1968 Conqueror of American Rock - Chapter 180



Only Krnovel

180. Again, Summer of ’69 (4)

London Smog’s tour started in London, as most UK tour bands do. The Marquee was a small club, but it was a mecca for UK band music. It was a very meaningful place to start the tour. And the response was a huge success.

For the first few shows, I followed them around like a manager. If they got nervous and couldn’t speak, I would step up as a guest and help them out.

Jacques, who plays the guitar and is the main vocalist, hardly said anything. It wasn’t because he was nervous. I heard later that he just didn’t feel the need to say much. He only said what was necessary, so he would pause here and there, and his voice, “uh······, um······,” was sexy and made female fans go crazy.

Jacqui blushed and made excuses to me, saying that he really didn’t mean to, but he didn’t seem to mind it. With his white skin, brown curly hair, and chic yet indifferent voice, he stole the hearts of women with his image of a shy boy.

Whenever Jacquie was at a loss for words, Thomas would step in like a problem solver and help him out, and sometimes when Joseph made an innocent comment unlike the other two members, the set would be filled with laughter.

From small clubs to large concert halls, I followed them around like a parent, but I never once took the lead. That’s how they created their own vibe.

Just as our band’s early fan base was comprised of American soldiers, London Smog was overwhelmingly supported by British youth. Some were able to afford to pay for the concerts, but many more were unable to.

That was the reason why they deliberately included many small clubs with low performance fees in their schedule. However, even those were difficult for many teenagers to afford.

I used a strategy of sending tickets to London Smog concerts to listeners who wrote stories on pirate radio. Stories from struggling fans flooded into Radio Carolina, and I adopted as many stories as I could and provided tickets.

As a result, London smog tours began to become a growing topic of conversation in Britain.

Now it’s time to call the members.

* * *

I got a call from Alex Baldwin and went to the Marquee Club where the three were gathered.

“Come in, James.”

When Liam, who was pouring draft beer, greeted them, Kingsley and Alex waved happily. They went to the empty seat between them and sat down.

“Would you like a beer?”

“Yes, I’d like a cold draft beer too.”

“Oh, why is James drinking······.”

It was my first time drinking with the drinker, Kingsley Ward.

“I drink it sometimes too, haha.”

“I guess you’re feeling good that the London Smog Tour was a success.”

As expected, Alex was up to date with music industry news.

“Yes, the kids are doing so well that I don’t feel the need to follow them around anymore.”

“Come on, let’s have a toast to those little guys. To the London smog!”

“For!”

Chae-Ang.

Mr. Kingsley was the kind of guy who could always find something to toast to, and this one really caught my eye.

“It seems like only yesterday that I was just loitering around in front of their store, looking at their posters, and now I’m on a tour of England. The saying that a dragon rises from a ditch is exactly what it sounds like, haha.”

Liam couldn’t stop praising the guys, saying they were a good bunch for kicking off the London Smog Tour at Maki.

“Hey, Liam. It’s time for some rock and roll. Turn on the radio.”

Alex, who worked for a record label, often listened to pirate radio outside of work hours because he could get information faster than any music weekly.

– Break it down! Kill’em all!

(Tear them down! Kill them all!)

– We are revolutionaries!

(We are revolutionaries!)

As soon as I turned on the radio, Killing Machine’s ‘Angry People’ started playing.

“This song has been getting a lot of attention lately. I don’t know how many times it comes out every day. What do you think, James, as a professional musician?”

Alex asked.

“It’s sensational. It’s a song that combines rap with rock music, boldly excludes the guitar solos that were considered essential in existing hard rock, and competes solely on groove. The lyrics also deliver a socially critical message. It’s a bit extreme, though······.”

“Well, yes. I think a little bit the same. It really makes me excited and moves my body. However, it’s a song that makes me feel anxious that people who are usually dissatisfied with society would get excited if they listen to it while they’re not in their right mind due to alcohol or drugs.”

Alex spoke as if he had just entered my mind.

“They followed the London smog strategy.”

