Zack &quot;The Hellmaster&quot;

Of course, neither Jay nor Dee knew what a 'Cuddle Boyfriend' was. An escort of some kind, perhaps? They'd heard of parkour, though, and that made Joe's stunt sound even more like a PR stunt. The Spider Fan was a professional that just happened to do some work on the side with Ziggy Stardust.

The connections kept overlapping.

And suddenly names like The Prophet and The Mystic seemed to fit right in.

"...Hell's Angels. It's a pleasure to meet the whole band." Dee reached out a hand to the group as he introduced himself and his partner. His grip was weak, and his hands were thin to the point of feeling fragile. But he certainly wasn't shy. "I'm Dee, the Prophet. And this is my fiance, Jay, also known as the Mystic."

"Pleased to meet you." Jay echoed. They'd obviously heard a lot about the band in the press, but they hadn't gotten a chance to see a Hell's Angels' show yet.

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helland_damnation

Joe screamed at the new people as per usual on greeting someone new, or just because he always screamed when he was excited, drunk and high, or all three. Viktor just shoved Joe out of the way slightly as he thrust a hand towards the guy called Dee the Prophet sat in the wheelchair then to Jay the Mystic.

"Don't worry about Joe here. The loud fucking banshee."

Viktor getting the bassist in a headlock, rubbing the top of his crazy hair while Billy laughed and shoved both the punk and Joe out of the way while meeting Dee and Jay.

"Sorry about these two drunken idiots. I'm Billy, nice to meet you. My tarty brother, Gilly is around somewhere, probably with Hunter, his fiance."

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They'd already run into people just as excitable. (And possibly also just as drunk or high.) Aarne had stopped them at the elevator, and was not stingy with the big hugs.

"I see what Jack meant by rowdy." Jay pulled the chair back just slightly, to avoid the punk pile.

"Gilly, as in the Spiders from Mars, Gilly?" Dee asked.

he was beginning to think he might be better off on his feet. Navigating around the common area was going to be rather difficult like this.

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"Yeah, we can rowdy at times, mate. Joe is drunk and high and Viktor is just a bull-headed punk, aren't you?"

Billy smacking Viktor on the back playfully as he still had Joe in a headlock. The two playfighting off to the side as poor Dee and Jay hadn't known what to expect of course. Billy wondered why Dee was in a wheelchair but he wouldn't ask since that would be rude.

"Gilly is Ziggy's drummer and my baby brother. He's engaged to Hunter Ivarsson, the lead singer for The Hammers. Rik is my boyfriend, who's lead guitarist for The Hammers too."

They were all connected in a way.

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The likes of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars really were at these apartments. This was the opportunity to end all opportunities. Dee couldn't hide his excitement. Nor could he really take it sitting down.

"It really is a pleasure... to meet everyone." he added, still very polite. He looked back at Jay. "Can you... find somewhere safe to put this? A corner or something, please?"

"You sure?"

Dee nodded. "There are enough seats around the room... I can manage without it for a while."

Jay held out a hand, and Dee carefully stood up. His legs shook a bit, weak muscles protesting, but he didn't fall. Once he was steady, Jay would find a spot out of the way to stow the chair.

"I've heard Rik is... quite the musical prodigy." Dee gave a compliment where it was due.

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Billy felt a little bad that poor Dee had to deal with all this rowdiness whilst in his wheelchair. It couldn't be easy trying to get around in the apartments when you had screaming, running around drunken rock stars.

"Sorry about my drunken band mates. Are you ok out of your chair? I mean---I wouldn't want to make things uncomfortable for you."

The Brit could see Jay was taking good care of his fiance, like any man in love should. Billy nodded at the words regarding Rik. Oh, he was.

"Rik can play so many instruments he's like a walking orchestra. I love him for who and what he is. Hunter is the one who introduced me to him back in a bar around a year and a half ago now. During the start of the New York leg of the Ziggy Stardust tour. If you want to meet Ziggy and the rest of the Spiders you can. They should be around here."

