Chapter 4

Willow got the two bands together in one of the function rooms after breakfast.

“I have some news that will please you. I received a phone call from Rufus, our manager, this morning. As of yesterday afternoon, he has made a deal with the manager of ‘Enlightened’ to be their manager outside of Australasia, as your manager doesn’t normally work outside of Australia and New Zealand.”

Samantha and her friends looked puzzled.

“What does this mean for us, practically?”

“It means that when we get to America, you will get the same deal as we do, instead of being paid a set rate as an opening band. The two bands will be a total package. Rufus has already negotiated with the American promoter. That means that you will share in the total profit split. It drops our share a bit, but, in the entire earnings, it won’t be too hard for us but great for you. I’ve done a quick estimate and I expect that you should each get around fifteen million sterling, or about thirty million Oz Dollar when we leave America.”

There was a sudden rush of bodies, hugging and kissing all round. When it had settled a bit, Willow smiled.

“That’s your special news, now for something for all of us. We finish this leg of the tour in Auckland, on the first weekend of March. We are playing a show in Hawaii two weeks later, after a break. We’re in Los Angeles a week after that, then playing two or three shows a weekend and one mid-week, as we’ve been doing here, until the first Saturday of October. That’s a total of fifty-six venues in America with about a hundred and fifty shows. There’s plans to have us both recording an album when we get to Nashville, so we had better come up with some material when we get there. When we finish in New York, we all fly to London, and start a short UK tour of twelve venues in the UK, all indoors, to end on the last weekend of November in London.”

There was more hugging and kissing and then they settled down again.

“For Samantha and band, you have a choice. You can either come back to Australia or else stay and have a Christmas in England. Remember, you’ll have the money to fly your relatives to join you in the break. You’ll have all of December and January to enjoy, and then we’ll both be in the studio again to make albums, for release before we do another tour in Europe, yet to be organised but already being worked on. By that time, we’ll all deserve a long break to see where we go from there. You guys will be world-wide names by that time and can come home to bask in the glory or stay in the northern hemisphere and build on your fame. ‘Garreth’, I think, may be having a long break. I know that I’ll have a lot to do with my business dealings and directorships. My father will be up for re-election by then.”

Mac hugged his wife, and then stood up.

“I think that will be the time I really retire. I have to say that I’ve really enjoyed playing with all of you, and the small shows have been so much fun, a lot like the old days when I was starting out. I know that you’ll be able to get a new drummer by then, if you want to stay together.”

Mae stood, took hold of his hand and they left the others. Willow took charge again.

“Look, that now gives us a good timeline for ‘Garreth’. We’re in Sydney for a few days after we leave here, and I know that your folks will want you home. Talk it over with them and prepare them for the future, we’ll talk again when we’re in Port Macquarie, after the madhouse that being in Sydney will bring. I’ve been following the internet, and there will be a media frenzy. It appears that both our albums have been screaming off the shelves, and, between us, we have four of the top five in the charts. I expect Barry will be at the airport when we arrive.”

During the day, the locals phoned home and talked to their families. That night, they all rocked Bathurst, and the following day was a short flight into Sydney, where mayhem awaited them.

The reception was bigger than even the Rocks in full flight. This was a Sydney band returning to their home with an international sensation. The crowds lined the viewing platforms, and the pilot was instructed to taxi to a spot in front of the terminal, but not to an airbridge. There was a fleet of open-top cars lined up at the bottom of the steps as the first ones stood at the cabin door, with a roar greeting them. The locals went first, two to a car, and they were followed by ‘Garreth’.

The ride to the hotel was accompanied by motorcycles with the pillion passengers taking photos as they pulled alongside the cars. There was even a couple that had been used for big cycle races, with the cameraman sitting backwards and filming. Garry turned to Willow as one pulled alongside.

“This must be going live. I expect that Barry’s in the studio commentating. I’ve never felt so important. This must be how world leaders feel. Today Sydney – tomorrow ze vorld!”

“It’s been similar when I’ve been with Dad and the PM, but never as mad as this.”

They all disembarked at the hotel, but only ‘Garreth’ was staying. The locals were quietly picked up by their families and taken home for a couple of days. They would be back on Friday for the first show and stay in the hotel until Sunday morning. It was impossible for Willow and the band to go out without being mobbed, so rested until lunch. After that, there was an interview with Barry to do, filmed for inclusion in his show.

