MC Bookstore Chapter 67 Visitors on the Film Set
Chapter 67 Visitors on the Film Set
Peter Chris's first impression of Zeke almost perfectly matched the stereotypical image of Italians as carefree, romantic, and enjoying life.
He was wearing tight sequined flared pants and an open silk shirt, his bronze skin glistening with sweat, and a blonde bombshell in a tight miniskirt was beside him.
The girl had long legs and a slim waist; she was most likely a model, with delicate features that made her look like she had just stepped off the cover of Playboy. She stood quietly beside Peter, her eyes unfocused, a few white feathers still clinging to Peter's sweaty shirt, clearly indicating that the two had just spent a pleasant time in some barn on set.
This was the first time Zeke had seen the KISS band members without their exaggerated black and white stage makeup. Stripped of their ghostly and explosive stage style, Peter in front of him had a rather down-to-earth and roguish charm.
The only incongruous thing was Peter's bright blonde hair, so flamboyant that it was almost blinding in the sunlight, making it hard to tell whether it was dyed or a wig.
Qi Ke subconsciously raised his hand to touch his short hair, silently complaining to himself.
Wake up, you idiot! There are no blond Italians out there.
In the eyes of older generations of Italians who value lineage, blond hair is considered utterly rebellious and a betrayal of the so-called "glory of the Roman Empire."
Of course. Perhaps the blond hair does have some hidden advantage. The original owner of this body also dyed his hair blond, but Qi Ke hasn't maintained or styled it during this time, and his short hair has already grown back to its original black color.
Upon seeing Zeke, Peter strode over with his arms outstretched, his body reeking of strong musk cologne and a faint scent of cigars.
"Zick! You sound even younger than you do on the radio!" He grabbed Zeke's shoulder with a strong grip, his enthusiasm almost overwhelming.
Qi Ke's body stiffened slightly, his heart filled with embarrassment.
Susan had specifically relayed Peter's message, inviting him to collaborate on songwriting. He readily agreed at the time, but later got bogged down in a bunch of troubles, including Judy's situation and royalty disputes, and ended up standing up this rock star. Now, the rock star has come knocking on his door.
"I'm sorry, Peter." Zeke pulled away a little and sincerely apologized, "A lot has happened recently, and I haven't had a chance to call you back."
"It's no big deal. I roughly know the mess you've got." Peter waved his hand dismissively, completely nonchalant.
His gaze swept over Tino, who was standing to the side, without making a sound, and he asked in a low voice with a slightly awkward Italian accent, "Luiè un amico nostro? (Is he our friend?)"
These words made Qi Ke's back tense instantly, and he almost broke out in a cold sweat.
In New York, this isn't just a casual greeting; it's a coded language among official members of the Italian Mafia.
According to Mafia rules, official members must never reveal their identities in public, not even to fellow official members. A third party who knows both parties must introduce them and confirm their relationship.
Answering with "He is our friend" means that the other person is a true member of our circle.
If the answer is "He is my friend", it means that the other person is just an ordinary outsider and has nothing to do with the social circle.
The Italian Mafia has extremely strict requirements for the confidentiality of identities and secrets, and absolutely forbids mentioning any matters related to the Mafia in front of outsiders, let alone rashly throwing out coded messages to test the waters in a public place where staff are everywhere.
Even though Zik was just an outsider, he had memorized these rules since childhood, and speaking carelessly could really cost him his life.
His eyes widened instantly, and he lowered his voice: "Are you crazy? Asking this in a place like this? Tino is just my friend."
Seeing his tense, cautious reaction and instantaneous understanding of the code, Peter immediately understood, grinned, and patted Zeke hard on the back: "I knew you were one of us. All the big shots in Brooklyn said that!"
Qi Ke breathed a sigh of relief, cursing inwardly: This idiot probably heard it in some bar; his pronunciation is terrible.
His eyes then flickered, and he asked in a low voice, "Is there anyone in your family who is a registered member?"
"Peter, you know the rules," Zeke immediately avoided the question, his tone resolute, refusing to utter another word.
Even if he were far away in Los Angeles, he would never speak recklessly, for if he did, the consequences would be dire.
"Haha, okay, okay, I get it, I won't force you." Peter quickly raised his hands in surrender, laughing freely and unrestrainedly. "I used to hang out on the streets too, just not as well as you. Back then, I followed the Phantom Lords gang, which was Puerto Rican territory. White kids like me were just peripheral followers, joining them in fights to make a scene..."
Qi Ke grew increasingly curious, his brow furrowing slightly: "Then how did you know about... that kind of relationship?"
