Hidden in Plain Sight

*Jamie' POV*

The morning after I woke bright and early, a little too early for my liking. But I don't mind. It's to make a new record. Going through the motions of my morning routine, I make it to work pretty early. For a while I thought in was the only one here until I saw Carly's car parked on the other side of the parking lot.

Before exiting the car, the headache from last night begins to kick in. A pound at the side of my skull sends me into pain, slowly becoming more painful. I frantically search for any sort of pain tablets in my car but it was to no evail. I don't even have any water with me. God dammit. Oh well, I may as well go find Carly inside.

Walking into the studio, I find Carly sitting in a wheelie chair with a guitar in hand and her feet up on an amplifier again. Must be comfortable for her. Sitting next to her on the desk, are four cups of water each with two pain tablets sitting beside them.

"Well good morning sunshine" she chirps sarcastically when she notices my slight hangover. "Here take this".

I take the tablets with the cup of water. "Thanks, how'd you know I'd need them?" I asked taking a seat beside her.

"If I have learnt anything from the past few years of working with bands, it's that they like to drink and they will wake up hungover" Carly laughs. I give an understanding nod.

As if on cue, Tony, Vic and Mike walk in, all holding their heads and have a pained look on their faces. Without any words said, Carly hands them each a cup of water and two tablets, smiling a smile that says "I knew it" as they took the tablets and drank the water.

Tony was about to ask the same question I did, but I guessed Carly saw it coming. "If I have learnt anything over the past few years of working with bands, it's that they like to drunk and the will wake up hungover". She receives an understanding nod.

"How come you aren't hungover?" Vic asks confused.

"I didn't drink so much last night, and me being an Australian, I can hold my liquor" she smirks.

"God damn Australians" Vic mumbles. Carly just gives a small chuckle before getting to work.

Carly gathers us all around the table to discuss how they day will work. First, Mike is going to begin tracking drums for all of the songs on the album. In the past this has taken 12 hours. Carly has set up the drums for Mike, but if he has a different way of having his drums, she is okay with him rearranging, only if it will work with the recording.

As for the rest of us, we are to sit around in the studio and watch Mike. If we have any input on any of the songs, we are free to put our ideas in and try them out if necessary, but other than that, we just sit around all day.

After our pep talk, Carly orders Mike to step into the studio and sit at the drums. "Ah, my baby" Mike sensually caresses the drum set, shooting us an evil glare. He earned a great laugh from everyone. Vic, Tony and I pull up a wheelie chair by the desk and sit around Carly, who is pressing various buttons and electronic stuff. Ready to record, Carly says through the mic "track one, recording in progress". Mike then takes one last breath before signalling he is ready. Carly gives the thumbs up and hits the recording button.

Mike soon begins to play the first song on our new album. The excitement evident in all of us. Mike plays the drums like it's his last day. Never missing a beat. He plays out the song to absolute perfection. I'll never understand how he is able to do that. I have to fuck up a good 5 times before I begin to get it right.
Mike finishes the first song. Carly stops the recording. We all look towards Carly, then towards Mike.
Silence between all of us. What does Carly think? Did she like it? Does she want to change it? Releasing the tension, she speaks up.

"Absolutely perfect!" She celebrates. She throws her hands up clapping to Mike through the glass. We all join in, cheering and clapping with her.

"Fuck. Yeah!" Mike celebrates by banging his drums.

"I've never worked with anyone who plays the song perfectly on the first take" Carly says to Mike.

"I've never played it perfectly like that" Mike replies.

"Must be your song" Carly says. "Now, would you like to run through it a second time?" She looks at all of us. When we barely reply, she raises her eyebrows.

"Yeah let's do it again" Vic speaks up. Carly resets everything ready to record. "Track one, take two, recording in process," she gives a thumbs up to Mike. Mike relaying the signal back before we do a second take on our first song.

The second time he plays it perfectly through, but Carly has an idea. "I have an idea. When you do the fill before the bridge, could you double kick then snare before your fill?" She looks to Mike then us.

No one speaks but it was decided that Mike just test that little bit that Carly was talking about. Mike plays it a few times through, before Carly looks for approval or opinions.

"I think I prefer the single kick" Vic chimes in, someone finally giving an opinion. Staring Tony and I down, we both agree that we prefer the single kick over the double. Carly then says that it was just an idea and we don't have to be afraid to giving our opinions.

A few songs later, a few ideas and rearrangements later, we had successfully recorded 6 out of 12 songs. We are halfway through recording the drums for out new album. Man I am so excited and I'm pretty sure everyone else is too.

Notes

I'll say it again, like the pervious chapters, please let me know if you're interested in reading. I'd really love to know guys. :)

-Abbie