That evening, Willow was sitting at the window, looking at the Opera House in the evening light.

“You know, I sat right here and looked at the same view on my first trip. It was the one that Gina and our mothers took. I was only here a few days and could never have imagined the sort of reception we had today. It was all a bit of fun, back then, and not the big business that this tour has become.”

“You’ve come a long way since then.”

“I know. Part of me feels guilty, though.”

“Why do you think that?”

“If we hadn’t created Summer Rose, most of that band, and yours, would have gone on to higher studies, not leaving school after fifth year to play music.”

“None of us would be any richer that we are now. I bet Herb and the others wouldn’t trade their life for a few ‘A’ levels and a job in an office. Grant only dropped out because he had a family business he was expected to take over, and Jim’s really happy being a full-time church organist while he studies on-line. Don’t beat yourself up, darling, you’ve launched more careers than most people.”

“But what now? We have a bit over a year before Mac leaves us. We could get another drummer and continue as ‘Garreth’, but it won’t be the same.”

“Everything changes, my love, even us and those around us. We keep getting older and have more memories, some good and a few bad, but we never stop moving on. Something will come up, just wait and see. By the time we finish the tours, none of us will ever have to work again. We could buy an island and relax in the sun with people looking after us.”

“I’ll get bored! I need something to work on.”

“We’ll be ready when the next election happens, as long as your father and his colleagues keep doing the right thing. Look, we’re in our early twenties and both multi-millionaires, we can afford to wait to see what crops up. You never know, they may tap you on the shoulder and want you to stand in the election after. You’ll be close to thirty by then, a wonderful age to start a political career. Remember, the PM said that he wants you to lead a team putting on those exhibitions.”

“You’re right, as usual, my darling, older and wiser husband. We just have to concentrate on the immediate future.”

They had a good sleep and a quiet morning before the others arrived and they all went to the stadium for a sound check. That night, they had a great show to entertain an enthusiastic crowd. Saturday morning, ‘Enlightened’ were in the TV studio to record an interview and that night they all rocked the town, followed by a similar show on Sunday night.

Monday, it was a short flight to Port Macquarie for a show at the local sportsground. They talked about what had been discussed and found that all of the families would be joining their children in London for the Christmas. The show was good, and then it was further north for the weekend shows in Brisbane. After that, it was a single night in Mount Isa, followed by a weekend in Townsville. The last venue was two shows in Tamworth, mid-week, and then they were in Auckland for the following weekend.

On the Monday, after the last shows, the members of ‘Enlightened’ flew back to Sydney by a commercial flight, while their instruments stayed with the others as they flew to Hawaii. It would be twelve days before they did the first shows on American soil, and the whole crew were looking for a relaxing time on sandy beaches, with them all getting back together before the show.

It was good to stop for a while, and the band took pleasure in fine dining, relaxing and spending a bit of time in the hotel gym. There was the obligatory interview session with American reporters, mainly concentrating on the three ex-Rocks, seeing that they had toured the country before. There were questions about the different venues, from big stadiums to country showgrounds, and they gave the reporters the new album to get the reason. It had been for sale in the US but was still bubbling about in the lower sections of the charts.

For Willow, it was a good time to catch up on things. Before they had flown to Australia, she had purchased a new laptop. This was totally up to the moment, with multiple chips and SSDs, giving a speed and memory only dreamed about a few years before. She had partitioned it with four separate drives. Drive ‘B’ was the WR Holdings one, which kept abreast of the studio and property portfolio. It received monthly reports from her accountant in Coventry and the one in Leicester. It was the one that Sarah used to stay in touch.

Drive ‘C’ had their GWR email address and was the one which had the messages from the various organisations that they dealt with as the Randall family. It was the one that linked them to their secretary, who was living near the house and had keys to access it and make sure it was kept clean and tidy. She also did the same for the apartment in London, paying the bills as they came in and advising them of anything important.

Drive ‘D’ was new, with GarrethRocks as the email address. It was the one that kept them in touch with Rufus and received his reports on their tour and financials.

