Page 246 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

Dave was equally candid. "Because he's going out with my sister."

"Oh. That explains it."

Before going back into the booth, Eric spoke quietly to Larry. "Go and phone Paulo Conti," he said. "He only lives around the corner. If he's at home, ask him to pop in right away."

Larry left the studio.

Eric went back into the booth. "Tape rolling," he said over the intercom. "Whenever you're ready."

They did the song again.

All Eric said was: "Again, please."

After the second time he came out again. Walli feared he would say it was not good enough after all. "Let's do it again," he said. "This time we'll record the backing first time around, and the vocals after."

Dave said: "Why?"

"Because you play better when you don't have to sing, and you sing better when you don't have to play."

They recorded the instruments, then they sang the song while the recording was played to them through headphones. Afterward Eric came out of the booth to listen with them. They were joined by a well-dressed young man with a Beatle haircut: Paulo Conti, Walli presumed. Why was he here?

They listened to the combined track, Eric sitting on an amp and smoking.

When it ended, Paulo said in a London accent: "I like it. Nice song."

He seemed confident and authoritative, though he was only about twenty. Walli wondered what right he had to an opinion.

Eric dragged on his cigarette. "Now, we might have something here," he said. "But there's a problem. The piano part is wrong. No offense, Lenny, but the Jerry Lee Lewis style is a bit heavy-handed. Paulo is here to show you what I mean. Let's record it again with Paulo on the piano."

Walli looked at Lenny. He was angry, Walli could tell; but he was keeping it under control. He remained sitting on the piano stool and said: "Let's get something straight, Eric. This is my group. You can't shove me out and bring Paulo in."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that if I were you, Lenny," said Eric. "Paulo plays with the Royal National Symphony Orchestra and he's released three albums of Beethoven sonatas. He doesn't want to join a pop group. I wish he did--I know half a dozen outfits that would take him on quicker than you can say hit parade."

Lenny looked foolish and said aggressively: "All right, so long as we understand each other."

They played the song again, and Walli could see immediately what Eric meant. Paulo played light trills with his right hand and simple chords with his left, and it suited the song much better.

They recorded it again with Lenny. He tried to play like Paulo, and made a decent job of it, but he did not really have the touch.

They recorded the backing twice more, once with Paulo and once with Lenny; then they recorded the vocal part three times. Finally Eric was satisfied. "Now," he said, "we need a B side. What have you got that's similar?"

"Wait a minute," Dave said. "Does that mean that we've passed the audition?"

"Of course you have," said Eric. "Do you think I go to this much trouble with groups I'm about to turn down?"

"So . . . 'Love Is It' by Plum Nellie will be released as a record?"

"I bloody well hope so. If my boss turns it down I'll quit."

Walli was surprised to learn that Eric had a boss. Until now he had given the impression that he was the boss. It was a trivial deception, but Walli marked it.

Dave said: "Do you think it will be a hit?"

"I don't make predictions--I've been in this business too long. But if I thought it was going to be a miss, I would

n't be here talking to you, I'd be down the pub."

Dave looked around at the group, grinning. "We passed the audition," he said.

---