Long Live Us
Twenty-Five
To take a nice break from working in studio, Dad, Tom and I had talked to our manager with the label to get us working on a single based on the songs we had completed so far. Tom and I held a band meeting to pick the song that would be our first single to get out to the masses. We picked Towson, and the reason was that it was the song I wrote with everyone at once about our hometown and our memories growing up with our parents. I even asked if I could have my dad guest on the track with harmonizing with me and doing the bridge that went before the last chorus. Turned out the label loved it and we planned to have the music video be a done a certain way.
"Alright, so we'll open up the video with a shot of you guys just playing the opening riffs and getting the first lines of the lyrics out. Then we'll cut to Stella and Tom walking into their 'house' to their dad," the director explained.
"Then we cut into the first home movie clip of Tom and I learning to walk," I added.
"Exactly. Now let's get the first take to get this started," he replied.
I got last minute touch ups on my hair and makeup before we got into the final places for the first couple of shots. I was using my red and black guitar that matched my dad's old one i got for Christmas two years ago. It was my baby and a piece of my dad I could always carry with me. When we got the cue for playback, I grabbed my guitar with my fingers ready to play the song we were about shoot the music video for. When heard action, the four of us started playing to the music track and we synced up to the music perfectly.
"There no place like the open road, but I feel that home is where I want to be. I don't want to stay away for far to long, if it means I have to leave forever," I sang the opening lines to Towson. Towson was my way to show that I want to have the life my dad had, but it had its downside too.
After we shot the bit about me and Tom, the chorus was going to cover Jack next. His was of him coming 'home' to see his dad and then it would cut to a memory of Jack and I when we first played guitar together and held a tune; I just turned 8 and he was 9 and we were playing Lost in Stereo together.
After Jack's bit, Nate was next. Nate's memory was when he was learning to skate board with his dad. Their reunion in the fake house was actually really sweet and made me and Aubree awe silently at it.
Aubree was last and she got to give her dad a huge hug for their reunion. Aubree's memory was when she was about to be three and she met Alice for the first time when she was born. It was the cutest memory out of all the ones we picked.
Now it was my dad's turn to perform in the video. He and I were wearing similar outfits of a plaid shirt, dark skinny jeans, and a pair of boots. He had a black beanie on and I had a grey one. Before his part, he got have a memory of his own play, his was a video of the first time he and I sang together when I was six years old and mom had flown herself, me, Tom, and little Liam out to see him in Chicago. I wanted to cry when I watched the video playback on the monitors.
"You say you don't want to leave. You want to never grow up. I know how it feels to leave a piece of myself behind. It gets harder each time. I speak from experience. Don't fight against the tides. Just let them roll in and watch them with your best friends," my dad sang out. He wrote the bridge with me and it reflected back a bit to Let it Roll, which made it even more special.
When the shoot was over, everyone celebrated. I was happy that we got the video done and I got to make the way I wanted to. I was glad we got to include our dads into the video, it was our way of saying thank you for helping us reach this point. If it weren't for them, we'd never be here.
We got back to the studio late at night. I was really tired out from the shoot and I was leaning on Jack so I wouldn't fall onto the floor. Aubree was sound asleep in Tom's arms. Nate was leaning on Jack with me, his eyes were droopy.
"Alright head to bed guys. You guys earned a day off tomorrow from recording. We'll pick recording the day after tomorrow," Matt said to us.
"You made me very proud today, Stella. I'm glad I got to do that song with you," Dad said to me as Jack went to help Nate get to bed safely.
"I owed you for getting me on Last Flight Home, Dad. I love working with you, I just never really get to now since once Tom and I are eighteen, we may get different schedules than you and the rest of the dads," I told him.
"I know, but I am making damn sure to see you at a sold out show and every other show I possibly can. You are my oldest baby and I will always make sure I'm there to support you, even if I'm miles away on my own tour or in studio," he replied.
"I love you, Dad. So very much," I hugged him tightly.
