Something's Afoot – Wayne 53

 

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[There's some back story here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and read more recent Wayne episodes maybe this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

“I don’t need this,” said Wayne when the video had ended. “I literally don’t need this.”

“It’s not too bad…” started Cath who had been watching simultaneously. “Got some interesting angles.”

“Too bad?” echoed Wayne. “It makes me look like a second rate pop star. It’s like a naff promo video. All stupid effects, glib quotes and the song choices are so damned predictable. The only interesting angle I saw was him sticking his camera up Phillis’ nose. Who is this idiot?”

“Michael MacCabe,” Cath reminded him. “And not an idiot. Quite well respected in his field.”

“Whatever field he’s in must look like a wasteland. Or full of muck.”

“I think he’s trying to do something different,” said Cath, carefully. “It’s a sort of different take on the life of being a grime star. So rather than telling your story from start to finish he’s… gone in a different direction.”

“A different direction?” said Wayne aghast, “There is no direction. It’s just a load of bits and pieces with a ton of effects plastered over them.”

“Well,” said Cath, “Phillis says some nice things.”

“Yes, and then she goes completely random and talks about dachshunds! I mean come on, what’s that about? Plus that story about the baseball game in the carpark? Not me, someone else. I can’t play baseball and don’t even know who she’s on about.”

Cath pulled out of the call fairly promptly, Wayne thought. And to be honest he couldn’t blame her. After everything they’d thrown at this project, all the ideas, set-ups, thoughts, tunes, lyrics he’d sent MacCabe’s way, this mish-mash was not his idea of a film. Or indeed anything come to that.

What it had done, however, was to galvanise Wayne on what he thought should be the next phase of his career. He didn’t want someone else to look at his past, he wanted to amaze everyone with the future. Having reinvented his look he’d decided to produce a concept album to go with it. So that was what he and Jezzy were now looking at.

He’d started pulling together ideas for an album back in October under the working title of Non-viable. But this, he felt, was now too autobiographical, too close to the bone and personal. If someone laughed at his film, if people didn’t buy the Valentine’s tune, if no one wanted him in their front-room then he’d need to produce something different that would appeal. The busking session had been an eye-opener, his need for a new image was also worth an explore, and the result was a concept: an album devoted to a new persona - a person created by others, a puppet designed to sing, dance and make money. 

“Way I see it is we can produce something that cashes in on the obsession with popular culture, that thirst for new and yet also the safeness of what’s offered,” he said to Jezzy.

“Yeah,” said Jezzy. “Cool.”

“And we take that and gradually crack the surface. But also the surface is being cracked from the inside, right? Like he’s trying to get out. He’s a sort of beautiful butterfly or something…”

“Cool,” said Jezzy.

“So we’re pretty dark for a lot of the album, then you get like flashes of light and everything. But finally even though he blazes and burns and is really really successful he goes back into the dark.”

“Right,” said Jezzy.

“Cos in the end that’s all he actually knows. All he’s capable of,” said Wayne.

“‘K…” said Jezzy.

“Are you actually listening to me?” demanded Wayne.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Jezzy. “Was just checking my bank account at the same time, though. Forgot my passcode for a sec’ but all good now.”

The exchange hadn’t filled Wayne with confidence for the new endeavour. He guessed that like everyone, Jezzy was now becoming distracted by the host of other things that were happening around them. Things were opening up, opportunities were widening and even the renewed pressure to out and hang out with your mates could seem tricky from time to time. It was all fun and going in there right direction, but it still felt like everything could be taken away pretty quickly at the drop of a cough. 

“We gotta concentrate on this one, man,” said Wayne. “It’s important. Not just for me but I think for all the fans and everyone who’s gonna listen to the music. This is the chance to say something about what’s happening - everywhere. To people, to the industry and to us, right?”

“Cool,” said Jezzy. “Am with you. By the way how much do you spend on a decent pair of trainers?”