Chapter 16 -- Last show of the last tour
By the end of the fifth year of touring it was becoming obvious that when not actually performing the girls weren't having a lot of fun anymore except in the studio. They played every concert with the same energy as they played their very first show five years ago, but it just wasn't the same anymore. They hadn't become jaded, just worn out. The road can do that to you. Bob had warned them and even though spaced out the road was wearing them down. They still had their spirit and their sanity but their energy was just being worn too thin.
Being on the road, though it sounds romantic, is absolute drudgery once the novelty wears off. That only takes about four or five shows. Everyone wants a piece of you and you have friends you never knew you had. People want free tickets, backstage passes or whatever else they think a band member can acquire for them. The ass kissers and the dick suckers come out of the woodwork like termites running from a wildfire.
The money can steer you to cliffs overlooking an abyss with no bottom, like they said in the 60's, sex, drugs and Rock'n'Roll. It was a trap that was very hard to avoid because the vices where everywhere and it's easy to become extremely jaded in a very short time. It's also easy to either need or want that numbed brain so it doesn't have to deal with the reality of what is surrounding them. Do you really think that Janis, or Jimmy or Jim really wanted to die that way, or at that time? Not likely.
To the girl's credit, they maintained their optimistic view of life and all were very happy in their own personal worlds. They recognized and avoided all of the usual pitfalls that plague groups of traveling minstrels. In that regard, Bob and his previous experiences gave them a base of knowledge that young bands rarely get. When they had any kind of question about anything, "Uncle Bob" was there with an answer for them. They maintained the straight and narrow for the entire five years, which realistically is an awesome accomplishment in itself. It was actually six years, because their "farewell" took over a year.
The five of them were closer today, after 5 years on the road, than they were when the whole party started. Bob found that hard to comprehend knowing them for the entire time, but he would tell you that the girls were closer than siblings. The girls would tell you that Bob was more loving, understanding and compassionate than most parents. No they didn't see Bob as a parent, he was their partner, their lover, and most of all, their friend!
To put it in very short terms, they were a tight knit family, and each treasured that family in their own way. For Heather it was even more so having lost her parents at a young age forcing her into life only partially prepared.
Michelle's recognition of Heathers need for someone in her life and overcoming her fondest fantasy had turned out to give Heather the stability that she truly needed. Heather after a time was able to let go of her grief and began to live her life for herself and the others instead of dwelling on her loss. Bob's understanding, and compassion had a lot to do with that because when she would get into a funk, he would sit with her for days if necessary, just talking. Her study of Zen didn't hurt any either.
She came to understand how her dwelling on the negative was detrimental to her living life to its fullest. Bob, being a Buddhist, calmly, patiently, and softly worked Heather through her grief until she finally let it go. It was not an easy task, and both will tell you they suffered greatly from some of the realizations. In the end they were so close that the other girls told her that she'd grown a male appendage that seemed to be permanently attached. When one of the others said something about having a male appendage Heather would always look down and say, "Ohmigod. Have I grown a dick?" leaving everyone in tears from laughing so hard.
Heather had decided that she could share Bob with Chelly without any reservations, and they did. Both slept with him, joined on occasion by Janell, but by some unspoken rule when one of them wanted Bob alone sexually, the other would join Jan and Terri unless invited to join in. Heather and Chelly did a lot of doubling on poor Bob. They even had a few foursomes when Janell wanted something inside her. Terri never did partake, but it was always her choice, and she knew that the offer was on the table at any time. Jan said she just smiled and declined, but that obviously she didn't have a problem with Janell making regular visits to Bob. She knew it wasn't a personal thing, and loved Jan as much as Jan loved her back.
The girls never fought about anything. If there was any kind of conflict it was generally very superficial and dealt with immediately as a group. Every time there was a "mediation session" everyone left laughing and grab assing like they were still Junior High School girls. If there were one word to describe "These Girls Can Play" it would be "Love".
They all truly loved each other unconditionally, and that included Bob.
All four now had degrees in music and had shamed Bob into going back to school himself. Heather and Chelly had Masters already, and Janell was working on it. Maryanne seemed to be satisfied with a Bachelors degree but continued to take classes. The other girls told her that since she's taking classes anyway, just do what she needed for the Masters program. With all of that, both Heather and Chelly were considering doing a PhD program. They had really gotten into the education thing.
