The Hush Society Presents... by Izzy Matias (best desktop ebook reader .txt) 📕

"‘Brick Walls’ already sends a powerful message," Benji says, fixing the wires into his keyboard. "At the youth centre, I notice the progress when I work with my students. The way music gives them hope again."

"And people say that music isn’t as important as studying medicine, law, or business," I snort. I’m sat on one of the amplifiers.

"Mate, you gotta sort out your issues with your dad," Benji points out.

"I know," I say. I’ll deal with that when we get back. It’s not like anything’s going to change from today to the end of tour.

"Use your daddy issues and turn it into a song." Eric chuckles, playing around with his drumsticks and taps at me.

I yell an insult and flick my guitar plectrum at him. He dodges it and continues laughing.

With music, we have a real chance of helping people. The whole music scene may seem like a materialistic, fame-hungry, and shallow world, but that’s not what I’m in it for. There will be gals who fancy you because you play, but that’s not what makes my veins shake with anticipation or pride. It’s the natural high the music has. The unshakable feeling that maybe—just maybe—one of our songs will help someone through a tough time and that’s what makes all the struggle, the hardship, rejection worth it. Now we’ve also got the organisation to look forward to.

"You know how people at these Hush Society gigs are there for one another?" I say. "What if more of our songs are like ‘Brick Walls’? An ode to people fighting for something." I think back to Lily and how she must have felt. No one should have to feel alone.

Eric agrees and so does Benji. I motion for Benji’s notebook and he passes it to me. I scribble down more of our ideas together as we continue our brainstorm session. We don’t have to be experts; we just have to care. And listen.

"We’ve loads to discuss, too, about that organisation," I say.

"The youth mentorship program?" Eric asks.

"Yeah, we’ve brainstormed about the idea, and thought it would be better to turn it into a full-blown movement: a non-profit that guides budding musicians," Benji says and goes on to explain the rest of our ideas.

"Nice," Eric comments. "I could pitch in on the part about how the industry works and how to get gigs at venues."

"It fits in great since you’ve worked a while at The Verve, so you know the ins and outs of booking gigs and such," Benji adds.

"You could even share your experience about how drumming helped you through a tough time," I say.

Eric nods.

Our creative juices are on high supply today, so we milk out the best we can. I set aside the notebook and trade my pen for the guitar, and Benji hits record on his laptop.

The music records via the studio’s high-tech application and transferred to Benji’s laptop. He also wants his own version to tinker around with. We’re on our fourth re-take. We’re going for a live feel of the song, not tracking the instruments separately.

The glass door bolts open and in comes Amber with an unlit cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth. "I heard my presence is needed."

We stop mid-recording.

"You made it!" I shout at Amber, grinning.

"Duh." Amber shrugs. "Benji told me about your movement, which I obvs back by the way. I can be your opening act, anytime." She winks. "Or if you need someone to share about how The Hush Society helped me grow as a musician, I’m up for that, too."

"Thanks," I say. "That would be ace."

"That really is a nasty habit," Benji says, referring to the cigarette.

"You’re such a hypocrite," she chimes back, smiling. "I saw you lighting one the other day."

"A momentary relapse," Benji admits.

"Sista," Eric hails from his throne.

"Brotha!" Amber runs to him. Just when I think she’s going to tackle him, she ruffles his hair and he goes on full beast mode on her for it.

"Play time’s over," I say and strum my guitar.

Amber’s duet was a spontaneous decision that first show—we wanted to gift Lily with a thank you, but we also wanted to help two gals get over their fears. It’s been feeling like something’s missing these last four takes, but now I’m certain we’ll do it right since we’ve got Amber singing her duet.

"Where’s my grand piano?" Amber demands as she stands beside Benji.

"None of that here," I say, chuckling.

Eric stands back from the drum kit, pockets his sticks—"Be right back!"—and pushes the glass door open.

Amber taps at the keys with our melody and Benji moves in closer and adjusts the patches, until he hits the right one.

"We can work with this," Amber says and then pinches Benji’s chin. "Thanks, Benjers."

I give Benji a smug look. He shrugs, smiling, as he grabs his acoustic guitar from the stand, and flings the strap around his shoulder.

Eric dashes back in. Before we can ask him where he’s been, Eric taps his sticks, counting down.

"All right, then," I say into the microphone and start strumming.

Benji jumps in plucking the familiar haunting, mellow beat. I close my eyes, feeling the vibration around me. I take the music in and visualise I’m back in Lily’s room witnessing everything for the first time.

"Brick walls find no comfort with the deafening mind," I begin.

This time, Amber joins on the keyboard, entering at the chorus.

It takes us about nine more takes until Benji—the perfectionist—declares he has everything he needs and he plays back our latest tracking.

"Time for some…" Eric mimicks necking down a drink.

"Why don’t we track ‘Electrified’ as well? We’re here already," I say.

"My my," Amber tuts. "We’ve got a workaholic in our midst."

"I’ve never been called that before," I say.

"When it’s the right thing, it seems natural, doesn’t it?" Amber replies.

I nod.

"Well, I’ll be off," she says. "See you lads later."

As soon she’s gone, Eric and I give Benji love eyes. "Since when have you two been dating?" Eric asks Benji, tackling him.

"When what?" he says, playing