We came back in the classroom. There was instruments, two electric guitar, one of which Mr. S was playing. There was a drum set, bass guitar, piano, and a tambourine.
"Mr. S, what's going on?" Michelle asked.
"I heard you in music class, you guys can really play. Why didn't anyone tell me!? You."
He pointed at Zack.
"What's your name?"
"Zack."
"You play the guitar?"
"Yeah."
"Ok come here."
Zack walked to him.
"Do you play an electric guitar?"
"Dad won't let me, he thinks it's a waste of time."
"A waste of-"
He got one of the electric guitars.
"Try this one."
Zack got the guitar and wrapped the strap around him.
"Here's the guitar pick. We're gonna try something. Follow me if you can."
Mr. S played a riff of Iron Man by Black Sabbath, Zack followed. He played Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple, he followed. Then, he played Highway To Hell by ACDC.
"Stop, good. Piano man, front and center."
Lawrence got up.
"Do you play keyboards, any techno?"
"No, I only play piano."
"Ok."
Lawrence was at the piano. Mr. S got some sheet music.
"Here's some music. Let's give this a try on my count. Ready, one two three four!"
Lawrence played the beginning of Touch Me by The Doors.
"Come on come on come on come on now, touch me babe. Can't you see, that I am not afraid. Lawrence is good at piano, he shall be rockin in my show. Stop that's perfect, you're perfect, stay right there."
He pointed at Katie.
"You, could you come up here please."
Katie got up and walked.
"What's your name?"
"Katie."
"Katie, what was that you were playing, the big thing?"
"Cello."
"Ok, this is a bass guitar. It's the exact same thing, but instead of playing like this, you tip it on the side, cello, you got a bass. Try it on. Ok, play this note right here, that's a G. Let your fingers do the rocking, keep that G coming all dat long. GGGGGGGGG, good stop. Are there any drummers in the house?"
"I play percussion," Freddy said.
"Yeah cause he couldn't play anything else," Frankie said.
"Shut up."
"Come here dude."
Freddy walked to Mr. S.
"Just see if you can do what I do. Give it a try."
Mr. S tapped the first drum four times, the second one four times, and the symbol once.
"Ok. Give that a try."
Freddy did the same thing but more aggressive,
"Ok! That's really good. Last but not least, tambourine. You with the red hair, I saw you. What's your name?" He pointed at me.
"Zelda."
"Zelda, like Legend of Zelda, that's cool. Come up here."
I walked up to him.
"Try it out for me."
He started shaking the tambourine and beating the side.
"Ok, do what I just did."
I did.
"Awesome."
He walked to Lawrence.
"Lawrence, give me a G note, with a fifth above it, and a middle one - no middle one change my mind, no go and octave low. And give me some rhythm. Bum bum bum bum, and keep that same rhythm."
He walked to Katie.
"Katie, remember that note I taught you, the G? Awesome, keep it rocking, good."
He walked to Freddy.
"Give me like a...like a..."
Mr. S imitated the drum sounds.
"Yeah - wait no, that's bad, that's like George of the Jungle. Play up here on the symbol but really light. Aw that's it."
He walked to me.
"Zelda, just shake the tambourine, don't beat the sides, just shake it."
I shook it. He walked to Zack.
"Remember this thing I taught you a minute ago. Yes, yes! Oh, alright let's go!"
Mr. S played his guitar aggressive and goofy.
"Woohoo! Oh, ok stop. Alright guys, stop messing around, we got a lot of work to do. Ok guys, pay attention because I don't wanna have to fail you."
"I thought you didn't believe in grades," Summer said.
"Of course I believe in grades, I was testing you and you passed. Good work Summer. Four and a half gold stars for you. I know you guys probably wanna slack off and that's normal. You all are not normal, you're special. I think it's about time we started our new class project."
"A science project?" Lawrence asked.
"No, it's called Rock Band."
"Is this a school project?" Marta asked.
"Yes, and it's a requirement, and it may sound easy but nothing could be harder. It will test your head and your mind, and your brain too."
"Will other schools be competing?" Summer asked.
"You can say that. You can say that every school in the state will be competing for the top prize."
"What's the prize?" Billy asked.
"Oh it will go on your permanent record. Hello Harvard yo. The thing is we're not supposed to get started until next quarter but I think we should get a leg up on the competition don't you?"
"I do," Summer said.
"Who else wants to go for the gold?"
We raised our hands.
"I do."
"Yeah I do."
"Alright, but If anyone finds out what we're doing in here, we'll be disqualified. So let's just keep it on the down low shall we?"
"Can we tell our parents?" Katie asked.
"No, just trust me they don't wanna know anything about this, keep it zipped."
Mr. S turned to the band.
"Alright, let's kick it into over dive."
"What are the rest of us supposed to do?" Frankie asked.
"You just sit back and enjoy the magic of rock!"
"You mean we're not in the band?" Leonard asked.
Mr. S turned around.
"Hold up now. Just because you're not in the band don't mean you're not in the band, we need back up singers, you can sing."
Marta raised her hand.
"You, sing."
She sung Tomorrow from Annie.
"Yes. You got it, I don't even know what it is but you've got it. And that's why you're in the band."
Alicia raised her hand.
"You ,sing"
She sang a part of Amazing Grace.
"Stop, before I start crying, cause I found the missing ingredient, you're in the band."
Summer raised her hand.
"I can sing."
"You can? Alright Summer belt it."
Summer started singing off key.
"Memory all alone in the moonlight-"
"Stop, ok, that's good, that's pretty good."
"I can also play clarinet you know."
"I'll find something for you when we get back from lunch, I'll assign the rest of you killer positions."
We went to lunch.