Chapter 4

After seeing the Head, they went to their first lessons. The day was as normal as it could be, with a lot of the students looking at them and giving them shy waves. Lunch was, once again, like a party, with Zara and the Gees coming to have a chat. They were looking forward to seeing the theatre on Thursday evening and finally playing to paying customers.

In the afternoon, the two people movers were waiting for them. Sebastian behind the wheel as they were helped in. It was a strange sight to the students who went that way to the bus stop. Tuesday was more of the same, with Willow playing in the chapel. They were joined by the three record company men when they went to the rehearsal room. The organ was in the middle of the orchestra, and Willow walked by it with her clarinet. Gina joined Jacob next to the percussion, triangles in hand, with Gina briefly touching Brent’s hand.

The choir came in and sat, as the Cathedral choir joined them. The record guys looked at this, wondering what they would hear.

When the orchestra were settled and two of the visitors seated, Mister Bamborough tapped his baton for silence.

“Today, we will play the second part of the performance. We will start with ‘Danse Macabre’ and then I want you to sit for a few minutes while Willow settles at the organ. In the Cathedral, she will have to leave her place and go up a flight of stairs to the Cathedral organ. We will, at those performances, play the three items before an intermission before finishing with the ‘Organ Symphony’.

He tapped the baton again and raised it. Then they were playing. The quality of the violins made the producer gulp. He had heard this music played dozens of times, but not with such playful feeling. When the piece ended, they sat while Willow walked to the organ and sat down, checking the settings. She nodded at the conductor and the first strains of the concerto filled the room. The producer could hardly contain himself as they played the concerto. Willow’s organ work, once again without a score in front of her, was magnificent, and she made the small organ sound like a pipe organ when she started the final movement. When the choirs came in with the words, he had tears in his eyes. He had to have the orchestra in his studio. As the movement thundered to the end, he just had to stand and applaud, with the conductor getting the orchestra to stand and bow, with a lot of giggling.

Mister Bamborough told them that they had done very well, and to make sure that any pick-up knew that next week would be a longer session. Then he spoke to the producer and Clive as the students left. Brent’s ride had already gone with the other three, so they were given a ride around Coventry to drop Brent off, allowing him and Gina some cuddle time.

On the way, Jacob was serious.

“Do you really think that we’ll get to record in London?”

“You were too far back to see, but that producer was almost crying by the time we finished, and it wasn’t from pain. We’ll be in Abbey Road during the holidays, if not before. He’s already asked for a list of items, so you may get to play the guitar in the same studio as the Beatles.”

On Wednesday, there were no reporters when the van drove in, so they were let off at the main entrance. The whole day seemed as if nothing had happened. The security men didn’t listen to the radio while they were in the van, so the friends had been without any idea of what the album was doing. That changed in the evening when Willow walked into the club, where Bruce, a photographer and another man were sitting in the front part. Bruce took her hand.

“I’m sorry about this, Willow, but my editor is an old friend of the editor of a national paper. He threatened me with the sack if I didn’t bring this other gentleman with me, to talk to you in your secret hide-away. Henry, meet Willow Rose. Willow, this is Henry Talbot. You’ve met my photographer before. Henry has agreed to keep this place secret. I don’t know why, but it appears that the two hundred and fifty people who come to your dances aren’t aware of what they could get by leading the hordes here.”

“Henry. I’ll answer your questions as long as you keep it friendly. Will you want to speak to Gina Summer as well?”

“That will be good. Is she here?”

“She should be in the back with the choir by now. I’ll let her know I’m here, and when you’ve finished with me, I go and replace her at the organ.”

She went through to the back room where the choir was about to begin the practise.

“Gina, I’ve got a reporter from a national paper in the front. When he’s run out of questions for me, I’ll come back here, and you can go and talk to him.”

“OK, friend, I’ll man the ivories for a while.”

Willow went back, got a drink from Malcolm, and sat down. Henry wanted to start with her younger days, but Willow told him that she had been a normal child, up until she had come to Stoneleigh. He wanted to know the steps that had brought her to be sitting here, so she laid out each turning point from last summer and G-Force on. Bruce was able to confirm a lot of the detail, having been to most of the events. They talked about pop music, honky-tonk piano, playing the organ in churches, and being in an orchestra.

He wanted to know about her plans; if she would be touring, if she was considering going solo. All she could tell him that she would take each day as it came and decide on a course of action when needed. He thanked her for being frank and promised that the article would be factual. She went through to the back and took over from Gina when there was a break.

“How is he?”

“All right. Says the right things but keep it factual. I started with the Purple concert so that might be a good starting place for you as well.”

When the choir finished the session, Willow went back to the front room. Henry was just finishing with Gina when Margaret came through. She stopped the wheelchair and laughed.