"I love you too, Princess. Now go get ready for bed, I'm sure Jack will want to spend the off day with you," Dad kissed my forehead and hugged me again before I went to mine and Aubree's room to say goodbye to today.
"Alright, so we'll open up the video with a shot of you guys just playing the opening riffs and getting the first lines of the lyrics out. Then we'll cut to Stella and Tom walking into their 'house' to their dad," the director explained.
"Then we cut into the first home movie clip of Tom and I learning to walk," I added.
"Exactly. Now let's get the first take to get this started," he replied.
I got last minute touch ups on my hair and makeup before we got into the final places for the first couple of shots. I was using my red and black guitar that matched my dad's old one i got for Christmas two years ago. It was my baby and a piece of my dad I could always carry with me. When we got the cue for playback, I grabbed my guitar with my fingers ready to play the song we were about shoot the music video for. When heard action, the four of us started playing to the music track and we synced up to the music perfectly.
"There no place like the open road, but I feel that home is where I want to be. I don't want to stay away for far to long, if it means I have to leave forever," I sang the opening lines to Towson. Towson was my way to show that I want to have the life my dad had, but it had its downside too.
After we shot the bit about me and Tom, the chorus was going to cover Jack next. His was of him coming 'home' to see his dad and then it would cut to a memory of Jack and I when we first played guitar together and held a tune; I just turned 8 and he was 9 and we were playing Lost in Stereo together.
After Jack's bit, Nate was next. Nate's memory was when he was learning to skate board with his dad. Their reunion in the fake house was actually really sweet and made me and Aubree awe silently at it.
Aubree was last and she got to give her dad a huge hug for their reunion. Aubree's memory was when she was about to be three and she met Alice for the first time when she was born. It was the cutest memory out of all the ones we picked.
Now it was my dad's turn to perform in the video. He and I were wearing similar outfits of a plaid shirt, dark skinny jeans, and a pair of boots. He had a black beanie on and I had a grey one. Before his part, he got have a memory of his own play, his was a video of the first time he and I sang together when I was six years old and mom had flown herself, me, Tom, and little Liam out to see him in Chicago. I wanted to cry when I watched the video playback on the monitors.
"You say you don't want to leave. You want to never grow up. I know how it feels to leave a piece of myself behind. It gets harder each time. I speak from experience. Don't fight against the tides. Just let them roll in and watch them with your best friends," my dad sang out. He wrote the bridge with me and it reflected back a bit to Let it Roll, which made it even more special.
When the shoot was over, everyone celebrated. I was happy that we got the video done and I got to make the way I wanted to. I was glad we got to include our dads into the video, it was our way of saying thank you for helping us reach this point. If it weren't for them, we'd never be here.
We got back to the studio late at night. I was really tired out from the shoot and I was leaning on Jack so I wouldn't fall onto the floor. Aubree was sound asleep in Tom's arms. Nate was leaning on Jack with me, his eyes were droopy.
"Alright head to bed guys. You guys earned a day off tomorrow from recording. We'll pick recording the day after tomorrow," Matt said to us.
"You made me very proud today, Stella. I'm glad I got to do that song with you," Dad said to me as Jack went to help Nate get to bed safely.
"I owed you for getting me on Last Flight Home, Dad. I love working with you, I just never really get to now since once Tom and I are eighteen, we may get different schedules than you and the rest of the dads," I told him.
"I know, but I am making damn sure to see you at a sold out show and every other show I possibly can. You are my oldest baby and I will always make sure I'm there to support you, even if I'm miles away on my own tour or in studio," he replied.
"I love you, Dad. So very much," I hugged him tightly.
"I love you too, Princess. Now go get ready for bed, I'm sure Jack will want to spend the off day with you," Dad kissed my forehead and hugged me again before I went to mine and Aubree's room to say goodbye to today.
Notes
The lyrics in this one are mine, do not steal them or I will be very mad.Cute moments for Stella and the gang. I was tearing up at the memories of Tom and Stella walking. They've come so far. :')
11/4/13