My interview at Polydor was basically a ‘you got the job because you’re the only one who applied’ kind of thing. Apparently no one else wanted a job that might not become permanent. They hired me that day and that gave me the courage to text Ryan.
I got the job! :) Chloe xx. A few minutes later he replied with;
Hey! Well done Babe xx. Babe? I’d met the guy once! Anyway, I wasn’t gonna complain.
Thanks, I find out tomorrow who I’ll be working with xx Hopefully it would be Lawson. Then I had an excuse to meet Ryan again.
I hope it’s us, that would be so cool! Xx He was such a schoolboy at heart!
Yeah, me too. Anyway, maybe seen you then xx
Ok, Bye Babe, talk later. Xx That went well.
The next day, I arrived at Polydor to find several bands waiting for me. I got introduced to loads of huge stars such as The Kaiser Chiefs, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Maroon 5, Eminem and the Scissor Sister.
‘There’s one band not here yet. You’ll meet them this afternoon. But for now I want you to take ten minutes with each band and come up with a new image for them.’ Said my boss Jenna. I didn’t see what was wrong with their old images but if it worked for her then it worked for me.
First up was The Kaiser Chiefs. I had their new album and knew what sort of music they were.
‘Okay, so...The future is medieval right?’ I say drawing an outline on the artists pad in front of me.
‘Yeah, you a fan?’ Said Ricky Wilson, Lead singer. I laugh.
‘Yeah a bit. So if we do you all dresses in black tie suits, with a backdrop of famous places?’ I draw hastily on my pad. ‘We could have Big Ben, Stonehenge, Leaning tower of pisa, you know all those famous places that you always wanted to go to but never did.’ I look up from my thinking out loud and see Ricky staring at me.
‘What?’ I ask, embarrassed.
‘Nothing, it’s just nice to work with someone who gets us for a change.’ I think about this for a while before getting back to work. He only changes a few minor details in my original sketch and then they all stand and thank me.
‘That’s ok, I’ll take your pictures and do the editing myself so that we get the right look. Take this to Jenna and just check with her but everything should be fine.’ I usher them out of my new office.
Next was Guns ‘n’ Roses. I had never heard much about their music before but knew enough. For them I designed a retro amplifier with several accessories such as chains to make it look them. I then add all of them coming out of the amplifier at an angle. I was pretty proud of it and so was Axl Rose who seemed to be taking most of the credit. I ripped the page out of my book and sent them on their way.
Before I could call the next band in Jenna rushed in, dragging along with her four men, one of which I recognized.
‘Ryan, Hey.’ I say smiling at him. Jenna frowns at me and I resume businesslike composure. This is all a show as it disappears as soon as she leaves me with any band.
‘Chloe, this is Ryan, Andy, Adam and Joel. Together they are Lawson. New Image, New pictures, the works. All today. I want a full colour feature on my desk at six. I’ll push back your other bands until tomorrow. Have fun guys.’ With those instructions she is out of the door in a whirl of raspberry scented perfume.
Ryan smiles at me and properly introduces me to his mates. Then we set to work on their image. I wanted to make them look indier, older and more experienced that One Direction and The Wanted. They had been through a lot together before they got signed and you could see it in the way they acted together. I flick through their portfolio of previous pictures and grimace as the totally wrong portrayal of them comes to mind.
‘Well we better get this sorted,’ I say under my breath. We all sit.
‘Do you have a logo?’ I ask. Andy passes me a piece of paper.
‘Goo, I like it. A heart monitor right? Something to do with an operation or a major illness. Probably the main man. Of course it could also indicate that the name of the band also is connected to the illness or operation’ I look into their surprised eyes.
‘You got all that from a logo?’ Joel asks.
‘Of course.’ I decide on Indie even though they were signed and soon I have whole sheets of designs. An album cover, an interview poster, their cover photo on facebook. It was all here. When we are done, I decide to take them to the studio. I dress them in what seems to suit them, not what is fashionable at the moment.
Before we begin, Ryan takes me to the side.
‘Ryan, I’m working and I know Jenna is watching me so maybe now is a bad time.’
Ryan ignores my protest and kisses me. Hard and intense. I loop my hands behind his hand and kiss him back.
