NABC Chapter 87 Being Too Clever
Chapter 87 Being Too Clever
Chapter 87 Being Too Clever
After quickly packing and getting dressed, Qi Ke drove back, feeling uneasy the whole way.
This time, Apocalypse is a slow rock song with a melancholic and sentimental style. Fortunately, Apocalypse has finally given us a complete, heterosexual, and sung song that is suitable for men!
Even more fortunately, when they returned to the cliffside cabin, it was quiet inside, and Judy had not yet returned from New York, thus avoiding the most direct confrontation and awkwardness.
With a heart full of trepidation, Zeke walked step by step into the bedroom, his gaze falling on the answering machine that Judy had bought.
The cassette tape slowly turned, and a warm, sweet female voice came through the speaker, a gentle tone that was exclusive to girlfriends.
"Happy birthday, Zeke, mua~ Everything's going well for me in New York. CBS really liked my cover, and we'll have the results by tomorrow morning. I miss you so much. Oh, and the present is in the dressing table, remember to check."
A simple comment, like a fine needle, precisely pierced the heart of the scumbag.
Judy was far away, full of hope and earnestly pursuing her dreams, always thinking of him, while he made a mistake behind her back on his birthday.
Last night's indulgence, the transgression this morning, the ambiguous entanglement with Stacy, Apocalypse's new song—all the absurdity surged up in an instant, turning into an overwhelming sense of guilt.
"Sigh... why can't I control myself!"
The tape continued to play, and a second message followed, delivered in Tino's slightly rough voice.
The message was simple: they just provided their hotel room number and contact information in Amsterdam so that Zeke could contact the band.
Zik's finger hovered over the replay button, ready to rewind and listen to the recorded number again, when the machine beeped, indicating that there were still unplayed messages.
He pressed continue playing and listened quietly.
This call was from Evelyn this morning. She sounded serious, saying she had something to discuss with Zeke regarding Judy's contract and asked for a prompt reply.
Zik immediately retaliated.
The call connected almost instantly.
Evelyn's weary and anxious voice came through: "Zek, can you help Judy?"
"What happened? CBS rejected it?" Zeke frowned slightly, a suspicion forming in his mind.
"They don't want to sign Judy to a formal artist contract." Evelyn's voice was full of helplessness, and she spoke very quickly. "I really had no choice, so in desperation I mentioned your relationship with Judy to them. Now a CBS A&R has made a deal: if you're willing to write songs for Judy yourself, or produce works for her as a producer, they'll sign you immediately; otherwise, forget it."
After hearing these words, Qi Ke felt a headache coming on and a surge of irritation welled up inside him.
He finally saw through Evelyn's personality; she was the type to take advantage of kindness and be eager for quick success.
After a few days of relative calm, he started taking matters into his own hands again, using his relationship with Judy and his newly established reputation in the record industry as bargaining chips in negotiations with other parties.
"Are you crazy? I'm Casablanca's exclusive songwriter. They have priority in selecting and distributing my work. How could I possibly agree to such a condition?"
"Zeeker, you can't just stand by and watch Judy die! You have a responsibility to help Judy!" Evelyn's emotions surged instantly, carrying a hint of moral blackmail. "Don't forget, you're the one who's indirectly hindering Judy's further progress in Hollywood! 'Pretty Baby' has already been released! Brooke Shields has emerged as a force to be reckoned with; she'll steal all of Judy's resources!"
"Releasing an album is her only chance to become a singer! You at least need to help her get a proper record deal! You know she loves to sing..."
"Of course I'd help Judy, but you're making me break my contract!"
"Being a producer doesn't break your contract, does it?" Evelyn grasped at the last glimmer of hope, her tone softening. "You were able to build Spiders from the ground up and make them famous. With your abilities and vision, can't you help Judy? Zeke, I'm begging you, this opportunity is really too important for Judy."
, 7
"You don't understand the difference," Zik explained patiently, rubbing his throbbing temples. "Of course, I have no problem producing my own songs, but producing someone else's unfinished work is a completely different professional division of labor, do you understand?"
Evelyn was silent for two seconds, then, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, she said with a hint of wishful thinking, "Then why don't you write a song specifically for Judy, and credit her? That way you can bypass your agreement with Casablanca, right?"
"WT.."
Upon hearing this absurd idea, Zeke almost cursed on the spot.
What is this woman thinking? Royalties are based on the songwriter's credits, which is her core interest.
