Page 16 of Hard Rock Fling
"Um. No. I just make sure your clothes aren't wrinkled before you go on stage."
They both snickered.
"Damian. What do you think?" August asked, inclining his head towards me.
The Twins gave me considering looks. They both shared a quick glance at each other, communicating without words.
"We say yes." They both spoke at the same time.
"Cameron? Noah?"
"Why the hell not?" Cameron grinned.
"Whatever," Noah muttered.
"Alright. I think we're done here." August said
"Yes, let's move on and get the meeting started," Janet said briskly.
My insides went cold. They were going to just dismiss me.
August shook his head. "I meant I'm calling off the meeting. There's nothing to discuss anymore." He looked me up and down, a considering stare. He nodded once to himself.
"We found our Image Consultant."
I froze, my mind going blank. I couldn't comprehend the words coming out of August's mouth. "What?"
"Your idea is brilliant," August continued. "The exact kind of thinking we need."
Janet opened her mouth to speak as if to interrupt, but August spoke right over her.
"This new album is going to be a great undertaking. Every ad, every photoshoot, every music video, needs to convey the right feeling. The right image. We need someone to work on our promotional campaign to make sure everything is consistent. To make sure our concept is conveyed in everything we do."
"Like a continuity editor." Ian said.
"I don't know what that means," I confessed.
"It's like when you're producing a TV show," he explained. "Or movie. If the actor is wearing blue jeans and white sneakers when the director calls cut for the day, the continuity editor makes sure they're wearing the same thing when they pick up filming three days later."
"That's only half of it," August said. "We don't just need someone to oversee everything. We need someone creative. We need someone who can take the feelings and meanings of our songs and bring them to life. Someone who can bring our metaphorical ideals into the physical world. Someone who can reduce a concept to visual icons. We need an Image Consultant."
"We need a miracle worker," Noah interjected with a mutter and a snort.
They needed a miracle worker, alright. Taking metaphors and making them physical? My mouth went dry. There was no way I could do something like that.
Was there?
"Shouldn't the marketing department have people to do all that?" I asked. "Wardrobe Stylists and Branding Specialists or whatever."
"They're overworked dealing with all of Etude's other artists," Cameron replied. "We can rely on them to help, but we need one person concentrating solely on our album release."
"And I want that person to be you," August added.
Image Consultant. Me. Darkest Days, one of the hottest rock bands to debut in years, wanted some nobody intern to work with them to develop their image and brand for their new album. It was too overwhelming. Some part of me wanted to object and turn them down on the spot.
But another part of me started to buzz with excitement. Taking the thoughts and feelings of rock stars and making them real? I would have to use all my artistic skills. It would force me to stretch my abilities to the breaking point. If I pulled it off, I could say I helped create one of the most successful, most creative, album releases in years.
Ian pushed his sunglasses up until they rested on the top of his head. He scanned me up and down slowly, undressing me with his eyes. That carnal stare, that wicked grin, told me his mind was filling with dirty thoughts.
