1968 Conqueror of American Rock - Chapter 178



Only Noblemtl

178. Again, Summer of ’69 (2)

I first entered the UK with the London Smog tour team. The UK tour list did not include many large concert halls like the US. There were also quite a few small venues like the Marquee Club. It would actually be less burdensome for London Smog to do their first tour.

Since they were a three-member band, their tour team was also small. There was only a tour manager and a musical staff. Since the concept itself was boys from the slums of London, their costumes were simple. They didn’t need a makeup team.

I unpacked at a hotel in downtown London.

“Guys, Mr. Alex from GMI has arrived at the lobby, so let’s come down together.”

If I had told them to go to each house and say hello to the adults first, they would have done so even though they didn’t feel like it. But I wanted to protect their pride.

As I walked into the cafe in the lobby, Alex Baldwin waved warmly.

“Hello, James. Hey, who’s this? You guys made it back from the London smog, haha.”

The kids looked dumbfounded. They must have been thinking, “Success? In the US, we’ve only made a little bit of a name for ourselves in LA.”

“Okay, let’s sit down and talk about it in detail.”

Alex took something out of an envelope and placed it in front of the children.

“What is it?”

Jacqui asked first.

“Your first album sales statement in the UK.”

“Excuse me, is this amount really correct?”

Thomas stuttered after seeing the statement.

“Yes, the amount I have indicated here is the net profit that will be deposited to you in the end. By coming directly to England like this, both the company and you save on commissions.”

London Smog’s first album, released in the US, received an explosive response in the UK. Thanks to this, GMI, which was in charge of the UK license, also earned a lot of money. The UK tour was also possible thanks to the efforts of Mr. Alex Baldwin.

The original order was for the profits to be paid to the children through the company. However, in order to save on commissions and to boost the children’s self-esteem, I decided to receive them directly from England.

“Brother James, are you sure this isn’t a dream?”

Joseph slapped his face and looked closely at the statement again.

“Yeah, it’s not a dream. And my brother guarantees that after some time, your music will definitely be popular in America. So for now, let’s focus on the UK tour.”

“Yes, bro!”

Alex smiled happily at how cute Joseph was.

“Brother James, can I buy a small house in London with this money?”

Jacqui, who rarely batted an eyelash at anything, asked in a somewhat agitated voice. His mind must have been full of thoughts about his parents living in the slums.

“If I finish the tour by the end of this year, I’ll be able to buy a pretty nice house in London. So let’s wait a little bit for that problem. But with that bill, I can go home and see my parents, right?”

“Of course! Of course!”

Jacqui clenched his fists and couldn’t hide his joy.

“Brother James, before the tour starts, can I quickly meet your father and give him the money for your brother’s surgery?”

“There’s no need for that.”

“yes······?”

“Your younger sister has already safely completed her surgery last winter. Now, what you need to do is buy a house where your family can live together like Jacquip. So, before you start your tour, go to the countryside and meet your younger sister.”

“Really? So, Charlotte’s eyes are back to normal now?”

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance. The doctor said there was a risk of relapse, so we had to wait about six months. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you might be disappointed. But when I spoke to your father a while ago, he said that Charlotte really did as the doctor said and was declared fully recovered. So you······.”

Thomas buried his face in his hands and sobbed. His two friends patted his back in silence.

* * *

He gave London Smog three days to go. Jacques would meet his parents and tell them the good news, Thomas would go with his father to his grandmother’s house in the countryside to see his mother and sister, and Joseph would buy a bunch of presents for his friends and go to the orphanage.

I visited Pilton Farm in Somerset where the festival will be held next month.

Mr. Michael Eavis threw down the cart carrying the hay and ran over. He was wearing overalls and boots, and grass was all over his body. He was the host of the festival, but he usually looked like an ordinary farmer.

“James! I thought I’d see you next month, how did you get here so soon?”

“I came early to help with the London Smog UK tour.”

“Oh, those kids are really popular. Our festival is a charity concert, so I’m really grateful that you included us in your tour schedule.”

“No, of course you should participate.”

He guided me to where the main stage was.

In the middle of the camping zone, a truly gigantic pyramid-shaped structure was under construction.

It wasn’t as fancy a structure as the Glastonbury Festival I’d seen in my previous life. The basic design was similar, but it was a giant tent made of a frame made of steel pipes and covered with tarpaulin.

But it was on a scale that was incomparable to that of the 1969 Woodstock stage. The main stage was so tall that it seemed to easily exceed the height of a five-story building, and it seemed as if about a third of the center had been cut out with a knife.

“David! Come here for a moment!”

As Mr. Ibis shouted loudly, a long-haired man who was commanding the scene with a large blueprint came walking towards us. His gait was a little strange, as he walked a little hesitantly.

“Let me introduce you. This is James Choi from the United States. This is David Bowie.”

“Oh, James Choi of Sparkling Ripple! Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Mr. David Bowie.”

I shook his hand. There was almost no grip in his hand. It was like a fluttering paper doll.

A lanky body, long blond hair, pale white skin, and a chic expression. Above all, his left eye was blue and his right eye was brown. Forgetting the rudeness, my gaze lingered on his eyes for a moment.