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Dee knew Jay would have a field day talking with Rik. With Jay's love of classical music and his time in the symphony, the two would be instant best friends. He spent an entire concert the other night talking Rekker's ear off about custom instruments.

"I'm fine." Dee insisted, though it's hard to tell if he's being fully honest about that. "I can stand and walk... for a little while. Not very long, but... it's getting a little bit longer. I think."

He'd only begun a new treatment regimen about six months earlier. It was working, so the doctors had said. He wasn't getting worse. But to what degree the deterioration could be reversed was still very much an unknown.

When Billy mentioned Ziggy and Dee's legs threatened to buckle, it wasn't due to weakness or fatigue. Just shock.

"Meet Ziggy Stardust? That... that would be quite the... wow..." his voice trailed off. He reached into a pouch on his costume's belt, pulling out a small recording ball in a cube-shaped case. The album artwork had photos of Dee and Jay in these same costumes. "Do you think he would accept a demo?"

He reached back in and pulled out another. He came prepared. "You can have one too if you want. We're still looking to fill out the band... but I'm trying to get the Prophet off the ground..."

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"You're a big Ziggy fan? I don't blame you since he's a popular person around here and the world doing tours. My baby brother has enjoyed the last three or so years touring around and playing as Spiders drummer. There's also Weird, their bassist, and Mick, their guitarist around here too. I'm sure you'll both meet them eventually."

Billy smiled and was pleased that Dee and Jay were into music. What was that ball though? It wasn't a tape, was it?

"What's the ball-shaped thing? A demo? How did you get it on there? I've only ever seen demos on tapes or record pressings."

These guys were something.

"If you're ever looking out for fresh talent we've got a few musicians who aren't currently in any bands. I know Rex, Weird's brother is a bassist and hasn't managed to find a band yet."

Zack was still there, now coming back with a soda in his right hand. He looked at the demo ball and wondered about it too.

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“Recording ball…” he pulled out a couple more, since Zack was now looking over at it with interest. “World Enterprises device-compatible.”

It was what all of the higher end labels were requiring now, and Dee was actively trying to get his foot in that door. A simple tape wasn’t going to cut it. And pressed vinyl wasn’t exactly as easy to mass produce. Maybe once they had a contract, but definitely not before. Definitely not for a demo.

“We are still looking for a bassist.” Dee replied, just as Jay walked back.

“And a second guitarist. Preferably lead.” He added.

Their music was good. Dee and Jay were both very skilled at their respective crafts and Dee was a graduate of CalArts’ music composition program. But getting into the industry and attracting other band members was hard for anyone. It was even harder when you spent a lot of time in a wheelchair. Not many people wanted to back a crippled singer. (Or a gay crippled singer, if it happened to come up.) Not that Dee had given up hope. As here he was, recording balls in hand, still trying to drum up interest in his project.

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bangingthe_hellouttayou

Zack leaned in closer to have a look at the device. It looked futuristic in a way and the young drummer was sure he'd never seen one before. Billy was equally interested in the strange ball-shaped device.

"A recording ball. Cool. I've never seen one of those before. Does it hold a lot of songs? A whole album?"

Zack now asking as Billy was thinking about a possible bassist and lead guitar for their band. Oh but----wasn't Fredrik's older brother a guitarist? A fucking good one too. The man with the tiger stripes.

"Rex is a decent bassist and his brother, Weird, plays for Ziggy's band. As for lead guitars---there are a few. One I know is Johan, Fredrik's older brother. He's a man who wears tiger stripes and has a load of custom made guitars. I've heard him play and he's really fucking good. Let me see if I can get some of his recordings."

Billy now pulling out his phone to see if he could show the boys some of Johan's stuff. Here are some of his recordings.

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“They’re quickly becoming industry standard out here. They can hold a whole album… but this demo only has three songs on it.” Dee was a little surprised that other professional musicians weren’t using them. But he did have to remind himself that most of these bands were from overseas. Even Ziggy Stardust was British. “Are recording balls… not as common where you’re from?”