“Well, the people you run into when there’s no gun handy. Henry Talbot, are you still writing for that London rag?”

“Margaret. It’s good to see you. Someone had told me that you’d been ill, but I didn’t expect a wheelchair.”

“Nor did I, but my legs decided they weren’t part of my nervous system anymore. Girls, Henry used to haunt the theatres for stories when I was singing. Here’s Sandra. Sandy, guess what the village cat dragged in.”

Sandra came over to Henry, who had stood, and gave him a hug.

“Henry, the only reporter that never asked me when I was born, but often pinched dates from other reporters who I’d told lies to. Are you here to write the definitive story of Summer Rose, or will you serve up the fabricated crap that your sleazebag editor wants.”

Henry laughed.

“I was sent here to get the gossip on a bunch of teenagers who struck lucky but found two serious musicians instead. I’ll get an appointment with the school, as it’s obviously a breeding ground for musical talent. Then I plan to write something uplifting and erudite.”

“Erudite, coming from you, that’s priceless. I’ll allow you that you never told lies about us when we were still singing. I hope you keep it that way. We might send you a couple of tickets when we’re singing The Messiah in the Cathedral.”

“You, back on stage?”

“Yes, near Christmas. Willow will be concert master and first violin. Didn’t she tell you?”

“He didn’t ask about that. Sandra. It’s still only in the planning stage. Look, Henry, why don’t you have a bonus talk to these fine ladies. I need to get home and get my beauty sleep. I’ll see you ladies next week, see you, Bruce.”

Gina walked outside with her.

“What’s the rush, friend?”

“My phone pinged earlier. I had a look at the text in the toilet. It was from Peter, telling me that our latest statement has been emailed.”

“Right. I’ll be off home as well. If your phone rings and you hear shrieking, it’ll be me.”

Willow walked home and turned on her laptop. What she saw made here gasp and sit down. She printed off the statement and took it down to her parents, who were watching some mindless game show which was compered by a comedian, with all the contestants being other comedians without any meaningful work to go to.

“Got the latest statement. It’s difficult to get my head around. The website seems to be running as usual, but the new entry is a little more than we expected.”

Her mother took the paper and read the entries out.

“Coventry Carpentry downloads. Forty-eight thousand, giving income of four hundred and eighty thousand pounds. That’s a bit up from last time. Sales of CDs, fifteen thousand, giving income of a hundred and fifty thousand. DVD sales twenty thousand giving income of five hundred thousand. That’s well up on the last month. There’s a small amount for playing at the club and at the Cathedral. Costs were a hundred and eight thousand for post and packaging. That will be all those extra DVDs.”

“That’s right, Mum.”

“OK. So, total income one million, one hundred and thirty thousand. Expenditure was a hundred and eight thousand, plus six thousand admin, plus fifteen thousand to the school, which leaves a million. The bottom line is your share less the five percent. That gives you just under a hundred and thirty-eight thousand. That’s a bit down from last month. The post office has dragged it down. What about the Hikers?”

“Second page, Mum.”

“Right. Income four thousand three hundred less the five percent. That’s lower but steady. What’s this other amount. Payment by the record company for sales of ‘Journey’ from Thursday to Saturday evening. Two hundred and forty-four thousand albums at four pounds an album. That comes to nine hundred and seventy-six thousand, less five percent. Then there’s the new DVD sales; two hundred and one thousand at five pounds each. That’s over another million. Your share of the CD is hundred and thirty-two thousand and a bit. The share of the DVD is another hundred and thirty-five thousand and a bit. There’s another line where you’ve had three thousand into your personal account and you withdrew a hundred and fifty thousand. That makes your current account at just over four hundred and ninety thousand. What’s not to understand.”

As she said that, Wendy couldn’t keep a straight face any longer. She let out a whoop and stood to hug Willow with all her might. Both of them crying tears of joy. Ashley finally closed his mouth, then took the papers from his wife and read the numbers for himself. Just then, Willow’s phone rang. She answered and put it on speaker, hearing shrieking from the other end.

“I think that might be Gina.”

She waited until the sound died off.

“It’s crazy, isn’t it, friend.”

“That’s not even close, Willow. That pays off the house with some left over for investment with you and Jacob. I’ll see you when the armed guard brings you past my place in the morning. The others are going to be beside themselves.”

“And you aren’t, friend?”

“If you think I’ve turned into a red-eyed monster tomorrow, it’s because I couldn’t sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow, true friend.”

Gina ended the call at that. Ashley held the paper out for Willow to take.

“Have you heard back from the agent about that property?”

“Not yet, Dad. I did offer less than the asking and requested a building survey. I expect that the vendor is making up their mind. With Jacob and Gina joining in, we can buy that one outright. It doesn’t matter if we use it or not, it will still be solid collateral when we go to the bank. How are we getting on with my gender change?”

