Chapter 10: Song Writing and a Groupie

Shiloh sat with Dave on the patio at the Circle. She’d quickly adopted the monokini ‘uniform’ that most of the women in the Circle used almost daily. The two were going over songs for a concert in Columbus.

Dave ruminated, “I feel really remiss that I still don’t play a musical instrument and I don’t have any of my own songs to sing – ones that I wrote.”

Shiloh sat back and thrust her breasts in his direction, “Well, you’re doing something about learning the guitar and piano, along with music theory. If you watch some of the country singers on YouTube, you’ll see that many do little with the instrument other than to strum a few chords during a song or two. I’ve often wondered whether they could play. In a few more months, you’d be able to at least do that – fake it ‘til you make it.

“As for having your own songs, you could fix that really easily. Just write some poetry, and then add a melody to it. You can already use the keyboard enough to be able to do that with one finger. You don’t need to worry about all the chording and supporting musical stuff. Robby Nixx could help you with that.”

Dave held her hand, “How’d you get to be so smart?”

“I fell in love with you ... and before you get all worried, I know I can’t be possessive, have exclusive rights, hold any ideas about marriage, and so on. I’m a good little Circle pledge. I’m diversifying my sexual interests in men and women here, and I’ve broadened my repertoire of sexual tricks to tease and titillate my bed partners. I am the consummate slut. Lastly, as you well know by now, I’ve loosened up about the group sex here on the patio or at our after-concert parties.”

Dave thought for a bit, “You know I’m going to leave to continue my trip of the lower forty-eight states on June first. I’m just setting expectations.”

“I know, and I’m glad. I wish I were going with you, but I’ll help keep the home fires burning along with about a hundred-and-fifty other women here. Kyle said he’d be sending me to meet you for some of your concerts. I hope we’ll be able to connect then.”

Dave kissed her hand, “Want to go connect right now in my bedroom?”

“Hell yes. Let’s go.” Her naturally happy demeanor blossomed into a huge smile reflecting her joy.

Later, Dave sat with Shiloh again on the patio. She was reading and doing messages on her phone. Dave had a pad of paper, and was rapidly making notes. He noted some of the major themes of much of country music: booze, the South, patriotism, sex – sometimes in hidden meanings, reflections about the past, redneck or blue collar life style and toys (trucks, horses, etc.), relationship struggles, and country boy humble roots.

Dave started to jot a few other notes about some of the Circle values that he thought he’d love to extoll in song or poem: compersion, open sexuality, service, kindness to each other, strength in the collective, individual independence, exhibitionism, fluid relationships, tolerance, not being possessive or hiding one’s feelings, and openness to new friends. His list kept growing.

With the two lists in hand he thought about some of the dramas that various Circle members had gone through: Joan’s abusive husband, Emily’s loss of Derek to an aneurysm, Roy’s heart attack, his initial angst as Alice went to make love with another man, fitting Pam into the family as a second wife, dealing with parents that didn’t accept the Circle lifestyle, the porn films that most of the women had done, the uncertain paternity of some children, falling in love with his brother’s wife, the attempted kidnappings and abductions, Alice announcing her intention and Julie’s to wed Owen, Ken’s plane ripping apart in mid-air, the many instances of incest in the Circle and his extended family, all the working relationships that also had a sexual component, having a movie star wife, and many more. His list was long.

He picked one that sounded ripe for an emotional country song – falling in love with his brother’s wife. He toyed with that possibly as a theme and even went and talked to Shelby when he saw her half-naked across the patio. Their short talk ended up in her master bedroom as they made love. Yes, this was definitely a song-worthy topic.

Dave wrote several short paragraphs of one-line sentences, each one a miniature story around the theme: how did it start, did it progress, major event, any discovery or revelations, who else was involved, and how it ended – if it did. He tried coming at it from Aaron’s point of view, too; and, of course, Shelby’s.

Pretty soon, the song My Brother’s Wife started to take shape. Almost without thinking he could envision a tune going along with the words. He kind of hummed it out, and here and there changed a word or two. When he had the rudiments, he went to his keyboard set up and tried to pick out the notes to his tune. Where he knew a little of what he was doing, he’d play a harmonizing chord.

He had a choice of endings, and opted for the more salacious.

We can both love her if she’ll have us

My brother said to me.

