All The Young Punks Pt. 42

"What dumbass would hire a manager who does no work?"

Joe raised his hand. "I did it. I fucked up and I don't want our other bands to make that mistake. Your name will be on paper to hide the fact that Guerilla is managing the bands. Stan, Marty and I will handle the work."

Eddie slid the pint to Joe. "I'm listening."

"I will send our bands here and you can check them out. You already know Jada. If you want to actually manage any of these bands you can do that."

"I don't see myself as a band manager."

"Think of this as joining our Guerilla team. When Sheila's contract is up in seven months, Guerilla will officially be managing these bands. You can still be that guy if you wish. I just need your name for now."

Eddie Bags nodded, "Okay. I'll do that. You give me a free show and let's book these bands here. I need to see them."

Joe put his hand out. "Deal. I can give you two bands at a time, an opener and a headliner. I'll have Laura get on that."

Bags smirked, shaking his head as he took Joe's hand, "You are a fucking hustler, kid. I saw it the day I met you."

In addition to losing his beach season, Joe was also disappointed that his request to EIC to give them Larry for the next tour was not honored. He made a big stink about it, to no avail. Their third driver, Charles, was as bad as Dale on the personality scale with more rules than a high school principal. When Joe called him Chuck, and Charles corrected him, apparently offended, that name stuck. He was Chuck for the remainder of the trip.

When Joe returned from the final show in Austin, he learned that Ken booked a five-week summer tour. When he challenged him, Ken had an explanation.

"You have two weeks off. And, you're taking the first two weeks of August off, right?"

Joe nodded.

"If I put you out there for thirty days you'd be home by July 25th. I just added a few dates to fill that last five days. You ended up with sixteen days off after the thirty-five trip. It's the same ratio, more or less."

Joe didn't react. It was a reasonable excuse. At least he could tell Tina he had sixteen days off at the end of this run. "Okay, but don't be making these decisions without checking with the band first."

"You're playing around all five Great Lakes, four shows in Michigan, then Wisconsin and Minnesota."

The June-July tour included several cities from the forty-day tour but all the bars were now replaced by theaters. Joe's feeling that his band was abandoning their roots grew stronger. He felt sick about it. He also knew this was part of the business. Bands don't go backward.

--- DEEP THROAT ---

Joe picked up the phone in 3C expecting Tina on the other end. She and Jenna were supposed to meet him for dinner when they got off work. She promised to call before they left commandant Mag's 5th Avenue Stalag. Instead, there was another woman's voice.

"Hi, I'm trying to reach Joe Theroux."

"Speaking."

"Hi, Joe." She breathed audibly. "I'm not sure where to start, so I'll just come out and say it. You need to check the invoices your band is receiving from the Abrams Agency regarding tour bus rentals."

"I've seen every invoice."

"You should know that Sheila Abrams has a deal with EIC where they provide those buses at cost. She's adding a considerable fee in those invoices, as much as fifty percent."

Joe thought for a moment, maybe he didn't look so close at those invoices, and considered what this meant. He had questions. "I know she's getting buses through EIC, but why would they give her that sweet deal?"

"There's more than buses involved and I think..." she paused. Joe could hear her anxious breathing. "I know these people mean you harm."

"Harm?" Joe almost laughed, but his filter worked this one time. "What is David Benjamin gonna do, get me whacked?"

"No. Are you aware that your band manager left EIC fifteen years ago?"

If this wasn't a phone conversation, the mystery caller would have seen Joe's eyes bug out.

She continued. "Do you know that Sheila Abrams and David Benjamin had an intimate relationship years ago?"

Joe was behind a question. Luckily, one word answered both. "No."

"That's where this all started, years ago."

"When what started?" Joe was mildly confused. "When did Sheila work for EIC?"

"At the very beginning, and it was a very short time. She worked for David before he launched EIC. When he started the company she expected him to have her as a partner. When she learned that was not the case, she left. I suspect there were other reasons, more personal in nature."

"The intimate stuff?"

"They go way back to his Columbia years. Their relationship soured after he started this company."

"This company?" Joe said sharply. The caller's simple choice of the word 'this' was an instant clue Joe was keen enough to pick up on. "Are you at EIC?"

The caller went dead silent. There was no breathing. Maybe she cupped her hand over the phone realizing her error.

Joe exhaled. "Does Ken Harris have anything to do with this? I've been trying to figure out if there's a connection between him leaving EIC to join Sheila's company and Roger Goodman contacting me."

"There's absolutely a connection. First of all, Ken doesn't work for Sheila. He's still employed by EIC. He's on loan..."

"Whoa. Stop." Joe inhaled, held it, and exhaled big. The caller had to hear it. "Ken is paid by EIC to work at Abrams?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

The woman went quiet for a moment. "Joe, I'm a fan of your band and what you're doing at Guerilla Records. Yes, I work at EIC. There are several people in my department who are fans. I've been in meetings with Sheila, David, Ken, and Roger. I'm just a lowly girl taking notes and making sure the agenda is followed through. What I've heard disturbs me."

"What agenda? Would it be possible for us to meet?"

She went quiet again. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Job security?"

"Yes. This phone call could get me fired."

"What is it they're trying to do?"

"They're trying to capture your band and derail Guerilla Records."

"Why the hell would EIC care about us, we're nothing compared to them."

"They would like to keep it that way."

"David Benjamin is worried about Guerilla?"

"He buys out upstart competitors, Joe. He's done it three times. He'll do it again."

"And we're in his crosshairs?"

"Yes, you are. Look," she exhaled. "I can provide you with the invoices EIC sent to Abrams. You can compare them to what she's charging you. After that, you can decide what course of action you'll take."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I believe in what you're doing, the whole guerilla attitude of doing it yourself and sticking it to this fucked up system run by men in suits. It's worse than you think, Joe. Everyone is in David's pocket. You have no idea."

Joe stood in the kitchen, not sure what to say next. She did.

"I can send those invoices to your company if you'd like."

"Let me give you our address."

"I have it. You gave me your card a while back."

"We've met before?"

"Yes. I go to yout shows. Check your mail, Joe. Sheila is ripping you off."

"How would you know this?"

The caller hung up.

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