yeah same song again it's just my
favorite song and I would pay for them
to sing it
pls hear it when the guys perform
this song will be very important for the plot
N I N E
I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately. I'm tired of looking around rooms wondering what I gotta do
IT WAS FUNNY HOW EVERYONE HAD THEIR MOUTHS WIDE OPEN as they saw this new band they've never heard before start the open mic event.
"They are so good," said Reggie under his breathe.
"All of the talent hunters seem impress with them," pointed out Julie, nodding with her head towards a table. The whole band and Peyton looked towards there, noticing how the Atlantic Records people were having a great time. "How are we going to top that?"
"Look, guys, you have the last performance. Everyone forgets the first one, the last one is what you need to be worried about. And that's you." Tried to cheer them up Peyton but it clearly wasn't working. "You guys are the showstopper."
"But our showstopper isn't as half as good as that," said Alex, and Sunset Curve again looked towards the rock band, who was carrying the whole audience. "What's in our setlist again?"
"Now or Never, Bright and we end with Wonder," replied Julie.
"That's not gonna make it," said Luke, making a step forward and turning around to look at the guys. "We have to do I Don't Want to Be." Alex scoffed while Reggie gasped. "It's a crowd pleaser."
Peyton raised her eyes as she hold on to her purse. She remembered that song very well. It was the song which made her realize she liked Luke for the first time.
"What's that song?" Asked Ella curious.
"It's the song that Luke wrote that... made us a band."
"Our first song... ever," added Alex. "We haven't played it in at least four years."
"But I bet you all remember it perfectly," said Luke.
"Even I do," said Julie, smiling, surprising the guys. "Remember when you guys made me a flash drive with the original version in like eighth grade? I couldn't stop playing it at my house. Everybody loves that song."
"I'm really curious to listen to this song now," commented Ella, making Peyton chuckle.
Luke got excited in just a second. "This is the song that made us a band. The original version. And with the piano it's going to sound amazing. Nirvana amazing."
"I'm on board, but you need to be the leading voice," said Julie, surprising the boys. "Don't get me wrong, I love being the lead singer, but that song was made for Luke's range. Literally, because he wrote it."
"Ok, I'm in," announced Reggie. "I've missed playing that song. Specially the original one."
"Me too," admitted Alex. "It's just a mix of pop and rock and we haven't played a song like that in a while. Count me in."
Luke smiled before looking at Peyton, waiting for her approval. She shrugged, with a tiny smile.
"You know I love that song. And there's a lot of old Sunset Curve fans, you sure are going to make a good throwback."
Luke laughed a little before grabbing his notebook from his guitar case and giving the lyrics and chords to Julie of the original version of the song.
"Oh, I don't need them, I've played that song a million times."
"You have?" Asked Reggie to her and she nodded.
"It's a great song, I'm telling you."
"I really need to hear this song. You are making it sound like it's a miracle to life," commented Ella, grabbing her milkshake and drinking from it. "What is your set list then?"
"Well, we have to play Now or Never," everyone agreed with Luke. "Let's kick Wonder out and put the song there instead." That made Reggie, Julie and Alex mad.
"Wait what?"
"Are you crazy?"
"You can't do that."
Luke stared at his bandmates confused after hearing their reclaims.
"Wonder is not going to impress anybody."
"Look, I agree I Don't has to be the last one, but Wonder means a lot to you, so it is staying. Let's kick Bright out, put Wonder there and I Don't Want to Be last one. What do you think?" Offered Alex and the band agreed. Luke stared at them confusedly.
"Okay, as you wish," gave up Luke. "I'm just saying that Wonder is slower and probably would be good to keep the crowd alive like we do with Bright."
"We are not changing the set list anymore, Patterson," said with a demanding tone the girl of the band. "Let's go prep backstage."
Luke glanced over Peyton one last time before following the band, the four of them preparing themselves for this big night of their lives.
Peyton and Ella saw Flynn, Willie and Carrie arrive, and the three of them walked towards the sisters, all sitting on the table.
"What did we miss?" Asked Willie.
"The first band was a huge success and the guys got scared," filled them in Ella.
"How did Alex take it?" Questioned Willie and Ella shrugged.
"As usual. They changed the set list, though," let them know Peyton.
"They changed the set list?" repeated Flynn in form of a question. "Thirty minutes before going on stage?"
"Well, the took Bright out and added I Don't Want to Be and the guys don't need rehearsal for that song. They know it by memory," comforted her Peyton.
"Oh, I love that song!" Exclaimed Carrie. "I haven't heard them play it for like... more than three years, when they started the band."