The rest of them just figured it was the costumes they got to wear, remember those girls are clowns.
Because they weren't there, Bob stood in for Heather's folks making sure she knew that they would be proud of her. She'd kept her promise to them even when she didn't have to. When he said that, she looked at him and told him that she was obligated. She HAD to do it. When she received her Masters all of them went with Heather to the cemetery. They sat with her as she sat talking to her parents, letting them know how she was doing, that she had been very successful, that she loved them and missed them very much, and that she had kept her word to them by finishing school and getting a degree. Not only that, she was thinking about becoming a doctorate.
There were tears yes, but they weren't the kind of tears Heather had shed years ago. There was sadness, but there was also joy. Heather had learned to celebrate her parent's lives rather than grieve for their loss. When they left, Heather had a smile on her face, yet tears in her eyes, but with the strong arms of her "family" supporting her.
Through all of that though, the time had come!
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Bob had told them this time would come and that they'd have to make a very difficult decision about what they wanted to do. The road has killed many musicians. If they felt it was time to bail, there's no time like the present, but they all expressed that they didn't want to just go out quietly, just fade away. They wanted to do a typical farewell tour, thanking all the fans for their support and their kind words. They also realized that it would undoubtedly be the longest, hardest tour, they had ever done and that they may be a year or more on the road.
Bob looked at the four of them and asked the obvious question. "Knowing the time frames and all the bullshit that goes along with a tour, do you really want to do a farewell run like that?"
All four without hesitation answered in the affirmative noting that if it was their last round on the road, they could handle it because after each show there would be a light getting brighter at the end of the long tunnel. They had Maui to keep them in line as well.
They also knew that it would be an emotional roller coaster, but were willing and prepared to deal with that. Five years on the road had given them a lot of wisdom. Bob was sure they had talked about this kind of tour at great length before they brought it up to him. They knew exactly what they were facing and were going to do it smiling.
"Ok," said Bob. "I'll get Billy working on it. Any limitations?"
He got no indication from them of any. They did insist however, that the final performance had to be in San Francisco, where it had all begun what seemed like so many years ago.
When they started to really think about a final run, they were all in tears knowing that it would be over, but knowing that it would just be retiring from the road. They would still continue their studio work, probably forever. They were in love with the music as much as they were in love with each other which made the chemistry between them that much more intense.
The Hawaiian benefit gigs had also given them food for thought. They all felt that it was worthwhile to use their abilities to make the world a better place for others. There would always be room for helping.
So with all of that, they took 6 months for rehearsals, planning the logistics, booking the venues, only two of which, London and Tokyo were to be offshore. Their farewell tour would be 140 shows in 75 halls throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico. It would take them 14 months of continuous travel, with only one stretch of 2 weeks, about half way through, where they could come home to the ranch and relax for a short time. It wasn't even worth the time to spend it on Maui. They wouldn't have wanted to leave.
They took the whole idea and ran with it, beginning the tour in San Francisco just like their first show, with the scheduled ending in the same hall fourteen months later.
Each show had its own melancholy feel as everyone understood that this was the last time they'd see the girls performing live. Their performances were known worldwide for their high energy and extremely high quality. Very few performers displayed the kind of energy that "These Girls Can Play" showed in each and every show.
They never had a "down" night doing a performance. They may have had downer days that they would all rally around, circle the wagons and solve whatever needed to be solved. By the time they hit the stage it was always high energy, laughing and smiling. They always gave one hundred ten percent when on stage.
But it was winding down, there were only three shows left and the girls were exhausted. It never showed while they were on stage, and it never caused any friction between any of them. They were just plain worn out. Bob had tried to tell them, but they had to do it for their "public", and they did. They understood what they had gotten themselves into, and though exhausted, they enjoyed every second of it.
When they arrived in San Francisco for their last concert, it seemed like the whole world was there. Remember the frenzy when the Beatles showed up anywhere? Not to compare the girls with the Beatles, but it was exactly the atmosphere in the city when they got off the chartered jet, got into the limo and headed to the hall.
Like zombies, they went through the sound checks, made sure everything was ready to go. They knew Billy would be recording the audio and this would be the third video recording that was made of one of their concert tours, so they were ready for that as well. This video would only be released on DVD, and it would be the entire show. Start to finish.
