BITTERSWEET TRAGEDY-DAISY JONES AND THE SIX

010: changes are happening

KAREN: Everyone saw Eddie beat the shit out Eddie. None of us knew why, until Eddie said what happened. He said 'Don't ever lay hands on my girlfriend ever again." After that we could all assume what had happened. I mean Aracely was practically shaking in fear.

DAISY: I couldn't look Billy in the eyes anymore. Just being around him in general didn't feel right.

ARACELY: Can we just move on? I'd rather not try to remember a part of my life I tried so hard to forget.

EDDIE: Never forgave him, and I never will.

CAMILA: It was wrong on so many levels, but I couldn't leave him. For my daughters sake, I stayed. But just because I stayed doesn't mean I forgive him for his actions. Aracely wouldn't even talk to any of us after the incident.

BILLY: While everyone was being so overdramatic, Daisy and I continued to tweak and work through a few songs.

DAISY: I didn't want to have to meet with him, but I had to.

BILLY: We were at Teddy's pool house. Daisy was wearing a black dress with the thin straps. What are those called? We were working on a song called "For You." We didn't have much at first but it was about me getting sober for Camila. I mean, I never expressly stated that, because I knew Daisy would give me a hard time that I was writing about Camila. So I said it was about being willing to give up something for someone else. Daisy had reminded me we had wanted to write something a bit harder and I had said we could do that later. Because I really liked this idea. I might have said, "This one has really been on my mind."

DAISY: It was only about eleven in the morning but I was buzzed already. Billy was playing a song on the keyboard and I sat next to him. He was showing me the notes, I was playing a few with him. We were trying to figure out the right key. The few lines Billy had written already...I remember them exactly. "Nothing I wouldn't do/to go back to the past and wait for you." He sang that, sitting right next to me.

BILLY: Daisy put her hand on mine, to stop me from playing. I looked at her and she said, "I like writing with you." And I said, "I like writing with you, too." And then I said something I shouldn't have said.

DAISY: He said, "I like a lot about you."

BILLY: Daisy smiled when I said it, she lit up. This wide smile and this girlish laugh and I could see her eyes started to water just the littlest bit. Or maybe I was imagining it.

DAISY: I like a lot about you. It's funny hearing him say that, especially since he had just tried to kiss Aracely not too long ago. He thinks just because he's in control he can take advantage of all the women in his band.

ARACELY: All I wanted to do was finish recording the album, but the only way I would do that is if Billy was no where near me.

BILLY: It was fucking bullshit, she didn't want me there to hear her play my own song. Fucking bitch.

✦

Before they knew it the album was done, ready for the world to hear it.

✦

BILLY: When we had the songs how we wanted them, Teddy and I gave a lot of thought to the song order. People like it when you make them sad, I think. But people hate it when you leave them sad. Great albums have to be roller coasters that end on top. You gotta leave people with a little bit of hope. So we thought for a real long time about the track list. We had to get that just right. We ordered it, thematically and instrumentally. You start big and bold, "Chasing the Night." Things start getting more intense with "This Could Get Ugly." Then "Impossible Woman" is wild and dark. It has a haunting quality to it. "Turn It Off" takes off running. It's an anthem. "Please" is desperate, there's urgency and begging. You turn to side B.
"Young Stars" is tortured but up-tempo, it's a little dangerous but you can dance to it. And then you go right into "Regret Me," which is hard and fast and raw. And then come down off it with "Rosemary," which gets a little sweeter.
You lead into "A Hope Like You." Slow, and tender and wistful and spartan. And then, you know, the sun comes up at the end. You leave on the high note. You go out with a bang. "Aurora." Sprawling and lush and percussive. The whole album...it's a great ride. Start to finish.

ARACELY: I won't lie, it was a good album. Especially the part when he stole my songs. I was just too tired to care.

EDDIE: I was worried for her, the whole Billy situation drained her. Both mentally and physically. She wouldn't leave her room, she'd just lay in her bed. It was so bad to the point she didn't even want Mara to see her. I was no father, but if my girl was going through something the least I could do was watch her daughter.

✦

The band had a break before the true releasing of the album. Karen and Graham were together, along with Warren and Marissa. Eddie tried his best to take care of Aracely and help her work through this. While Daisy was god knows where.

✦

KAREN: When we all met back up in January, Daisy wasn't anywhere to be found.

ARACELY: Everyone knew once the album dropped, and if it was good enough we'd be going on tour. I hated the thought of having to be on the road with Billy.

EDDIE: The album was a hit, which meant a world tour.

ROD: It all landed so perfectly. The band just couldn't see it. They couldn't see how great it was. We released "Turn It Off" as the first single. We booked the band on Midnight Special. We had them doing radio spots all over the country leading up to the album dropping. And then, the same week Aurora hits the shelves, so does the Rolling Stone cover.

NICK HARRIS (rock critic): This was an album people had been waiting for. They wanted to know what would happen when you put Billy Dunne and Daisy Jones together for an entire album. And then they drop Aurora.

✦

With "Turn It Off" summitting the charts and spending four weeks in the top spot, and Aurora selling over 200,000 units every week, Daisy Jones & The Six was the act to see the summer of '78. The Aurora Tour was selling out stadiums and booking holdover shows in major cities across the country.

✦

ROD: It was time to get the show on the road. I mean that literally.

ARACELY: I said bye to Marissa and Mara, since I'd be gone for a while. It always pained me to leave my girl, she was growing up so fast and I was missing it.

EDDIE: When we were saying goodbye to Mara, she said 'Bye Mommy and Daddy.' She referred to me as her dad. I never thought I'd have kids, and here I was being called daddy. I almost cried if we are being honest.

WARREN: I gave Marissa a ring that day, as a token of my love to her. I'm telling y'all that lady had a way to my heart. Her love mix with all the drugs I was on was a different type of high.

✦

Tour started and it was insane. People were buying the album, the songs were becoming popular. Everyone was listening to it.

✦

WARREN: Night after night, it was packed shows, with a screaming crowd. With people singing along to every word. And then it always ended with Billy going back to his hotel room and the rest of us staying out partying. Until finally the band had a break in between.

GRAHAM: We all went home for Christmas and New Year's.

BILLY: I was so happy to go home to my girls.

ARACELY: When we all went back home, I realized that I didn't want to go back. I wouldn't go back. Being on tour wasn't the lifestyle I wanted anymore.

EDDIE: It sucked, knowing she wasn't gonna come back with me after break. I knew she couldn't handle it anymore, too many bad memories were flooding her brain.

ARACELY: I think the hardest part was going to have to actually tell Billy. I knew he would flip, so I waited before telling him.