. They all look so young and their hair styles are very 90's.

"It doesn't get much better from there. We have been called 'Stolen Dreams', which we ended up using as a song title, which did pretty well...." TJ brags.

"I remember that one, the video is awful....it was like watching a porno" I shuffle uncomfortably just thinking about it.

"But the song was good right?"

TJ's question makes me wonder if he was responsible for the three minutes of my life I wasted forever.

Wanting to build his confidence and not belittle him, I smile "Some of the lyrics were cool and the tune wasn't too bad, but it's not one I'd choose to listen to."

"But to help us, don't you have to?" TJ smiles smugly.

Oh, bugger that will make it six minutes of my life wasted on that song!

"What was the other band name?" I ask, hoping he will move on from that awful song.

"If I tell you, you can't laugh. It's the name we almost had to keep." TJ's reluctance makes me very curious, so I nod eagerly and he sighs. He shows me a picture of them getting signed as a band and the sign above them says 'Secret Desire.' I try hard not to giggle and TJ playfully takes the phone away "That's it for your band history lesson for today."

"TJ, you and social media, you like your privacy, which is completely fair, but we need to reach out to your fans more. Give them a chance to know the real TJ."

"Sounds fair, I never really know what to do. I have two accounts. One personal and one fan"

"Ok, here's my phone, I need to follow your fan accounts for Instagram, Facebook and wherever else you connect with them on." We both smile as I hand him my phone and he laughs at my minion phone case.

After a few minutes he is done and hands it back grinning.

"Why are you grinning like that?"

He stands up and laughs as he heads towards Nick who is still in the garden.

Nick yells up from the garden, "If you're not a fan why are you now following us all on social media? Are our lives in danger now?" Nick starts laughing.

"You didn't! TJ!" I shake my head, a little annoyed but mostly concerned about the backlash that will come my way.

TJ, clearly feeling a little bad, comes back towards me and smiles. "I also added you to our personal accounts. I can't speak for the others, but I accepted you straight away."