The BEAT BENEATH my FEET
Schooled Southside beneath the King of Beasts
Back in PigFat, St Louis
The air was gravid with heat, sex and hops
They made the beer, drank it when they got off
This is what you gotta do
But I just want to scratch the groove
Pick a partner, pick a domicile
My choice was to pick them all lying, flying, like men blankly do
Girl, you're in the wrong neighbourhood
This is what you gotta do
But I don't care, I'll smash the groove
This is what you gotta do now
This is what you must do
But I'm going to rough up the groove
- Tom. Where's your helmet? - I chained it to my bike.
- You are using it, aren't you, Tom? - Yes, Mum.
Do you know the number of people that would still be alive if they'd worn a helmet?
- Did you see those paramedics? - Yeah. The old lady downstairs.
Maybe if she would have worn a helmet.
He walks inside
Steals a wink
You try to explain but you ain't got time to think
You know he's bad news
But you take a glance
His headlines say you're on the right page for romancing
You just fall
Oh yeah you fall for those eyes
Tom!
What you should have is Na2 SO4...
...our old friend sodium sulphate.
Tom Heath.
Tom?
Tom!
Since you're so far ahead of us...
...why don't you come up here and talk us through the answer.
Come on.
Tom.
Tom!
Mr. Freeze.
Hi, love!
Nature's beauty from God with love
Thank you, God.
Tom-kins.
Everything okay?
Watch that movie
Watch it, watch it, watch me
Found me bottom-up, bottled-up and refused since eye-ope
But he saw a suck, picked me up and my spirit poured
We lived mouth to mouth, mouth to south, hands round my neck
Mr. Freeze.
- What are you doing? - Nothing.
Signing up for that?
Look, we got some pretty serious competition for Battle of the Bands, so...
Come on. Entertain us. Show us what you can do.
Damien.
No?
Then give me my guitar and shove off. Go on.
And close the door on your way out, please!
Loser
YOU ARE A LOSER
Loser
TOM IS A LOSER
Loser
LOSER ALERT!
Loser
LOSER
Loser
UPLOADING...
Mr.. Freeze. You sent your form off yet?
Don't worry, you'll be alright. Anyway, you're looking cool.
What do you think you're doing? Stop that!
- Get off him! - This one, this one.
Bloody hell.
- Tom, what's the matter with you? - Book him, Lou.
Lunatic.
HOPE FOR CHILDREN CHARITY CONCERT
Tom's very quiet today.
- We're both... - ...exhausted.
Poor old Mary's got a new neighbour from hell apparently.
- And Tom... - ...is fighting at school, getting into trouble.
Do you want me to have a word with him?
Why not? I'm sure he's got a few sentences that need finishing.
Tom.
You don't just attack someone for no reason.
- If I was schizophrenic I might. - Schizophrenics hear voices.
I hear music. Does that count?
I don't think that...
- Do you defend schizophrenics? - No.
Just break up families, then.
Isn't there some kind of law about getting involved with your clients?
- I'm not involved with your mother. - You'd like to be, though.
You've got 2 choices. Stop fighting. Put in some work. Get into university.
Or... be a sad loser. Like your dad.
That is appalling. Have you spoken to the Council?
They told me to keep a noise diary.
Your constant racket is driving me crazy.
- Why don't you let me? - You're always doing this.
- What? - Speaking for me. Finishing my sentences.
I am a perfectly functioning intelligent woman quite capable of fighting my own battles.
- But you asked me to. - Yes, I know.
Sorry, I'm just at the end of my...
You are destroying my life.
Is that marijuana?
Mary!
Rock 'n' roll.
Why do people feel they can inflict their life choices on everyone around them?
Useless, selfish bloody...
- You don't know anything about him. - I had 9 years of it with your father.
Thomas the tank.
- How you going, buddy? - Hi, Dad.
You've got the best of my love
But only on the weekend
He's a great singer.
- I'm a singer, in a band. - Really?
It's called Risk Factor. Heard of us?
- No. - No.
If you wanted to, just give me your number then I could...
...get you on the guest list.V-I-P.
Can I help you with anything?
No.Just waiting for him.
- Yeah, is that your son? - No.
No, no, no. It's just something I do.
I mentor special... well difficult children.
- Doesn't look difficult. - He's actually on sedatives.
Really?
Yeah. I mean, you wouldn't think it.
He runs the most dangerous gang in Sutton.
Yes!
It's okay. I got it.
He gets excited.
See? Fine.
I'm fine.
It's just for my peace of mind, darling.
Jonah's gonna write us a letter. Move to get him evicted.
Sleep well.
Finish the questions. Look at the text for tomorrow and no talking.
Nothing Album Goes Double Platinum
Max Stone held on drugs charges Nothing tour on hold
How very sad.
Come on, class, gather round.
Tom, get the page back.
So, tomorrow, a thousand words on uses for the compound silicon.
Apart from breast implants.
Mr.. Perv.
I don't like myself
Well, I'm a haunted soul
What the hell do you want?
Teach me. You got loads of time. You're always here.
MAX STONE MISSING. MAX STONE SUICIDE?
One Million Pound tax Fraud... wanted in America and the UK.
ROCKER'S SON DIES HIS OWN POOL
I know about your dead boy. Maybe teaching me...
If you ever mention a dead child to me again, that is exactly what you'll be.
I'd rather be dead than not be able to play the guitar like you!
Teach me.
The blue one.
You teach me and you get to live your secret life in peace.
The red one and I'll tell everyone that you're not dead.
Think about it.
I bet the tabloids would love a story like this.
"Crippled tax dodger living under false identity."
"Wacko saddo benefit... cheater."
Sad little loner. No life.
So are you.
At least I had one.
Mum's getting a solicitor, so you'd better stop playing...