"Wasn't Luke thirteen when he wrote that song?" Asked Willie and Peyton nodded. "And they decided to play it now?"
"Luke was thirteen!?" Questioned Ella. "Why do you keep saying that song is great. How great could be a song that Luke wrote when he was thirteen?"
"Luke has written songs since he learned how to write. Don't worry, the song is amazing."
"I never heard the original though," interrupted Carrie. "They wrote it again in like, sophomore year or something, when they record it. I haven't heard the original from when they started the band."
"Well, I think it's your lucky day because I think that's the one they are gonna play," let her know Peyton, making everyone surprised. "They want to impress the label people, and the original is the best version. The demo one is good, but nothing compares to the version Luke carried around in a flash drive everywhere he went. They are emotionally connected to that song. I remember when Luke first showed it to me."
Peyton accommodated herself on the seat to begin the story.
"It was at beginnings of eighth grade. Luke spent three weeks writing that song until he had it finish and showed it to the guys. Then they rehearsed it and showed it to me. They weren't even called Sunset Curve yet, and were far to even reaching that name." Peyton laughed. "They were called I think... Screaming Out Loud? I really don't remember I just recall that Alex hated the name and they changed it like four times after landing with Sunset Curve. They showed me the song and I loved it, because it's an amazing song. Then, Reggie grabbed his dad's computer and microphone he used for work and they recorded it there. Julie's dad helped them a little for it to sound good at the end, took several takes, but they recorded the song. And..."
Peyton grabbed her purse and took from it a small black flash drive with a white stripe on the cap, such as the stripe from their logo.
"Save it in five flash drives exactly like this one."
"No way!"
"You still have it?" Asked Carrie to her and Peyton nodded.
"I really can't understand what this says. Luke has the worst handwriting I've seen in my life," joked Flynn and Willie grabbed it.
"SOL, I Don't Want to Be, vol. 1," he read.
"I can't believe you still have it with you. Does Luke know that?" Asked her Ella.
"Oh no, and nobody tell him. He just made five copies and the guys lost theirs like years ago. I think Julie still has hers somewhere, or that's what she says. For what I know, this is the last copy of the original song with Luke's pre-puberty voice and I'm not ready to lose it." Everyone laughed.
"Now I really want to hear that song," said Flynn, making Peyton chuckle. "Is it really that bad?"
"God, I'm just glad his voice got deeper. It's like Alvin and the chipmunks let me tell you," Peyton said between laughs. "But is really important to him and I planned to give it to him as a graduation present. That's why I keep it always with me."
"That's incredibly sweet, Peyton," commented Carrie, surprising Peyton. "I bet he'll love it."
"I can't believe I've never heard this song," said Ella.
"Don't feel left out, I haven't either," comforted her Willie. "I know about it because I asked Alex about their first song, but he refused to play the demo for me because he said that he didn't play good back then. I'm dying to hear the song."
"You are not the only one," said Peyton. "I haven't heard it in four years, not even when they remastered it two years ago. The last time I heard it was when they last performed it. I didn't want to listen to the new version because it wouldn't be the same. That songs means a lot to the guys and I think the reason they never performed it again it's because it wasn't the same as it was when they started the band."
"They haven't performed the song since they were fourteen?" Questioned Flynn and Peyton nodded. "How aren't you guys worried this is going to end in disaster?"
"The guys know that song better than they know their names. And Julie was there when the guys recorded it and was one of the five who received a copy. I think they are going to be fine."
Peyton grabbed the flash drive and put it in her purse again, closing it. She didn't realize it meant so much to her till now. It was like her lucky charm.
"And now, our last band of the night!" Announced the host of the event, making everyone turn around. "Give it up, for Sunset Curve!"
The audience cheered as the band appeared on stage. As soon as they were out, Alex started the countdown.
"One, two, three."
"Take off, last stop. Countdown till we blast open the top. Face first, full charge. Electric hammer to the heart"
The audience was dancing to the rhythm of the song and Julie and Luke's voices combining in specific points. It was amazing
"Clocks move forward, but we don't get older, no. Kept on climbing. Till our stars collided. And all the times we fell behind were just the keys to paradise"
"Don't look down. 'Cause we're still rising up right now. And even if we hit the ground. We'll still fly. Keep dreaming like we'll live forever but live it like it's now or never."
Peyton was smiling during their performance. They entered completely motivated.
"We're the revolution that's been singing in the rain."
"Don't look down. 'Cause we're still rising up right now. And even if we hit the ground. We'll still fly
Keep dreaming like we'll live forever but live it like it's now or never. It's now or never."