Once he transfers the attribution of his original works to Judy, it is tantamount to handing over his core creative achievements, long-term passive cash flow, and control over his works to her, effectively putting them under Evelyn's control.
Zeke's tone turned completely cold: "Evelyn, don't even think about it! Who taught you this kind of plan?"
The sudden sense of pressure threw Evelyn into a panic: "N-nobody taught me, I just thought of it in a moment of desperation—"
"Do you think Casablanca and PolyGram behind them are idiots?" Zeke showed no mercy. "How long has Judy been in the industry? How long has she studied music systematically? She doesn't have a single original song yet. A newcomer with zero works and zero experience, and she just signed with CBS and can produce a top-quality original single, and I even personally handled the production?"
Even a complete newcomer can see through your clumsy tricks at a glance!
"If things come to light, Casablanca and PolyGram will sue us all. Can you afford the consequences: breach of contract damages, recovery of all profits, and freezing of all collaborative projects?"
"It's not just about money; you'll completely destroy my reputation, my word-of-mouth, and all the professional foundation I've worked so hard to build!"
Are you trying to help Judy, or do you hate me and deliberately set a trap for me?
A barrage of questions left Evelyn flustered, her voice trembling with emotion: "I...I didn't! I absolutely didn't mean to hurt you! I really didn't know the consequences would be this serious—"
Zik's mind was filled with doubts, and his tone became increasingly serious: "I'll ask you one more time, did you come up with this story and this plan yourself? If someone secretly taught you, tell me their name, and I'll go and settle accounts with them myself."
He had to be vigilant.
Right now is a critical period in his tug-of-war with Jacques Morali, and Judy and her daughter are in New York. It's possible that Jacques or the publisher Brian from before secretly contacted Evelyn, trying to use her ambition to dig a hole for themselves and ruin his career.
"It really was my own idea!" Evelyn was on the verge of tears, filled with regret. "God, Zeke, I was just too impatient. Seeing Judy practicing so hard and looking forward to this opportunity, I couldn't bear to disappoint her. In a moment of folly, I blurted out about your relationship to CBS. I really didn't mean to blackmail you, and nobody taught me to do it!"
Hearing the flustered, choked apology on the other end of the phone, Qi Ke's anger gradually subsided, but a new wave of guilt surged up.
He had just made a huge mistake behind the back of Judy, who was completely devoted to him, and the person he cheated on him with was Stacy, Judy's close and trusted best friend.
What troubled him even more was that Stacy's words made him unsure of Judy's true feelings, and he couldn't figure out whether Judy's feelings for Stacy were just pure friendship or if she harbored other intentions.
Guilt, doubt, and inner turmoil intertwined, making him increasingly irritable.
After a moment of silence, Zeke finally softened his tone and reassured her, "Evelyn, listen carefully. If I have a song that's truly suitable for Judy, I will definitely give it to her first. I don't need you to remind me of that."
"But we would never use such a foolish and self-destructive method as you described. Don't be fooled by Columbia Records' contracts. They may be big, but their system is outdated and slow to react. They simply can't keep up with the current market trends in disco and electronic music."
"I would respect them even if they bet on punk like Warner, but if you flip through any Billboard magazine, how many of the Top 100 hits are by CBS artists? They're way behind the times."
"We don't need their contracts. Let's bring Judy back to Los Angeles. As long as I'm here, the contracts, resources, and prospects I can get for her will definitely be better and more secure."
Evelyn on the other end of the phone instantly seized a glimmer of hope: "You promise?"
"I promise."
"We'll book the tickets right away, Zeke. Judy is counting on you."
After hanging up the phone, the room returned to complete silence.
Zik leaned back on the sofa, letting out a long sigh of exhaustion, feeling utterly weary.
He simply couldn't understand Evelyn's anxiety. In his view, Judy had become famous at a young age, and her reputation as a talented actress was already deeply ingrained in people's minds. Even Peter Cooper had been impressed and offered her a contract, so there was no need for her to be so eager for quick success.
Go back to school and spend a few years honing your singing skills and gaining experience. Once you're of a suitable age, you can make a comeback and take on adult roles, thus entering the music scene. Your future will only be more stable and promising.
Why panic and lose your composure just because of a newly released movie or a naive young girl?
He thought of the name Evelyn kept mentioning and couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Hmph, Brooke Shields, how pretty can she be?"