madnovel Chapter 22 Success is Imminent
Chapter 22 Success is Imminent
After the socializing concluded, Zik and Tino went to say goodbye to the VIP's booth at the King's Lounge, respectfully promising to perform there frequently in the future.
When dealing with gangsters, you have to follow the rules and give them face.
The Poly boss was quite satisfied and patted Zik's face affectionately: "Good, you did a great job. Keep up the good work and don't let me down."
When the group left the King's Lounge, they were accompanied by many music industry figures who hadn't had enough fun. They were somewhat reserved in the place and were very happy to move on to another venue.
The group drove to the West Village in Manhattan, where there was an underground club that Tino had already contacted.
Upon entering the club, Zeke immediately sensed a completely different atmosphere from the King's Lounge: the place was filled with people dressed in outlandish costumes and with exaggerated makeup, creating a lively and unrestrained atmosphere, even bordering on the crazy.
This is an underground gay club.
When the Sirens took the stage, they were greeted with a hero's welcome as soon as they started playing the melody of "YMCA".
The audience cheered and screamed wildly, some waving rainbow flags, others dancing to the song, even more enthusiastic than at the King's Lounge.
But without any bigwigs overseeing the event, the order became much more chaotic. Halfway through the performance, many people started rushing to the edge of the stage and touching the band members inappropriately, especially Anton and Jimmy, with ambiguous and unrestrained behavior. Both of them were straight men and felt extremely embarrassed.
Tino had to pay on the spot to hire a few people to maintain order around the stage in order to barely control the situation.
Seeing the lively and crazy scene before him, Zeke's mood improved.
He does not discriminate against homosexuals; in his view, everyone has the right to choose their own lifestyle.
Although these people wore strange clothes and behaved somewhat oddly, they all had sincere smiles on their faces, were warm and kind to others, and spoke very pleasantly.
Seeing this scene, he became even more certain that the band was truly going to succeed.
He didn't know how Tino and the Sirens' contract was signed. If it wasn't a contract with a giant like Warner, with the song's potential, getting a contract with an ordinary record company would probably be no problem.
After dealing with the enthusiastic crowd, Holly quickly brought two glasses of whiskey to Zeke for a drink.
"Come on, don't be shy, it's not easy to have a chance to relax."
"Drink less."
As Qi Ke watched her drink one glass after another without even needing any snacks, he couldn't help but secretly marvel at how fiercely foreign women drink.
He drank a few glasses with them, and the alcohol quickly took effect, making his head gradually feel dizzy.
Through his hazy vision, he heard Tino shouting into the phone: "Yes, a deluxe package, two. Deliver it to room 2108 of the Plaza Hotel... The girl should be lively and well-behaved... Hmm, tell him it's a gift from Tino, and he'll understand. Make sure he leaves New York tomorrow morning feeling as satisfied as he is financially."
Zik listened in a daze, cursing inwardly: Damn it, they even arranged this! Tino really goes to any lengths to promote a song.
He shook his head, the dizziness from the alcohol growing stronger, his vision blurring until he finally lost consciousness completely.
Tino's underhanded tactics had clearly worked. In just two days, Zik could feel the changes.
Several radio stations began playing the live recording of "YMCA," and sporadic media reports about the Sirens appeared, filled with praise for the song.
He couldn't help but think that perhaps the young lawyer Herbert was the one who didn't quite understand how the record industry really worked. In this circle, professionalism and rules alone were far from enough; Tino's approach was more likely to pave the way forward more quickly.
The radio DJs and media reporters that Tino spent a lot of time and money to cultivate were indeed having an effect.
For the next two days, the Sirens toured non-stop in discos, clubs and bars all over New York, performing one show after another, constantly building their fame and reputation.
More and more audience members followed them from the audience. From just a few people at the beginning, the venue was eventually packed. The cheers at each performance were more enthusiastic than the last. The melody of the song gradually spread throughout New York's nightlife scene.
According to Tino, when an unsigned band has hit songs, record labels will scramble to sign them at lightning speed.
That's absolutely true. In the past two days, Tino has already made contact with several record companies that are optimistic about Siren and YMCA, repeatedly negotiating cooperation terms and striving for the best possible treatment for the band.
Everyone knew in their hearts that they were just one step away from success.
The morning of November 12.
Zeke pulled out a relatively decent set of clothes, a dark shirt and a pair of dress pants. After washing up, he sat at the dining table at home, where a copy of the documents Herbert had sent earlier was on the table. He repeatedly checked the details.
Today he has to go to court and the bank with Rossi and Tino.
We need to attend court hearings for the brokerage contract and open a bank trust account; this matter absolutely cannot be delayed any longer.
Tomorrow is Sunday, and the day after tomorrow is New Year's Day, January 1, 1978. Banks and courts will be closed for two consecutive days.
If the contract dragged on until 1978, his agency contract with Tino would automatically extend to 1981, meaning he would have to pay an extra year's high agent's commission. He was also planning to reduce Tino's 12% commission even further during the next renewal, so naturally he didn't want to spend that extra money for nothing.
Such formal occasions involving law and finance naturally require lawyers.
Although Herbert's hourly rate was so high that it made Zeke wince, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and contact him, agreeing to meet at the courthouse today. After all, the time spent on the road was also considered part of the lawyer's fees, and meeting directly at the courthouse would save him some money.
A series of urgent honking came from outside the door. Zeke walked to the window, lifted the curtain and glanced out. Tino had arrived. Colin was driving that familiar car, parked in the driveway in front of his house, and Tino was waving at him.
Zeke picked up the documents on the table, greeted old Rossi, and the two hurriedly went out and got into Colin's car.
The car sped along, heading straight for the New York State Supreme Court.
Tino was clearly getting a little carried away, constantly reminding everyone to hurry: "Let's get this done today. After the hearing, I still need to meet with Warner executives to discuss the Sirens' contract. Let's not let this interfere with important business."
When they arrived at the courthouse, Herbert was already waiting at the door, dressed in a sharp suit and carrying a thick file bag. He looked even more serious than when they last met.
In the past few days, he had prepared all the necessary documents in advance: the signed brokerage contract, the trust establishment application, Zik's identity certificate, and the relevant legal opinions. Everything was arranged in an orderly manner.