Part 45 (1/2)

their first demo six years before. It had been a little rough, a little

raw, and exactly the right sound for its time. He had already managed

two other groups to solid record contracts, but Devastation had been his

chance'for glory.

He had needed them. They had vieeded him. He'd gone on the road with

them, sat in dives, hustled record producers, called in all of his

markers. It had paid off far beyond his initial expectations. But his

expectations were flexible. He wanted more for them. He wanted more

for himself.

The band, individually and as a group, was beginning to worry him. They

wandered off on their own too much these days, Johnno with his frequent

trips to New York, Stevie spending weeks at a time G.o.d

knew where. P.M. was always within arm's reach, but he was taken up in

an affair with some ambitious starlet. Pete no longer believed it was a

fling. There was Brian, of course, spouting antiwar politics at the

drop of a hat.

They were a band, dammit, a rock and roll band, and what they did

separately affected what they did as a group. What they did as a group

affected their sales. Already they were backing off planning a tour

after the new alb.u.m was released.

He wasn't going to see them cracked down the middle as the Beatles had

been.

After a deep breath, he settled back to think about them, as they had

been, and as they were.

It pleased him to see Johnno's collection of cars. The Bentley, the

Rolls, the Ferrari. There was one thing about Johnno, Pete thought with