Here's the second chapter of "House of the Rising Sun"! It was written by Lennonfan1940, who did a fantastic job, in my opinion. Make sure to leave us your thoughts in the reviews! Criticism is much appreciated.
PS, I went back and re-edited the first chapter. There aren't many major changes, but there are some, if you want to read it again.
We hope you enjoy this chapter! :)
(See page 34a, The Future of Teen Pop con.)
The girl band that briefly surprised the nation with a number one hit has been replaced as rapidly as it rose. The girls, all college-skipping youngster are among one of the first girl bands in American history to make a number one hit, and one of the only all girl 'rock n' roll' bands ever. Critics of the girls hold it as proof that girl bands, even among rock loving teens, are unable to compete with male competition.
The sensational pop-combo that took the girla' hit single, "You're Mine" (no relation to the teenage Richie Valens who died in 1959) was surprisingly a British boy band, from a port city by the name in of Liverpool. The Beatles, as they call themselves, consist of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and the girl's favorite, Ringo Starr. The four cheery, fine youngsters dominated there home country of England, and Europe within a year, and came here expecting the same and got it. Thousands of screaming female fans awaited the boys at a Idlewild Airport this Friday, February 7th in hopes of meeting the band of their dreams, in a phenomenon untouched by any pop group in history.
In the Beatles' interview at the airport, reporters found them to be witty, harmless creatures, seemingly innocent and full of youth, and less harmful than more preposterous and vulgar acts currently hitting the teenage music world, such as Elvis Presley. Their new British sound is a softer rock n' roll that most adults find far more suitable for their growing youngsters. We all hope that this more, carefree and soft trend of music continues, displacing raunchy rock n' roll acts.
Today however, as we wait to see the lads on their first American televised event, it was announced that the Beatles will be touring with a opening act, none other than the young, scandalous ladies of the Black Suns, whose previous and brief popularity allow them to catch the eye of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein, who reported that he was happy to make a deal with the girl's manager Michael Collier, who say both groups are excitedly awaiting touring together.
Adults and their teenagers alike are uneasy about this agreement. One fan, Beatrice Talso(15) told reporters "It's just dreadful, those girl's getting the Beatles all to themselves. It's unfair and just awful!".
Parents share Talso's concerns. Winston Quin, a father of two teenage girls is worried that the Black Suns are a bad influence on his girls, ages thirteen and sixteen. "When those girls came out I clearly stated their music was banned from the house. Four young girls traveling all alone and making loud vulgar music is one of the failures of this generation. My wife and I our now happy to say we're Beatles fans ourselves, and the girls are happy that they are now allowed to listen to their favorite pop stations again. But if those four obscured girls are going to be traveling with handsome, single British lads, something's bound to happen, and it greatly concerns my whole family. In a world like ours, it is saddening to see it getting harder and harder to find wholesome pop groups. They got the girls, and I suppose now they'll get the British."
The girls themselves were very-
"Eh, what's that you've got there, Georgie boy?"
George Harrison, the youngest member of the band the Beatles and the band's guitarist, looked up at the band's unofficial leader, John Lennon, who'd just snatched the morning paper out of his hands.
"Hey! I was reading that," he protested, though it was only halfhearted. He and his band were eating breakfast, and he wasn't really a morning person. He also hadn't been feeling well since the band had first came to America.
"Well 'uppose you aren't anymore then, son," John laughed, scanning the paper for anything about their band. "Yuck, can you believe this bloke who wrote this? He must be a hundred and fifty. Goddamn-"
"Ooo, is that the article about us?" Paul McCartney, the band's bassist and co-leader, wasn't fully dressed, as he insisted on fully dressing before he came to breakfast, but he poked his head in the tiny sitting area were his fellow band mates were. He loved to read anything written about him or the band as Paul loved feedback and knowing what others, especially the media, thought about him.
"Why else would I be reading? And why are you laggin' about in your panties Paul? If you're asking if that tie matches them I'd have to tell you no," John told his friend. George laughed and Paul rolled his eyes. "Go wake up the Legend of Sleepy Hollow back there and I'll read it all to you children," John added.
"I can read, John, and we aren't children," George observed, picking up a orange from the tiny table, which was filled with everything you could ever want for breakfast.
