1968 Conqueror of American Rock - Chapter 140



Only Noblemtl

140. LA Metal (6)

I have taken over the Sunset Strip, the current center of rock music in the western United States, acquired the farm where Woodstock was held, and am building a team of talented people with healthy minds.

We will pioneer a new culture in LA with them.

Although American bands are currently struggling to make a mark due to the invasion of British bands, rock music that began in LA in the 80s continues to grow at a tremendous pace until the 90s.

MTV played a big role in this. However, MTV launched 11 years later, on August 1, 1981.

I realized the tremendous power of media through my experience with pirate radio broadcasting in the UK. In the UK, most commercial broadcasting was illegal. But what a country America is. America is a paradise for commercial broadcasting. That means, if you have money, you can do anything.

I was confident that I could bring the music of the 80s forward by about 10 years. But what ignites the bomb called LA metal is visualizing. Especially in video, you don’t have to be tall, slender, and handsome to create a unique production with storytelling and coordination.

“A music broadcasting station?”

“Yes, Michael. It will definitely be successful. Currently, the household TV penetration rate in the United States is 97%. In addition, color TVs are starting to come out. In the future, more and more people will buy color TVs. In other words, the era of hearing with ears is opening up to the era of seeing with eyes.”

“So, what James is saying is, let’s create a specialty channel where people can watch rock bands at home, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. But we don’t just do performances, we also make music videos and various music-related programs like radio shows. We introduce charts, interview musicians, and do live shows. We broadcast on TV what British pirate radio stations do.”

If we get the music stations first, it’s no game for us, whether it’s Woodstock Business or John Scher.

“But Gon-ah, broadcasting is a business that requires a huge amount of capital. We’re having a hard time right now because we have a lot of work to do.”

Of course we can’t do it.

“Michael, wouldn’t it be possible for Kings?”

“I already had a plan in mind, haha. I think the chairman would really like it.”

* * *

A few days later.

I arrived at the Kings Hotel West Hollywood dressed in a suit with my brother Kevin. After leaving the car with the staff who came to pick us up, a man wearing a manager badge guided us out.

It was a penthouse on the top floor of the hotel.

dripping.

– Come in.

“You can come in.”

The manager opened the door, took a step back, bowed slightly, and ushered us in. Kevin and I checked our attire one more time and went inside.

“Welcome, everyone.”

This is Michael Wynn’s office.

The reason my brother and I were a little nervous today was because the Kings’ chairman personally traveled from Las Vegas to LA to meet us.

“Hello, Chairman. This is Kevin Choi.”

“Nice to meet you, Chairman. I am James Choi.”

“We finally get to meet like this. Just like I heard, you guys are all very handsome, haha.”

He is Kyle Jones, the head of Kings Group, which dominates not only the entertainment business in the western United States but also the hotel and casino business in Las Vegas. A legendary figure we only heard of is now sitting before us.

People often say that if Kings is in the West, Metropolis is in the East. But that is only limited to the entertainment business. When it comes to the Kings Group as a whole, the weight class is incomparable.

His white hair, slicked back with pomade, extended down to his sideburns and beard. His luxurious beige suit had gold buttons, tie pins, and even a handkerchief.

Kevin and I dressed up, but we looked so ordinary in front of him.

He stood up and greeted us with a warm handshake.

“Everyone, please sit here.”

Michael ordered his staff to prepare the tea and sat down next to the chairman. Kevin and I sat on the sofa opposite.

“I’ve heard a lot about the two brothers since Michael was in Korea. I should have invited them a long time ago, but I’m finally meeting them now.”

He was a very humble and gentlemanly man compared to the wealth and power he possessed.

“We are honored that you came all the way to LA to see us, a young company. If you had told us in advance, we would have gone to Las Vegas to see you, but you came all this way.”

“No. I’m just an old man in the back room with nothing to do. I heard you’re very busy with business right now, so I should come since I have a lot of time. It’s been a while since I’ve been to West Hollywood, so I feel the youthful atmosphere and it’s really nice, haha.”

He had a really cool, deep smile. It made me want to grow old like him.

“I heard that the CW came up with the idea for a music station. I was curious to know before I even got a call from Michael or submitted the proposal. How did you come up with that idea?”

“That was my brother’s idea. James, you tell him.”

“I discovered a pirate radio station when I was in England a while ago.”

I told the chairman in detail about what had happened there: runaway children, pirate radio, bi-Saturday visits, life on a ship, higher audience ratings than public broadcasting. The chairman had a smile on his face the whole time he was listening.

“That’s right! Britain is too state-controlled. Rock music was successful in Britain because of radio. We in the US can establish a broadcasting station without being pirates. A music broadcasting station… This is really groundbreaking, haha.”

