Uproar

Chapter 16

Chester

My hands are clasped tightly together. In sweating as some very important looking people are walking into the room. Each one of them sit in a foldable metal chair as they file in. Three of them are men, two are women.

Jeff and Don are in the room too. Don (and Brad) said I needed to get rid of my red hair to look more professional. I obliged, but Mike ignored them, and unfortunately, was sitting next to me. He had his arms crossed and his face was set in one of just pure stress. I reach up to my head and tug at the beanie I was wearing.

I really don't get how I looked more professional like this. I was still wearing my spiked collars and chained necklaces along with a ton of bracelets on each wrist. My new buzz cut was hidden away anyways with the beanie.

Joe and Scott talked quietly as everyone seated themselves. Jeff made sure the whole band was here then asked the people in suits for their overall opinion on our sound.

The first guy to speak up was a round, plump guy with a balding head. He looked more like a beet in my opinion. "I don't like it. It needs something to it."

"Like what," Jeff asked him, taking his clipboard out and clicking his pen. 

"Well the rapping has to change. We need this to top the charts. We need this to sound more familiar. Like that Fred Durst guy!"

"So you want me to rap like him?" Mike asked, biting his nail. 

"Yes! People will love it!"

"We have half the album recorded and done. There's not much we can change," Don answered for Mike. I glanced at Mike, who had his head down. Another man spoke up, he looked much younger. He had soft features and his hair was a sandy colour.

"Well if the album is nearly done just keep it the way it is. I personally love the sound."

"Yeah, your front man is really talented. Just--his voice is so powerful and...unique," the third guy finally spoke up. He was also young and he had some Hispanic features. His skin was toned and he had curly, wispy hair. "I really like your voice," he said, pointing his pen towards me. I have him a weak smile and quickly looked back down. Mike was glaring again.

The meeting went on with what we could do to make us sound better. Then the stupid part came. One of the women stood up.

"We need to do something about your image. Make it interesting. Like we discussed earlier with Limp Bizkit. We can have one member dress up in exotic costumes or put make up on." She said everything too excitedly, like she thought we were going to agree.

"Uh, which member?" Scott asked as he bit his nail.

"Your disk jockey."

Joe froze and his eyes grew wide, "So you want me to go all Wes Borland now?"

"Not exactly," one of the women said as she pulled out a thick, blue folder from her abnormally large purse. "We can have you play more of a different role. Like 'The Doctor.'"

She slipped a paper out of the folder and showed it to the band. Every member was drawn in the paper, and something was different about everyone.

Mike had a red cap on backwards, similar to that of Fred Durst. Brad had thick black makeup on all over himself. Rob had a mask clown mask with a long nose and nails coming out from all sides of his head. Joe wore a white lab coat with goggles on, a clip board tucked under his arm. Scott had a kilt with dreads. I looked the same.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the paper, looking at Don and Jeff who just shrugged. 'I can't stop them', Jeff mouthed, looking pretty apologetic.

I scoffed, "So you just want is to copy all these other bands? You totally just lumped us up with a bunch of nu-metal bands!"