Velvet Goldmine Page #5

So for one entire day, I

actually think Brians been shot.

That the whole thing is real.

All his paranoias proven horribly true.

- You mean, no one told you?

- Nope.

Why?

Forgot.

Jesus!

I mean... I knew it was over. I just...

...didn't know it was

up to me to make it stop.

- Mandy.

- Hello, Brian.

No, thanks.

These are the papers.

I believe theyre in order.

All you need to do is sign.

So you won't forget.

- I already have.

- Evidently!

F*** you, Brian! Did you ever, for one bloody...

...second in your life, want

anything more... Than this?

No.

Your problem is...

...you get what you want

and do what you will.

Worlds, Mandy, are built out of suffering.

There is suffering at the birth of

a child as at the birth of a star.

You live in terror of

not being misunderstood.

Women defend themselves by attacking, just as

they attack by sudden and strange surrenders.

I lost my girlhood, true. But it was for you.

What in God's name is going on up

here? How the f*** did you get up here?

- Brian, Im really sorry about...

- Its alright, Shannon.

Mandy was just leaving.

Mandy, if youd be so kind as to follow me...

Let go of me. Im perfectly

capable of making my own...

I really dont want to have to call someone.

Call someone?

I am his wife, for fucks sake!

F*** the lot of you!

Was that the last time you saw him?

No.

I saw him again. Briefly, a

few weeks later, at a concert.

He was performing?

No. Curt was actually performing.

He and Jack Fairy had just

finished their Berlin record...

...and Curt was in London playing some gigs.

And Brian was there, for a second.

I dont think anyone even saw him.

Which concert?

It was like a tribute. Sort of

a farewell concert to glam rock.

To save your wild, wild lives.

To neer your fans embitter.

To cease your sad demise. Tonight, we toast!

Is this working? Cos I want it blue-er.

I dont think you should bother. I think I

should go on stage tonight, instead of you.

Arthur, come on, give us a hand with this.

Stop moving about, Im doing me eyeliner.

"... And due to the overwhelming

demand, there will be...

...additional shows added whenever

and wherever possible. "

"Regrettably, Mr Stone only

has time for a few brief...

questions this morning as he

has a plane catch to Zurich. "

Lou! Lou!

- Im sorry, Arthur. Im late. - Lou!

I think Im on to something. -What?

- Something quite big. I think

I know who Brian Slade is.

Ah, that storys been dropped.

- What? Why?

- I need you on the Stone show.

But that's it!

What did they say to you? Lou!

Hi, yeah. My name is Arthur

Stuart, from the Herald.

I was given this number and told

I could reach Curt Wild here.

- Listen... (whispers)

- Yeah. Hello? Hello?

Listen, I dont know who the

hell gave you this number...

...but Curt Wild is not available

and not interested in granting you...

...or anyone else an interview

on this subject. You got it?

I'm sorry. I was told...

- That was really beautiful.

- Yeah? Thanks.

- Did you see him?

- No, I didn't see him.

Its only now, looking back...

...that I see how you patched through

my walls and entered my life...

...in waves.

Come closer.

Dont be frightened.

Whats your name? Your

favourite colour? Song? Movie?

- Dont be nervous. Are you high?

- Im on a button.

He was waiting for me.

Id followed his signals...

...and slipped away and now, suddenly...

Hey!

Make a wish!

Hey!

Make a wish! And see

yourself, on-stage, inside-out.

A tangle of garlands in your hair. Of

course you were pleasantly surprised.

Softly, he said:

I will mangle your mind.

Tommy! Tommy! Where did you get the

idea for such a spectacular stadium show?

To tell you the truth its

a bloody pain in the ass!

The whole thing takes six full size rigs

or three chartered planes to transport.

What can I say? I think big!

Tommy! Whats your opinion on the work

that President Reynolds has been doing?

Excellent. Excellent. I think

hes doing brilliant work.

Hes a tremendous leader, a tremendous

spokesperson for the needs of the nation today.

Tommy! What's your response

to the recent allegations...

...connecting you with bisexual

pop-singer Brian Slade...

...who staged his own assassination

ten years ago this week in London?

...that Mr Stone has time for

this evening. Thank you very much!

Out! Get out!

"... Stone is promoting

his Grammy-winning release...

"People Rockin People", to

sold-out arenas worldwide... "

Beer, please.

Excuse me? Sir? Are you

with the Tommy Stone Tour?

No. Im just a journalist.

Perhaps youd like my...

press pass? As a souvenir?

Thanks sir.

You're Curt Wild.

Yeah. Who the hell are you?

Im a journalist. From the Herald.

You were at the concert?

Its just funny, cause... I was

trying to contact you, actually.

About a story I was doing,

about an old friend of yours.

Brian Slade?

I was trying to find out

what actually happened to him.

- Look...

- I mean, before he became...

...such a mystery.

Look, man, I dont know who youve been

talking to or what youre after here.

What?

What?

Listen! A real artist creates beautiful things

and puts nothing of his won life into them. Okay?

- Is that what you did?

- No.

We set out to change the world.

Ended up just changing ourselves.

What's wrong with that?

Nothing.

If you dont look at the world.

Well, I guess in the end

he got what he wanted.

- Thats quite a pin you got there.

- Oh yeah.

Is it old?

Possibly. It belonged to Oscar Wilde.

Or so I was told by the

person who gave it to me.

A friend of mine. Kinda

disappeared some years back.

I forget where we were. We were on a trip.

But he said to me, "Curt...

"... A mans life is his image. "

- Here. Why dont you hang on to it?

- Me?

Sure. Why not?

Ive had it too long anyway. Go ahead.

For your image.

Really. I couldnt. But thanks.

God, I love this song.

- Anyway.

- Yeah.

- See ya around.

- Cheers!

He called it a freedom.

A freedom you can allow yourself.

Or not.

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