The only thing that finally caught up with them emotionally, and thankfully Bob was ready for it, was that "this was it", their final performance.
They were all in tears thinking about it.
Bob just sat with them, commiserated, and let them know that life would go on. He'd already been through this and used himself as a perfect example. We would still be making music tomorrow. We would still be putting out albums next month or next year. We would still all be together, we just wouldn't be killing ourselves on the road anymore.
"Think about how you feel tonight," he said to them quietly. "Not the emotions, but the physical drain."
He paused for a moment, tears coming to his eyes, he choked out, "You are alive, you have your sanity, and you have avoided every pitfall in the musical world. You can be nothing but proud of yourselves for how you have carried your careers, especially on the road. No other band can compare with your energy, passion, or dedication to task."
When the tears began running down his face all four of them gathered around him in a group hug, all crying it out and letting the emotions run things for a while. They would miss it, but by the same token, they would not miss it at all.
They now saw what the "road" was all about, and what Bob had been protecting them from by making all of their tours short, in comparison to others, very short. They'd done their time and in the end were very glad it was going to be over.
They all composed themselves and chatted quietly until the 5 minute knock came on the door.
They looked at each other with fiery eyes, you could feel the energy rise and with huge smiles began to head for the door. That miraculous transition in attitude had already taken place. These girls were ready!
It was Bob that brought them to a temporary halt. "Ladies," he said with a serious grin, "Let's go out there and kick some ass tonight."
They jumped him, hugged him, and made their way to the stage ready to do their "final" live performance.
As would be expected the crowd was absolutely insane. All of the band tried to get them to settle a bit and just enjoy the show, and for the most part they did. The girls had that kind of effect on audiences.
"Please people, we want to entertain you, but if we can't hear ourselves then you certainly can't hear us. If you can't hear us, we're failing to entertain you," Janell said more than once standing behind her drums with that goofy looking "uniform" that everyone on the planet was very familiar with by now. The crowd would laugh, and then be quiet for a while.
The show began with the standard introductions from Bob, the same as he had done for every show they'd done. When he had finished introducing Heather, and the crowd settled a bit knowing what was coming, he did his usual, "Ladies and Gentlemen", "These Girls Can Play", which started Maryanne's doudouk wailing, the drums beating and the last show was underway.
They had planned a three and a half hour, five set show with the encore, perfect for a three or four disk DVD set. But it ended up stretching to six and a half hours, nine sets before the standard encore, and it was well on to 2am before "curfew" essentially put an end to the performance. It was like they didn't want to stop because they all knew it was the end and that once the music stopped it would be over.
As grueling as the road is, the girls all enjoyed performing live. Long forgotten was that feeling they all had six years ago in this same hall when they came to the stage for their very first live performance. They loved sharing their music with others. The energy they got from their audience spurred them to play even better if that was possible. It was a high better than any drug.
The DVD set would be six or seven, maybe even eight disks to get everything they had planned on it, which included individual specials with each of the girls, the instrument swap medley which they performed one last time, and other "specials" that Bill and Bob had conjured up.
The fifth set was essentially a solo by Janell doing the Iron Butterfly number, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, then segueing into Neil Peart's solo from the 30th anniversary concert in Frankfurt Germany. It was noted that after almost 30 minutes of drum solo, Jan, though sweating like a faucet, was just as chipper as she was at the beginning of the show.
When the others came back out from their "break", Jan played the 6th set without a rest. She just donned a fresh headband, took a huge amount of Gatorade, then with her usual clickity-click, they were off and running for another 40 minute set. The girl was phenomenal.
The pre-orders were already over two million copies, and it would be at least six months or more until it was released.
When they came out for the encore this night, each of the girls said a short piece thanking all the fans, the supporters, the people who came to their shows and you could hear the emotion in their voices, but it was Bob that tore everyone up.
Looking around the stage with a smile, he walked over to each of the girls giving her a long loving hug. Bob with big tears in his eyes addressed the crowd.
"This may well be our last live performance, but we're not going anywhere. The decision to stop touring was both extremely difficult, and extremely easy. Any musician will tell you that touring is a real ball buster," causing some laughter in the crowd.