As the song ended, the rhythm of the music changed completely, as Alex changed the percussion. Julie joined him in the piano and Luke and Reggie on the guitar and bass.
Suddenly, Julie started to sing.
"I wonder if I'm being real. Do I speak my truth or do I filter how I feel? I wonder, wouldn't it be nice, to live inside a world that isn't black and white? I wonder what it's like to be my friends. Hope that they don't think I forget about them. I wonder, I wonder."
"God, she sings like an angel," said Willie and everyone agreed with him.
"Right before I close my eyes. The only thing that's on my mind. Been dreamin' that you feel it too. I wonder what it's like to be loved by you, yeah. I wonder what it's like. I wonder what it's like to be loved by..."
That's when Luke leaned into the microphone, gaining Peyton's attention as he closed his eyes to feel the music.
"I wonder why I'm so afraid of saying something wrong, I never said I was a saint. I wonder, when I cry into my hands, I'm conditioned to feel like it makes me less of a man. And I wonder if someday you'll be by my side and tell me that the world will end up alright. I wonder, I wonder."
Him and Julie entered the chorus again and brought the audience back alive. It was indeed a beautiful song, and you could tell how Luke was emotionally attached to it for the way he sang it.
As the song ended, the applause that filled the room could've be heard from three blocks away. The guys smiled before Julie approached the microphone.
"Thanks for singing with us tonight. This is I Don't want to be."
As soon as Luke's guitar started sounding through the amps, some people in the audience recognize the song. Mostly coffee shop regulars that came when the band played this song in their early days.
"This is the thing I've been waiting for," whispered Ella and Peyton laughed.
"I don't need to be anything other than a prison guard's son. I don't need to be anything other than a specialist's son. I don't have to be anyone other than the birth of two souls in one. Part of where I'm going is knowing where I'm coming from"
As soon as the chorus started and Luke's voice filled the room, there wasn't a single person in the audience who wasn't dancing and/or singing along.
"I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately. All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind. I'm tired of looking around rooms wondering what I gotta do or who I'm supposed to be. I don't want to be anything other than me."
"Woah," whispered Willie under his breath, making Peyton chuckle, placing her hand on his shoulder and dancing along.
They all stood up, clapping as they followed the rhythm of the music.
"I'm surrounded by liars everywhere I turn. I'm surrounded by imposters everywhere I turn. I'm surrounded by identity crisis everywhere I turn. Am I the only one to notice? I can't be the only one who's learned."
That's when Luke's eyes connected with Peyton, and she felt the same way she felt the first time she heard this song when she was fourteen.
"I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately. All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind. I'm tired of looking around rooms wondering what I gotta do or who I'm supposed to be. I don't want to be anything other than me."
As they entered the bridge, the music became a little slower, Luke's voice and guitar sounding louder than the music.
"Can I have everyone's attention please. If you're not like this and that, you're gonna have to leave. I came from the mountain, the crust of creation. My whole situation made from clay to stone. And now I'm telling everybody"
The instruments stopped except for the piano. Luke grabbed with both of his hands the mic as he sang the last chorus slowly.
"I don't want to be anything, other than what I've been trying to be lately. All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind."
As he sang the last word with a raspy voice, the instruments joined to finish the last part of the song.
"I'm tired of looking around rooms wondering what I gotta do or who I'm supposed to be. I don't want to be anything other than me"
As the rest sang the back vocals, Luke simply continued to sing yeah until the music faded away and he hit the last note, the song arriving at its end.
There wasn't a single person who wasn't standing as they clapped. Peyton cheered as the band bowed towards the audience.
"That was amazing," said Ella and everyone nodded. "They haven't practice that in how long?"
"At least two years. They used to have a whole choreography for the chorus where Luke would jump from Alex's platform. He hasn't practiced it since he was fourteen so better not risk it, I guess," commented Peyton. "That was awesome. I forgot how much I love that song."
"Thirteen? He wrote that when he was thirteen?"
"Nah, the guys helped him," answered Peyton. "All the metaphors like "souls in one" or "clay to stone" were Alex's ideas, come on. But most of the song, he wrote it, it's amazing."
After a few minutes of chatting, the guys appeared from backstage, being received with applauses and cheering from part of the audience.
As they reach the table, everyone sitting there applauded to them. Luke was quick to sit next to Peyton, who gave him a napkin for the sweat.
"You are sweating like a pig, God."
"It's not sweat! Reggie threw me his water bottle when we got off stage," he defended, grabbing the napkin. "God, I felt like I was a kid again, damn."
