Chapter 614: Punk'd & Disorderly Studios
Thursday, March 9th, Afternoon
(Song lyrics in italics)
During her lunch hour, she deceased down to the ground floor. Walking across the lobby towards a side hallway, she looked around. Walking down the hall, she arrived at a door labeled Punk'd and Disorderly Studios. The outer door was unlocked as she opened it and walked through. Passing through the lobby, she reached the inner door, she heard it unlock, thanks to her black and red laminate building security pass.
Once through the inner door, and walked down the hall to the studio at the end of the hall. At the door, at the end of the hallway, she stopped and looked over the door. The red light was off, so Haley James-Scott entered the control booth. Sitting at the control console was a tall, slender older man with short curly gray, almost white hair and a trace of its original dark tone. He had a neatly trimmed beard and mustache.
He turned to look at the door and adjusted his glasses. "Ah, Haley, I didn't expect you," he said.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Scott," Haley said.
"Yeah, usually Chris sits here while you guys play," Scott James, one of the engineers, said.
"So, they asked you to cover for Chris?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, Chris had a doctor's appointment, so they asked me," Scott said.
"How are they coming together?" Haley asked.
"Evan isn't that great on the bass, but he's functional," Scott said.
"What are your thoughts on Jen's drumming?" Haley asked.
"She's coming along; she's not Charlie Watts, but give her time," Scott said.
"So, the weak point is bass," Haley said.
"Yes, and I heard you had Alix Hartmann jamming with you," Scott said.
"Yeah, and she's talked about maybe bringing Kat in," Haley said.
"Kat, to sing with you?" Scott asked.
"I believe the intent was for Kat to play along," Haley said.
"That's right, Kat played bass before joining Nordwind," Scott said.
"Yeah, what are they playing today?" Haley asked.
"It sounds like they are playing around with Whipping Post," Scott said.
"The Allman Brothers?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, I think Jen is going to fill in for Evan, and she needed to learn it," Scott said.
"Can you pipe it in?" Haley asked.
"Sure," Scott said and flipped a few switches. Haley listened and nodded; the play was barebones since there was only one guitar, no keyboard or vocals. There was enough for Haley to put it together, and she nodded.
"I see what you mean," Haley said.
"Yeah, the sound would be fuller with you on the keys," Scott said.
"Hmm, I was thinking about that," Haley said.
"Head out there," Scott said.
"Are you sure?" Haley asked.
"Yeah, go ahead," Scott said.
"Alright," Haley said.
"I'll let them know you're coming down," Scott said.
Haley nodded and headed down to the studio from the control booth. She looked over to them as Magdalena "Mags," McMichael nodded.
"What's up, Haley?" Mags asked.
"I was coming down to jam," Haley said.
"You know Whipping Post?" Mags asked.
"I'm southern, aren't I?" Haley asked.
'Yeah," Mags said.
"Need someone on the keys?" Haley asked.
"Sure," Mags said.
"You know Whipping Post?" Evan McMichael, Mag's Husband, asked.
"Evan, I'm southern," Haley said.
"Good point," Evan said.
Jen Parker popped her head over the drum kit. Haley looked at the youngest woman in the room. "Hi, Haley," Jen said.
"Hi, Jen," Haley said.
"Are you going to sing?" Jen asked.
"I don't know," Haley said and looked to Mags, "What do you think, Mags?"
"I think it would help with my timing," Jen said.
Mags nodded, "Okay, let's give it a try," she said.
Haley nodded and walked over to the keyboard in the back. She turned it on, started playing the keys, and made a few adjustments. Haley played a few keys, nodded, then made a few more adjustments until the keyboard sounded right. Haley pulled on a headset and adjusted the microphone.
"Can you hear me, Scott?" Haley asked.
"Loud and clear, Hales," Scott said.
"I'm going to sing," Haley said, "I'm ready, Mags."
"Alright, count us in, Jen," Mags said.
"One…two…three…four," Jen said, tapping her drumsticks together.
Evan started playing on his bass. Haley listened as Mags joined in on her guitar and Jen on the drums. Eventually came the time when Haley began to play the keyboard, and finally, she started to sing.
I've been run down and I've been lied to.
And I don't know why, I let that mean woman make me a fool.
She took all my money, wrecks my new car.
Now she's with one of my good time buddies,
They're drinkin' in some cross-town bar.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I've been tied to the whippin' post.
Tied to the whippin' post, tied to the whippin' post.
Good Lord, I feel like I'm dyin'
My friends tell me, that I've been such a fool.
But I had to stand by and take it baby, all for lovin' you.
Drown myself in sorrow as I look at what you've done.
But nothing seemed to change, the bad times stayed the same,
And I can't run.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I've been tied to the whippin' post.
Tied to the whippin' post, tied to the whippin' post.
Good Lord, I feel like I'm dyin'.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I've been tied to the whippin' post.
Tied to the whippin' post, tied to the whippin' post.
Good Lord, I feel like I'm dyin'
As the song ended, Haley looked over the keyboard at the three other people in the studio. Haley turned to look at Jen. The young woman was peeking over the drum kit, smiling.
"I really felt it there," Jen said.
"It sounded better," Mags said.
"What do you think, Scott?" Haley asked.
"It works," Scott said.
"I want to do that again," Jen said.
Haley checked her watch, "I can do one more," she said.
"Shit! That means I need to head back soon," Jen said.
"That it does," Haley said.
"We all have to head back, so let's get this going," Mags said.
"Let's do it," Haley said.
"Count us in, Jen," Mags said.
"One…two…three…four," Jen said, tapping her drumsticks together, and they started to play.
