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| "It Ain't Easy" // "Lady Stardust" |
Chapter 4 - "Year Three: Strange Things Circulating Round"
James wasn't sure where he had been or how long he had stayed there. All he knew what that he had come back with a message for humanity. A Message of Salvation for mankind. As soon as he came back to himself, he had raced back to Haddon Hall. He had to inform the others of what happened. Tonight had marked the fact that his wait was finally over.
"So there I was, out 'round Beckenham, when something strange happened. The portable went dead. And then it came back to life - it sounded like some cat was laying down some crazy rock 'n' roll - it was like some sort of hazy cosmic jive - when it cut back out again. I thought my radio was busted, and wanted to try and see what was going on, but it was too dark. Just as I thought 'I wish I had some light to check it out', a bright star lit up the sky. But as soon as it came, it vanished. Then the most gorgeous sounding music started playing again and the light turned back on. This time brighter than the sun. It almost blinded me. After I saw the light, I didn't know where I was or how long I had been there. All I knew was that I existed. And that was all I knew until I heard - it," he told them, all gathered around on the living room floor, listening to his remarkable tale.
"There was a Voice," James continued, unwashed and somewhat slightly dazed from his nightly encounter, "He called himself 'Starman', and that he came from Star Dust. He said he would like to come meet us, but he thinks he will blow our minds if he ever has direct contact with humanity right now because he is beyond our understanding. So he's forced to wait for us in the sky -"
"So then how come you got to meet him?" Rudi sceptically interrupted him.
"Because I was Chosen," James said proudly, not missing a beat, (although he was slightly annoyed at the interruption), "I had been marked as the Messenger to earth to deliver his Word. Anyway, he told me that even though we might not be ready Now to meet him, we might be able to in the future - the Future! I told him that the future was meaningless to us - that we didn't have a long time to prepare if what he said was true, but he simply warned me that we shouldn't blow our chance - however slight the possibility - to be able to meet him because if we were able to, it would be worth our while.
"His final words to me were to make sure I let the children lose it, let the children use it, and let them all boogie until the end of the world. Then his far out song started playing again - over and over - until I woke up back on the hill. At first, I didn't get it. My mind too small to understand revelations so vast. But then all of a sudden - I knew."
"James, stop with the dramatics," Tony groused, "What did you know?"
"That he had come to save us! That he is our hope to leave our dying world! If we are able to sparkle - impress him - dazzle him - then he may finally deem us ready to meet him and take us all away from here! And it's up to me - to us - to tell the world about him through music. And I know what I need to do to spread the Word. I've been mucking about writing, playing, thinking, all these years in order to prepare for this moment - like he said, 'I'll be a rock 'n' rollin' bitch for you' - and now it's time. It's my Destiny to transform - to ascend - as a rockstar - nay, a rock god - in order for the people of earth to hear that their salvation has finally come," James beamed at them all. He was euphoric, ecstatic - he was ready to stop waiting and start acting, "All I need is a band. And that's where you guys come in."
The group looked at him dubiously and rapturously in equal measure. Bevan clearly thought James had finally come around to his side about wanting to change the world, and was eager to capitalize on his enthusiasm even if he thought James had gone a bit mad. And Sonny was enamoured, hypnotized by James' passionate speech (he had always been open to the idea of the supernatural). But Rudi and Tony looked suspicious of his tale. Myrna-Jean was also quiet.
"I don't know, James," Rudi started, "Are you sure you didn't just have a bad trip or some-"
"No!" James vehemently insisted, "I know what I saw and I know what my Destiny is. I can prove it too."
He grabbed his twelve string and began playing for them. Instantly, all signs of doubt melted away. Their jaws dropped. The notes! - the melodies! - the lyrics! - James had been a talented writer and musician in his own right, but it was never anything like this. There could be no other explanation for how he got like this overnight. And the music he was playing - by God! - it was unlike anything they had ever heard - ever experienced. It was radical, subliminal, transcendental - they had no words for it. They were spellbound. A type of fervent devotion washed over them. They had been converted.
After a few minutes, James stopped playing and looked around, "Alright lads, let's begin."
They worked all night, and for the next year, non-stop - getting costumes, writing songs, making setlists, rehearsing, booking gigs - the to-do list went on and on for what they had to do. Myrna-Jean even helped out by becoming their manager in between working on her own opening act as the Hoochie Coochie Woman for their new band: StarDust.
The group had been named in an obvious tribute to the Starman. James had insisted upon it so that the alien would know where to look for his Messenger, and to monitor their progress in spreading the Word. As a result the opening number would be "Moonage Daydream", as James wanted to make sure to get the pure, unadulterated message out to the masses first and foremost, but trying to get anyone to agree to let them play was proving challenging.
None of their usual gigs would let them play. They didn't much care for the strange things circulating round the town about the new band. Rumours about alien conspiracies that had made the poor lads go mad, deals with the devil in exchange for untold talent, and wild tales of their unnatural sexual proclivities that made every upstanding pub wary of hosting them. But James refused all of the more questionable joints that would've allowed them. He wanted to be taken seriously, and he knew that starting in one of the seedy clubs would never give them the credibility he wanted.
As a result, he ended up going to the pub on the far side of town, Aylesbury, the night before he wanted to debut in order to talk with the proprietor one-on-one. It was the only place that hadn't rejected him outright before he could even ask. He knew it would be his last and only chance to perform at a choice venue, and he was determined to do whatever it took to make a deal. After all, the rumours weren't entirely wrong, and James knew it.
'It ain't easy to get to Heaven when you're going down,' he thought, as he walked towards Aylesbury, thinking back on how he bargained and blackmailed and coerced and seduced his way to get everything he needed to create StarDust, 'Hopefully, God may look the other way today.'
