Can We Work it Out?

Chapter 9

A/N: Hello! Oh yeah, this is another endless author's note. I know it is annoying but I just like to feel in touch with you, I'm sorry. This chapter has taken me so long to write and I don't really feel happy with it but I couldn't keep you waiting for so long. One thing I'd like to make very clear is: I'm not using accurate tours and albums dates and all the characters (except the Queen boys) are all fictional. That's it. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll try my best to keep on updating regularly.

18th October 1977 (Saturday)

Brian's P.O.V

We're on air in five minutes. I'm checking my looks on the mirror, trying to find and correct any flaws. This damn interview is live broadcast all over the country, after all. I must look at least decent.

"Mr. May, shall we go? Two minutes left! It would be good if you went to the set and made yourself comfortable now." A redheaded girl from the crew comes in my direction. "Do you need anything else before the interview?"

"Oh, no! I don't think I need anything else, thank you though." I lower my head – The carpeted floor of my dressing room has just become so interesting. It's weird, but I tend to look aimlessly to the floor, the walls or even the ceiling whenever I'm nervous, worried or simply bored. Right now, I'm seriously worried. This interview can save Queen's reputation or kill it definitely. "I should be going to the recording set, right?" I look up back to her, trying to come back to reality.

"Definitely! One minute left!" She bursts, staring in shock at her wrist clock. The girl walks rapidly through the corridors, taking me with her and ushering me inside the recording set. I look around to find that my bandmates have already made themselves comfortable on a four-seat couch. There is a vacant spot between John and Freddie. I make my way to the couch and sit down between them. The man who is supposed to interview us is sitting on a chair next to the couch, so we can look at him while he speaks. The whole set is a home-like place. There are framed pictures of moments of the program hanging on the walls and curtains in the windows; a fireplace next to our seats keeps the place warm and a snack tray was set over the coffee table placed in front of us – all the sort of things that make you feel at home. For unknown reasons, it only makes me feel more anxious. I can feel my heartbeat growing faster. We're on air in a matter of seconds now.

"Hello, Britain! I'm Jared Cameron and this is our morning talk and interview! And today I'm here with none other than Queen!" The interviewer cheers to the camera. "Yes! I'm here with the four members: Freddie Mercury, the lead singer, and Brian May, the guitar man." He says, motioning to us. "Roger Taylor and John Deacon, on the drums and bass, respectively." We all look to the camera, trying our best to smile. "Good morning, guys! How does it feel to be here again?" The man asks enthusiastically.

"Oh, it feels great, darling!" Freddie answers with the same enthusiasm in his voice. "It means people still care about us enough to watch half an hour of idle talking!" He bursts and everybody laughs.

"But, now, seriously. It's good to be back here." John says in a low voice, as usual, trying to resume the conversation from where it was at before Freddie's fifteen minutes of fame. We all nod in affirmation.

"Ok... Now, let's start it off with some questions..." The interviewer fumbles with some question cards. "Your 6th studio album named "News Of The World" is just being finished. It will be released very soon, right?"

"Yes, probably this month." Roger confirms.

"I'd like to know.... In fact, the fans would like to know, whether they should expect something innovating or an album following the style of your previous works." We've been under a lot of pressure to surrender to this dominating Punk movement. Our band simply doesn't fit it, but we've written a few songs in response. It's obvious we would be asked about it today.

"Oh, Brian is better than any one of us with lectures about music style." Freddie avoids the question, passing the baton to me. Oh, shit! I throw a death glare at the singer but he ignores me successfully.

"Hmm... I can say that the new album has some Punk influences, but it keeps our traditional way of making music so we'll have sweet ballads as well as punk and hard rock songs. "News Of The World" is actually a mix of all our latest experiences and influences, it holds a lot of meaning to each one of us. We really hope the public will enjoy it."

"That sounds good. If the new album maintains the quality pattern of yours... It will be another success!"

"So we hope, mate." Freddie says, in a sarcastic tone. The way he takes his cigarette from his lips while he speaks only makes him seem more naughty and confident.

We talk randomly about the next tour, the fans, how it is to work on the new stuff and many other things.

"Well, we're having a quick break now, but stay tuned. I'll be back with more Queen in a few minutes." The cameraman relaxes his muscles, giving us a thumbs up. That means we can talk or whatever would have been inappropriate while on air.

"Hey, are you alright?" John whispers to me, he seems concerned about something.

"Yes, I'm alright." I whisper back to him. "Why do you ask?" It must be too obvious I'm freaking out, I'm afraid.

"You're completely pale." The bassist answers. "C'mon, have a drink or something."

"Can I ask you a question?" He nods a yes. "Why are we whispering?" He giggles, trying to cover his mouth with his hands.

"I don't know." He keeps whispering and I laugh with him. The cameraman gives us another thumbs up. Fine, we're back. I take John's advice and I grab a beer can from the coffee table. It is morning, too early to drink, but who cares? I gulp down as much beer as I can. It'll help me with the next round.

"We're back!" This interviewer has the most annoying voice ever. I would shut him up with my own hands if we weren't on a live broadcast program. But on second thought, violent actions didn't fit me very well. "Okay, boys. As we've planned, I have one more question."

"Yes..." We all say in unison.

"It is a personal question so... Feel free to refuse answering it..." He frowns and stirs on his seat. "I'd like Brian or Roger to answer this one... A week ago there was a huge scandal involving the both of you. There were pictures and stuff, and the press has been speculating that you two keep an affair. Is that right?" Oh, holy shit! I knew he was going to ask that. What on earth, should I say in response? I'm hyperventilating, my hands are sweating and I'm going out of my mind but suddenly Roger speaks, breaking the silence.

"When you're famous, people will try everything and anything to put you down. It's something very Hollywood-like. The press must think "Oh, yes. Everybody has a secret." and they make a hell out of your life only to figure out what that "secret" would be." He pauses to take a sip of his water. "Brian and I are friends since college and real friends do things like going out and touching every once in a while, you know. You must have seen the pictures. I just think that this whole thing is ridiculous."

"So, you're saying you aren't together?"

"No, we are definitely not together. Not as a couple." To say we aren't a couple broke my heart. Then, I realized something new. Something Roger has been talking about all this time and I just couldn't understand.

"Well, thank you for being here today. And we'll leave you with these amazing guys doing what they do best. Till the next time! See ya soon!

We get up and we go grab our instruments. Rog's drum kit has been set previously. We perform "Tie Your Mother Down" until the chorus, when the cameraman gave us the final thumbs up.

Thank God it ended. I had so much to say to my love.