As expected, the vision of the Kings Group Chairman was to see into the future. Wasn’t he a self-made man who created a miracle in the desert?

“Michael, you’re not the type of person to be here running a club or hotel business.”

In fact, Michael Wynn is a top contributor to the Kings Entertainment business. He volunteered for a job much lower than his original job because he wanted to move to LA.

“I want to start a music radio station in Hollywood and I want you, Michael, to run it.”

“Mr., Mr. Chairman······.”

With Michael Wynn as the director, my plan is a huge success.

“And I’d also like to ask you to take on a very important role at The CW. Kevin Choi, I know you’re busy, but would you be willing to serve as an executive director at our future network?”

“Sir, I really appreciate your words, but I am still young and our company does not have the funds to invest elsewhere.”

“Heh heh, investment money? I’m offering equity instead of compensation. And I don’t think age matters. I promoted Michael to executive in his 20s. I like Kevin and James’s foresight. James and Kevin, please help Michael. Please.”

If it’s a directorship, it won’t interfere with Kevin’s work. And since he’s even offering shares in the broadcasting station, it’s something he absolutely has to do.

“Then I will do my best to help you so that you do not become a burden to the Kings Group, Chairman.”

“Hahaha, I like that young friend because he has a refreshing personality. Well, then let’s have a meal and talk about it in detail.”

Today, we at CW have Kings Group on our back. If only a music channel could be created, it would open a new era.

* * *

Annie and Angela returned to LA.

I had pretty much finished the song I had sketched out on my last trip. Now I needed Annie’s help to write the lyrics.

“lyrics?”

“Yeah, I told you that we should write songs together from now on. Let’s start with the lyrics first.”

I hummed along to a rough sketch of the song while playing the acoustic guitar.

“Oh, this is exciting! It really feels like I’m driving my own Mustang!”

“It’ll be more exciting if we make a band version later.”

I handed Annie a rough note summarizing the lyrics.

“What? I’m playing the bad guy role of naive Angela!”

“Hey, read to the end. You’ll end up helping Angela in life.”

Annie narrowed her eyes and stared at the piece of paper with the lyrics written on it.

“First, imagine this scene. You’re the one who jumps through the window and goes to Angela’s classroom to flirt. What do you think she’d say?”

“Hey, Angela. Come hang out with me.”

“You should take out the word Angela. And what I’m setting up here is not the real Angela, but a girl who lives in a strict household and suppresses her dreams.”

“Aha, I see.”

Annie opened her eyes for a moment, tilted her head, and then recited the lyrics.

“Hey, nerd. Aren’t you bored with class? Get out of that chicken coop. Come over the window. I’ll help you.”

Okay, fine. I guess it would be better to change the chicken coop into a bird coop.

Annie began to write lyrics while seriously imagining the next scene.

“Get in, pretty girl. Aren’t you tired of that uniform? Throw that thing away. How about killing my red Mustang? Hahaha!”

If you polish it well, it seems like it will become good lyrics.

“Annie, what are you doing that’s so fun?”

“Oh, I was writing song lyrics with James. It’s more fun than I thought, haha.”

Annie explained the song’s content to Angela.

“Hahaha, this is funny. It’s just like when I lived in a church. Like I had to live by the rules and suppress myself.”

“That’s right, when you guys were driving to New York the other day, this song came to mind and I wrote it into a song.”

It may seem like just a high school girls’ trip, but the main content of the lyrics is about breaking the mold and finding oneself by breaking away from the framework required by the established society.

Anything that wasn’t explained in the lyrics could be supplemented with an explanation in the music video.

* * *

Hyunsang and Jungseop came back from their trip to South America. They brought back quite a few instruments, including a charango, pan flute, bandoneon, and various percussion instruments.

Since Bethel’s studio is not yet finished, we recorded the new song ‘Road Movie’ in a studio in Hollywood. It’s not a difficult song except for the guitar solo, so we had fun working on it as if we were just hanging out.

And then we started filming right away.

80s LA metal music videos usually had two scenes that alternated and repeated.

One is the main story, and one is the performance scene.

The filming was, of course, done with Mr. Robert Smith.

We rented a set in Hollywood and filmed the performance scene. We played a recorded album and had to lip-sync and hand-sync to the music.

And most importantly, the gorgeous hairstyles, costumes, and makeup.

I hired the best makeup team in Hollywood. The male members had their long hair styled with volume and polka-dot handkerchiefs as hair bands. They wore tight jeans, horse shoes, sleeveless T-shirts, and leather jackets.

My brothers and Jake were awkward and didn’t know what to do, but it was a fashion that was quite familiar to me.

And Annie, who had been in the trailer with the makeup team since morning, showed up on the set.

Annie confidently walked onto the set in a style completely different from her previous appearance, and the members were astonished when they saw her.