Page 71 of Ambiguous
CHAPTER25
Jules
“Jules,” Stu says, flipping through the sheet music and printouts of lyrics, “this is incredible.”
I cock my head and scrunch my nose. “Not sure about that.”
Despite my blasé words, his positive reaction is a huge relief. I get really vulnerable with these guys when I start new material, and I know they’ll be supportive but honest.
We’re in the fishbowl of one of Lighthouse Records’ recording studios to work on the album. I look around, thinking about the countless famous musicians who have recorded here. A huge mixing board dominates the next room.
It’s midafternoon, and we’ll probably be here all night. Right now we’re still fresh and enthusiastic. I played them what I’ve written, and now I’m receiving judgment.
Stu picks a bass line and grins. “No, it’s incredible. I don’t want to fight you about it, but I will if necessary.”
That makes me smile. “Thanks, mate.”
I’m perched on a stool behind a microphone, but I’m eyeing an ugly couch off to the side. I’m going to be spending most of my time for the foreseeable future in this place, so I might as well get comfortable. I wander over and flump down to watch my band tinker with arrangements.
Mitch peers at me from behind the drums. “Where did you come up with all this? You’ve tapped into something deep.”
“I’ve got a new muse,” I say, crossing one boot on top of the other. Again, I’m more pleased than I want to show.
“A new muse? Who?” Lizzie asks.
“A man,” I say vaguely.
No one raises an eyebrow. They know that I’ve gotten together with guys before, and they can be trusted to keep their mouths shut. I have to be able to trust them; they’re some of the people with the most access to me.
“Sounds pretty serious if you’re willing to talk about him,” Mitch notes, then hits the cymbals. Perfect timing.
I gulp and nod. “He is. I like him more than I like most people. And I tend to like people a lot.”
They all laugh, and the producer gives us a signal that they’re ready to begin rehearsals.
“Shall we start on ‘Three Dots’?” I ask.
Everyone nods, and I pick up the guitar and start strumming. Mitch taps out the beat on the drums. I’m getting an excited, anticipatory feeling about this project.
It might actually work.
“What if we add in a riff like this, here?” Stu says and plays a few catchy chords.
“Yes!” I say. “Let’s go with that.”
Lizzie and Janice harmonize with me on the refrain, and it sounds so awesome, I might weep.
We spend the next several weeks in the studio, messing around, recording and rerecording lyrics, working on arrangements. The musicians and mixers and techs and producers are all magnificent, talented folks, and some of them come up with new melodies on the fly. With each song we get down, with each layered track, with each lyric, I get closer and closer to my goals.
Getting the stress of the contract off my back.
Feeling accomplished and creative.
And maybe, just maybe, being able to have someone in my life just for me.
Soon, I’ll be well and truly done with this album.
That gives me a pang in my chest, because now that I’m into it, I remember that I like the process of writing and recording.