"Nah, I felt ten times better!" Yelled Alex. "If we had Julie and her piano when we were fourteen we would've signed with a label by then. Julie, I gotta say, that chorus with the piano was the best thing I've ever heard!" Julie chuckled.
"Can we talk about how when Luke didn't even start singing and half of the people recognized the song? We should re-record it with Julie's piano and uploaded to a streaming platform or something!" Offered Reggie and Luke nodded.
"I would love to remaster I Don't Want to Be. Can you believe it's been five years since I came with the concept for that song? It's just... unbelievable."
"How come I had never listened to this song before today?" Asked Ella while Reggie hugged her shoulders. "It's amazing. You guys weren't kidding when you were talking about it. I'm impressed."
The conversation was interrupted by a woman in a suit who walked towards them with a tiny smile. She reach her card to Luke.
"Call us," she said, nodded her head and then left.
Everyone looked her leave before glancing at Luke, who was staring at the card.
"Columbia Records," he read out loud, making everyone yell.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Harry Styles' Columbia Records!?"
"You have to be joking!"
"Oh my God, this is huge!" Exclaimed Peyton. "They've labeled AC/DC, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.. Bob Dylan, Luke!" She yelled, shaking his arm, but he was still in shock.
Reggie, Alex, Julie and Luke couldn't say anything, they couldn't even move.
"Columbia Records wants us to call them."
"And not only them!" Yelled Carrie as she came back to the table. Nobody noticed when she stood up. "I went over the counter to get a milkshake and instead I was interrupted by like seven men who wanted me to give these cards to Sunset Curve." Luke opened his eyes. "Forget Columbia, look at this! Sony Music, Warner, Universal, Island, Atlantic, Virgin, BMG... these are the big leagues! And I bet the moment you stand up, that group of men with suits is going to attack you."
Everyone turned around to look at all of those men looking in their direction, and quickly looked back at the table.
"I can't believe this," whispered Luke. "I've never had this many people interested in me before."
"In us, man... in us," said Reggie, trying to even believe it for himself. "Living in Hollywood has it's perks." Everyone agreed with that. "What should we do now?"
"For now, nothing," interrupted Carrie, and everyone look at her. "My dad says that when these many people are interested, there's no need for you to get your hands dirty. They would be the ones fighting to win the price, that is signing you guys. You want to sign with the label that wants you the most, not the most popular. They will proceed to send baskets, attend concerts, all to get your attention. And then, there will be a time when from all of these cards on the table, only three or two will be left. That's when you have to start thinking which one you are going to sign. For now, get a manager, play as many gigs as you can. If you continue to see the same faces, it's because you know they are the ones that want you the most."
"That's actually a great idea," said Luke and the band nodded. Luke quickly turned around to look at Peyton. "Would you be our manager?"
"What? Me?" Peyton asked. "Don't you want to get someone professional?"
"I think I speak from all of us when I say that you are the person we trust the most. The four of us." The guys agreed. "You've heard us since we were named Choco Fluffs." Peyton nodded as the memory of one of the several band names.
"Hey, Choco Fluffs would have succeeded. I stand by that," defended Reggie and Ella simply smiled at him.
"You've been there in our worsts," continued Luke.
"Yeah, in our several fights you've been the one who kept us together. You helped get our music started," added Alex. "You've been to everyone of our gigs."
"And you are the one I show my music first," said Luke. "Please?"
Peyton looked at him, "Don't do that. Don't give me puppy eyes. Don't." But he continued, and Alex, Reggie and Julie were quick to join him. "Ugh, fine. I'll do it. Give me the cards. I have to go talk to people in suits."
As soon as Peyton left the table, executives from the labels started attacking her. This was going to be a bad idea.
POP CULTURE REFERENCES GUIDE
chapter nine
"We have to do I Don't Want to Be"
I Don't Want to Be is a pop rock song written and performed by singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw. This song became popular for being the intro song for the teen drama series One Tree Hill (2003-2012). In the story, it is said that Luke wrote it for sunset curve.
"And with the piano it's going to sound amazing. Nirvana amazing."
Nirvana was an American rock band founded by lead singer-songwriter and guitarist Kurt Conain and bassist Krist Novoselic. They were active between 1987 and 1994, splitting up due Cobain's death. They had famous songs like Smells like a Teen Spirit and The Man Who Sold the World
"It's like Alvin and the Chipmunks let me tell you"
Alvin and the Chipmunks is a comedy film from 2007 with the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney directed by Tim Hill about a band of singing chipmunks... really self explanatory.