THE JOE ROMAN BAND by Larry J. Hall

At Fred Sanders' house, we hear music in the garage. Shaun Matthews is puffin away on his tenor sax playing silky light jazz music while Danny Torgerson's drumming with brushes, Jason Herkimer's playing bass guitar & an unhappy Fred Sanders is playing chord progressions on the vibes.

After the jam, the guys take a break.

"Shaun, this is my house." said Fred, "Why won't you let me fly on the vibes? You never let me play a vibes solo @ all!"

"Screw the vibes." said Shaun, "This is a sax band & you're my back-up. No vibes soloes."

"Man," complained Fred, "You won't listen! Frank use to listen, Ben & I would get to solo!"

"The White Angels are history!" snapped Shaun, "Can I help it if Pacific Records had cut-backs? The band was through! Frank & his family moved to another area of Philadelphia, David & Ranny got lucky when former member Bart (now Status Seeker) asked him to join his hip-hop rap band while your cousin Ben gave up the vibes to become a high school band director."

"He still plays in the high school band!" said Fred, "What about Joe Roman & Danny Brown?"

"Joe's thinking about a solo career while Danny wants to be a football coach." said Danny.

"Man, it would be nice if we had them in our combo." said Jason.

"Yeah, an unfair combo." quipped Fred. Shaun started beating up Fred while Danny & Jason had to hold them.

"Stop it! You're friends!" yelled Danny.

As they cooled off, Jason suggested that they try to get one of the guitarists to join the new combo.

Over @ the Roman's house, Joe's in his robe sporting a beard sitting on the side of his bed playing his electric guitar. Joe was a little depressed as well. Lou came into the bedroom, Joe stops playing.

"Joe Roman, you need to get a real job!" she stated,

"You're just depressed that TWA broke up. Why don't you teach guitar like you use to?"

"Lou, I applied for many jobs for gigs & nobody wants Joe Roman as a solo act! Performing's my life, this guitar brought home the bacon. I'm not going to go back as a guitar teacher."

Just then, his son Scott with his kid dog Matty came in the bedroom with guitar case in hand.

"Dad, are you ready to give me a guitar lesson?"

"NO!" he scloded as he was about to get after Scott.

"Kid dog don't like what's going on!"

"Take that Brian reject with you, Scott!" Scott hurried with Matty following him to his bedroom. Scott started to cry with Matty to follow.

Lou was very angry @ Joe & threatened to leave. Just then, the doorbell rang. Joe thought it was another bill collector & threatened to beat him up! But when he answered the door, it was Shaun Matthews.

"Sorry, I thought you were a bill collector." said Joe.

"They're after you too?" asked Shaun, "Let's talk."

They sat in the living room while Shaun explained his idea to Joe.

At a health club, Fred Sanders is wearing Guts Swim Briefs as he enters the pool area. He was surprised to find Danny Brown in the pool swimming laps as well sporting Guts. Fred jumps in & starts swimming laps in another lane next to Danny. After they got tired, they hit the hot tub.

"Nice swimwear." said Fred.

"Danny Brown only wears briefs @ the health club. Otherwise, I sport the super sized trunks in public. What's going on?"

"Do you miss playing football?"

"A lot." said Danny, "I've been trying to apply for jobs as a coach. Just lucky that the XFL was discontinued."

"I know what you mean." said Fred asking, "You miss music, playing the guitar?"

"Man, I was so disappointed The White Angels folded after I joined & made our last CD. Fred, I always liked it when you got to solo on the vibes."

"How about a jam?" asked Fred. They both got out of the hot tub.

At Fred Sanders' garage, Danny Torgerson's on the drums playing with brushes with Jason on bass while Danny Brown's chunking guitar chords as he watches Fred Sanders playing a cool vibes solo. Fred felt happy getting to solo at last. Then he plays rhythm chord progressions while Danny Brown plays a super guitar solo.

After the jam, Shaun & Joe enter.

"What's he doing here?" asked Shaun, "Joe's joining the band! He'd also make a great lead singer."

"No way!" Fred said, "Danny Brown's our guitarist! He appreciates my vibes soloes not like some people I know."

"Look," Shaun said, "We're going to have to choose between Danny Brown or Joe Roman. We can't have both!"

It turns out that the new combo turns out to be The Joe Roman Band featuring; Joe Roman - Lead vocals, electric guitar Danny Brown - Electric guitar Jason Herkimer - Bass Shaun Matthews - Tenor Sax & hand percussion Fred Sanders - Vibes Danny Torgerson - Drums/tympani

Back @ the Roman house, Joe's in Scott's bedroom teaching him some guitar.

"Sorry I got after you a while back."

"That's ok, Dad. Got a new job huh?'

"Yeah, half of TWA has a new band."

Matty comes in licking a banana snow cone watching the guitar lessons.

"Has anyone seen my momma dog or even Liz? Did they go to Misfit Land?"

"No," Scott explained, "I think Liz took Buttercup to find your daddy dog."