Page 46 of Echoes of a Muted Song

“Do the guys know what’s going on?”

“They know I’ve got to leave for a few days, but they don’t know why,” Ozzy explained. “I’d like to keep it that way, until I have some answers. We just got over the fear of losing Johnny, I don’t want to send them into a needless panic.”

I could appreciate that. Despite how hard they’d tried to keep themselves together during Johnny’s legal issues, I’d seen the tiny fissures in everyone’s demeanor, especially during the time Johnny had been away for court.

“Okay, let’s take a look at the shows and see what we have lined up that week,” I typed. “Do you want your replacement’s first show to be while you’re here to observe?”

“Ideally, yes, I’d like to play half the show and then do a hand off to them so I can see how they handle finishing out for me. They’ve both played live, but only small, local things, like Jagger. They know each other, too, so it’s not like I’ll be throwing them to the wolves without a lifeline.”

“Any contingency for if neither one works out?”

“You mean like a backup to the backup to the backup? Yeah, I’ve got one of those, too. I can have him on standby, but I don’t think we’ll need him.”

“I trust your judgment. Let’s look at those dates, then we’ll get Kit and Claude’s information and get them a ticket out here, and the tickets for you and your guard arranged. Do you need a hotel or are you planning to stay with family?”

“With the guards, let’s go with hotel, so Mom and Aunt Rene aren’t overwhelmed by having a bunch of large men tromping through the cottage.”

Nodding, I jotted that note with the others I’d made, before typing another message on the device.

“Go ahead and confirm those appointments. Hopefully, you’ll get the answers you need and some sort of a treatment plan so you’re not in pain every night.”

“Would be nice,” Ozzy muttered, rubbing one of his hands before picking up his phone.

Now that I had the chance to observe him, I could see the way he struggled to curl his fingers around the device and the little wince of pain that accompanied it. My phone blipped while he was making his call, and I checked it to find a note from Sully letting me know thathe was bringing a couple of guys in to be a temporary detail for Ozzy’s replacement. Good, that would help out a great deal.

“Is that the real reason you’ve put off seeing a doctor for so long, because of what was going on with Johnny?”

“One of them, but it was also because I don’t need some damn doctor telling me that I’ve got to give up the only thing in the world I’ve ever been passionate about.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, that’s just borrowing trouble. For all you know, it could be something easily treatable with compression and the tens machine.”

“I’ve got the compressions and the tens. Been doing a lot of reading and talking to other drummers, as well as reading forums and it seems to be degenerative. Like, they may be able to slow down the progression, but in the end, there doesn’t seem to be any reversing it. This might just be a thing I’m forced to deal with until I’m just not able to play anymore.”

I knew that sentiment, after all, that was exactly what had happened to me. My dream had always been to be up on that stage, seeing new places and new people, making memories and music. At least I could still be a part of the industry, even if I couldn’t contribute my voice. I hated to think of Ozzy not being able to get behind his kit each night, because the man was a beast on those drums. But if it didturn out that he needed to slow down, there had to be options, from splitting his time on stage with his relief drummer, to alternating shows. I made a note to do more research because I knew there were bands out there who’d dealt with similar issues, I’d just never looked into the options enough to know how they managed the situation.

“I’m not going to let this derail the tour,” Ozzy told me.

I nodded in acknowledgment of his words, fingers already tapping away at the keypad on my device. “You’ve been grooming potential replacements, haven’t you?”

“Not the way you think,” Ozzy explained. “I’ve been mentoring both of them for a while now. They’ve got extremely different personalities and playing styles. Claude plays balls to the wall. He’s brash, bold, and fearless on stage, like he is not afraid to throw in a five-minute drum solo just because he feels like it, and believe me he is fantastic when he does it, but I’m not sure how he’ll mesh with the guys. I’m afraid he’ll be tempted to try too hard but not in the right way, if you get my meaning.”

“Like ball busting when he doesn’t have the credentials to be giving people shit?” I typed.

“Exactly.”

“So what’s the deal with the other one?”

“Kit is a bit raw, he doesn’t have the same confidence level Claude does or the same kindof stage presence, but he’s got a way of listening to things and knowing how to improvise as well as how to create beyond solos. Like he’ll add in the perfect little flourish that doesn’t throw the flow of the song off, and he’s got a sense of rhythm and timing where if he’s listening to someone just humming or singing. He can come up with some awesome beats to accompany them with. He’s a great guy to have in an impromptu jam session, and he’s well versed in several styles, not just metal. He’s a true music lover.”

“I can see why you’re having a hard time choosing between them.” I typed.

“Right.”

“You know,” I typed, hit play, then paused as I rubbed the back of my neck, rolled my shoulders and then stroked my chin. “We could always bring them both out a few days before you have to leave, let them hang out with the band, jam a bit during sound check and just see how they vibe with everyone.”

“That’s not a bad idea at all,” Ozzy admitted. “Will be easier to get a bead on how they interact with the guys. That’s really going to be the determining factor in the end.”

“Are you thinking of making the one you choose your permanent relief drummer if you need someone to come out on the road with you on a full-time basis?”

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