Page 53 of For One Night Only

“Holy shit. That’s a big step,” he says.

“Yeah, I just think it’s time I stopped trying to give them something to say about me. I need to use my own voice.”

He grins. “That’s the Valerie I used to know.”

Warmth radiates through my chest at the fondness in his gaze. “She never left, just lost her way a bit.”

“Do you want some backup?”

EXCLUSIVE PROFILE: Valerie Quinn and Caleb Sloane

By Mary Kate Hampton, Staff Writer,Buzzword

Valerie Quinn sits at a hotel bar sipping a Moscow mule. (I’m not going to tell you the name of the place, because it’s where the Glitter Bats are staying as they rehearse for their reunion at the Hollywood Stadium on August 15th. I have too much respect for these musicians to betray their privacy.) Quinn’s hair is back to bubblegum pink, and she’s wearing a cropped tank, high-waisted shorts, and a denim shirt—she looks every bit the pop punk queen she was years ago, and she’s not alone. Caleb Sloane sits next to her, back in that famous eyeliner. (He tells me it’s Perversion by Urban Decay, for anyone curious, and the name is too perfect for those bedroom eyes.) He’s drinking a glass of rosé, which seems to be some kind of inside joke between the two, and he’s fiddling with the leather bracelets along his wrists.

Sloane’s wearing tight black jeans and a throwback Foo Fighters T-shirt with the sleeves cut off. He’s embodying the rock star look the way he always did, but there’s something different about him. Maybe he’s more guarded than he used to be, but to Sloane’s credit, he’s trying to keep his new private life private, and I’m going to do my best to respect that. But when these two offeredBuzzwordan exclusive interview, I couldn’t turn it down. We’re all desperate to knowwhat’s going on behind the scenes as things ramp up for the concert.

Mary Kate Hampton:Thank you both for meeting me today. We didn’t have a chance to catch up the last time we saw each other.

Valerie Quinn:[laughs] Yeah, that was a wild night.

We’re referring to the performance at the karaoke bar in Venice, which I’m sure you’ve seen as it’s been all over the internet. I was lucky enough to witness that night unfold firsthand. If you haven’t seen a clip of their fabulous rendition of “You’re the One That I Want,” visit our Glitter Bats page: buzzword.com/tag_glitterbats.

MKH:Was that the first time the two of you shared a stage since Glitter Bats broke up?

Caleb Sloane:Yes. I’ve been working outside of the industry for the past six years, so that spontaneous karaoke night was the first time I’d performed in a while.

MKH:Well, you sounded fantastic.

CS:Thank you, that’s very kind.

VQ:If anything, being away from the industry has made Caleb better than he ever was. Wait until you hear him play our stuff again.

MKH:We’re all excited to see the Glitter Bats perform together again. Can I ask you something I’ve always wondered?

CS:[grins] You can ask.

MKH:Where’d you get the idea for the band name? It’s so unique.

Quinn and Sloane lock eyes with a grin, and something that I have no words for other thanintimatepasses between them. These two have always seemed to communicate onstage without words, but it’s a sight to behold in person.

VQ:Caleb was high off his ass.

CS:[flushes] You make it sound like I have a drug problem—I was on painkillers!

He turns to me hurriedly, clearly wanting to set the record straight.

CS:I’d just gotten my wisdom teeth out! Valerie came over to keep me company because my mom had to work, and my little sister was too young to take care of me.

VQ:But he wasveryhigh. They don’t mess around when they give you painkillers after surgery, and Caleb was trying to entertain me, since I was “the guest.”

She uses actual air quotes for that.

MKH:That sounds very sweet.

VQ:[bites her lip] That’s Caleb for you. But I was trying to force him to rest, and he made me pick a movie. I put onTwilightsince neither of us had seen it. When we got to the part where Edward Cullen becomes a sparkly vampire, Caleb asked if the vampires in the movie turned into glitter bats.

CS:I have no memory of this, but I still think it’s a valid question.

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