"To me you are," John grinned, throwing himself on top of George. "Oh my sweet lil' Georgie wogie, thinking he's a big kiddie now," John cooed jokingly.
George laughed. "'ey, getoff!" The two wrestled playfully with each other while Paul shook his head trying not to laugh.
"Oh why do I always have to wake Ringo up? He's disgustin' in the mornin'," Paul scoffed. "Smells like a fish."
"Well that's unkind Paul, George smells quiet nice," a low voice mumbled. Paul turned and George and John stopped messing around.
"Whoa, Ringo, you got up all by yourself," John greeted the band's oldest member (age wise) and drummer, Ringo Starr.
"Well, of course, I'm not a lil' tyke," Ringo chuckled, taking a seat at the table.
"You goin' to put some trousers on, Paul, or are we goin' to this rehearsal with you in your knickers?"
"Look, I'll put something on in a minute. I still don't know what I'm going to wear," Paul stated.
"He's choosy you know," George added.
"You're worst than a bird, Macca. Takes you ages to get your hair perfect, your makeup right, your outfit prefect. But your gage-ous love!" John told his band mate, saying the last part in a high pitched failed attempt at a New Yorker accent.
The four all laughed.
"Alright, now that I got you lot of pansies all together, it's time I read you this news article," John waited until everyone stopped laughing and made himself clear. He wasn't completely serious, it wasn't often he was. But he was interested in the article and kept most of his jokes and witty side comments to himself. He was surprised to find the article focused on comparing his band to some American girl band he never heard of. 'Must be real shite,' he thought to himself. American music was really going down the toilet before his band came along and perhaps saved rock n' roll for forever. He felt proud.
"Wait, who are the Black Suns?" Ringo wondered aloud as John read it.
"Beats me," shrugged Paul. "Must not have been anything too important, as I never heard of them. Any of you 'eard of 'em?"
The four all shook their heads.
"It says they're a girl rock band. A rock band," George explained, thinking back to the article he'd originally been reading.
"Yeah, so?" John shrugged.
"How many chick groups play rock? How many play music? How many do you know of who do anything other than vocals? None. Zero. It's pretty strange," George told them patiently.
"You gotta point George, I've never heard of a gal who was even into rock that much," Ringo agreed.
"Yeah they are probably really different then. Or just like any other crap girl group and the reporter's just clueless," Paul suggested.
"Yeah, Paul's right, if they really were a rock band like us, we'd know them," John decided. George shook his head.
"I don't think so guys. They don't play the same stuff in England as they do here, we know that. And plus we've been so busy we haven't actually listened to music much lately," George pressed. He for one was sort of impressed with these girls. They probably had to go through a lot of crap, seeing how the press treated them.
"Read on, John, see if it says more about 'em." Ringo had finished eating (he was a rather picky lad and didn't usually eat much), but he wanted to stick around to hear more about this girl group.
John, who really didn't care about the other group, muttered, "Fine," and continued reading, scanning for any negative remarks about his band. There weren't any, and he felt himself calm down. John didn't care much about what others thought about them, but he had worked very hard on his and his band's reputation and he didn't want to see it soiled. In fact, he was totally off guard when he came to the sentence that made him stop and re-read it to himself as well as cause the other three Beatles to gasp.
"Today, however, as we wait to see the lads on their first American televised event, it was announced that the Beatles will be touring with a opening act, none other than the young, scandalous ladies of the Black Suns, whose previous and brief popularity allowed them to catch the eye of the Beatles manager Brian Epstein, who reported that he was happy to make a deal with the girls' manager Michael Collier, who say both groups are excitedly awaiting touring together."
John read it again, his mind running wild. Their manager had made a deal to allow some grotty little unpopular chick group to become a opening act. John wasn't mad, he was furious. First, no one had told him, or anyone about this, and he wouldn't have known anything about it if he can't read the paper that George had asked Mal to go out and buy this morning. Secondly, money had to have had a lot to do with this. That's the only way Brian, the Beatles' manager, would have allowed someone with such bad publicity be associated with their band. Thirdly, it was going to lose The Beatles fans, most likely, according to the interviewed fans. But then again, these were girls. Road girls. Girls you could always hit up if you needed too. John liked the idea of the slutty, giggly girl group the paper seemed to paint gawking over him. He liked it a lot.
