Part 46 (1/2)

It had been fortunate that the business with Emma hadn't set them back.

Pete had worried about it, then had been delighted when the

whole affair had generated sympathy, and record sales. True, Pete still

had to cross swords with Jane Palmer from time to time, but the mess had

never put a dent in the group's popularity. Nor had Brian's marriage.

It had frustrated Pete that he hadn't been able to portray the group as

four young, single men. But Brian's family life had turned into a

bounty of press.

The pity was the peace rallies, the speeches. Brian's affection for the

Students for a Democratic Society, his outspoken support of American

draft dodgers. They'd nearly had the cover of 7-ime before Brian had

popped off with a few ill-chosen criticisms of the Chicago Seven trial.

Pete understood the power of the press, how one careless statement could

have the ma.s.ses, the record-buying ma.s.ses, turning against you. John

Lennon had opened his own can of worms a few years earlier with an

offhand, sarcastic comment about the Beaties being bigger than Jesus.

Brian had come close, too close, to making the same mistake.

He was ent.i.tled to his politics, of course, Pete thought as he sipped

his whisky. But there was a point where personal beliefs and public

success parted ways. Between Stevie's enchantment with drugs and

Brian's idealism, there was bound to be a disaster.

There were ways to avoid it, of course, and he had already begun to

consider a few. He needed the public to see Stevie not just as a

drugged-out rocker, but as an extraordinary musician. He needed them to

see Brian as not only a peacenik but a devoted father.

With the right balance of images, not only the youth would be buying