That Thing You Do! (Multiband Fan Fic)

Chapter 37 - Contracts

Katie's P.O.V

"You already met Phil Mason!" Peter smiled.
"AH!" I covered my mouth, as soon as I squealed. The room now looking at me.
"Sorry." That was so embarrassing. I knew this guy! I've met him before. He managed Aerosmith's last tour, and loads before that. He's a well known guy on the road!
"Well, grab a seat... Let's go over this contract!" Peter shook it off, handing a pile of papers to Phil, who shared them out to us.
We each had a contract, as well as Peter.

Eddie handed his to Monica and we all sat down.
Me, Dylan, then Stevie on one couch, Todd, Eddie, and Monica on the other.
Peter stood up, walked round his desk and leaned back on it, going over page one.

"You'll be Mrs Riot, yes?" Peter asked Monica.
"That's me." She replied, taking off her cream coloured jacket.
"To make it short and sweet, you'll each be paid the same, but songwriters will be paid more!"
"Nope!" Dylan spoke up. "We have rules of our own."
"Go ahead." Peter dropped his copy on his desk and grabbed a pen, with a smile.
Phil was leaning against a bookshelf, behind Eddie grinning. "I like you guys already." He muttered.
We smiled.

"Rule one: We all get paid the same. Our songs are written by the band, not an individual." Dylan started.
"Done." Peter smiled, writing it down.
"We're using the songs we have! No covers, nothing written by someone else, no featuring artists!" Dylan continued. "We don't want no backing singers to come in, it's all on us! These are our songs, we know how they sound!"
"Consider it done. You'll be working closely with Phil, he's produced some of the best records you've ever heard, and he's toured the world with bands. He'll be producing your first record and we'll be putting you on tour with..." Peter searched his desk. "... Well, we want this album done within six weeks. Starting in three. We need Laura. I want a photoshoot, I want your bright colours, I want your singles, and I want 'Look What The Cat Dragged In' to be your first one!"
"Whoa." Eddie smiled, looking to us three.
I smiled back at him. Our first single...

"This means long hours-"
"Can we work in Boston? Is that an option?" I asked.
"Phil?" Peter turned to Phil.
"I have a house in Boston, I can get studio time there. Is that where you live?" Phil looked from Peter to me.
I nodded at him.
"Consider it done. I'll make some calls." Phil snapped his fingers, on his right hand, and pushed himself off the bookshelf, walking for the door.

He paused, as he opened the door, and looked back at me.
"... I know you... 2015, Boston. Hollywood Vampires!" Phil smiled. "You're Joe Perry's daughter!"
"Adopted..." I nodded shyly. "He's got no say in this band, though. This is mine."
"Well, consider me at your service!" Phil bowed to me. "I really like your hat." He smiled and left the room.
"Aerosmith's Joe Perry?" Peter asked.
"Yeah, but he's got nothing to do with this band, or why I'm here. He's got his thing, I got mine." I looked at Peter.
"Great." He smiled, with an understanding nod. "It's very nice to meet you, Monroe."
I smiled. I guess they all knew about my mum... I can only assume that, by the way he spoke to me then.

"The contract?" Todd cleared his throat, having no patience.
"We'll have it re-written. Now. I'll get someone on it now!" Peter looked at his copy, lying on his desk. "None of you have been in a recording studio before, have you?"
"No." The guys shook their heads.
"I have, buh it were years ago..." Stevie held his hand up. "I di'n't stay long..."
"It's been awhile for me too." I spoke up.
"I'll have someone show you round a free room. We have a few bands recording as we speak." Peter walked round his desk, grabbing his phone.
"Any bands we'd know?" Dylan asked, getting cocky.

. . .

