Mayfly Melodies

Thirty-Four

Bailey started to strum following the chords that Caroline had laid out.  She made a few small subtle changes to the chord progressions and thought about how they could overlay a picking line in a few spots.  She added the harmony that had come alive in her head and passed the music back to Caroline.  It was simple enough that Caroline would be able to play it without much difficulty.  Her guitar skills had progressed immeasurably since Bailey had given her that first lesson and she felt proud at how far the other woman had come.

"Let's just try to the end of the first verse," Bailey mused.  We can work on the chorus later, hmm?  Okay, one, two, three..."

The girls started to play together, lost in their little bubble of sound.  Neither one had noticed that the band had stopped to listen.  Mike was leaning against the doorframe next to the soundboard, eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the music unknowingly being presented to the group.

"Left her map on the table.  Forgot the compass by the door.  Loaded up her daddy's truck to travel fast and travel far.  She's ready to start runnin'.  Wants to find her own place.  Doesn't know where she's goin'..."

The note faded away quickly in the heavily carpeted room.  The acoustics weren't as good in here as they were in the booth.

Bailey nodded and grinned at Caroline.  "I like it.  I really really like it.  You've got the second verse done too so it's really just the chorus and either a third verse or a bridge...I think a bridge would work better.  I definitely think there's a spot on the record for this song.  Give it a name yet?"

Caroline shook her head.  "No."

"Okay, well, we can work on that too."

"It's good," Mike said as he stepped forward.  Once he reached them he sank down onto purple shag carpet, his legs crossed beneath him.  "I've got a few ideas for the backtrack and I'm sure the guys do too but it's good.  Lyrics are nice."  He aimed his compliment at Caroline.  "Very smooth.  Vocals were kind of shitty."  He winked at Bailey, teasing.

She rolled her eyes and shoved his shoulder.  "You're a jerk, Fletcher.  I shouldn't have called you.  There are a million guitarists better than you."

"That's a lie.  I'll amend to half-a-million guitarists better than me but I'm sure I could fend off the guy that Kyra's got playing in her band."

Bailey raised an eyebrow and cursed herself internally.  She hated the fact that she was interested in what Kyra was doing.  "Oh?"

Mike snorted.  "Oh, yeah.  I mean, Chadd Kelby isn't a horrible guitar player but I'm sure she could've found better.  She only wanted him cause he's good-looking.  You know how she is.  Besides, the guy's a real piece of work.  Big ego with no real skills to back it up.  And I mean, he spells his name with two 'd's.  Chad-d," he enunciated the second 'd' heavily with another derisive snort.  "I promise you his parents' didn't do that."

Bailey laughed and even Caroline let out a small giggle.  Mike was grinning widely.

"We should get back to work, eh, Bails?" he said as he clambered back up to his feet.  "Show Kyra what a good album sounds like.  I don't know if you listened to hers but it's completely garbage.  Heavily synthesized backtrack and the backing is way to loud for her voice.  Just overpowers her completely.  She's gotten terrible reviews from people whose opinions actually matter.  Some of your old fans are completely gung-ho on it but a bunch have abandoned her.  They're waiting for you and Mae to show her how it's done."

Bailey stood up.  "It would be such a shame to disappoint them.  Let's get back at it, shall we?"

They spent the greater part of the afternoon recording The Hero.  It was a track Caroline had written, start to finish, all by herself.  It told the story of a war veteran wracked with PTSD stemming from his time in the military who grew agitated over people singing his praises as a soldier.  The lyrics were emotive, detailing the life of someone who'd killed to defend his country and lost some of his brothers in arms along the way.

When Bailey had asked Caroline about the inspiration for the track she'd received a simple answer. 

"For my grandfather," she'd said and that was all.  The next moment, she'd been working on a picking pattern.

Bailey had questioned Noah about it later.  Their grandfather on their mother's side, a gruff man who Noah said had always had a love for model airplanes, had fought in the Vietnam war.  He'd returned from the war changed and Noah's grandmother had lamented that it had taken years for him to regain some semblance of the man he'd been when he'd left.  One of the things he'd hated most was when people called him a hero for what he would privately detail as murder.  That, coupled with the fact that he'd watched many of his friends' die, had left him bitter.

After hearing the story, Bailey had felt significantly more connected to the song.  She knew that she would make space for the song on the album, though creating space didn't seem to be an issue.  The album itself was slowly growing to be a collection of deeply personal songs.  Sure, they'd cut a few of the more emotional songs, but Dirt Roads and Love Song were equally as powerful and moving.

Once The Hero had been completely recorded—it had taken much less time than Bailey had expected—they began working on When I Think About You. It was the only breakup song they had written for the album so far, though Bailey knew there would likely be one more.  The mainstream music industry was about three things only: hookups, breakups, and drinking.  In order for an album to be a hit, each of those categories needed to be hit at least once, though most albums exploited sometimes two or three times each. 

Bailey still preferred more personal tracks but knew that in order to succeed she would need to write for what the public wanted as well.  It was the downside to being an artist.  While given creative liberty was incredible, to make it big artists were still limited by what the industry wanted.  She knew writing breakup songs would be a challenge—especially given the euphoric state she was in with Noah.  Writing anger and pain would not come easily.

They'd only just worked out some of the main beats and rhythms for the backtrack when they were interrupted.  There was a sharp rap on the glass that separated the lounge from the recording booth and Bailey looked up to see two uniformed police officers staring intently at her.  One of them made a signal for her to come.

She felt her heart jump in her chest and her first thought was of Noah.  She and Caroline still hadn't heard from him and Bailey immediately thought of all of the worst possibilities.  Noah, hurt or worse and for a moment she thought she might throw up.  But then she saw Caroline who was sitting there wide-eyed but nothing more.  If Noah was hurt, surely the officers would be talking to her first.  Caroline was the sister.  Bailey was only the girlfriend.

"Take five, guys."

Bailey hopped down from the stool she was sitting on, placed her guitar on its stand and squared her shoulders.  Then, she took a deep breath and walked to the door that separated the two rooms. 

"Bailey Grant?" one asked as she passed through the doorway.  He was slightly heavier than the other cop with a bald head and dark beady eyes.  There was a downturned twist to his mouth.

"Yes.  What can I do for you?"  She crossed her arms over her chest and rocked back onto her heels as she looked between the two officers. 

Caroline was staring at her curiously.  Her guitar was resting in her lap and she had her hand half-raised as if she were about to strum.

It was the younger slimmer officer who answered her.  "I'm Officer Yates and this is my partner Officer Robinson. You might want to take a seat miss Grant.  We're here to talk to you about Walter Reid."

__________________________

Music recommendation: Wild West by Runaway June