1968 Conqueror of American Rock - Chapter 141



Only Noblemtl

141. LA Metal (7)

Annie, who walked out into the center of the set’s highlight lights, looked like a lion. She had dyed her hair yellow and permed it. Her originally thick hair had become even thicker, and it shone golden in the light.

On his black leather pants that clung to his body, numerous studs shone like stars in the night sky, and his leopard-print shirt was unbuttoned and tied at the bottom. Underneath the shirt, he wore a flesh-colored garment that created an optical illusion, and he wore a thin gold necklace and a fancy muffler.

The guy cockily lifted his Ray-Ban sunglasses, which covered half of his small face, with his fingers.

The final touch was the high-heeled Western boots, a women’s cheat key. Annie’s legs, which were small but had incredible body proportions, looked even longer.

All the members couldn’t close their gaping mouths.

Annie nailed the LA metal fashion I wanted 200%. Even the sassy poses were perfect.

The fashion of LA metal bands in the 80s and 90s was largely divided into two categories.

Those who were influenced by KISS and Alice Cooper and showed as much skin as possible and wore outrageous makeup, and those who were a little more daring and had more sophisticated hairstyles like Led Zeppelin.

What I wanted was obviously the latter.

“Oh, you guys are not joking? Puhahahaha!”

Annie actually laughed at our appearance.

“Okay, shall we start by taking pictures?”

I started shooting Annie from the photographer’s words.

The more I look at him, the more amazing he is. How is it that he understands my feelings and strikes poses just by telling me how he feels? During the solo photoshoot for Annie, I felt like I had time traveled back to the 80s.

The childish and pretentious decadence and the occasional mischievousness were captured on film. A smile spread across the photographer’s face. When a model does this, it is easy and enjoyable for the photographer.

The problem was our men.

“It’s too stiff. We’re not taking ID photos right now.”

Weren’t we Korean men? Even Jake, the only American, was a former soldier.

“Please play some music for us. Please, some upbeat rock and roll.”

Annie asked me to play some music on set and brought me a guitar.

“Wow, that guitar is freaking heavy. James, you take the picture with your guitar on your back. It’ll be less awkward. Think of it as playing along with the music.”

Annie kept talking to us, smiling, and sometimes even cursing us with her middle finger to make the men relax and take pictures. Of course, she said it was for the sake of the pictures.

Still, thanks to Annie, I was able to successfully complete the solo and group photo shoots.

The performance scene was much less awkward, with lots of visual and fun elements thrown in, like spraying water on drums and putting paint on faces.

The shoot went on for several days. Some days it was a red concept, some days it was a blue concept, and some days it was a yellow concept. We used primary colors to create different scenes several times.

As the filming continued, everyone gradually got used to the new fashion and hairstyle, and we were having so much fun that we forgot we were even filming.

Mr. Robert Smith captured the entire process in a making-of film.

* * *

We finished filming on set over the course of a week.

The outdoor shoot starting today was about the story of the song lyrics, so Annie and Angela were the main characters. We had extras playing various male roles, such as the gas station owner, grocery store employee, and truck driver.

Annie and Angela from the trailer looked like pretty high school girls to anyone who saw them. Angela had her hair neatly tied back, and Annie had long blonde hair with a straight perm. Both were wearing the uniforms of the prestigious private girls’ high school where they were filming today. They were wearing white blouses, pleated skirts, long bangs, and black shoes.

Filming took place on a Sunday when school was closed, and a class of students were cast as extras.

The private girls’ high school in Beverly Hills boasted a beautiful campus that rivaled that of any university. Wide lawns and shrubs were mixed with luxurious buildings.

“Okay, let’s go into the first scene. Ready, action!”

A hallway filled with the dazzling autumn sunlight of California. In the midst of afternoon classes, Annie, neatly dressed in her school uniform, opens the locker room door and sneaks in, looking around alone.

“Cut! Okay. Now for the window scene.”

The filming crew moved outdoors.

“Ready go!”

Annie opens the dressing room window and climbs up, landing feet-first on the ground. Her skirt gets caught on the handle of the window frame, revealing her black petticoat, but she snickers and quickly pulls it out and runs off somewhere. The camera crew follows Annie, moving the rail.

Annie ran to the window of a classroom in another building.

dripping.

There is a knock on the window, and Angela looks at Annie in surprise. Annie raises her thumb and points behind her. Angela shakes her head. Annie nods and points in the same direction again. Angela raises her hand and stands up.

The place where the two met was the bathroom window.

Annie gestures for Angela to come over. Angela shakes her head, saying she can’t do it. Annie holds out her hand, saying it’s okay.

Eventually, Angela climbs out the window and runs somewhere with Annie.

Annie ran to where a red Mustang convertible was parked. Without opening the door, she jumped into the driver’s seat and motioned for him to get in.

The Mustang starts to run away and the camera follows behind. The uniform and shoes are thrown out of the car.

The two stretch their hands toward the sky.

“Cut! Perfect, haha.”

* * *

The outdoor filming was completed earlier than originally planned due to Annie and Angela’s activities. The school-snapping part may be criticized, but if you watch the video until the end, you will realize that it is the imagination of a model girl who dreams of becoming a screenwriter.