At least when Billy pulled out his phone, Dee could reciprocate. But first, they sat down on a nearby couch to listen to some of Johan’s recordings. (This was probably going to take a while longer than Dee could stand for.)

“Oh, he can shred.” Jay commented almost immediately.

“Do you think he could compliment the double guitar parts I wrote?” Dee deferred to Jay when it came to the strings section of the band.

“I’d like to play alongside him and find out.” He nodded.

Dee pulled up a recordings as well. It wasn’t anywhere near the quality of a recording ball, but unless they had a player handy, it would have to do.

“…original mix”Dee offered, playing a little bit of each. “And orchestral mix.”

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"I've never seen one before so I guess not."

Billy shook his head then looked at Zack who was as clueless as the guitarist. Nope, recording balls weren't the norm for the Brits. Listening to Johan's guitar work, Billy loved how the man could shred and keep up with all the chords and notes. No wonder Fredrik kept saying about his brother and his collection of guitars.

"You should meet Johan. He's bound to be around here somewhere with his boyfriend, Ulfen. Or is that boyfriends? Torden too."

Zack giggled a little at Billy's words because it was well known that Johan was a bit of a whore and liked to sleep with more than one man at a time.

"You two play well. I like the sounds on those recordings and I bet Johan could compliment the double guitar parts well."

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It was so common a format now here, that Dee hadn't thought much of it.

"Thank you." Dee nodded graciously. He'd arranged the overall compositions himself, as well as provided vocals and piano. Jay recorded all of the stringed instruments. Though for obvious reasons would have a hard time doing that live. They'd gotten a few of Jay's friends to help with some of the other instruments, but none of them were interested in anything beyond the single studio session.

"Torden and Ulfen... I've met them..." Dee commented. "At a karaoke bar not too long ago."

"Hopefully, we'll run into them, then." Jay nodded as well. "I didn't bring a guitar to the party. But if they have a couple here, we could give it a trial run. As long as you brought your notebook."

Dee reached into his vest and pulled out a small journal. "I never leave home without one..."

It had so many notes (and literal musical notes) in it. Including some new compositions he was working on.

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"You've met a few already then? Nice one. Our tour is really big now there are so many talented people on it, some not even musicians but specialising in other things."

Billy knew of a few. Torden being a model then there was a new guy called Lex who worked on big rigs. Large trucks. Damien was the tour security then there was Gloria, who was the tour nurse. A big tour with a wide variety of talent.

"Let me go and drag him here. He's probably around somewhere if he isn't in bed with Ulfen and Torden."

Laughing, Billy nudged Zack and then went to mingle in the crowd hoping to bring back Johan. Maybe he'd grab a guitar too so they could actually play something together.

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Billy had listed off a number of bands and other people. Dee, for the moment, just listened to the ever-growing list. As he disappeared into the crowd, though, Dee turned to Zack.

He dared to speak boldly (even by his usual standards, to Jay's surprise) as he asked, "Do you think there's room on the tour for another act?"

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bangingthe_hellouttayou

"I don't see why not. I mean, we're getting new people coming through all the time so you could speak to Ziggy and Tom. They're the ones who are in charge of the tour."

Zack smiled and really hoped there was an opening for Dee and Jay to form a band here in LA. If Johan and Rex were to join then that would make an awesome band. Surely, their family and loved ones would agree. The shy drummer patted Dee on the shoulder softly and nodded.

"Your demo is awesome so I don't think you've got anything to worry about. Johan and Rex will be more than happy to jam with you guys."

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Jay wrapped his arms around Dee, hugging him from behind. (If it did double duty to hold him up after that bombshell of a suggestion spoken so damn casually, so be it.)

"It's everything you've been dreaming of since you came here, right?" Jay whispered softly. Dee nodded, a bit speechless. "See? It's all coming together."

Of course, nothing had actually happened yet. Dee would never let someone speak on behalf of another person. That was definitely Rex or Johan's decisions and no one else's. But they were closer than they'd been before. So much closer.

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Zack thought it was really sweet that the guys were finally getting their dream to come true together. Becoming a real band, forming a group of talented musicians to tour with the Ziggy Stardust crew.

