I spent the next few days at DeviantART Records cleaning up bits of the previous "Tommy" sessions. I added some new segues here and there, and mixed it until I got the sound I wanted. The last thing to make the album complete was the very last song, "We're Not Gonna Take It".
I recorded a solo layer of just guitar and vocals, then called each band one-by-one to record each layer of the song. First was MilkCan with the guitar and bass, then the Danny Phantom Band for the organs and harmonica (?), and finally the Gitaroo Men for the drums, gitaroo, and everything else, with help from the house musicians.
Then we all got together and sang lead and backup, all the way up to the creshendo during the "Listening to You" bit, to the very end, and finally saying "It's a wrap!"
Then Katy realized that the pink lining around her eye, which she thought was viral conjunctivitis, was actually nothing but an accidental smear of lipstick.
I finally sat down and watched the album finally press to vinyl, CD, tape, and 8-track (?!). I took hold of my personal copy of the album, and gazed at the album cover, very much like the original one by the Who. On the back was the track listing, practically summing up my adventures across the USA.
Overture- w/ The Thomas Fay orchestra
Captain Walker- Solo performance
It's a Boy- w/ MilkCan and the Danny Phantom Band
1951/Amazing Journey-w/ The Danny Phantom Band
Eyesight to the Blind- w/ MilkCan
Christmas- w/The Gitaroo Men
The Acid Queen- w/ Teriyaki Yoko
Do You Think It's Alright- w/ MilkCan
Cousin Kevin/Fiddle About/Extra, Extra!- w/ The Danny Phantom Band
Pinball Wizard- w/Teriyaki Yoko
Champagne- w/ Teriyaki Yoko and the Gitaroo Men
There's a Doctor- w/PaRappa and MilkCan
Go to the Mirror- w/Emperor Zowie and the Gitaroo Men
Tommy Can You Hear Me?- w/ MilkCan
Smash the Mirror- w/ Teriyaki Yoko and the Danny Phantom Band
I'm Free- w/ The Danny Phantom Band
Miracle Cure- w/ MilkCan
Sensation/Welcome/Tommy's Holiday Camp- w/ The Danny Phantom Band
We're Not Gonna Take it/Listening to You- w/ The Thomas Fay Orchestra
I fell asleep back at the studio booth. After a few hours, Dani came in. She tapped me on the shoulder.
"Wake up, Tom."
"Hi, Dani," I said sleepy-eyed, "Did I miss anything?"
"They're having a release party downstairs and they're waiting for you to make a speech."
I shot up out of my chair, stunned and wide awake.
"WOW!" I squealed, "A SPEECH?!"
"All they ask of you is a little welcome and a thing or two of the making."
"Ummm..."
"It's okay. Never mind a written speech. Improvising is all they ask for."
I calmed down, and followed Dani downstairs to the Lobby.
The Lobby was a big atrium with gold floor tiling and a glass balcony. On one of the sides was a podium where I was to make my speech, with all the band members sitting behind me. I weaseled my way through the party goers, with corn chips and guacamole in their hands.
I made it to the podium unharmed and tapped the microphone. Everyone got my attention.
"Uh..." I began, "I had no idea that there would be so many people here at this grand reception, but...Hi. I'm Thomas Fay, and with my fellow bandmates, we put together this new, ambitious project. It took a lot of hard work and we think as a group that it was really worth it. It was never easy, especially to begin with. Everywhere I went on my journey had a new challenge I had to face. There was hiding from a friend's evil twin, getting caught on tape and being sold as a bootleg, and oversleeping after appearences on TV shows. I learned a lot from this journey, and I really found that friendship goes a long way to a big, successful, carrear."
Everyone applauded, and so did my bandmates.
I started to continue, "I would like to point out that one of our friends who worked with us couldn't make it on the road back to New York. It's not death. It's just that he's the emperor of another planet, and without him, part of this wouldn't be possible, but what we still have as an end result, is a great-sounding record."
Applause erupted again, and I saw something small and black from the balcony.
"So, anyway, we hope you enjoy our new album. We hope it was worth it, and..."
Then I was interrupted by the black thing at the balcony. At the top of her lungs, she screamed
"SIC SEMPAR TYRANNIS, VILLAGE BOY!"
and dived towards me. As it got closer and closer, everyone ducked and screamed, and I knew I was in trouble yet again.
It
was
RAMMY!
The next day at the apartment, I was in the Kitchen with MilkCan and Egg-Yolk.
"I thought you checked every box twice!" I said, in regards to Rammy.
"We did," said Katy, "I guess she stowed away to somewhere else in the truck."
"Behind the seats in the cab, maybe?"
"MAMAMAMAMAMAM!" said Ma-San (No-one can fit back there!)
"AMAMAMAMAM" (How about UNDER the seats?)
"AMAMMAMAAMMMAMAM" (Now that sounds reasonable).
"So what happened to Rammy?" piped in Egg-Yolk.
"The record company banished her from every recording studio, in addition to your video game ban. I guess that means her music carrear is over."
"What did she mean when she said 'Sic Sempar Tyrannis'?"
"That was the phrase that Booth said when he killed Lincoln. I think it means 'Death to Tyrants'."
Then Kramer dropped in again, this time with something on a blue base in his hand.
"Hey, congrats on the album, buddy! Look what I just made!"
It looked like a statue made of pasta.
"It's Torchio Tom!" exclaimed Kramer, "It's made from Torchio pasta."
"That's amazing, hon!" said Egg-yolk
"Yeah, I also made a Midoline Ma-San, a Mandala Danny, and I'm working on one for you. How does Tortellini Yoko sound?"
"It better be good." she said.
Then, with a mutter of gibberish, Kramer left the room.
The next day, I heard of Lammy and Rammy attending a group therapy session down the Williamsburg Bridge, so I took the subway to Delancy/Essex (I only had to make one transfer from the B to the F at B-way/Laffyette). I arrived a bit late, and the ram was just about ready to apologize to me.
To make a long story short, Lammy and Rammy and I agreed to keep the triangle at a love-hate relationship. Rammy still had her harsh side, but had some nice bits here and there. But what she needed now was a job.
I went back home and U-1 gave me the news about Wayne's show. He finished the taping of his first show down in that abandoned subway station, and he compared it to the doll factory back in Aurora.
I ran back upstairs, but not before bumping into Newman.
"Hello, TOMMMMM!"
"HELLLLLLLLOOOOO, Newman!"
"If there's anything I can do for your sheep friends, feel free to ask!"
"Those sheep are none of your business," I bellowed, punching Newman in the belly.
It had no effect.
"Oh, really? Well the black haired one is over at MY place and there's nothing you should be seeing. Ta-TA!"
NEWMAN!
I didn't want to accidently barge in on any nudity, so I ignored the encounter and moved on to my pad.