Robert said that it would take quite a while to edit the stylish footage. I asked him to take care of the quality, even if it took a long time.

While we were filming, Kings had already obtained a license to operate a broadcast station. As expected, the power of a large group is enormous. They decided to use one of the buildings on the block they purchased on Sunset Strip as the broadcast station building.

The name is KMTV (King’s Music Television).

Michael was busy preparing for the opening. Trucks carrying broadcasting equipment were coming and going every day. They were scouting staff from other stations, and there were interviews every day for new employees who applied after seeing job postings. Brother Kevin also participated as an interviewer.

Despite our busy schedules, Michael, Kevin, and I met and had meetings whenever we had time. This is a business that Kings Group started with the belief in my idea. We must repay you with good results.

I will do my best to make this channel a music channel that can be tuned in to anytime, like pirate radio in the UK, with music and music videos playing 24 hours a day. I decided to simultaneously broadcast it on radio so that people can listen to it when they can’t watch TV.

“The broadcasting equipment is set to the highest level. I was trying not to overdo it since I was just starting out as a small local broadcasting station, but the chairman said that the momentum from the beginning is important for any business and told me not to spare any budget on the equipment.”

“It’s Kings Group. Even though it’s a new broadcasting station, it can’t afford to fall behind other broadcasting stations. By the way, Michael, everything else is almost there, but isn’t the most important thing the content?”

Kevin Brothers made an important point. In fact, the most important thing is content, more than buildings and equipment. Pirate radio has captured more than half of the British population with equipment that is incomparably old compared to the British public broadcasting system.

“That’s right. There aren’t many applicants for the PD and host positions. I guess it’s because it’s my first time on a music broadcasting station.”

I thought back to my life on pirate radio.

“First of all, the most basic thing is that the program should be a priority for introducing albums. You need to know more music than anyone else, and you need to be up to date with various chart news. And it’s important to have the gift of gab to captivate viewers.”

“There are probably very few bands that have shot music videos at the moment. After our band’s video comes out, other bands will probably start shooting videos in competition with each other. We can air our live performances at Woodstock and the Pilton Festival, etc. We will also record and air our live performances at our club, King’s Club.”

“Oh, there was a way like that!”

“And I know someone who is really knowledgeable and eloquent about the Sunset Strip······.”

“Who is it?”

I recommended Jack White, whom I met in Hawaii, to Michael as a host. I still remember his divine hosting skills. He said he would stay in Hawaii, but I clearly saw the rock spirit that remained in him. I wanted Jack to be successful and proud to go and meet his mother and sister.

“If James recommends someone, I trust them unconditionally. How can I get their contact information?”

“Ah, that······ There was no telephone or electricity in Jack’s house······.”

“Oh my god, are there still places like that?”

Kevin suggested contacting the Hawaii Civic Auditorium or the Fort Shafter Army base. But Jack won’t come here easily. He’s already experienced failure here and is currently living a poor but satisfactory life in Hawaii.

“I think I should go and meet Jack in person.”

* * *

The next afternoon, we arrived in Honolulu.

Hawaii was always peaceful. Waikiki Beach was so slow that it was completely okay to laze around.

I rented a sunbed and lay down under the parasol. It was heaven on earth. I lay down, closed my eyes, and imagined Jack hosting a music show. Just thinking about it made me smile.

“What’s so funny?”

I opened my eyes with a start and Jack was right in front of me.

“jack!”

I jumped up from my sunbed with a glad heart.

“James, what’s going on in Waikiki?”

“What’s up? I came to see Jack, haha.”

I moved to a restaurant I often went to with Jack.

Jack ordered a sandwich with lots of salmon and vegetables and a fruit juice.

“Jack, why don’t you order a hamburger and a coke?”

“I also heard about Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. I never imagined that the Maui concert would be their last······. I don’t take medicine or anything, but I’ve decided to take care of my health from now on.”

“You’ve thought it through. There are many healthy foods that taste good. But Jack will be healthy because he lives comfortably in a place with good air.”

“Easy…. Actually, it doesn’t matter if I continue living like this, it’s just my body, but the only thing that bothers me is my mom. I didn’t realize it when I was young, but as I get older, I only remember the times I did something wrong to my mom every day.”

Jack sighed and looked out at the sea.

“I think my mother still wants to see her son a lot.”

“Haha, James, you really are so kind. I appreciate your kind words. But I can’t sleep at night because I’m worried that I might hear some bad news all of a sudden as time goes by.”

The food he ordered arrived, but Jack only took a sip of juice and continued to stare at the sea with moist eyes. The sunset was beginning.

“Come to think of it, isn’t it time to perform now?”

“I haven’t been performing lately. I guess it’s menopause. I should be having fun, but I’ve been feeling a bit woozy lately.”

I wanted to see him again, smiling brightly and showing off his colorful speaking skills.

“Jack, Kings is going to start a music radio station in LA. I recommended Jack as the host. I want to show my mom how successful he is!”

His drooping eyebrows rose upward, forming a seagull-shaped pattern.