As he entered the dingy, but well-kept, pub, he immediately went straight for Henry, a middle-aged man, slightly balding, but still attractive in that "B-Movie actor" sort of way, who was the owner of the joint. He was standing in the back, just about ready to close-up for the day. James knew exactly what kind of man he was. His man's man exterior didn't hide the fact that he was also a man's man on the interior, and James was determined to use it to his advantage.
"Henry! My good sir!" James shouted, "Hear me out. I've got a problem - more like a proposition actually."
"Well all the people have got their problems. That ain't nothing new. But with the help of the Good Lord we can all pull on through. Now what can I do for you?" Henry asked. He had heard about James' quest for a venue, but was intrigued to see what would be offered in exchange for a place to play - if the rumours were true. He had hoped for an opportunity like this to come one day.
"Mate, I know that you know that I'm in need of a proper venue for my new band to debut. And I believe that Aylesbury is just the type of quality establishment I'm looking for to have that honour," James said.
"Yes yes, I've heard about your search," Henry acknowledged with a slight nod, "I also don't know what would be in it for me. After all, your - questionable - reputation is getting out of hand James, and I don't know if Aylesbury is ready for that kind of ... show."
James looked at his shrewd, gleaming eyes. He knew that Henry was putting up a front. The man couldn't care less about Aylesbury's reputation. He just wanted to assess how far James would go, and James had counted on this fact.
"Henry, my good man, don't be unkind. I promise that I will make you an offer you can't refuse," James simply said, letting the seduction roll off his tongue easily, "Come, let's talk in your office."
By the end of the night, Aylesbury's front door was proudly plastered from top to bottom in posters that announced the premiere of StarDust for 65p a ticket.
--
It was a cold, damp evening, and it was rapidly becoming night. Valentine hiked his collar up higher around his face in a futile attempt to protect himself from the freezing wind. The last year had been unkind to him, but even before the end had been announced, it wasn't like world was compassionate to him in the first place. He had drifted from church to church, seeking answers to save his soul (and maybe even fulfill his deepest heart's desire for companionship), but every time he left he felt more alone and lost than ever. He never felt further from the divinity and grace the priests had preached about. The sermon's words would feel great when he was in the pews, as if he could almost ascend to their heavenly heights, but as soon as he left the building, the gnawing, empty feeling consumed him once more, dragging him down, down, down to the depths all over again.
'Was it a sin,' Valentine thought, 'Just to want to be loved?'
With these dark and troubling thoughts stewing in his mind, the weather started to reflect his sense of unrest. Rain began to pour down and the wind made his face numb. Eagerly, he sought shelter by ducking into a nearby pub. He could use a drink, and from the facade of the pub, it wasn't an unsavoury looking prospect. Despite being scorned by society and having no home or income or companion to speak of, Valentine liked to think he had standards. One of them being that he always looked the part of a respectable patron who only frequented decent sorts of establishments, and he was rather proud of this fact in his own small way.
Upon entering, Valentine immediately noted the slightly gloomy atmosphere, but it was clean and serviceable. It even looked like he was in for some entertainment tonight, as a group of young men were setting up stage equipment. The pub itself was partially filled with blokes that mainly looked like regulars, and a couple of girls that looked like they weren't, littered about here and there. In short, nothing too out of the ordinary.
Valentine ordered his drink and sat down in a quiet corner to observe the whole affair, curious to see what kind of act was going to be performed. He knew it would be some sort of live music, and hoped he would get to hear a little jazz. It had been ages since he heard some performed. Smiling, he settled in for the night. But when the lights dimmed and the performance began, hopes for jazz music was the farthest thing from Valentine's mind.
Emerging from the darkness like an ethereal being, a pale young man suddenly jumped up onto the forefront of the stage with animal-like grace. He had long dark hair and wore heavy make-up on his face which, with his slim frame, delicate waist and protruding hips, made him seem rather effeminate. In fact, he could've been easily mistaken for a woman were it not for the fact that his tight, bright blue jeans emphasized his bulging crotch in a way that no woman could possibly possess. He really was out of sight.
In fact, he was intriguing. He was mesmerizing. He was paradise. He was everything Valentine had ever wanted but had never known. Then, as if that wasn't enough, he opened his mouth. He proclaimed the name to be Stardust, and he began to launch into songs of darkness and disgrace, of dismay at being alone in the world, of his longing to find someone who understood his message.
If Valentine thought he was enchanted before, when Stardust began to sing his heart's deepest yearnings, he knew he would never love another. This fair creature would forever possess his heart and his undying devotion. He smiled sadly at the thought, realising that this was one love he could never obey, but wishing he could anyways. Sighing, he wondered what the man's true name was. 'Although, he thought, 'Stardust somehow seems to fit him perfectly'.
As the night went on, Valentine began to notice that femme fatales emerged from shadows to also stare at his wondrous love, and boys stood upon their chairs to try and get a good glimpse of him. But instead of adoring him like they should, Valentine noticed that they simply stared at the makeup on his face, laughing at his performance and ridiculing his music. They were cat-calling and mocking him with the name "Lady Stardust" over and over again.
Valentine's heart began to ache for the unknown young man that had captivated his soul. He wanted to protect him, to shield the man called Stardust from the cruel world in a way that no one offered to do for himself. But to his amazement, Stardust simply ignored the crowd. He kept on singing all night long, as if everything was all right and his band would never be touched by the dirty grasp of mortality. His song seemed to go on forever.
And as he listened to the beautiful melodies woven by StarDust, Valentine knew that his love too would end up going on for eternity.
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