Back Chat

one.

John considered killing Brian for a moment. It would only take a moment. John could take him out the back door into the alley and hit him in the head with his precious Red Special until he stops moving. His face would be so messed up that no one can recognize him. Then John would dump the body into one of the nearby trash cans, sell the guitar to a passerby and pray he never gets caught. He could do it, but he won't

As much as John hates Brian right now, he has to admit that the band still needs him. He brings something to the band that John, Freddie and Roger don't, but that doesn't change the fact that Brian is acting like a five year old who wasn't allowed to eat candy when he wanted to. 

The recording session of "Back Chat" had gone fine up until the moment when Brian brought back the subject of him having a guitar solo on this track. The band had discussed it a few days ago and decided that as this was John's song and that he would be completely in charge of the track. They would do whatever he wanted. But, of course, Brian, being who he is, decided to ignore that and argue so he would get his way. 

John doesn't want a guitar solo on this track. It doesn't need one. John should know what his own song needs as he was the one who wrote it. He was the one who thought of the melody and the structure of the song. Not Brian. If he is so desperate for a song with a guitar solo, he should write one.

Besides, hasn't Brian realized that the song is about him? John wrote "Back Chat" about him. So, obviously the last person whose opinion John is going to take about this song is Brian. But he can't stop him from trying. 

John had been blocked out Brian's ranting for a while. If he kept ignoring him, maybe he would stop and shut up for once. Roger, however kept glancing at John from his chair for some reason. He looked confused. Maybe he was expecting John to fight back, instead of staying silent. 

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, what I'm trying to get you to understand is that we need to put at least some rock elements into this song," He lowered his hand and continued to speak in a softer tone, as if that would somehow alter the mood to a slightly better one. "Last time I checked, we were a rock band".

"Last time I checked, we decided that there would be no guitar solo," John shot back, before turning his attention from the guitarist to the  lead singer. "Freddie, can you back me up on this? Brian's acting like a fucking toddler." Freddie shook his head to say that he would not take part in this decision making process.

Brian clenched his fists. He wasn't going to stop any time soon. "I know that that's what we decided. I'm just saying that I think you're forgetting what kind of a band we are." He took a few steps forward, so he was standing right in front of John. "We're not a disco band. We never were." John turned his head so he was facing Roger instead of Brian, who kept talking. "A guitar solo would remind the fans, OUR fans that we haven't abandoned them".

"Who says we have?" John crossed his arms, still keeping eye contact with Roger, hoping he would catch the hint to help him out. 

Thankfully, Roger did exactly what John hoped and joined in the conversation. "John's right," He said and took a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his coat. "I'm not that keen about this either, but at least it's something different. We'll regret not trying new thing once were old, you know," Roger waved the cigarettes at Freddie, who nodded and took a cigarette out of the pack. 

"You're missing the point," Brian huffed. "I'm not afraid of doing something different".

"Clearly you are," John replied, turning his attention back to the guitarist.

Brian closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath before he spoke again. "I am not. I know what we fucking decided yesterday and I'm saying that I still don't agree with it. I get that you want to explore new things and add some funk influences or whatever to your songs and that's fine. But you can't forget that this isn't just your band. It's also mine, Roger's and Freddie's."

John tightened his jaw. "No shit. We decided, as a group that you weren't getting that fucking solo. So stop trying. It's never going to happen".

"Too late," Brian muttered.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I already put it in," Brian explained and John was reconsidering his previous thought about murdering him. They were in Munich. Maybe murder was less illegal here. "The last time we were here. Mack and I recorder a great guitar solo and put it in after you all had left. We can listen to it now if you want".

Roger stood up from his chair, appearing to be as angry as John was. "Are you fucking kidding me? You already fucking put it in? Then what was all this arguing for?"

Brian shrugged. "To avoid a bigger argument once you hear the finished track and realize that I had gone behind your back to do this?"

Of course, he would do something like this. John knew he would eventually go behind his back and do what he wanted. Brian has done stuff like this before with previous albums. He can't just accept that sometimes he has to let things go.  If there ever was a perfect time to punch him in the face, this was it. However, John opted for a different approach to the situation.

"I'm done," He raised his hands in defeat and began to walk towards the door. John wasn't going to stay in the same room as Brian ever again. 

"Done with what?" Brian asked, sounding genuinely worried possibly for the first time in his entire life. 

"This fucking band!" John slammed the door behind him, leaving the rest of the band to wonder whether they had just lost their bass player for good.