"I'm happy for you two."

The drummer noticed a flash of tiger stripe as Johan was now moving past the party goers and towards Dee, Jay and Zack along with Billy who had gone to find the guitarist. Johan had literally taken his love of tiger stripe to the next level actually coming as a tiger. The Swede now beaming as he was slightly drunk from the booze he'd been having with Ulfen and some of the others.

"Hej, everyone. Oh, are you the two budding musicians Billy was telling me about?"

Johan now looking to the new boys.

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Well, it would be a little backwards to ask what the cat dragged in...

Jay made sure Dee was steady on his feet before releasing him out of the hug. But not before sneaking a kiss on Dee's shoulder. Their warpaint was pretty well set with powder, but no sense adding an accidental lip print to it.

"Yes. We are." Dee smiled. He handed Johan one of his recording balls, for what good it might do. The other two weren't familiar with the format. Still, it had their album art, which included the costumes they were now dressed in. "Billy played us some of your demo reel. Are you... looking for a band?"

"We're looking for a lead guitarist." Jay added, introducing himself. "I perform under the name, the Mystic."

"And I'm Dee. Also known as The Prophet."

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Johan looked down at the ball-shaped item the boys were offering him and smiled. Oh, what was this? A demo reel of sorts? Nice! The Swede glanced at Billy and noticed the Brit was nodding, wanting Johan to push his work forwards and actually show people what he could do.

"I am. I mean---I have been ever since I left Sweden and before that actually. My baby brother, Fredrik, found The Harlots with Sven leading the band. He was lucky they were looking for a bassist at the time. As for me, I've been playing at venues but haven't struck the big time yet."

The blond pushing some of his hair back.

"You are? Nice to meet you, Mystic and you too, Dee. Or shall I call you The Prophet? Are they your stage names?"

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The ball was indeed a demo. And the cube-shaped cover reflected the look of their stage personas well. It looked both post-apocalyptic and medieval at the same time, a sort of rock and roll fantasy world where magic and music could intertwine.

“They’re our stage names.” Dee confirmed. They were the only names they had on the demo. “You can call us by our real names, Dee and Jay, if you want to right now… but if we were at a show… I hope you would want to keep the audience fully immersed in the sound and vision we create… especially if you were to become a part of it.”

Dee had a vision for the band he was attempting to build.

“It sounds better on recording ball, but listen to this…” he played some of the same clips on his phone as he did before, but also a bit of the other one on the demo.

Some of their new work, they explained, was more guitar driven. And Dee had an entire notebook in him with lyrics, riffs and other in-progress compositions if Johan was interested. But the demo set up a good idea of how they combined rock with classical to create a unique sound that hadn’t been done before.

“…what do you think?”

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Johan flipped it around a few times in his palm and was interested to hear what it would sound like. How did you even play a demo ball anyway since it didn't slot in like a tape or lay flat on a record player like a vinyl recording.

"How do you play this? I'm not familiar with the technology."

It seemed Sweden hadn't taken up the recording ball technology either. Billy wished he knew but didn't have words for the Swede.

"Don't worry, guys. If you're performing in front of thousands I'll keep your stage names. The Prophet and The Mystic."

Johan nodded and beamed then listened as the boys played some of their recordings from their phone. It was good. The guitarist liked what he was hearing and could hear good composition.

"I think it's awesome. Yeah---you've really got something there, guys. So, you're looking for a lead guitar and a bass player?"

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Dee blinked, stunned. Surely someone here would have a player, right? The clips he had on his phone would be good enough for this, but they didn’t sound anywhere near as good as a recording ball. He could understand why the format caught on so quickly here.

“Lead guitar, bass and drummer.” Dee corrected. “…while Jay is quite talented on guitar, a lot of what I’m writing now… is better suited for two guitars, not just one.“

He never wanted to sell his partner short, but Jay didn’t mind. If they wanted to perform live, as Johan suggested in front of thousands, they needed more than one person on a stringed instrument.

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