Rocko's Killing Machine (Part Graceland, Seattle)

Rocko's Killing Machine is:

Max = Drums

Riley = Rhythm Guitar

Charlie = Bass

Tom = Lead Guitar/Vox

Jake = Keyboard/Everything else

I sneak beside Lily and peer through the curtains to see the first band finishing up their set list. The lights strobe with power and heavy distortion. The singer starts to thrash in place while partially consuming his mic – screaming the words ‘WAH-TAH, WAH-TAH’. The double bass pedal is dribbling away with the crowd moving like they are all being electrocuted. Lily leans in to take more photos of the band. She loves photography. I would try to get with her, but I think she is dating Charlie. My sources can’t confirm that though.

“Hey Max!” Lily shouts over one of the amps.

“Hi!” I shout back.

“Where is everybody?” She asks over the ‘WAH-TAH, WAH-TAH’. I point up in response to her question. She shrugs her shoulders. Finally, she gives up and takes my hand and walks me more towards the back where it is at least a couple decibels quieter. “They’re all upst – ” I am halted mid-sentence as she goes in to kiss me. Instantly my arms go around her and hers around me, and for those ten glorious seconds, everything around me doesn’t matter and disappears. I am lifted up into a paradisiac state. Confusion, passion, and surprise are all put in a blender for that very moment, and then she breaks away and goes back to the stage to take more photos. I stand there in the dark, off the stage listening to the crowd’s roar in thunderous praise to the closing of Hopes Autumn. What just happened? I go upstairs, into the cramped lounge room.

“Sup man,” Riley calls out while sitting back lightly strumming a part for one of our songs. I walk over and sit next to him on a dusty couch. It practically swallows you as you sit in it. “I was just checking out the opening act.” I say to Riley totally distracted from ‘other things’.

“Yeah, they’re pretty good, they are from North…Carolina” Riley says in a failed attempt to sound suave. I check my watch and look around, there’s nobody here. “Where is everyone?”

“Aside from you, Charlie is either outside watching out for Tom or with Lily, Jake is either playing Halo with the third act, Mono in their van, and Tom…well he’s running around the block…yeah. I figure once they do sound check, I’ll go round them up.” Riley finishes while re-tuning his guitar. I sit there now in the amazement phase, marveling at what just happened. Did it mean anything?

“Hey are Lily and Charlie going…?” I ask while looking over with my eyes half opened as if this question is not supposed to be asked. Riley stops strumming and looks over at me. “You mean, you haven’t heard? Dude, what’s wrong with you. Of course they are.” Riley continues to play.

“Yeah but Charlie comes off as this crazy angry girl and Lily, she is like this soft delicate flower.” I catch myself vocalizing my declared love for this girl as Riley starts to laugh. “Now I’ve heard it all.”

Tom comes up the spiral staircase, panting out of breath. “Alright…its time. Let’s…do…this! Max…you look confused…you…okay?”