Page 16 of Finding Storm

A second later, Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” hums out of the speakers.

Turning the volume up, my fingers strum against the steering wheel in time to the guitar riff.

Now, this here makes me happy.

My car and good music.

The simple things in life.

Maybe this is all I really need. Fuck all the other shit.

I slide her into drive and exit the parking garage, driving in the direction of Republique.

Can’t say I’m looking forward to this interview.

I don’t like interviews, period.

Journalists prying into my life? No, thanks.

People think because I’m a musician and my life is on the stage that I like being in the public eye.

I detest it.

For an intensely private person like me, it’s difficult, being the focal point of people’s interest.

What I wouldn’t give to be able to just make music and live a media-free life.

But the world doesn’t work that way, and to be able to do what I love, this is the way it has to be.

I have to share my life with the world.

And at this point, it’s not like there’s anything anyone doesn’t know about my life already.

It’s all there in large print on Wikipedia.

Raze might be our front man. But my biological father makes me press-worthy.

So, when a hugely popular magazine wants an interview with me, I go do it for the band.

Any press is good press, as Zane always tells us. Zane is the VP at TMS Records, which my band is signed to.

Yes, I know I’m signed to my adopted dad’s label. I know how it looks, special treatment and all that, but Jake didn’t sign us.

Zane did.

Jake has nothing to do with my band. Zane makes all the calls when it comes to us.

If Zane wanted to can us, Jake wouldn’t stop him.

He doesn’t play favorites in business.

We do what Zane says, and if Zane tells me I’m going to do an interview, then that’s what I go do.

I should be thankful that people want to interview us.

When journalists are still asking for interviews, it means you’re relevant, and if you’re relevant, then you’re selling records. And ultimately, that’s all that matters—that people are still listening to our music.

That’s why I do this.