Conversations With Rock Stars

Hey baby, I want to say somethin' to ya', listen

February - March 1975

I left Mac's room and made my way up to the 14th floor where Rod was staying. Upon exiting the elevator I found myself in the hotel room, only it was set up in the hallway. Rod looked up from reading a magazine. "Bevie, care to join me darling?" He asked. I just blinked. "Come settle in next to me and sweetheart, really, close your mouth. It's very unbecoming." I pushed my jaw closed with a click and "settled in" beside him on the couch where he was sitting, with elegantly crossed legs. He flicked the magazine, cleared his throat, and went back to reading.

•••

I could hear humming coming from the bathroom and an amused smile spread across my face, accompanied by a small chuckle. The door was thrown open and a wave of steamy heat wafted out. Rod appeared, wearing a towel tied around his hips, holding his toothbrush like a microphone, and singing

"Something deep down in my soul said, 'Cry, boy'
When I saw you and him out walkin'."

I got up and walked over to take a snapshot of this moment. He looked back in the mirror, with a judgmental face, almost asking, 'Is this really what it's come to?'

•••

"This is truly the height of fashion," Woody announced, pulling on his jacket. "Bevie, what do you think?" He asked, sitting down on the bed and pulling a shoe on.

"You truly are the height of fashion," I agreed. "I think the crows especially admire your advocating for them by wearing certain family members on your shoulders," I quickly turned around to hide a grin.

"Oh! Now that was uncalled for!" Woody said, throwing the other shoe at me that hadn't made it on his foot yet.

I sat back down and sank into the chair with my notebook, pulling a leg up underneath me. Woody was talking on the phone, but I wasn't sure to who. The high pitched whir of the hairdryer came on from the bathroom.

"Yeah, I'll be there in April." I leaned over as far as I could to peer around the wall. Woody was facing the opposite wall, with eyebrows pulled together in thought. "That sounds great Mick," he said. Mick? Mick Jagger! Now it was my turn to pull my eyebrows together in thought. I had heard rumors of Woody possibly leaving the Faces to join his beloved Stones. It was also not top secret that he was joining them for their tour right after this Faces tour finished in the middle of March. The phone clicked on the receiver and I quickly pulled myself back into the chair. Woody appeared around the corner and I looked up from my "casual" writing. "I know that look. You were listening to my conversation," he said.

"Yes," I replied, not wanting to lie in the hopes of getting more information. "Do you want to share what you were talking about?" I asked.

"Only if you promise not to tell the guys AND, if you promise not to put it in that paper of yours yet," he said, wagging a finger. I promised and he continued, "I'm supposed to go to Munich in April for auditions. Bev, it's my destiny to play with the Stones!"

"But the Faces will break up," I said.

"I know. I love being in this band, but..." he paused. "But, I feel like there's more for me, you know?" I nodded.

•••

Rod held a bottle of champagne out to David Bowie. David Bowie, perpetually fidgety, seemed unsure how to respond to the party raging around him. He had changed his hair again (it was now orange) and he kept his sunglasses on for most of the night, preferring to hide behind the black lenses. The Tetsu was tuning up his bass, while Rod and Woody were goofing off with Gary Glitter. Someone handed me a glass of champagne, which I downed, while remaining in a corner of the dressing room, greatly preferring to observe rather than participate.