The Cruiser Chronicles - Episode III

[Awesome Stick Labor]

Episode III
“WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, PART I”

JACK GAITHER'S PERSONAL LOG – September 13th, 2015

I don't normally share my pain with those associated with my “night job,” but...I've had my share of issues with certain folks in recent days. So I figured...”what the fuck,” I'll get this off my chest and be done with it.

I've never trusted people who thought of themselves as “good-natured”...and I never will. I will never forgive them for what they did to my true love in life—my music career...

Yet as I approach the fourth week of our Northern Ireland stay, it seems to me like my mission parameters have changed somewhat. I'm no longer simply worried about whether Fiona is able to rediscover who she used to be; I've also had to deal with the fact that my friend Blade's been beggin' me about reformin' the Cruisers. He always tells me that it would be a great opportunity to “do things right” again, but how in the world can history get past people like me?

After all, the Cruisers ain't “whole” no more—and they will never be “whole” again.

All 'cuz certain “good-natured” folks misjudged the sound I was tryin' to push.

D.J. (voice): ...as many of you know, today marks the eight-year anniversary of the breakup of the Cruisers, one of the most talked-about rock bands of the 2000s that pioneered the world of “cowboy rock 'n' roll” with its distinctive sound and rich flavor. Their debut studio album, 2005's “A Season in Hell,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and several other major charts; at one point during their short reign, they sold more albums than established acts like Metallica and even Mariah Carey...

We find ourselves tucked away inside O'Riley's, a small "hidden gem" of an Irish pub located within a back alley near the Belfast business district, as Jack Gaither sits front and center at the bar, slowly sipping on a bottle of non-alcoholic beer.  The radio inside the centuries-old establishment is playing a disc jockey's recount of the anniversary of the breakup of Jack's rock band, the Cruisers--something that causes the ex-singer to slowly shake his head.

JACK GAITHER: Do ya believe this shit...?!

PUB OWNER: Laddie, I still listen t' ya ev'ry day. Ya were great.

Jack sighs to himself, nursing his drink as he continues to listen.

D.J. (voice): ...yet while the mysteries surrounding the breakup of this once-proud band remain unsolved, the Cruisers' music has gone through a resurgence in popularity throughout 2015, even beating out music giants like Taylor Swift in the sales department. Who were the Cruisers, and are there rumors of a potential reunion in the works? We'll have more—but first, here's the track that set the Cruisers apart from the rest of the music industry. From “A Season in Hell,” here's the #1-rated track of 2005--”Live Fast and Prosper.”

The Cruisers' former chart-topping single "Live Fast and Prosper" begins to play, much to Jack's discomfort.

PUB OWNER: Ya seem a wee bit uncomfy, man.  'Tis a song about livin' a hard life on the road.  Wha's wrong?

JACK: I ain't proud of this song--or how it was written.

PUB OWNER: 'Tis very honest though. Surely ya can 'preciate that?

Jack tries to force himself not to grin, but fails miserably.

JACK:Pfffft....I wrote it while fuckin' two broads...drunk as a skunk with a joint in one hand and a beer in the other...

PUB OWNER: Those must've been some great times for ya...

JACK: Bein' wit' the band was awesome enough, but...I ain't proud of nothin' else though.

Jack pulls out his iPhone to check his time as the song comes to an end; he checks for any texts or voicemails but finds none, so he places the gadget back into the right front pocket of his blue jeans.

D.J. (voice): That was “Live Fast and Prosper” from the Cruisers, a song that's been downloaded more times on iTunes and Amazon than other chart-toppers like “Royals.” So who were the Cruisers? Who were the men and women that steered the course and pushed a sound unlike any other? First there was Blade Daniels, the drummer—the open-minded of the bunch. Next there was Livia Machado—a native a Rio de Janiero and, perhaps, the most soft-spoken in the band. On bass, you had Terry McNamara, a.k.a. “Mack”--he was the oldest and most conservative member of the group, aged 40 when “A Season in Hell” made its debut in 2005. There was William Knorr, a.k.a. “Willy,” the youngest in the band—aged 20 when “Season” was released—but also the most tragic figure, dying a drug overdose four months prior to the Cruiser breakup of September 13, 2006.

We see a glimpse into the pained side of Jack--why he feels very discomforted over his old band's sudden rise in popularity throughout 2015.  Nine years ago, William Knorr--a fresh-faced high school graduate whom Jack had mentored into playing a killer lead guitar with the Cruisers--died of an apparent drug overdose, an event which contributed to the group's breakup.

D.J. (voice): And then, there was Jack Gaither—the enigmatic lead singer whose passion and love for music went unchallenged—but was offset by a violent temperament and a general mistrust for those who perceived him and his friends as frauds who only make soap operas instead of “real” music. Make no mistake about it...Jack has turned the passion he once had for his band into success in another profession, but that's neither here or there. Today, I have a guest in my studio who claims to be none other than “Mack” himself—Cruiser bassist Terry McNamara—who's got some news about some “mystery tapes,” is that right?

Jack perks his right brow up upon hearing the voice of his former bassist--yet he still shakes his head, unwilling to believe what he's listening to.

“TERRY 'MACK' MCNAMARA” (voice): Yes, sir...I've had these tapes in my possession for the past eight years, and I figured now was the time to bring them to light.

D.J. (voice): What exactly were the contents of these alleged tapes?

“MACK” (voice): They were meant to be the basis for our second studio album, called “Fly High.”

Jack grits his teeth upon the very mention of the unfinished album--for its rejection by record executives he had trusted was a second, and larger, factor in the group's split.

JACK: Son of a bitch...

The former lead quickly finishes off his bottle of non-alcoholic brew, yet keeps listening to the interview.

“MACK” (voice): ...we were gonna release the album in August of '06 right after Willy's overdose, but Jack had a fight with an executive who made the mistake of perceiving it was nothin' more than a soap opera disguised as music. I guess...he was only tryin' to protect Willy's spirit and keep it alive.

D.J. (voice): So...what goal do you have in mind by bringing this “Fly High” album into the light?

“MACK” (voice): I just wanna reach out to Jack...if he's even listenin', that is...

D.J. (voice): Alright, there you have it! Let's all reach out to Jack Gaither and help him rediscover his love for music—this brand-new track is called “When the World Was Young.”

For Jack, that is the final straw.  Slamming his glass bottle down to the wooden floor with rage, Jack storms out of the pub--leaving a flustered pub owner to collect a stack of U.K. currency he had left on the bar.