Liam took a sip of his draft beer, wiped the foam from his mouth with his hand, and continued speaking.

“If a new band that hasn’t even released an album yet sends a single ensemble tape from New York to a pirate radio station in the UK, then they’ve copied Jacques’s strategy perfectly. America is a bit conservative, so they wanted to get a sneak peek at the UK.”

Liam, who knows better than anyone how London smog develops, gets to the heart of it.

“That’s right, Liam. Ibis invited them to the festival. She told me when we spoke on the phone a while ago. So you’ll find out who they are next month.”

If it was Mr. Kingsley, a friend of Mr. Ibis, then it was solid information.

“James, are you coming to England for every Pilton Festival from now on?”

Alex changed the subject.

“Well, honestly, I don’t think I can give you a definitive answer. Actually, I······.”

I bought the farm in Bethel to continue Woodstock, and I am making up for the lack of facilities at that time. The Pilton Festival is also good, but I have a strong memory of the summer of 1969. I want to continue the basic spirit of Woodstock, he said of his plans.

“I’ve only seen it on video, but it definitely feels different from England. If it opens again, I want to go there in person and feel the excitement of the place. A crowd of 500,000 people… In fact, it’s impossible to get statistics, but some say it’s even more.”

Alex’s voice was also slightly excited as he talked about Woodstock.

“It will probably be hard to gather that many people again. As you know, there will be many people who are reluctant because of the campaign I am doing. However, as you saw at the Pilton Festival last year, even if only 10,000 people gather, it will create a festival atmosphere. I have been continuously expanding the facilities for the past two years. I am thinking of gathering about 50,000 people this summer.”

“Wow, really? James, if it’s confirmed, you have to tell us first!”

“Yes, of course.”

* * *

The members arrived in England.

This time we rented a practice room at Rockfield Studios with Queen. Rockfield was about an hour and a half from Pilton Farm, and we had room and board. It was a bit pricey, but we couldn’t find a better practice room. Mr. Kingsley, who was staying in London, came back to Rockfield with us.

“Thank you for stopping by every time. By the way, James. How’s the studio you’re building on the site of Woodstock?”

“The soundproofing work was completed perfectly according to the materials recommended by Mr. Kingsley. The accommodations are currently under construction. When I contacted him, he said that they were almost finished. Thank you very much for your help in many ways.”

“Haha, we help each other. Our studio got a lot of publicity in music weekly magazines thanks to Sparkling Ripple and Queen. Oh, by the way, I don’t see that girl who plays the piano well.”

Mr. Kingsley glanced between the Queen and our members who were unloading their luggage.

“Angela? Angela can’t come right now because she has a Traveler performance.”

“Ah······ Then, does that mean we won’t be able to hear the new song live at the festival? Well, there won’t be an orchestra······.”

“Actually, that song was made as a wedding present for my brother, and it was broadcasted not only in the US but also in the UK and got such a good response that I think I should do it, but right now we only have one vocalist, Annie. I think I’ll have to think about it a bit. Well, I’ll help you move your luggage first and then I’ll tell you later.”

Annie was dragging a large suitcase the size of her body.

“Oh my, call me.”

I snatched the bag from Annie’s hands.

“Oh, what’s the matter? You’re carrying my luggage for me too.”

Well, that’s because I’m sorry, Inma. When other bands reach a certain level of success, they just go on tour comfortably, but because of me, they still have to do helper work all the time······.

“I just feel like I have some extra energy today.”

“Hehehe, then move my costume bag over there too, James Choi.”

“Okay, you go over there in the shade and rest.”

No matter how manly she may be, Annie is a rare female vocalist in the rock music world. She deserves to be treated well.

Annie went to a table in the shade and turned on the radio for the men who were carrying their luggage. She tuned it to Radio Carolina and turned up the volume.

“Wow, what is this! James, listen to this!”

The Killing Machine song was playing. It must have been a really good response. Jake and his brothers, who were moving their luggage, also gathered around the radio.