He immediately ruled out Amanda. While that woman was talkative, she only knew the basics; there was no way she could have relayed such information to the KISS band. They had no connection whatsoever, so it simply didn't make sense.
"What a coincidence." Peter grinned slyly. "Guess where I made a living playing drums before I became famous? The King's Lounge."
"I know the manager there very well. Before KISS became famous, I used to perform there all the time to make a living. Now, every time I go back to New York, I have to go there for a couple of drinks to reminisce."
Zeke suddenly realized that Peter wasn't really a formidable character after all this time; he hadn't even figured out the true nature of the King's Lounge.
That so-called manager was nothing more than a "scarecrow" to shield the Poly Group tycoon from trouble. In name, he managed the venue, held shares, and handled the business, but in reality, he had no real power and was just a figurehead.
That's good, though. These kinds of people are carefree and clueless, which actually saves a lot of trouble when dealing with them.
"Alright, let's not dwell on the past." Peter's amusement vanished, and his gaze fell on the Spiders, dressed in black suits. "I heard you'd be here, so I stopped by to check it out. This band has a great vibe, like they're hosting a funeral. And your new song is absolutely amazing, so trendy and avant-garde."
Peter cracked a little joke, then casually picked up an exquisite domino mask from Zeke's hand and winked at the girl beside him: "This little gadget is pretty interesting too. We just tried it out, it's quite fun. So, are you planning to make band merchandise like us to generate revenue?"
These words instantly enlightened Qi Ke, giving him a sudden insight.
Throughout the 1970s music scene, when it came to merchandise management and monetizing fans, KISS was second to none. They were a legendary band that truly took celebrity merchandise to the extreme, with extremely strong fan cohesion, known as the fanatical "KISS Legion," and their purchasing power was terrifying.
Qi Ke remained calm and probed further: "Do you think this could be made into merchandise? Would it sell well?"
"It's more than just a chance." Peter's tone was confident and certain. "As long as the band can make a name for themselves, fans will be willing to pay, and you can make a profit on anything you sell at a premium. Do you know how outrageous our KISS merchandise is? Recently, we've even started making custom coffins."
"A coffin?" Zeke was completely stunned, his face filled with disbelief. "Anyone actually buying this?"
He knew that KISS fans were crazy and extremely loyal, but he didn't expect them to be this fanatical, even accepting funeral-themed merchandise. It was truly mind-blowing.
"Of course." Peter laughed heartily. "For the KISS Legion, it's a kind of faith, a ritual that binds them to their idols forever. Zeke, honestly, we can really work together."
He suppressed his smile, his eyes turning serious: "I'm formally inviting you to be the producer of my personal album."
"Me?" Zeke quickly waved his hand to decline. "Don't joke around, Peter. I've only been in the industry for a short time. How could I possibly produce an entire rock album?"
All his own works rely entirely on external support from Tianqi. In terms of actual production skills, arrangement ability, and creative foundation, he is only half-baked and simply cannot carry the production of solo albums for big-name band members.
"You can do it." Peter's attitude was unusually firm, his eyes full of approval. "Your style is trendy and avant-garde enough, unlike the old-school rock and disco of today. It can bring me a completely new breakthrough. To tell you the truth, KISS is going to have a big project coming up. The four of us will be releasing four solo albums at the same time."
"Everyone is determined to take the top spot in the band. I think your new ideas and style can help me win this competition. My album is open to trying various musical styles, not just rock. I'll give you the best collaboration terms in the industry."
Upon hearing Peter's words, Zeke's first thought was: This is insane! Even a top hard rock band like KISS is starting to jump on the disco bandwagon?
But for all four members of KISS to release solo albums simultaneously would be absolutely groundbreaking news; the opportunity is indeed fantastic...
Qi Ke quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind and decided to politely decline.
Firstly, he simply cannot support an entire original solo album;
Secondly, Peter is an excellent songwriter himself. He wrote the lyrics and music for the hit single "Beth," which was also KISS's highest-ranking single on the Billboard charts. He's not like Judy, a novice who hasn't studied music for long and can't be fooled.
Qi Ke didn't want to show weakness, much less ruin the reputation he had worked so hard to build.
But Peter was so enthusiastic and genuinely trying to win him over, and Susan had made sure to put in a good word for him beforehand, so he figured having more friends in the industry was always a good thing.
"Peter, I really can't handle working with a producer. I'm completely clueless about the overall production of an album, and I'm afraid of delaying your schedule and wasting this opportunity."
"However," he raised his hand and shook the domino mask in his hand, a smile playing on his lips, "why don't we talk about this blindfold? Perhaps we can find better collaboration opportunities in related businesses?"