"Wow, so I guess we'll find out what sort of band they are then. That settles that," Ringo figured.
"I can't believe Eppy did that without us. Gee, I guess we're touring with girls, then. Wonder if they're pretty girls," Paul said, getting up and walking to John.
"Yeah, can we at least see if they're pretty? I mean, traveling around with a bunch of pretty lasses sure does sound good right now," George added, leaning over John to the paper himself. He leaned just a little too far and ended up accidentally pouring most of his glass of orange juice on both the paper and John.
"Watch it George-oh look you've ruined it, and now I'm sticky!" John yelled.
"Well it was my paper anyways!" George grabbed the paper in a vain attempt to read more about their mysterious, possibly attractive, opening act. But the rest of the paper, including the part with a photo of the Black Suns, was ruined.
"It said the 'scandalous ladies'," John winked. "I can't say I'm happy about Eppy arranging things without us, but hey I like the sound of that. Whelp, I'm off to wash lads." John walked out, in high spirits. He was looking forward to meeting these 'bad girls'.
"I wonder what makes them scandalous, that's a big word for kinky, right? Maybe they wear short shorts or something while they perform? Or maybe they perform shirtless, or even nude!" He knew that was far fetched, but George's mind had flew off with him.
"Horny little Harrison," joked Ringo. "I'll bet they're hideous, just your luck, you little womanizer. Besides, they're a band of girls, not strippers or beatniks, or even Germans. They probably have some values." George was known to be the ladies man of the group. While fans thought him to be shy and coy, in reality he did get around. But never had he been in a serious relationship with a woman, and George himself thought that getting close to a girl or two in the other band might have its perks.
"Well, I can hope, can't I?" George smiled.
"You dirty swine you," Ringo scoffed, ruffing up his friends perfectly flipped mop top.
"So what? They'll still throw themselves at us!" Paul grinned. "I'll betcha they can't wait to meet us!"
(Future of Teen Pop con.)
The girls themselves were very short and witty with reporters when interviewed, earning them quite a bit of criticism and controversy. The band's leader, Rosemarie Delrose (far right) is one of the most notorious of the quad, replying very shortly when asked about schooling and marriage, stating that she didn't "give a damn about either, and probably will never do either.". Concerns about her cover of the Lesley Gore song, "You Don't Own Me", have sparked rumors that Delrose may even be a homosexual, though this has been almost confirmed to be a rumor.
The band's bassist, Rose Beckett (bottom left), appeared to be equally fresh. When asked about the inspiration of a very popular love ballad (one of the only Beckett penned songs on the group's album), she replied, "Oh, just a dick, a real dick that I used to know quiet well." This was a remark which gave the band some of its first critics and banning on some southern radio stations.
The band's carefree lead guitarist, Toddy Ambra (bottom right), a seeming contender of the North Eastern Italian group trend that has recently died down in the teenage music world (see article 9:2 What to Do about Dion) has also faced criticism over her very loud guitar playing, which is very Buddy Holly-esque and distasteful to many concerned parents and teens alike, finding it to be unladylike. Ambra simply claims that Holly is on of her biggest idols and she'd be honored to be like "him in any way. Seriously, you guys think I'm that good?"
The parent and fan favorite of the group is their least controversial member, Maura Kingsley. She is the youngest member of the group and has managed to charm and work her way into the hearts of many fans. Kingsley is a very intelligent and sweet young lady. She has excelled in school her whole life and seemed to be very content with herself. She was the only girl out of the other three who seemed to be very in touch and happy about her very wholesome family. Even those from her hometown fondly remember her, and many Black Suns fans have taken to dressing and styling there hair like Kingsley, who has had nothing but kind things to say about the publicity. She has also reported never drinking or smoking, which has redeemed the band to many.
Meanwhile some other more fitting girl groups are as follows-
Rosemarie, or Marie, as she was sometimes called, crumpled up the newspaper and tossed it into her spitting cup, while spitting some of her chewing tobacco on it. She was pretty unhappy about the bad publicity the band was still getting, simply for being girls and playing rock n' roll instead of doo wop central. She was also very stressed about how popular these Beatles had been getting. It seemed like every teenage girl in New York had ran down to meet and greet this stupid British boy band. As a result, she hadn't slept much in days and and taken to old bad habits. She had gone out on the balcony of the hotel room so that the other girls wouldn't see her spitting, as they hated that.