“Wow, what are they doing? This isn’t even a song. They’re just talking really fast, and then they start screaming like crazy during the chorus!”

Hyunsang has always liked experimental music. He was also the first to take interest in hardcore music that was first born in this world.

“Oppa, this is called rap. But it’s not authentic black rap.”

Oh my, Annie knows how to rap? This guy has surprised me several times already. Annie was the first person I became close with when I was in this era. Could it be that this guy is from another era too······.

“Michael taught me that black people do something like spit out words while getting into a rhythm. That’s called rap.”

Phew, it was Michael Jackson again.

“That’s right. I heard that in Harlem, New York, black people would gather on the streets and dance and sing songs like this.”

Jake, who had recently been to New York, also knew about rap.

“But Annie, how do you know this song isn’t authentic black rap?”

Jake asked.

“Black people have a unique sense of rhythm that is easygoing. So they naturally move their bodies to the rhythm. Like jumping over a snake wall.”

Annie turned the snapback hat she was wearing to the side and started rapping while imitating a black person.

“Wow, Annie is really good at it, hahaha!”

Jungseop clapped his hands in admiration. The members of Queen, who were moving their luggage, also gathered to watch the animation as they heard the noise of our playing.

“There’s really nothing Annie can’t do, haha.”

Brian smiled brightly at Annie’s antics.

“This is the style of black people’s rap, and the person who just sang that song sang it like this.”

Annie’s smooth groove from before was nowhere to be found, and she rapped with a sharp beat. She was able to spit out dozens of words in an instant like a machine gun, without losing her pronunciation, and her skills were amazing as she sang every word straight into our ears.

Woohoo!

Everyone gasped.

“Isn’t Annie singing much better than the person who sang that song?”

Hyun Sang-hyung had a completely absent-minded look on his face.

“You can clearly see the difference, right? That guy is definitely not black.”

Annie explained it perfectly, even demonstrating it precisely, no, almost performing it.

“Annie, did Michael teach you that too?”

“No, Michael is black, and he kind of has a different groove. When you see him dance these days, he’s completely different. He’s sharp, not like when he was in the Jackson Five. He’s not that slow, strutting black rhythm.”

Annie, who was thrilled that people liked her, continued to change the lyrics of our song into rap, alternating between black and white styles.

Although she’s our team’s vocalist, that girl Annie is truly a genius that only comes once in a century.

* * *

Although the weather was approaching early summer, it was quite chilly after the sun went down.

Roger Tyler, a macho man, was a better cook than you might think. Roger showed off his skills for dinner tonight.

“thank you for this food!”

Annie sniffed the steak, took a whiff, then cut into it and put a piece in her mouth.

“Wow, Roger! This is so delicious!”

“Whenever you come to Rockfield, Roger is always the chef. He’s a much better cook than he looks.”

Roger shrugged at Brian’s compliment.

“By the way, James, are you really doing ‘I’d Do Anything For You’ this time?”

The reason Jake asked this was because there was no orchestra, no vocals, and most importantly, Angela was missing. The members of Queen all looked at me curiously.

“I need to arrange it into a band version. That’s why I called you to England so early. Let’s put our heads together and think about it starting tomorrow. The answer will come out anytime.”

“Chorus, if Queen helps, there’s nothing to worry about, but the problem is that Angela’s absence is too big. I wish Christine had come too.”

“Christine is talented, but she can’t fill Angela’s shoes. If we change the song to something more straightforward and you and I change our twin solo to something more flashy······.”

“Let’s have a Hreddi.”

Annie, who had been eating meat without saying anything, mumbled.

“Freddie?”

Annie nodded, swallowed the meat she was chewing, and took a sip of water.

“Yeah. I think Freddie could probably play that part. He played the piano really well in that Seven thing.”

He said this and moved his ten fingers carelessly on the table as if he was playing the piano. His form was really sloppy.

“Seven Seas of Rhye?”

Freddie spoke again and again.

“yes that’s right!”

Wow······Salt, you’re really a crazy girl (in a good way)!