We Only Wanted To Be Loved

Meet The Press

I walked into our flat and saw the lounge light was on. As I approached the couch, a small puff of smoke floated into the air. John was laying on the couch, smoking. He had sprawled out a bunch of pieces of paper on the table in front of the sofa and on the floor.

"Hey." I said softly as I walked to sit by him.

"Hello love." He replied, taking another drag from his cigarette.

"Do you sleep at all anymore?" I stroked his hair as I spoke.

"Not much. I've got a lot on my mind ya know...it's hard to switch it off."

"Yeah I can understand that." I stood up and took one of the papers from his hands, looking at it briefly. "How about you give it a try." I said as I extended my hands.

John stood up and kissed me, "Ugh you reek like whiskey. Are you pissed?"

"...yeah and a little high, but this girl gave me really weak speed so I could fall asleep right now."

"Really Lori? I thought we weren't doing that anymore?"

"We?! You've still been doing it ya hypocrite! And I wasn't thinking, I don't even want to do it anymore." I whinged.

"You're right I'd be lying if I said I hadn't taken some form of that shit to keep going but it's not good for you."

"Okay darling...let's go to bed." I pulled John by the hand down the corridor. I didn't say anything about Paul. I wasn't sure what to say

A few days later I went down to the recording studio to wrangle the guys up for this interview. I could hear John's voice screaming over the music.

"This is religion!...A liar on the alter!...The sermon never falter!...This is religion!" His voice boomed into the mic.

My eyes widened at his lyrics as I entered the room. I feared the reaction to this but I knew that John had a vision, and everyone else's opinions really meant fuck all. I sat down at the back and waited for him to finish tracking vocals. He walked out of the recording booth, rubbing at his head and stirring up his newly bleached hair. But since it was so black before it went to that ginger shade that he had when we met.

"Hello wife." He grinned as he came closer to me.

"Hiya husband." I returned a smile. "So you know you all have that interview to do today? We have to go meet the journalist lady in an hour."

John saluted me like an army general, "Yes ma'am!"

"Lori are we all meant to contribute in this because...I can't be bothered." Keith chimed in.

"Well just nod and smile...or mope, either way." I said.

"Right. I can do that." Keith replied.

"Great so if you all can get wrangled together in like the next half hour that'd be fantastic."

The band worked on the track for a little bit longer and we made our way down to the Hundred club so they could be interviewed. It was surreal being in that place during the daytime. The club looked much dingier in the light, which is probably why it was so dark in there. It also seemed massive when it was empty. The journalist woman from NME was sat at a table with a man. They had some recording equipment with them. The lot of us approached them and they mumbled to each other.

"Record everything." I heard the woman say as we walked up.

"Hello member of the media." John snickered as he stepped past me, closer to the journalist.

"Yes hello John. Lovely to meet you." She extended her hand and John begrudgingly shook it.

"Oh yes quite lovely ain't it?" He snorted back at her.

She chuckled, "Right my name is Joanna. Keith, other John, nice to meet you as well....who's this little one stood behind you John?"

"Yeah that's Bobby, he's our drummer." John laughed.

"No no, the girl."

There had been few encounters for us together with a journalist or press person, but every time we did John was very protective of me. I rolled my eyes at her question of who I was.

I stuck my hand out from around John to shake hers, "I'm Lori, I work PR for Public Image Limited."

"Ah Lori...Lydon then eh?" She smirked.

"Right you're here to talk to us about music then, I reckon that you stay on topic." John threatened.

The guys sat around the table with Joanna. Before sitting, John pulled a chair further from the table for me to sit. He was trying to keep me from getting any dumb questions asked directly to me. I was fine staying out of it. She asked them a few questions about their new music but kept trying to redirect John into talking about the Pistols.

"Okay so John, if you despise Virgin so much, why make another record with them? And why let your wife work for them? I mean you've said before that they just tried to capitalize on the Pistols what makes you think that won't do that to Public Image Limited?" Joanna probed.

"Christ. First of all there's a little thing called a contract. I don't suppose I would have chosen to work with Virgin again if it wasn't for that stupid piece of paper." He started, lighting a cigarette. "And as I said before we came to talk about the music and our company...but to think I let that woman do anything, you're mistaken."

After speaking for a little while longer, I had seen that the time that was discussed for the interview was going beyond what was set up. I looked at the guys who were over the whole situation so I stood up and walked closer.

"Hey our time is up." I whispered to John.

"Alright then." Joanna stood up as the guys had started to creep away. "Lori, just quickly, I wanted to ask you something."

I rolled my eyes and approached her, "Yeah?"

"I was just wanted to ask if you wanted us to send you this before it goes to print?"

I was a bit thrown off being asked a serious question but it seemed like a good thing to do, knowing the shit this lot says. "Oh yeah I think that would be alright."

"Okay then. We will send it to the Virgin offices when it's done, if there's anything that needs to be cut just let me know."

I nodded and turned to walk out. I didn't really know what the actual fuck I was doing but I suppose I could fake it until I figured it out. That's what most people do when they get a job innit? I think this might be a good time to get wrapped up in something else and avoid all the people that are causing me grief. Well one person in particular. So that's what I decided, I'd ignore my problems and bullshit my way through this job thing.