Eddie's P.O.V

"Maybe..."
Dylan and I looked at each other, as Peter replied.
I shrugged and cleared my throat. "Mom, what you think?" I turned to her.
She was reading through the contract, adding a few notes on the bottom of the pages.
"Hm?" She asked me.
"What do you think?" I asked her again, looking at her notes, as she sat on my left.
"It's all pretty straight forward. Peter Finley, how much will they be getting paid?" Mom asked standing up.

"... Thank you!" He hung up the phone. "Someone is coming up now. Payment you asked?"
Mom nodded, her business side coming out.
I smiled, proud that she's my mom.
"All equal pay, including song writing duties... $250,000." Peter spoke up. "Each."
We all stared at Peter.

My heart started racing. I could move out, get a place with Maria, pay for Miracle to go to collage, or university...

"Each? You said each?" Dylan asked, now standing, unsure if he heard right.
"Each." Peter nodded at him.
"Holy hell..." Todd put his head between his legs.
"We're rich?" Stevie looked to Monroe.
"We're gonna make it!" Dylan smiled, looking at Stevie.
I smiled with him and jumped up, hugging him. "We're gonna make it!"
"WOOO!" Stevie jumped up and jumped onto us.
"Rock and Roll!" Monroe beamed, joining us.

. . .

Katie's P.O.V

"Whoa..." I stared at all the buttons.
We were in an empty recording studio, having a look at what we're gonna be faced with. It was a lot to take in.

"Phil! They're in number three!" Peter shouted down the corridor, as he walked passed the room, Monica following him.
"Coming now!" Phil called back, coming from the direction Peter was headed.

Dylan sat in one of the chairs, looking over all the controls.
It was a squared room, with a closet door on the back wall, the room facing to the right, where a large window was looking into the sound room.
There was an old booth-like couch on the right hand side, as you walk in, where Eddie took a seat.
Monica went with Peter to go over the contract. She knew what we all wanted and was going to make it happen.

"Hey! So, what are your names again?" Phil walked into the room. I got the impression he was a bit of a jokester, but serious when it came to business. I remember laughing a lot, the last time I saw him, but I don't really remember him.
"Katie Monroe. They all call me Monroe." I spoke up first, walking to the other side of the room, by the closet door, where another chair was. I didn't sit down, I just looked over the panel.
Stevie slouched down next to Eddie, staring at the sound room, and Todd was stood in the centre of the room, acting like the boss.

"I like it! You?" Phil asked, looking at Dylan.
"Dylan Chaser." Dylan spun in the chair, giving Phil his full attention.
"I'm Eddie Riot." Eddie raised his hand up next.
"Loving the long hair, man!" Phil smiled, nodding to him. "You?" He looked at Stevie.
"I'm Stevie. Stevie King." My cousin smiled at him, a little out of it.
"Pleasure..." Phil turned to Dylan and I. "He OK?" He whispered, nodding to Stevie.
"He's fine. He smokes weed. Had a blunt before we came in. Monroe will deny it, but he's reliant on the stuff." Dylan explained.
"Good to know. I've worked with worse!" Phil smiled. "And that makes you-"
"Todd Ericson." Todd took off his sunglasses. "Lead vocals."
Eddie snorted, quickly recovering. It was real cheesy!

"You're gonna be working with us and you've worked with Joe. I just... Joe didn't help us to get here. He's had nothing to do with Janie's Gun, it's all been me and my friends." I looked to Phil, who didn't know how to react to Todd.
"And you're scared people will think otherwise..." I don't know why, but Phil was easy to talk to. He got it.
"Yeah." I nodded. "A bit..."
"Not the case." He gave me his full attention. "You're Monroe. That's the first thing they'll learn about you. 'They' being the world. You're... guitar?"
I nodded.
"You're the guitarist, one fifth. I can see you have a unique taste in fashion, like myself." Phil grinned. "And that's what they will see. This is the land of rock and roll. If you don't say it, they can't prove it. That is how you separate your private life, from your stage life. You are Monroe. Guitarist for Janie's Gun. No one knows anything else. You have to tell them." Phil smiled.

We're so going to get along.