glad I am to see you tonight.”
I smiled, and put my hand out. “You too, Neil. Uh, let’s sit down.”
Liam ordered for everybody around the table, and sipped his scotch and got right down to business. “Okay, guys. I want you to sign with my label. I know that you have other prospects, so let’s talk terms here.”
Neil just kinda snickered, and put his hand on my shoulder. “Well, yes, yes we do have other offers. A lot of other offers. All the other labels have just talked about how they’re going to promote us, what kind of advance money they’re going to give us, how much creative control and all of that. I’m sure you’re going to do the same.” Then he raised an eyebrow and leered at me. “But you have something they don’t. And that’s a beautiful woman to sweeten the pot.”
I drew a breath. Neil had not yet done anything that would be considered inappropriate, as far as touching me. But he was staring hungrily at my breasts, and I could tell that he was just moments away from grabbing at them.
I shot a look at Liam, and he looked non-plussed by Neil’s obvious overtures. Finally, he just said “Dalilah isn’t included in the package, of course. I’m not a pimp. But I can give you favorable terms. I’ve done a bit of research, and I know that you’re being pursued by EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner Music Group. You’re also being pursued by quite a few independent labels as well. I know that they’re offering you, and I know that you’re close to signing with EMI. I’m prepared to offer you everything that EMI is offering you, plus a great deal more creative control.” Liam then launched into the terms that he was willing to give the boys, and Derrick, Nate and Simon looked impressed. Neil, however, didn’t.
“No go, mate,” Neil finally said. “You’ll have to do better than that. You have to throw Dalilah in, just for one night. One night with her, and I’m ready to sign with you. Otherwise, I’m going with EMI. And I’m the leader of this band, and what I say goes.”
“Well, that’s too bad,” I said to Neil. “I’m not a part of the deal, and I never will be. I really don’t even know why I came to this dinner, to be honest. I certainly didn’t come here to be treated like a piece of sirloin steak.”
“Well then, the deal is off,” Neil said. “Not that we even had a deal at all, but I’m ending the negotiations right this very minute.”
Liam sighed. “You want to play hardball, mate? I’m giving you much more favorable terms than any of the other labels, not to mention complete creative control. I’m taking a risk in doing that too, because, quite frankly, I think that you blokes need some kind of guidance in that department if you want to make it huge. You’re going to throw that all away because you can’t have a night with a pregnant lady?” Liam just shook his head. “You go right ahead, then. But you’re going to regret it.”
“Wait,” Neil said, turning to me. “You’re pregnant?”
“I am,” I said. “I’m a few months along.”
Neil looked like somebody had just bit him hard. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, suddenly looking like the silly boy that he was. “I meant no disrespect.” Then he turned to Liam, and, to my utmost relief, he said “Sorry, mate, for saying all that. The negotiations are back on.”
“I thought so,” Liam said. “Now, let’s get on the same page.”
At that, Liam and the boys started talking about all the terms that each of them were willing to accept. I held my breath, hoping that Neil wasn’t going to change his mind about having me as a stipulation to signing. I was also grateful that, when push came to shove, Liam went to bat for me. I was really afraid that Liam would try to push me into a situation that I just couldn’t accept, and then punish me for not accepting.
By the end of the evening, the boys had ended up signing a contract with Gallagher records. “You won’t regret this,” he
I smiled, and put my hand out. “You too, Neil. Uh, let’s sit down.”
Liam ordered for everybody around the table, and sipped his scotch and got right down to business. “Okay, guys. I want you to sign with my label. I know that you have other prospects, so let’s talk terms here.”
Neil just kinda snickered, and put his hand on my shoulder. “Well, yes, yes we do have other offers. A lot of other offers. All the other labels have just talked about how they’re going to promote us, what kind of advance money they’re going to give us, how much creative control and all of that. I’m sure you’re going to do the same.” Then he raised an eyebrow and leered at me. “But you have something they don’t. And that’s a beautiful woman to sweeten the pot.”
I drew a breath. Neil had not yet done anything that would be considered inappropriate, as far as touching me. But he was staring hungrily at my breasts, and I could tell that he was just moments away from grabbing at them.
I shot a look at Liam, and he looked non-plussed by Neil’s obvious overtures. Finally, he just said “Dalilah isn’t included in the package, of course. I’m not a pimp. But I can give you favorable terms. I’ve done a bit of research, and I know that you’re being pursued by EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner Music Group. You’re also being pursued by quite a few independent labels as well. I know that they’re offering you, and I know that you’re close to signing with EMI. I’m prepared to offer you everything that EMI is offering you, plus a great deal more creative control.” Liam then launched into the terms that he was willing to give the boys, and Derrick, Nate and Simon looked impressed. Neil, however, didn’t.
“No go, mate,” Neil finally said. “You’ll have to do better than that. You have to throw Dalilah in, just for one night. One night with her, and I’m ready to sign with you. Otherwise, I’m going with EMI. And I’m the leader of this band, and what I say goes.”
“Well, that’s too bad,” I said to Neil. “I’m not a part of the deal, and I never will be. I really don’t even know why I came to this dinner, to be honest. I certainly didn’t come here to be treated like a piece of sirloin steak.”
“Well then, the deal is off,” Neil said. “Not that we even had a deal at all, but I’m ending the negotiations right this very minute.”
Liam sighed. “You want to play hardball, mate? I’m giving you much more favorable terms than any of the other labels, not to mention complete creative control. I’m taking a risk in doing that too, because, quite frankly, I think that you blokes need some kind of guidance in that department if you want to make it huge. You’re going to throw that all away because you can’t have a night with a pregnant lady?” Liam just shook his head. “You go right ahead, then. But you’re going to regret it.”
“Wait,” Neil said, turning to me. “You’re pregnant?”
“I am,” I said. “I’m a few months along.”
Neil looked like somebody had just bit him hard. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, suddenly looking like the silly boy that he was. “I meant no disrespect.” Then he turned to Liam, and, to my utmost relief, he said “Sorry, mate, for saying all that. The negotiations are back on.”
“I thought so,” Liam said. “Now, let’s get on the same page.”
At that, Liam and the boys started talking about all the terms that each of them were willing to accept. I held my breath, hoping that Neil wasn’t going to change his mind about having me as a stipulation to signing. I was also grateful that, when push came to shove, Liam went to bat for me. I was really afraid that Liam would try to push me into a situation that I just couldn’t accept, and then punish me for not accepting.
By the end of the evening, the boys had ended up signing a contract with Gallagher records. “You won’t regret this,” he
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