"Delrose, we're leaving in two hours aren't you going to-Marie!"
Marie turned just in time to see Toddy walk out to the balcony. "What?" Marie mumbled, knowing she had been caught red handed.
"Stop that, it's filthy, and you'll stain your teeth," Toddy remarked, crossing her arms and looking down at Marie with a look she knew far too well, like a mother looking at her guilty toddler.
"I know, Ambra, you and the others must've said that a million times. Who's the dictator now?" Marie smiled, but she couldn't shake her unhappy look.
"It's still you, but you know better Delrose. Beckett and Kingsley aren't going to be too happy either. Anyway, what's got you down? Wanda's coming tonight, so's Eddie, Ruth, Scotty and the gang. It'll be fun! Plus, Rose's lover boy Danny called like six times to make sure were all still meeting up." Toddy giggled a bit on the last part and Marie couldn't help but laugh.
When Marie finished laughing, she answered, "Well, Toddy, we've made the paper again. All rubbish, still saying I'm a lesbian, you're an Elvis like crooner, Rose is loose, and Maura is the angel child. Miss Perfect always manages that, doesn't she?"
"Hey, who you callin' perfect?! Look, I just used incorrect grammar!" Maura hollered, walking out onto the balcony in a robe, clearly just out of the shower and soaking wet.
"Oh my God, Kingsley's talking in slang! The world must be ending!" Marie grinned as Toddy and Maura cracked up.
"I can't help it that the paper loves me, I mean, what's not to love?" Maura added, smiling sweetly.
"Only everything," joked Toddy. "Hey, is Beckett still talking to herself in the mirror?"
Rose, who had been practicing reading out lines of songs and trying to get them to flow, stopped what she was doing and walked to the open window, which looked out on the balcony. It might have been February, but the weather was already sort of warm.
"Hey, I heard that!" Rose called out to her fellow band mates.
Marie, Toddy and Maura all shared looks. They knew that Rose was trying to write a song for Danny and thought the whole scenario to be hilarious. Danny was a shared friend of the group after Rose had introduced them all, and it was hard to think of anyone liking him.
"So how's Danny's song coming?" Maura teased, winking at Rose, who scowled.
"For the last time, you little sissies, this isn't for Danny. Songs aren't personal."
"Yours are," Marie remarked in a serious tone. She knew there was always something deeper to Rose's songs, but deeper didn't always sell well, so Marie usually made sure that she got in Toddy and Maura's more soft and lighthearted numbers first.
"Hold on you guys, I'm coming out!" Rose called, suddenly not much in the mood for songwriting. She put her well loved notebook down on her side of the room, since Maura was real big about everything being in its correct place, and walked out onto the small balcony.
"Ew! Delrose you're spitting again?!" Rose called when she almost knocked over the small paper cup Marie had been spitting her chewing tobacco into. Despite their disgust with Marie's tobacco habit, Rose entertained her own tobacco habit, placing a cigarette in her mouth and lighting it.
Maura, who hadn't noticed this, also frowned. "Oh, come on, Marie, we've been over this. Hand over the can," Maura demanded firmly. "My God, you're worse than a baseball player," she added.
"Oh, alright then! Fine! Here!" Marie handed the almost empty can of tobacco to Maura. She took it and handed it to Toddy, who did her normal routine of stomping on it until it was almost flat.
"I spent fifty cents on that, you know," Marie muttered.
"You want to have teeth, right?" Rose smirked, grabbing the flattened can and tossing it off the balcony.
"Yeah Marie, we're only trying to help you. Here, have a cigarette." Toddy held out a pack and Maura rolled her eyes.
"That's just as bad you know, you're all going to end up dead in fifty years, I can show you that article-"
"Oh Maura come one, lighten up a little, she's only stressed," Rose cut in with a sigh. "And she has a right to be, these Beatles have even started there own thing called a mania. There's never been anything like it before. Danny told me that even back home people are buying up Beatles records as quick as they come in, in fact there are lines to buy them-while our stuff just sits." It had been something Rose and Marie had been discussing for weeks now, and Rose could tell her band mate was really stressed out.
