Interview 1998
The summer of ninety-four was a big time for me…
A lot of things happened…
1994
William had been working with Angel and Red Edge for nearly a year now. Things were never truly going well. But, of course, that didn’t mean they couldn’t get worse. Which they did. Things within the band were getting increasingly tense. It felt like everyone couldn’t agree on everything. Practices were often getting cut short or cancelled all together because someone said something someone else didn’t like. Mostly, it had to do with music. Of course, didn’t it always?
William and Angel were still writing music together and still intending to leave the band. They had yet to inform the rest of the band. William was beginning to believe that the time was definitely closing in for them to officially call it quits with Red Edge. Things were not going to improve, despite everyone’s adamancy that it would.
Graduation had come and gone. William had found himself hired at a publishing house. And he hated every minute of it… What started out years ago as a dream now turned into a burden. A necessary evil to pay the bills.
Interview 2002
My parents - they wanted me to be a bloody lawyer. Then, of course, I went against that an’ majored in English Literature.
But they grew to tolerate that.
So…imagine their despair when I said, “Mum, Da’ - I’m going to be a rockstar.”
1994
William found in the short time he’d been with Red Edge, his dreams severely shifted. His dreams changed.
Hell, he’d changed.
William seemed to have blossomed in college and even more so with the band. He gained a confidence he never had before. His shyness was tempered.
His dream before - becoming a writer - now was music. Instead of novels and poetry, he spent his time writing lyrics.
He and Angel were becoming increasingly serious about their music. They believed they had a chance. A chance to actually become something.
Interview 2002
Da’ was like, ‘You’re gonna end up in the bloody gutter!’
1994
“Hey, Mum,” William said as she answered the phone.
“William? How have you been? How’s Buffy?” Anne asked.
“Good. She’s good. I just thought I’d call. See how things are with you and Da’. Let you two in on something big that’s been happenin’.”
“We’re good. Should-should I get your father on the other phone? Is the wedding still happening?”
“Yeah. That’s still on. No problems with that. You know that, Mum. You’ve been helpin’ us out. And, yeah, if Da’ wants to hear, he can.”
“Okay.” He heard her pull the phone from her face and yell. “Rupert! Your son’s on the phone. Wants to talk to both of us.” Some more noise. “He’s coming, dear.”
“Hey, son,” his father said as he picked up the other phone.
“Hey, Da’. I know I should probably tell you guys this in person, but -”
Anne interrupted, “Is Buffy pregnant?”
“No, Mum. Nothing like that. This doesn’t have anything to do with her. This is about me.”
“Well, what is it?” Giles asked.
“Mum, Da’, I’m gonna be a rockstar.”
There was a moment of silence on the line before his mother spoke, “William, are-are you saying…what are you saying?”
“You guys remember when I told you about this band I’ve been singin’ for?”
“Yeah. The Red something or other,” his father said.
“Yeah. Red Edge. Well, anyway, this guy in the band, Angel, and I have been working together, writing our own music. And we’re thinking - no, we’re going to take this to the professional level. We’re going to be rock stars.”
“Honey, we don’t want you to be disappointed. But don’t get your hopes -”
“Mum. It’s okay. It’s going to happen. I know it’s going to happen.”
Interview 1999
Angel and I came to a decision…
1994
It was two weeks before William was set to marry Buffy. And, tonight, he and Angel were going to finally do it.
Interview 1999
It was risk. A bloody huge one. But it was one we both were willing to take…
The time had long since come…
June 1994
He and Angel had called the other members of Red Edge to an impromptu meeting at Angel’s flat.
William wouldn’t say it aloud, but he was nervous about how the rest of the band would take the news. He envisioned badly.
“So, uh, why are we here?” Timothy asked once everyone was settled.
William glanced at Angel, before standing, his nerves causing him to pace the room. “Well,” he cleared his throat, “Angel and I…we’ve been thinking. For a while now. And we’ve reached a decision. Now, understand, we’ve put a lot of thought into this and -”
“We’re leaving the band,” Angel interrupted.
There was silence.
Then the explosion.
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
“What the fuck!”
“Shit!”
After that, it was indistinct as everyone yelled at everyone else. Blaming everyone else.
“Hey!” William yelled over the cacophony, getting everyone’s attention. “Look, mates, admit it, lately the band…well, let’s be honest, we suck. We’ve always sucked. And, all this arguin’ we’ve been doin’ is also showin’ itself on the bloody stage. We’re fallin’ apart. We’ve been getting less and less gigs. Not that we were getting a lot to begin with. No one wants to hire a band that bloody sucks. I don’t know…maybe we’ve just reached the end of this road.” He took a deep breath.
“William is also trying to say that we’ve been writing together. What we’ve got is really coming together.”
“It just doesn’t include us. Is that what you’re saying?” Sean asked.
“Uh,” Angel hesitated. He then nodded, “Yeah. It-it doesn’t.”
William entered the flat he shared with Buffy. He dropped his keys on the table next to the door, giving a big sigh.
“Didn’t go well, huh?” Buffy asked from her seat on the sofa.
His hand came up to rub the back of his neck as he made his way to her, “Well…it could have gone worse, I suppose.”
She looked at him as he plopped down beside her, “Well, you can’t blame them for being upset…and angry?”
He nodded, both in agreement and to answer her question, “I know, luv, but if Angel and I didn’t do this, we probably would have still ended up breaking up the band.”
Buffy nodded, considering this. “Yeah, you guys haven’t exactly been buddy-buddy lately. So, uh, what are you two going to do now?”
William shook his head, “I’m not sure. Guess that’s the next step we need to take… figure things out.”
Buffy smiled, “Probably be best. So, any ideas?”
“None.” He was silent for a moment before leaning his head back, eyes closed, and groaning, “I swear, this is bloody frustrating.”
His eyes snapped open when he felt Buffy straddle his lap, “Well…if you’d like, I could help you…relieve some of those…frustrations,” she said, looking at him from behind hooded eyes.
He grinned and reached for her lips, “Guess you could.”
END CHAPTER FOUR