The makings of greatness?
Who: Brandon & Meeghan Where: Chloe's Sugar Shack When: Saturday, May 22nd
It was late morning when Meeghan found herself wandering into the popular coffee shop for a much needed cup of caffeine. Like most in the City of Angels, Meeghan Gregory's day just couldn't be started without an infusion of liquid caffeine. In her case it was to be a large cup of steaming black coffee. After getting her drink the dark haired, dread locked singer walked from the counter to find a seat at an empty table where she hoped to enjoy her morning pick me up uninterrupted.
Oddly, perhaps this meeting was meant to be. Brandon had hardly ever been IN this place, mostly because anytime he was? Chloe tended to drool and spastically flirt with him. But today, he needed the caffeine as he had been trying to plan out his (hopeful) music career, and it was a lot to deal with. When he looked up, he saw Meeghan coming in, and offered a nod and smile to his label-mate. "Care to have a seat?" He asked her, hoping that maybe a pleasant conversation would clear his head a bit.
Meeghan glanced over toward Brandon when she heard his offer to share a table. She knew she should know the guy as he looked more then slightly familiar to her, but Meeghan just couldn't put a name with the face at the moment. "Sure. Why not." The young woman smiled pleasantly to the guy as she settled in at Brandon's table and set her coffee down. "I'm sorry, I know I should know you, but your name is escaping me at the moment."
"Brandon. Brandon Bale. Currently signed to Full Moon Records, but unlike you, with no idea what to DO on said label." He said with a chuckle, extending a hand with a friendly smile. "You're Meeghan right?" He asked, just glad that Rachelle and Neely hadn't ruined the entire family in her eyes.
"Ah," her smile revealing instant recognition after hearing the man's name, "Brandon Bale of the Bale clan. I think we've passed each other in the hallways of Full Moon once or twice. And indeed I am." She replied extending her hand out to his to shake. Meeghan had actually considered leaving Full Moon Records due to what had happened between her, Neely and Rachelle, but time back in San Diego had the young woman reconsidering that option. Staying signed with Full Moon Records was the best way for Meeghan to further her career, and she wasn't about to let anyone, least of all someone who had been a good friend of hers, to keep her from achieving that goal.
"Good to see you doing so well. I hear your demo sessions are going well. My little cousin can't stop talking about you." God knew he was still figuring out what he wanted from his signing. "Me? I got one high-profile song lined up... But other than that? I can't seem to keep a band I like together."
"Bethany? She's a sweetie." Meeghan smiled recollecting the meeting she had with the girl the previous day. Never had she met anyone who had been as anxious and hyper as the red haired Bale girl had been to meet her. "You keep losing all members of your band that you manage to put together?" Surely there had to be one or two members that were willing to stick with the guy.
"Beth. Heh. Good kid. Little too smart for her own good, but I love 'er. And... yeah. It's more of a mix of that, and just not being happy with how we gel. I have a style I enjoy singing, but I don't know if I want to take that style pro." He sat back, taking a few sips of his latte. "I just recorded a song with Natalie McGuiness, for the next Eternal Embrace album. And I realized that THAT style could really work for me."
"Well," Meeghan started, and then took a drink of her own coffee, "that's a start. At least now you know what sound style you wanna go with. "I'm sure someone from Full Moon would be willing to work with you in putting auditions together to find the perfect element for a band for you."
"Ben and Skylar are being great... They want to help me there, but I wanna make it on my own merit. I actually submitted an anonymous demo to Kellerman first, so I could know I wasn't getting in because of my name." He gave a small shrug and laughed nervously. "I know, probably stupid..."
"Not really. At least this way you'll know that they like or don't like you based solely on your sound and not because of your family name. Some people need to bank on their families name to get anywhere, but I have a feeling you don't need to be backed by the Bale name to make it in this industry."
"I appreciate the compliment. Hell, maybe we could jam together sometime. Try to collaborate on something." The saddest damn part? This was Brandon trying to make a friend. It had occurred to him watching Catherine walk to Meredith, Sin, and others that really? He had NO friends. He talked to his girlfriend, his brother, and his sister. Other than that? His cousin Baily was the closest thing he had to a friend.
"Sure. Who knows we might end up making beautiful music together." Meeghan laughed softly mostly at her own amusement at the lame joke that came out of her mouth. "Seriously, though, we should do that sometime. Who knows what might come of a co-collaboration." Though it wasn't crossing her mind at that moment, Meeghan was in the same boat as Brandon, she had no friends here in Los Angeles that she could talk to or hang out with.
"Seriously? I have to admit: I'm completely antisocial, so I'll have the time. 99% of the time, if I'm not alone I'm with my girlfriend Catherine or my sister Neely. And when your only friends are your girlfriend and your sister? LAME." He snickered, honestly ok with his lameness.
"I didn't think that was a trait possible of a Bale." All the ones that Meeghan had met had been of the social to overly outgoing type. "And I don't think you're as antisocial as you might think you are. You did after all invite me to seat at your table." Something in Meegs mind an actual antisocial type wouldn't have done.
"Yeah... most of us tend to be pretty outgoing. I think that gene just... kinda skipped a few of us. Me, Bronte, and damn... I think that's about it. Maybe it skipped us and just... made Ben and Neely that much WORSE." He said with a wry grin, as honestly? It made sense to him. "So... you have a real direction for your album yet? Just asking because, maybe we could be the answer to each other's problems here... maybe together, our ideas and talents could really shine."
"Not really." Meeghan answered truthfully. "Cut a couple demos, but nothing that would make for a first album. "Who knows. Which leads me to think that your suggested jam session is a damn good idea." Meeghan found a pen and piece of paper then, which she scribbled her name and number down on. "Never know what might become of it." The singer smiled sliding the piece of paper with her number over across the table toward Brandon.
"Personally, Meeghan?" He added, a friendly, charming lilt to his voice that hinted at that charisma that all the Bales, even Brandon and Bronte, DID have in there somewhere. "I think this is just the beginning of what could be a VERY prosperous friendship."