Page 46 of Love Me Till Wednesday

‘Nah. It’s just unusual, that’s all.’

‘I told you we should have hired a roadie. We look like a bunch of amateurs.,’ Ed whispered to Lisa. ‘Dave down the pub would have done it for £30.’

‘Do people still go down the pub?’

‘Dave does. He’s the barman.’

Lisa rolled her eyes. ‘You spent the budget on a new amp, remember? We can’t keep shelling out money left, right and centre.’

The security guard was still giving them a funny look. ‘Didn’t you lot used to be famous?’

‘A while back, yeah.’ Lisa said. She could guess where this was going.

‘Oh, I remember,’ he chuckled, ‘You’re the bint that fell off the stage that time. Classic.’

Spot on, Lisa. Was it too much to ask to have someone remember their music? ‘I think you’ll find I fell on the stage rather than off it.’ Lisa said, bashing the corner of a guitar case on his foot.

‘Steady on, girl. That hurt.’

‘It won’t be your foot next time,’ Lisa muttered as they walked inside.

They setup on the small stage in the far right of the studio, away from the interview area.

The security guard appeared as they were finishing up. ‘There’s a bloke at the door claiming to be your bass player. James somebody. I was a bit suspicious as he looks successful.’ He cackled at his own joke.

‘Yes, he is ours, thanks,’ Lisa snapped, wishing she could think of a witty response to take the guard down a peg or two.

‘I’ll send him in then.’

A few minutes later Jim joined them in the large dressing room the men were using. ‘I’ve just been given some career advice,’ he said. ‘Apparently, I look too talented to hang around with you bunch of losers.’

‘Was it our jovial security guard by any chance?’ Lisa asked.

Jim nodded. ‘Are we ready to go then?’

‘As ready as we’ll ever be,’ Tez said, putting his feet up on the table.

Lisa started pacing. ‘Remind me why we said we’d do this again.’

‘Cos we’re fucking amazing, and we deserve another crack at fame and fortune,’ Ed piped up. ‘And I’ve got to see two kids through uni.’

There was a knock on the dressing room door. A woman with a headset stuck her head around the door. ‘We’re ready for you.’

‘But the band play at the end of the show?’ Tez said.

‘We like to get the music sorted before the rest of the interviewees arrive. We don’t keep the stars hanging around that way,’ she said.

Tez scowled. ‘But it’s alright for us to hang around while they get ready.’

She gave him a withering look and turned to Pete. ‘If you could come out now that would be most appreciated.’

‘At least we know where we are in the pecking order,’ Tez muttered.

Five minutes later, The Sapphire Stars were all in position on stage for the first time in thirty years, ready to perform.

The studio lights were down. Lisa could only see a few faces on the front row of the audience. The twenty or so rows behind were lost in the darkness. She held on to the microphone stand tightly hoping it would stop her swaying.Deep breaths. Remain calm. You’ve done this plenty of times before.

Ed played the opening chords to Love Me Till Wednesday. Lisa started singing right on cue. This felt fine. Just like it had the first time in that karaoke bar a few weeks ago. It was all going to be ok.

---