members of the
Carpenter family have conquered Sykes' heart today. For that
reason, I want you to see my home, and hear a guitar that has not
been played in a while. Join us, please!" At that proclamation, he
was joined at his side by the woman in the onion skin cover-up. He
smiled to the crowd moving towards the patio door, but under his
breath he whispered to her "It appears he has made his choice." The
woman smiled graciously as guests filed past her and whispered back
"So I have witnessed."
Terri angrily took Craig by the arm and
insisted "I want to leave this place…right now." Craig stood up
from petting the dog and pleaded "Just one song... for the article.
I have to hear him. Please, honey. Besides, Libby has found a
friend." Terri cringed as she looked down at the black beast her
daughter was petting. "He loves me, Mommy." At that, Craig seized
the opportunity by picking Libby up, calling "Sykes come on", and
heading into the mansion with the crowd. Terri reluctantly
followed.
Inside, Phoenix's man servant had moved the
Marshall amp and guitar into the center of the open hall. He held
the gold guitar…its power cord plugged in and its leather guitar
strap attached. Phoenix strode to the center of the room, gazed
around, and waited for the crowd to quiet down to the command of
his upraised arm. Even though he still appeared aged beyond his
years and quite frail for a seventy year old, a sudden twinkle had
come into his eyes. There appeared to be a sudden infusion of life
into his spirit. Craig wondered if perhaps it was the brandy
working its magic.
"Today, you're going to hear a Black Raven
classic like you never heard it before. Remember 'Midnight Clash'?
Well you are now going to hear the original master of that
recording but a live performance of the guitar part." The crowd
heartily approved with applause, hoots, and whistles.
With a wry smile, Phoenix added "But not
played by me…by my new protégé, Craig Carpenter". Dumbfounded,
Terri turned to Craig and demanded "Did you know about this?" Craig
quickly whispered "I swear to God I had no idea". Craig curiously
nodded to Phoenix and approached him, taking the Les Paul and
putting his arm through the strap. Phoenix handed Craig a golden
guitar pick and whispered "I know that you can do this one. Burn it
for me." The man servant started the play of the tape machine from
the library. Speakers throughout the house rocked with the drum
intro. Craig tapped the side of the guitar awaiting his turn to
play, repeatedly checking the volume knob to make certain the
guitar was on at full tilt.
Craig hit the signature intro riff that set
the feel of the song as he noticed the audience moving to its
driving cadence. He then let loose with the opening solo, gasping
slightly to hear Ian's vocal track come through so clearly as if he
had been standing next to Craig, twirling his hand mic, and
gyrating hypnotically as was his fashion. As the track built with
intensity, Craig played more and more intensely, leading into his
solo or "vamp" as it is known in the music world. He bent the
strings just as Phoenix would have done…taking notes a full three
steps higher as if the guitar was screaming for its life. Then he
assaulted the neck with a fiery, blistering ascending run…capped
off with three more screaming bends in perfect synch with the
crashes of the cymbals. The song reached its climax with a wild
scream from Ian, and a booming power chord by Craig. For a split
second there was a bewildered silence---the audience overwhelmed by
what they had witnessed. The inspired playing by this unknown
commodity dressed like an off-duty insurance agent…coupled by the
eerie sound of the late Ian Logsden was beyond all of their
expectation. They erupted into applause and screams of "Fuck,
Yeah!"
From her viewpoint hallway up the stairs, the
reaction was not lost on Edon, the woman in the onionskin
cover-up…which, from where Craig was standing, appeared
transparent. His
Carpenter family have conquered Sykes' heart today. For that
reason, I want you to see my home, and hear a guitar that has not
been played in a while. Join us, please!" At that proclamation, he
was joined at his side by the woman in the onion skin cover-up. He
smiled to the crowd moving towards the patio door, but under his
breath he whispered to her "It appears he has made his choice." The
woman smiled graciously as guests filed past her and whispered back
"So I have witnessed."
Terri angrily took Craig by the arm and
insisted "I want to leave this place…right now." Craig stood up
from petting the dog and pleaded "Just one song... for the article.
I have to hear him. Please, honey. Besides, Libby has found a
friend." Terri cringed as she looked down at the black beast her
daughter was petting. "He loves me, Mommy." At that, Craig seized
the opportunity by picking Libby up, calling "Sykes come on", and
heading into the mansion with the crowd. Terri reluctantly
followed.
Inside, Phoenix's man servant had moved the
Marshall amp and guitar into the center of the open hall. He held
the gold guitar…its power cord plugged in and its leather guitar
strap attached. Phoenix strode to the center of the room, gazed
around, and waited for the crowd to quiet down to the command of
his upraised arm. Even though he still appeared aged beyond his
years and quite frail for a seventy year old, a sudden twinkle had
come into his eyes. There appeared to be a sudden infusion of life
into his spirit. Craig wondered if perhaps it was the brandy
working its magic.
"Today, you're going to hear a Black Raven
classic like you never heard it before. Remember 'Midnight Clash'?
Well you are now going to hear the original master of that
recording but a live performance of the guitar part." The crowd
heartily approved with applause, hoots, and whistles.
With a wry smile, Phoenix added "But not
played by me…by my new protégé, Craig Carpenter". Dumbfounded,
Terri turned to Craig and demanded "Did you know about this?" Craig
quickly whispered "I swear to God I had no idea". Craig curiously
nodded to Phoenix and approached him, taking the Les Paul and
putting his arm through the strap. Phoenix handed Craig a golden
guitar pick and whispered "I know that you can do this one. Burn it
for me." The man servant started the play of the tape machine from
the library. Speakers throughout the house rocked with the drum
intro. Craig tapped the side of the guitar awaiting his turn to
play, repeatedly checking the volume knob to make certain the
guitar was on at full tilt.
Craig hit the signature intro riff that set
the feel of the song as he noticed the audience moving to its
driving cadence. He then let loose with the opening solo, gasping
slightly to hear Ian's vocal track come through so clearly as if he
had been standing next to Craig, twirling his hand mic, and
gyrating hypnotically as was his fashion. As the track built with
intensity, Craig played more and more intensely, leading into his
solo or "vamp" as it is known in the music world. He bent the
strings just as Phoenix would have done…taking notes a full three
steps higher as if the guitar was screaming for its life. Then he
assaulted the neck with a fiery, blistering ascending run…capped
off with three more screaming bends in perfect synch with the
crashes of the cymbals. The song reached its climax with a wild
scream from Ian, and a booming power chord by Craig. For a split
second there was a bewildered silence---the audience overwhelmed by
what they had witnessed. The inspired playing by this unknown
commodity dressed like an off-duty insurance agent…coupled by the
eerie sound of the late Ian Logsden was beyond all of their
expectation. They erupted into applause and screams of "Fuck,
Yeah!"
From her viewpoint hallway up the stairs, the
reaction was not lost on Edon, the woman in the onionskin
cover-up…which, from where Craig was standing, appeared
transparent. His
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