Heather lightened it up just a bit, "Bob Honey," looking down, "I don't have any balls to bust."
His head snapped around while he laughed with the audience. That was 100% ad-lib. The mood had been set for this night's encore.
Bob continued by choking out, "From the bottom of our hearts... Shit... This is really hard... Thank you all ever so much, and Goodbye."
Janell clicked the cadence with her sticks and their final encore began.
When it came time to do the last song, "Find the Cost of Freedom", Heather stepped up to the microphone and spoke softly, "This last song has been our close for every show we've ever done, even at our international stops."
"After the first show, some idiot in the press asked what it was all about, obviously never having listened to the words," which caused a dull roar, but quieted quickly as everyone wanted to hear what Heather had to say. "I told them at the time we do it as a tribute, and they all freaked out because they couldn't figure out 'a tribute to what'."
"Please, listen to our song. Hear the words that Steven Stills wrote so long ago. Understand, then thank every veteran or soldier you know. They all truly understand and have all, in some way, paid the Cost of Freedom."
The five acoustic guitars began with her final words, and they played the introduction through three times before they began singing, as always, a Capella in absolute perfect harmony.
When the song finished, as was tradition in the band, Bob whispered, "Goodnight", tonight adding, "and Goodbye", at which time they all did their tearful bows, then hand in hand slowly walked off the stage for the last time.
The last show was over...
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Time moved along for everyone. They decided to spend another couple months on Maui to relax off the final tour. The girls now knew the fatigue of real touring. Bob had tried to tell them, but "they were young". Bob had been through it twice in two other bands, and was well aware of what they were taking on right from the beginning.
It ended happily, as it should. Now it was time for studio work and the personal lives that had been put on hold and so badly neglected by the focus on performing.
The video of their "Farewell Tour" came out on DVD and turned out to be eight disks plus a bonus, and literally jumped off the shelves. After all the expenses and production costs were figured in, the band and Billy banked $304 Million in the first four weeks after its release. That didn't even include the six disk CD set of their final tour which they named, same as the DVD, "It's All Over But the Shouting" . That had put another few hundred million each in the bank and the girls all reiterated that Billy deserved an equal cut because it was really all his work that made the albums happen.
The girls took on some individual gigs playing studios for some bands that had made requests, but they only did it when it suited them. If the other peoples schedule didn't fit into theirs, they just politely declined. It wasn't arrogance or a power or control trip, they just had their lives to live now and if some "side work" could be worked into their already full schedule, fine. If not, they said so. It was as simple as that.
Most people asking, knew the girls, and never took it personally and more often than not changed their studio scheduling to accommodate them. When that happened, the girls always bent over backwards to make sure their contribution to that particular album was exemplary. They rarely took money directly for any of that work. Anything that was to be "paid" to them was to be sent to their foundation as donations. They didn't need the money!
For some of them, there was always an open invitation to come up to "The Girls Playground" to do their studio work. Billy had hired three other engineers, including his long time friend and associate Jilly, to produce and all were exceptional at production mastering. That business grew requiring the studio to grow, so Bob added eight recording rooms as well as associated mastering facilities.
The larger facility was built a good distance from the house. Bob figured that since there would be "strangers" coming to work, if they wanted to maintain their privacy, they'd have to move the studio. The original flat, "The Girls Playground" was still there for the girl's private work.
The girls continued to work on their own music and over time learned production from Bill so that they became top-notch producers in their own right. Now and then one of the girls would bring in an indie to do some recording, mix it, and provide a master to press from. If necessary she would ask the other girls, if they had the time, to play some background for them. The other's always either had the time, or would make the time for their sister's effort.
Sometimes it was for a small fee, sometimes it was for donated residuals, and it really depended on the artist. The girls certainly didn't need the money and they enjoyed helping those up and coming young musicians to perhaps, realize their own dreams.
They'd never forgotten how someone had picked them up by the bootstraps and given them the opportunity, and the confidence to realize their dreams, the possibility of doing something they absolutely loved.
They'd spent 6 years on the road sharing their love of the music with everyone that could come to a concert. They also made available, live videos, and live CD's for many that couldn't afford tickets or make it to a live performance.
They earned more money than any of them ever had been able to dream, doing something they thoroughly enjoyed.
Life doesn't get any better than that!