"Oh come on, it'll be fine. Everyone's just going crazy 'cause their new. Trust me, in a month everyone will be over them, in fifty years they'll be forgotten. Now we on the other hand, we're the first of our sex to ever even come close to doing what were doing and I say that we go out tonight and celebrate!" Toddy found herself saying. She was tired of everyone being all down in the dumps because of four English boys. Big deal. She strongly believes that the Black Suns would come before the Beatles in any history book.
"Ambra's right, what good is it getting all worked up over someone else getting to the top? It's not like they'll be famous for forever," Maura agreed with her long time friend Toddy, the two were like minded and more positive than the older girls.
"You've got a point, maybe I should stop worrying," Marie found herself saying as she got up from the wicker chair she'd been sitting on.
"Really, Marie, they're right, I mean look, you haven't showered or slept for days," Rose added quietly.
"Yeah, you aren't planning on going out in your nightgown, are you?" Maura laughed, moving out of the way as Marie headed inside.
"I dunno, are you planning on wearing that lovely robe? What do you call it? I think we should start a trend," Marie smiled as the girls walked back inside there hotel room.
"How about the 'I don't give a damn' collection?" Maura suggested, playing along.
"Sounds like a keeper," Marie called, walking into the hotel's bathroom to get ready.
Toddy added to the joke by saying in a very long, drawn out, commercial like voice, "And now, introducing the most trendiest and highest fashion, a collection made by the beautiful, members of the Black Suns, the I Don't Give a Damn collection, complete with smelly clothes, and ratty hair. You can be the trendiest girl at school for only ten dollars a piece (think seventy dollars)!"
"Remind us not to let you have anymore caffeine," Rose laughed, picking up her journal again and sitting down on the hotel's sofa.
"Hey!" Toddy smiled.
"Gee Rose I don't know, I think Danny might find you attractive in the 'I Don't Give a Damn' collection. Especially the swimwear," Maura giggled.
"What do you fools not get about the phrase 'just friends'?"
"How it possibly applies to you and Danny," Toddy spoke up.
"I give up," Rose sighed, jotting some lines down.
"We are going swimming tonight, right?" Toddy asked.
"I dunno, ask Dictator Delrose," Rose suggested, shrugging.
"I'm not a dictator!" Marie called from the shower. "And of course, it's the closest things to jumping in the ocean back home!" Back in Rockport, Massachusetts, the hometown of Marie, Maura, and Toddy, the Black Sun's and there friends often when out swimming at a small beach out of town that hardly anyone else knew about. It was almost tradition to go swimming whenever the friends all got together.
Suddenly, the phone rang.
"I'll get it!" Maura offered, but Rose had picked it up before anyone else had a chance to react.
"That's fine, I got it," Rose told the other girls as she answered the phone. "Danny, I told you, we can eat wherever. Anywhere's cool with me- oh Mike it's you. Sorry. Yeah, this is Rose. No, she's in the shower. Uh huh. Okay, I'll tell her to call you back." Rose's face fell as she put down the phone.
"What is it?" Maura and Toddy asked in unison.
"Mike wants Delrose to call him back ASAP, something about a new songwriter," Rose replied half heartdly.
"Wait- what? A new songwriter? I thought our songs were good." Toddy slumped down on one of the sitting chairs. "What gives?"
"I dunno, but it's probably not good." Rose answered, trying to choke back tears. Michael had always disliked her songs, saying they just weren't what sells, and now it seemed as if he'd replaced her.
Maura caught her band mate's reaction and up a firm arm around Rose. "Don't worry Beckett. Nobody writes the Black Suns' songs but the Black Suns, and there's no way any one of us will let that change."
"Yeah! Mike can try all he wants, we write our own songs and that's that!" Toddy agreed. "What's a professional song writer anyway? A old man who gets paid for rhyming all day?"
Rose laughed. "Thanks guys. You're right."
"Got that right, didn't we just say we weren't going to worry tonight?" Toddy asked.
"Yep, no more worrying." Rose smiled wearily and walked to her room. "Guys, I'm going to go change, I'll be right out." She called.
Once she was safe inside her room, she let her tears pour silently. Because as much as she'd love to believe Toddy and Maura and not have to worry, she couldn't, because she knew something they didn't. Because she knew that they were all powerless to whatever Mike wanted. It was in their contract. It was something she had warned Marie about before and it was something she hated.
And now it was something that was going to kick her out of the band she loved.