For Tomorrow - McLennon AU

25.

17th November, 1955

"Okay, Hey Jude... Take one?"

"Rough cut!" Ringo corrected the bassist.

"Aye!" He called back, laughing. "Right... After 3- You ready Paul?" Stuart asked the boy at the piano, who was too nervous to even speak. So with a nod, Stuart began his countdown.

John, who was stood in front of the piano gave him a cheeky wink, making the younger smile.

"3, 2, 1!"

George flopped a switch on the recorder on and Paul began to play the notes on the piano, singing along.

"Then you can start, to make it better..." Then Paul stopped, George flipping it off.

"Off!"

"Yes!" John called out, excited, running around to Paul and wrapping him in a hug. Stuart soon joined in the hug, George next and Ringo last. "Amazing! Amazing!"

They all laughed for a few more seconds, until John moved back, breaking up the hug. Paul was happy to see the wide smile on John's face, it even made his heart flutter.

He was so pretty, so beautiful...

"Guys?" George chipped in.

"Yeah?"

"Don't you think it's a bit short?" He suggested.

"What do you mean, Geo?" Asked Ringo, still smiling.

"It's only like... 2 minutes."

"Yeah, you're right George." Paul agreed.

"Any ideas?" Asked John.

"Aye! How about we start calling somethin' out?" The youngest suggested.

"What?" John laughed, looking at George like he'd just suggested breaking up the band. "Like?"

"Like some La's or Na's." Paul's quiet voice suggested.

"Bit cheesy, don't you think?"

"Nah, like that idea, Stuart. I think he's right." Ringo agreed. "It is kind of short... It doesn't have to finish with anything over the top music wise, just- it just needs something else I feel."

"Well, what do you think... Stanley-"

"Harvey."

"Harvey" John corrected himself. "What do you think Harvey from the record store would say?"

"The guy who he knows, Jeff, I think he'd probably look for something longer than two minutes, yeah."

"Alright then..." Stuart nodded. "We wanna be good, so let's just try it with the Na's or La's and if it sounds shit..."

"Just leave it at two minutes." Paul added.

"Aye."

The boys carried on recording, adding another minutes worth of Na's on the end, taking the song to around three and a half minutes.

"Perfect!" John called out as George flipped off the switch on the machine. "That was great."

"Hard work never stops... Let's do In Spite Of All The Danger next!" Ringo suggested.

"Good idea."

They recorded three songs all together: Hey Jude, In Spite Of All The Danger and Revolution, though that one was unfinished. They were all rough cuts, not perfect and definitely not what they'd want on an album, but they thought over all they were great.

Soon after, they'd packed up, and we're now heading to the other side of town to Harvey's Record Shop, a place near Ringo's house where he knew the guy inside. Harvey had ties with lots of people, but needed a demo of some sort to even consider the teenagers.

Paul was delighted, he was so happy that they may finally get their chance. John hadn't quit the band, the band was still going and now they may be getting... Signed? Paul wasn't really sure. However he knew that it was definitely a step in the right direction whatever it was.

And the fact that one of his songs, a song he had just written out of boredom, was included in the demo meant a lot to him.

"Are you excited?" John whispered to him. The other three walked ahead, John and Paul not being too far behind.

"Definitely. We have a chance at saving rock music."

"Rock 'n Roll." John corrected, making Paul laugh.

"Okay, Rock 'n Roll."

Paul was so sure that John was the key.

They reached the shop not to long after, Ringo pushing the door open and heading straight of the counter. He began to ring the bell, knowing that Harvey would be in the back, probably listening to his own records.

"Oi! Harvs."

After a few seconds, a tall, youngish looking man with a clean face stepped through an open door.

"Hey rich." He smiled, reaching for his cigarettes. "How's your Ma'?"

"Fine. Anyway, we recorded a demo." Harvey lit his cigarette, a small smile appearing on his face as he took a drag.

"Oh yeah? Let's 'ave a look then."

Stuart, who was holding the recording machine, placed it on the counter, messing around with a few buttons until the song started playing.

Paul sort of tensed up as he heard his own voice begin to sing. John noticed this, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?" He whispered, the rest of the boys listening to the demo. Paul just nodded, listening himself.

Once it was over, the teenagers all looked up to Harvey, who had a smile on his face.

"How old are you all again?"

"He's 12, he's 14 and the rest of us are 15." Stuart spoke.

"Christ..." He sounded amazed. "How old are you?" The man asked, pointing to Paul. "That's was your voice on the first one, yeah?"

"Yeah... Uh I'm 14." Harvey blinked.

"Did you write that first song?"

"Yeah." The man looked amazed, stuffing out his cigarette.

"Who wrote the last one?"

"Me." John added, kind of quietly.

"That was amazing, too. You've both got nice voices." He complemented. "Great together."

"Thanks..." They both smiled.

"Great bass too."

"Cheers." Stuart smiled.

"Everything was great to me, lads." He smiled. "Definitely something that I'd sell in my shop to all the kids."

"So do you think that Jeff guy or whoever is gonna like it?" Ringo asked, eagerly.

"Alan." Harvey corrected. "I think he will, yeah. Course you're a bit young right now, but he can have a listen, you know? Then when you're a bit older, boys... I think you got somethin', yeah." There were calls of excitement all throughout the record shop.

Things were really moving for the band.

Maybe rock definitely wouldn't die, in the end.