JEM RECORDS HQ
After a few days.
Marty Goldman entered his office and only to find a sealed envelope on his desk. Inside of it were a photo of him with a known mob associate from the '60s, a transcript of a tapped phone call from 1973, and a note written in impossibly neat penmanship.
"Your pursuit of Chris Cornell ends here. Sub Pop is not your concern. Continue distribution and stay in business.
– SR."
Marty drops the papers. His hands shake. He picks up the phone, dials Lenny.
"Call it off. All of it." he said with his face full of dread.
On the other line, Lenny asked with surprise. "What? Why?"
Marty shook his head and with an agitated voice, he replied, "Sub Pop's not just a simple independent label that we thought. It's a fucking mysterious fortress! We mess with them, we disappear!
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Westport City.
Sidney Reilly walked past the gates into the James' parents mansion. Then a maid guided him to James' studio room, inside, there was the 11 year old James calmly assembling notes on upcoming music video shoots that he plans to add from the one that was made by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. Reilly called James name then he removed his hat.
Sidney Reilly went first, "It's done, Master. Jem Records won't be bothering us again."
James smiled and said "Good. We're just getting started anyway, I don't want any flies flying around and pestering my plans."
James' tone became somewhat unfamiliar, as if he was an adult, if his parents heard him, they might mistake their son as a real kid villain.
James returned his attention to his table, then he picked up a pin and placed it on a new name on his planning board: "Europe 1982."
///////////////////////////////////NEXT SCENE///////////////////////////////////
As for the rewards James made from the system through the touring assessments, from June 1981 to July 1981, he earned a total of $4,400,832.00 money bags. Even James could not believe he hoarded such an amount in just two months of Chris Cornell's touring!
As for the system's achievement rewards, the cassettes and vinyls sold more than 9,000 units in these two months and fully sold out before August 1, 1981. All 10,000 units, cassette tapes and vinyl!
[CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ARTIST'S ALBUM SALES!]
[MILESTONE SALES: 24,000~]
[YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED A $2,400,000 MONEY BAG!]
Regarding the touring profit result:
[June 1981]
[Gross Profit: $238,497.00]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $155,023.05]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $23,849.70]
[July 1981]
[Gross Profit: $278,887.80]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $181,277.07]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $27,888.78]
[Total]
[Gross Profit: $517,384.80]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $336,300.12]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $51,738.48]
'It is a substantial Profit!' James thought.
But he did not put his hands on these "measly" profits and had ordered Joseph Kennedy Sr to put these net profits into operational funds. As for payments to Chris Cornell's account, it was made on time, exactly August 1, 1981.
And these were the by month detail:
[April 1981]
[Label Gross Profit: $40,000.00]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $28,000.00]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $2,240.00]
[May 1981]
[Label Gross Profit: $25,000.00]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $17,500.00]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $1,400.00]
[June 1981]
[Gross Profit: $266,457.00]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $176,832.25]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $25,594.44]
[July 1981]
[Gross Profit: $314,536.80]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $209,027.87]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $30,108.84]
[Total]
[Label Gross Profit: $645,993.80]
[Sub Pop Inc. Net Profit: $431,360.12]
[Chris Cornell's Net Royalty Share: $59,343.28]
And with the full deposit of Chris Cornell's share, he bought a new family car for his mother to use. Good thing, he also got his professional driving license last May 1981 when he was recording the "Screaming Life/Fopp" extended play (EP).
///////////////////////////////////NEXT SCENE///////////////////////////////////
Back in July 1981.
At the San Francisco headquarters of Bill Graham Presents.
The office buzzed with tension and legacy. Gold and platinum records from The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, and Santana gleamed like totems on the walls. Behind his desk, Bill Graham, titan of live music, studied the man sitting opposite him: Joseph Kennedy Sr., eyes sharp and demeanor sharper.
Bill lit his cigar with a casual flick. He blew a thick stream of smoke and said, "You wanna bump Gamma off my stage? Ronnie Montrose's band? That guy played guitar for Van Morrison. He built his dues."
Joseph Kennedy Sr. set his leather briefcase on the table, opening it slowly. "And now he's coasting on fumes," he replied.
He placed a tear sheet from Billboard in front of Graham. "Gamma 3 peaked at #70. Airplay is thin. Montrose has talent, sure, but Chris Cornell? He just came off a month-long tour with Ozzy Osbourne."
Bill Graham raised an eyebrow, curious but unconvinced.
Joseph continued, laying out more evidence. A cassette tape labeled "Detroit, Ozzy Afterparty Recording – April '81". Then, a Seattle Rocket review headlined: "Cornell Opens Fire, Teen Screamer with a Veteran's Roar."
Next: a handwritten note from Don Dokken, scribbled on hotel stationery:
"Graham, book the kid, I will waive my opener fee just to watch."
Bill chuckled. "You're making a hell of a pitch for some 16 year old. This isn't a club gig, Joe. This is the Coliseum. Forty thousand people."
Joseph stood, unfazed. "Chris Cornell held down more than 10 show openings for Ozzy. Blew the roof off Cobo Hall. You want fresh blood that moves tickets, or you want another night of polite applause for tired solos?"
Bill Graham tapped ash into a tray. "Gamma's already inked."
Joseph leaned in, steely-eyed. "Sub Pop Inc. will cover their full appearance fee, if the crowd doesn't move for Cornell. But if they roar? You keep the slot open, moving forward."
A long silence. Graham studied him, then the tape. Then the Dokken note. Finally, he snorted, a smile breaking through.
"You're lucky," he said, crushing the cigar in his ashtray, "I secretly hate jazz fusion."