She kissed the two of us and led us back inside,

Soon, she proved she loved us

And would be our beautiful bride.

I love my brother’s wife,

It cannot be denied.

We can no longer hide.

We live in peaceful harmony

At each other’s side.

Dave went into the studio and made a tape of the melody as best he could play it on his keyboard. He then overlaid a guitar track onto that with some simple chords and strumming, and finally he added his singing. The whole song, which told a story, lasted just over four minutes.

He ripped a disc with the completed music file and walked over to Ashley’s home. She had been lying down resting when he went in. He told her why he was there and soon had the disc on her living room stereo. The song played out as she listened attentively.

“I LOVE IT,” she announced. “You sure captured the essence of your relationship with Shelby, didn’t you? Plus, you got a few points in there for how we think in the Circle. You need to play it for Kyle and Marina.”

After visiting and taking a peek at the baby he and Ashley had just birthed, he waved at Kendall and the nanny Celeste, then walked back to the core patio. He composed an email to Kyle and Marina, and sent them the song.

A half-hour later, he got a call from Kyle. “Hey, I like that song. Did you do that all on your own?”

“Yes. I want some songs to sing that are uniquely mine. If that’s not close to par, tell me. Please don’t humor me. I still have some ideas for other songs. I’ll keep pushing along in any case.”

Kyle said, “Let’s try that at your next concerts. I like it. I’ll see what Marina thinks. Keep writing, I think you have a talent for telling a story with a song. Maybe that’s your niche.”

Dave found Shiloh studying two new songs, and had her listen to the song. She also liked it. When he played it for Aaron and Shelby, his brother and sister-in-law, they were impressed and encouraged him to pursue the song with a public audience.

Lastly, he sent a copy to Robby Nixx, and asked whether there was enough there for him to work up a background rendition the band could play. He had a quick reply, “Don’t worry, we’ll be ready for you.”

Not resting on his laurels, Dave sat back down with all his song-writing notes, and played around with another song.

The sounds of thunderous applause rang out as Dave, Shiloh, a woman from the audience he’d picked named Nancy, the band, the back-up singers all took their final bows after their encore. They were in Columbus, Ohio, at the Nationwide Center – a twenty-thousand seat arena, that had a sell-out crowd that night.

As they filed backstage and the band members started to fold up their instruments and electronics, Dave said to Nancy, “You’re welcome to join us for our after party. It can get a little racy, but it can be fun if you’ve never been to one.”

Nancy gave off the same vibes that Shiloh had when he first met her by picking her out of an audience in Oklahoma City. She wasn’t entirely naïve, but she lacked some relevant experience. Shiloh winked at Dave and took Nancy under her wing.

As it turned out, Nancy had a sidekick with her named Dee. As the two of them showed up backstage, Dave made a suggestion to Shiloh, and she followed through, checking on how recent the two had had clean STD tests.

Dee looked disappointed as Dave glanced at her. She talked to her friend, thanked Shiloh for something, and then went over to Dave. She said, “I understand about the sex test. I haven’t had one for months, so I’m going to disappear. Could I at least take a selfie with you?”

Dave relented and the two posed for a couple of photos. Shiloh and Nancy even helped posing the couple, and then Dee disappeared. The other two stood with him.

Dave said to Nancy, “Your friend is gutsy. We’re doing a concert in Louisville on May fifteenth. I’ll send you both tickets for the VIP section, BUT you’d better show up with tests as fresh as daisies. You were all right according to Shiloh. Are you going to stay?”

Nancy smiled, “I hoped to stay. I hoped to make love with you, too.”

Dave chuckled and winked at Shiloh, “Well, if Shiloh says you can be with me, then that’s what’ll happen. She might like to be with you first. She’s not a big-name star yet, so you should take this opportunity. She will be before the end of the year.”

Nancy’s jaw was hanging open. The idea of hetero sex didn’t bother her at all. Apparently, having sex with another girl wasn’t exactly on her menu. She thought about it for a minute, and then just said, “Okay. That might be fun, too.”

A couple of guys in the band also picked up four other girls that qualified. With the contingent of women in the band, as singers, and visiting, the ratio of men to women was pretty balanced. Dave was pleased to hear the band guys also checking credentials and assuring their ‘dates’ that they had fresh paper.