“He told me that it may take weeks to get through the official channels. Everything was good, but red tape has slowed it down.”

“That’s all right. I had a reporter in the club tonight to talk to Gina and me. It turns out that he’s an old friend of Margaret and Sandra from their singing days. I hope that it will produce a reasoned article. I managed to deflect his questions about my days before coming here, and Bruce was there to back me up.”

“Try and get some sleep, sweetie. You’ll be able to make decisions in the light of day.”

She went upstairs and prepared for bed. Tomorrow evening, they would be in the theatre for a sound check. She thought of Jacob’s request for the encore and realised that it would be a good way to end the show with a bang and promote the Other Side very early. She wondered if the theatre had thunderclap cannons or flame guns. She worried, for a few minutes, what he was going to say and fell asleep after making the decision to let him say what he wanted. After all, he was the man in their partnership.

On the way into the city on Thursday morning, Jacob suggested that they should create a separate company, as a syndicate with each of their companies as partners. He said that his accountant had suggested it, and it would only need the three company certificates to set up. That one could have a bank account to buy and receive rents and would streamline the whole process.

“You heard me make the offer last week, and also say I’ll pay for the inspection. If we can set it up quickly, we can transfer the money into that account to pay for the building outright, adding to the account on a regular basis for other purchases.”

“I agree with you on that, Willow. We can put in the same amount, each month, to keep it equalised, and hold back what we’re using for ourselves. If we develop, a company like that would be the overseeing body. What will we call it?”

“That’s the question, Gina. It will have to be something that says us, but not using our names.”

Jacob grinned,

“Already thought of. I’m suggesting ‘Summer Love Properties’. It doesn’t draw you to the Summer part, as Summer Love is a normal phrase, but it is relatable to us, as a group. If one of the others wants to come in, they would need to deposit an equal amount of what each of us has in the account, then get added to the partnership to being able to get the benefits from then on.”

Willow gave him a hug.

“Good thinking, love. When we get our official documents, we can set it up. Are you good with that, Gina?”

“With you all the way, friend. Now that’s sorted, here we are at school.”

The Thursday lessons were, again, as normal as they could be. The only odd thing, for Willow, was that the netballers were told that they were being entered in the inter-school competition, to be held in Birmingham during the week of the half-term holidays. As they were so close, they would be taken in, by coach, on the first three days, and again on the Friday, should they get to the play-offs. Between now, and then, they should do their best to make the team.

After school, they were taken home to have something to eat, and get ready to be picked up at seven for the trip to the Belgrade. Willow made herself a sandwich with some salad, and then went to shower and get dressed in something comfortable. When Wendy got home, she said that Madame Francesca had called her that day.

“She said that she’ll be at the show on Friday night. If you wear the outfits from the photo shoot, she will courier two sets of outfits to the three of you for Saturday and Sunday.”

“That will solve a problem, Mum. I’ll tell Gina and Jacob tonight.”

Her parents were eating their dinner when the people mover arrived. She gave them each a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then was off. On the way, she told the others about the offer of free outfits, so they decided that they would wear what they had been given.

At the theatre, they went in the back way to join the rest of Summer Rose and the other two bands. The three techs were there with the cameras. They met the TV personality who would be the compere. He told them that the aim of the show was to create a ‘Coventry Sound’ catchphrase. The stage was already kitted out with four, two-hundred-watt Marshalls, a drum kit and two Nord Electro 6D keyboards. Gina and Willow, already having Nord’s, helped the other two keyboard players with the settings and short-cuts.

Then, it was G-Force to open the show. They played their set as the sound engineers adjusted the mix, and the three techs took pictures and film. The TV crew were also finding the right sightlines without getting in the way of the audience. Willow sought out the stage manager and asked if he had flame or thunderclap units. He said that he did but had been told that the show was a gentler affair.

“We want to end the show with a bang. We’ll be playing something a bit louder than the rest, and would like it to have a flash, or a bang, as the lights go out when we end it. Then the lights come back, and we’re all lined up across the stage.”

“Sounds like a real rock concert. I’ll get some set up before you play, four all right?”

“Should be enough. We don’t want to frighten the kiddies, do we. Watch me, I’ll nod to tell you to set them off. After tonight, you’ll know when. Make it five seconds for the lights to come back tonight. If we’re not in place, we can vary it tomorrow.”

She got the other ten together and told them the plan, stressing that they were going for the final line placement inside five seconds, but not to fall over anything by rushing.

Peter was there and came over to them.

“What are you lot planning now? Every time I see you, you seem to grow. How many more do you plan to add?”

“We’re at the maximum, for the moment, Peter. We’re just discussing the final moment of our set. We’re setting up to end with a bang.”