“Yes, that’s right. I have Odd-Eyes. I wasn’t born with them. When I was in school, I got into a fight with a friend over my girlfriend and got hit. And the guy happened to be wearing a ring, haha.”

He spoke with a nonchalant smile.

The David Bowie I know is the godfather of glam rock, a master of transformation, an artist who left a big mark on the history of rock with his various personas and flashy performances. Naturally, I thought he had odd eyes as a concept, but there was a story behind it.

“The stage is really cool. How did you come up with the idea to design a stage like this?”

“Because the pyramid shape is perfect. The stage has to be strong enough to handle any kind of performance. I don’t think there is a structure that can support the weight more than a pyramid structure in a place where gravity exists.”

David Bowie confidently explained the artistic and technical explanations. But there was something unusual about him. His mysterious, sinister smile and gaze were not only due to his odd eyes.

“Then, I’ll see you again at the concert.”

I excused myself from the meeting, making excuses about my busy schedule. Then, we went to Mr. Ibis’ office to have tea and chat about the remaining details of our schedule.

* * *

“You met Bowie? Hmm… He’s a really talented guy, but it’d be hard for James and I to get along.”

Brian May knew David Bowie well. He said that he was a great talent, but he was already seriously addicted.

Fortunately, Freddie Mercury is still in good health, perhaps because I brought Queen’s debut forward and made him my running mate. He is said to have returned to England and is said to be engrossed in composing music in his room every day.

“Brian, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Woodstock Festival lately. I’ve been touring and participating in various festivals, but why do I miss that feeling?”

“Maybe it’s because I debuted there? I debuted at Maki Club during the Smile era. Since then, I’ve performed at many larger concert halls, but Maki is still the most memorable. The first time is the most memorable. Just like men can’t forget their first love until they die.”

Maybe that’s why I missed that awful heat, the dampness, and the smell of the earth.

“James, what are you worried about? We bought the farm to continue Woodstock anyway. We can do it again. I saw that they’ve now built a pretty clean water system and public restrooms.”

“There’s still a shortage of accommodations, but we can use tent villages. The problem is that the Woodstock business owns the trademark for the ‘Woodstock Music & Art Fair.’”

“Isn’t Woodstock a place name?”

“That’s right. In fact, Bethel Farm is about 100 kilometers from the real Woodstock.”

“Then I think there won’t be any more problems. If we go to trial, we have a higher chance of winning.”

“Kevin said the same thing as Brian, but I didn’t want to go to court to take the name away. It was against the spirit of Woodstock: ‘Freedom, Peace, Love.’ I’m going to go and talk to Michael Lang sometime. If we can’t come to an agreement, we’ll have to change the name.”

Let’s hope that Michael Lang also misses Woodstock in 1969······.

“James is really serious about Woodstock Festival. I really hope it goes well. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do, but I’ll do my best to help.”

“Thank you, Brian.”

It’s so comforting to know that Queen is always on our side.

* * *

The place I wanted to go back to the most when I came to England was Radio Carolina. The dreamlike times I spent there were still vivid in my mind. I was also very curious to see how everyone was doing.

“Hello, Uncle Mark. How have you been?”

“Oh my, James. How long has it been? I heard from the captain. Come on board.”

“I’m sorry, it’s your day off. I’m a bit unwell on Saturdays······.”

“What are you apologizing for? I’m happy to make money. I don’t have to listen to noisy women chatter. Let’s just enjoy the quiet sea together today, hehe.”

Mr. Mark Bright started the boat and set sail down the Thames Estuary. I was the only passenger on board, so I chatted with him in the wheelhouse as we went.

“You’re going quite far today.”

“The government’s crackdown has gotten worse recently after a period of inactivity, so every day is a game of hide-and-seek, hehe.”

The boat continued on, cutting through the dark blue sea. A warm breeze blew from the British high seas in early summer. The wind carried a damp smell that was quite different from that of the Pacific Ocean.

After a while, an island made of rocky cliffs came into view. Uncle Mark steered the boat close to the island and made a half-circle counterclockwise. Then, the Carolina, which had been hiding behind the island, came into view.

I ran to the very front of the deck with a happy heart. The DJs who came out to greet me saw me and waved. I waved back at them with all my might.

Uncle Mark tied the boat to the Carolina, and I stepped on the deck of the ship for the first time in about eight months. My heart was pounding.

“Welcome to Radio Carolina, hahaha.”

“Director, it’s been a while. You’re still the same.”

We also exchanged greetings with the DJs.

“I······ Director, but I can’t see Mr. Harold?”

Instead of answering, the director pointed to the speaker on the deck. He then glanced at his wristwatch, clicked his fingers, and smiled broadly.

– Wow! Dear Rock and Roll Time listeners!

Harold’s opening speech was so happy that it almost made him cry. It seemed like he had forgotten a lot of the vocalization techniques Annie had taught him. It was a rough, raw voice.

– Everyone, today’s first song is a song that will really surprise everyone! It’s music that has never existed in the world before!

What kind of music is it that makes Harold scream so loudly that his throat almost bursts?

– Do you guys remember London Smog? The band that shocked us with a tape of a band recording without an album? The band I’m introducing today is a hot band tape that flew in from New York! Angry People by the band Killing Machine!

What, what······. Rap ​​to rock music······!

Oh my god, this is already out?!