Willow was getting meeting notices for the various boards she was on and had organised for the different chairmen to take her vote as proxy. She would reply with her vote and reasons for each agenda item.

In the years that the old band had owned the shopping centre, all the upgrades had been completed and it had become a popular shopping destination. Lease values had risen slightly and there was always more than ninety percent of the centre leased, even in difficult trading times. The management team had reported an offer of forty million to buy it, but those who had bothered to vote had rejected it. The account was growing with every year of payments.

The studio was doing well, and the cash reserve was growing, in spite of the generous wages that Willow paid. It was about a year to breaking even and making a genuine profit as it had been where a lot of awarded albums had been recorded. The original unit in Coventry was still with the same company, and Willow had bought another unit, nearby, to take their expansion.

When they had any spare time, the band tried to work on new songs, injecting them into the show to see if they worked. “Enlightened’ had been doing the same over the last few weeks. When they arrived to do the shows in Hawaii, it was good for everyone to be back in the groove.

During the previous leg of the tour, each member of ‘Enlightened’ had earned seven hundred thousand Australian dollars and were over the moon with their new status as music icons in their hometown. The first sound check in Hawaii was almost a mini show, as they all tried out new songs. Their mixing desk now had a digital recording unit to save the new songs for later reference. The three shows there were successful, with the reviews lifting sales for future venues.

From there, they were into the serious part of the American tour. The momentum was relentless, with weekend shows in larger cities and mid-week ones in the regional towns. They played in huge sports stadiums, smaller theatres, country showgrounds. On elaborate temporary stages to backs of trucks, they did it all and pulled in full houses everywhere. By the time they reached Nashville, they had songs in the top twenty and sales in the stratosphere.

They also had a new set of songs for each band that were recorded in a studio in Nashville, whose very name ensured that there would be interest. From then on, the shows included the new material, with some of the old dropped off. They zig-zagged across middle America with their last few shows all sold-out three-night weekends in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, and the final shows in New York.

There were no questions about their past, by that time, just about their futures and their hopes and dreams. Willow had been wrong in her estimation. Each member of the two bands had earned over eighteen million pounds from the US part of the tour, with another six million from album sales, and counting.

They left New York in the first week of October, with Rufus having organised hotel accommodation for the Australians and their families. They had a short break before starting the short tour in the UK in the third week of October, following the same format as before and ending, in London, on the last week of November. It was titled ‘Enlightened Garreth’ and was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun for the two bands. The biggest difference was that many of the shows had family and friends in the audience.

After the last show, they parted company for Christmas. The Australians had two months in the hotel and would take guided trips to all the places they had only heard of, while the locals all went to their homes.

Garry and Willow went home to Marlow and caught up with their secretary to talk about any things they should know. She had organised some roof repair work while they had been away and had kept up with all the usual payments. The various accountants had worked together to keep their wealth growing, while paying all the required taxes.

They went to stay with Ashley, Wendy, and John during the lead-up to Christmas. It included the various parties that Ashley was required to attend, with the Randalls now celebrities with their own status, rather than members of the Rocks. There was another New Year, by the window beside the Thames, watching the fireworks, and Willow stood with Garry holding her as they were bathed in bright lights. He whispered in her ear.

“You know, the first time we stood here, I was wondering why I was so lucky. Now I know that we generate our own luck, as a team. The tour of Europe will be the last time with Mac on drums. I don’t begrudge him his future. I’m grateful that he is staying with us until then. He’s been almost a father figure to me, not more than my father-in-law, but a steady hand as we did amazing things during the year.”

Willow turned to face him.

“He has been that voice of reason, as well as a great drummer. I know that we will have a break after the tour, but I don’t feel worried about that, now. We have each other and I love you, Garry, with all my heart.”

As Big Ben rang out the midnight hour, they kissed in the New Year with a realisation that it didn’t matter what they would be doing, they would be doing it together. This was their fourth year of marriage, and both knew that fifty years wasn’t a pipe dream.

Evelyn and two of the old fan club flew in early in January. Willow and Garry picked them up and took them to Marlow for a few days. The three had finished their education and were having a break before starting steady work on the catwalks. In the meantime, they were in England to model for a shoot of a clothing line that would be launched in Australia later in the year. They stayed with the Randalls for the few days and then were taken to their hotel to start work. It was a good time to catch up.

Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to see the bands on stage, going home before the tour started in Europe, but they did have a collection of recent DVDs to watch. They had arranged to meet up with Samantha and the rest of the band while they were staying in London.

Willow and Garry spent the next couple of months writing songs and keeping up with their duties. Willow was now a non-executive director in four companies, and Garry had been added in a similar role on the ENO board, alongside Willow. Ashley had set up a small office to work on the travelling show, and they spent some time with the couple of girls there to sort out what should be presented, in the future, and to start making enquiries with likely sponsors.

When the band met up in the shed, they were all ready for the last leg of the tours. They would be playing in places that Willow, Garry and Mac had been, but the others had only been to a few of the cities when they did the short tour as G-Force. They rehearsed most of the last version of the UK tour, with some new extras.

Then, both bands were back in the studio in Leicester, to record two new albums to be on sale while they were in Europe. Both had new sets of catchy songs that had some added to the stage set.

They were ready to go, with a few days before they were heading for the plane, when Mac told them all that they would be eating at Il Pellegrino, in Watford, that evening, as a last quiet meal before the tour. They had a good dinner, with the sort of food that they would be eating over the next couple of months. It was a friendly time, all now good friends, and Mac stood to propose a toast.

“Friends, I have to thank you for giving me a few extra years on stage, allowing me to gain a measure of class after my long years with the Rocks. When we finish the last show, my wife and I will be going to our new home. While we were at Bathurst, we fell in love with the area and that fantastic racecourse. I spoke to people in the museum there and was put in touch with others. We will be living on a twenty-five-acre property, with big sheds, that we bought before Christmas. I have a small car collection here, which will be transported there while we’re on tour, to be taken out of their containers when we settle down. To Garreth.”

They all had a drink and he carried on.

“While we were in Australia, I spoke to some guys who race cars. I will be buying into a syndicate that races what they call Supercars over there. It’s all big engines and lots of power, a bit like the touring car races here, but on steroids and thumbing a nose at the electric brigade. It will be a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to it. When you’re next in the country, I’ll organise a hot lap for you.”

A few days later, they all met with the other band at Gatwick, ready for the tour. It was starting in Sweden, working down through Europe into Spain, and then into Switzerland and south through Italy. After that, it was into Greece, and the Balkans, and then back south to Turkey with the final shows in Abu Dhabi. The rest of ‘Garreth’ would be going home by commercial airline, with the tour plane taking Mac and ‘Enlightened’ to Australia, all the parents and families already home.

For Samantha and her band, it was all new and exciting. For the members of Garreth, it was almost like a farewell tour. In quiet times, they spoke about the future. Zara and Geoff were now ready to settle down, with Zara wanting to start a family and teach singing. Geoff was keen to open up a guitar school. Gerry already had offers to join other bands, with a few in America that had been impressed with his blues playing. That left Garry and Willow a clear window of opportunity to make a total break from playing, with a very good fortune behind them. Willows’ canny property purchases from years ago were coming into their own.

The studio was now one of the places to be, and she was thinking about a second Summer Love Studio to give the new batch of studio technicians coming out of Coventry somewhere to make their mark. It would have to be somewhere distant from Leicester. What made it more of a certainty was when Mac said farewell and gave the Randalls a bunch of keys and a manilla file.

“Willow and Garry. I have no other way to thank you for what you did for me when you both started playing with the Rocks. It gave me the best few years of my career, being part of a multi-faceted group with so much talent. The keys are for the shed in Watford, including all the equipment left in there. The file holds the title deeds, now in the names of Garry and Willow Randall. This is my gift to you, and I hope to see a wonderful recording studio the next time I visit England.”

The remainder of the band were quiet on the flight from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow, all thinking about what they had achieved over the last two years, and what they had facing them. They were all in their mid-twenties and had enough money to do whatever they wanted to do. Now, though, Willow had a project to follow through in Watford. These days, it would cost close to two million to convert the small part of the bigger shed into a professional recording studio, with more than another million finding accommodation for the operators. She did have plenty of time on her hands, though, and the experience she had gained with the first one.

Marianne Gregory © 2025