“As long as the set doesn’t sound like a school concert. I would have liked to see the sets before this, but things got out of hand. You do realise that your shares will be reduced from this month with the extra four getting one share between them, so you had better make sure you use the extra players whenever you can. The income from this show will be part of that. Without Marcus to set up future shows, I hope that you have someone else to work with.”

“We’ll look into it, Peter. We have something for most weekends, and I think that the record company would like to have a say in what we do. I have a feeling that they may want us to re-record the Other Side album with all of us. It would fill out the sound.”

“You do what you want, Willow. You usually do and haven’t had a misstep yet. Even at the low commission, you’re still making me richer, so I’m happy to join the ride.”

She saw Clive and a couple of others, so went over to him.

“Hello Clive, come to see the others?”

“Yes, and to introduce my boss to the Coventry Sound. Are you ready to knock our socks off? This group are very good as well.”

“I think we’ll give you enough to make some plans. We’ll be finishing with a track from the Other Side, going out with a bang. Please be free to tell us, tonight, if it works. We were just talking to Peter, and he was wondering who we’ll get to organise performances now that Marcus spat the dummy.”

“We can allocate one of our girls to work with you while you’re the favourite of the day. We can co-ordinate a show with local sales campaigns and work with the big stores. You won’t be able to do anything while at school, though, would you?”

“We could do lightning visits, say a Friday night show, followed by Saturday morning in the store. That will allow us to play our normal shows in the evening. Actually, the club manager is considering hiring this band, which will give us some free Saturdays.”

“Sounds good. I’ll get her to contact you. Her name is Jill and has a good handle on the main outlets and markets. I think these have finished. I’ll have a word with them. I’m keen to hear what the Hikers sound like now. The big hit was only saved by the novelty of the organ track.”

Willow was smiling when she went back to the others.

“What are you so happy about, friend?”

“We’re getting a company assistant to set up shows and shop visits. We may have a quick flight to play Friday night, then be in a store on Saturday. I’m not sure how well it would pay but will push the album sales.”

“You never stop organising, do you? As Peter so aptly said, I’m happy to be on the ride.”

They relaxed as the Hikers played. Racheal came and sat with them.

“Rick is almost hard to live with at the moment. He’s worried that this show will either launch the band’s new direction or sink it.”

“There’s a group from the record company here tonight. They seem happy to be here and Clive told me that he’ll have a word with the G-Force after their set, so, if Rick gets spoken to, you can take it that it’s a launch.”

“How’s your album going?”

“A quarter of a million by Sunday night. I don’t know how many during the week. The hype may have come and gone.”

They looked on as Rick and the Hikers lifted a notch or two. When they finished their set and came off stage, Clive and his companions were talking to them. Summer Rose went up on stage, and waited while the stage manager had a crew setting up canisters on spigots on the edge of the stage. When it was clear, they started their set, revelling in having more volume with a more powerful PA system and the bigger amps. They repeated the set that they had played in the second half of Saturday night. Then let loose with ‘Sparks of the Tempest’ making all those gathered in the stalls look up. When they reached the last part, they ended with a bang, quite literally as Willow violently nodded her head. And then the lights went out. Five seconds later, they came back and all eleven were across the front of the stage.

When they were back in the stalls, Clive came over to shake some hands.

“Now, that woke some up. I hope that you’ll give some warning for the actual shows. My companions are doubly sure that they want to get behind ‘The Other Side’. Do you think that you may have enough material for an original album after the first one?”

Herb was smiling broadly.

“I have some songs in the same vein, but I was unsure if they would be suitable for Summer Rose.”

“This will be ‘The Other Side of Summer Rose’ and will attract a whole different market. When you have enough for an album, tell Jill and we’ll set up a recording session.”

Willow went to see the stage manager, who said that the effect was as good as he’d seen, and that it would be set up for the other nights, perhaps adding a couple of extra canisters. Peter caught up with her.

“That was as good as it gets, Willow. You have that band ready to take on the world. I hadn’t been sure about the Other Side until I just heard it filled out. The extra instruments really add something. Just keep on doing what you do best, I’ll be less dismissive in future. The band will be famous, mark my words.”

Just then Clive clapped his hands.

“Gather round, good people. There are a couple of people from the record company who want to say something.”

Two of the men who had been watching everything closely stood in front of the stage and the others sat in the stalls or stood. Clive had been away while they gathered, and came back with a suitcase, which he put on the floor in front of them. One of the men spoke.

“Good evening, I am the Chief Finance Officer of the label, and this gentleman is the Chief Executive Officer. Before we get on with what we came for, I have to say that we have been totally smitten with the new Coventry Sound. All bands performed brilliantly. G-Force and the Hikers are certain to have album launches before the end of the month. Well done, and well deserved.”

Marianne Gregory © 2025