...music all night and start teaching me guitar...
...or you'll be locked up. Do you hear?
Well I've been drinking beer and whiskey all night
I'll fall down, yeah
Well I've been drinking beer and whiskey all night
I'll fall down, yeah
Well
When the sun does come babe
I'm coming home
He's stopped playing his music.
I wonder why.
Sounds great.
Carry on.
Okay, from the top.3, 4...
Get a chair.
Tune it.
Go ahead, then.
Can I go in the other room?
What shall I play?
Anything.
- Why do you wanna play like me? - Because you're brilliant.
You were voted Rock Guitars' guitarist of 1993.
Yeah, was I?
How could you forget something like that?
Listen, if I play like me and people like it, that's one thing.
You play like me, it's a tribute band.
- But I just wanna... - No.
No more about me. I don't wanna ever hear another word about me.
No history about me. No facts about me. You just play.
It's good.
Yeah.
Just... just leave it.
Thanks.
Leave me alone I just wanna hang with my friends
Dirty pretty thing She's been chatting since ten
I don't wanna have a fight with you So think it all over, have a drink or two
I said, leave me alone I just wanna hang with my friends
Help me out She's driving me round the bend
Tom, Tom, Tom. Come on.
- How you doing, buddy? - Not bad, Dad.
Good, good. Got any cash?
Whoa. You dealing drugs?
No.
Running an extortion racket?
Auntie's been giving me £30 every Christmas and birthday since 2008.
And my paper round's between 7 and 9 pounds, depending how many flyers they put in.
And they gave me my jumperback last Christmas which I kept the money for.
Good because I'm not an extortionist.
No, you're not.
You look fantastic in your glasses. Your mum has excelled herself.
I came out to have a drink or two So just think about it, I'm not fighting with you
I said, leave me alone I just wanna hang with my friends
- What's the hurry? - Late for rehearsal. Battle of the Bands.
- You're in a band? - I sing. Play guitar.
I am so gonna get an exclusion order on you.
Yeah, stay away from me. Pervert!
My dad's getting me a new guitar.
Great. Why don't you get him to teach you how to play it?
He would but he's too busy at the mo.
- Right. - I've written a new riff.
Ah, well... why don't you go in your studio here and play it.
Invert it.
Play it somewhere else.
No, on the guitar.
Oh.
Play the chord.
Give me a 'D' two frets up.
Now back to the 'E', on the 12th.
It's like the same chord further up.
Inversion.
Can you still do that with the ...?
Don't worry about my hand. Just keep playing.
In front of an audience. Well done.
Thanks. Can I leave it here?
No, just take it.
I can't.
- Why not? - My mum doesn't know I've got it.
- Where do you keep it? - In the air vent. On the roof.
Why?
Dad's in a band and mum hates everything he stands for.
She'd go mental if she found out I was doing music.
She wants me to be a solicitor or something like her stupid friends.
Yeah, that's real interesting.
Not the solicitor part, of course, but the secrets.
You got secrets.
So the way I see it, we have us a blackmail Mexican stand-off.
You try to ruin my life, I will ruin yours.
I like that. It's a balance of power.
Takes us back to the way we were before. We can just go on ignoring each other.
Yeah, but it's not balanced.
I'll tell everyone that you're Max Stone.
Yeah, and I will tell your mum about the Devil's music.
Well, I'll tell everyone you tried to touch me.
Someone help, it's a pedo!
Pedo, retard.
Stefan Pavlovski.
Stefan Pavlovski?
Smoking helps with the pain.
You're not even supposed to smoke cigarettes out there.
Would you tuck yourself in.
Oh, yeah. Sorry, nurse.
Don't call me that.
- You haven't done your exercises, have you? - No.
- Why do you bother coming? - If I don't they cut off my disability benefit.
- Okay, let's leave it there. - Yes.
I'm seeing my dad tomorrow. By next lesson I'll have a proper axe.
- Leave me alone. - Tom.
Tom.
Well it rained all night and it's cold all day
I can't carry the weight, think I might die
The cupboard's empty again Oh my belly cries out
I'm so hungry that I think I might die
What's going on in here?
It's, it's Tom's dad.
- What happened to him? - He's run away to Spain with some girl.
Not a word. He didn't even say goodbye to Tom.
Tom. Don't throw anything, I'm coming in.
I've wrecked a few rooms in my day. It's good work.
He took my money.
You're gonna have to get used to that in this business.
So you think I can do it?
Got a few things working against you.
Like?
Crippling shyness that renders you incapable of playing in front of anyone except me.
Right, apart from that.
You've gotta find your own voice.
Every great guitar player has a unique voice.
Clapton, Hendrix, Johnson.
Who's Johnson?
Robert Leroy Johnson.
Story goes that when he first started playing guitar...
...he was so bad people laughed. He was embarrassed.
So one night he goes to a crossroads.
Clarksdale, Mississippi.Midnight.
Sells his soul to the Devil.
After that he was the greatest Blues guitarist the world had ever seen.
So like you but the other way round.
Get it? Because you were good then you sold your soul and now...
Yeah, I get it.
Now someday you may have minions that will take care of all this but until then...
...I suggest that you apologise to the management.
Start cleaning this up.
You look like a weirdo. Like you're gonna start screaming.
- Yeah, well, I just might. - Famous like 100 years ago.
You recognised me.
That's because I'm knowledgeable.
I forgot, you're a regular little idiot savant.
- What happened to all your cash? - What?
Don't you get royalties and stuff?
I lost it all.
- You must have had such a good time. - I sure hope so.
I don't remember any of the good parts. I don't remember a damn thing.
- What can I do for you gents? - Need a budget amp.
6 pack of those electra sound lights.
You been in here before?
No?
I call this one Sharon after my ex-girlfriend.
Cheap, easy to pick up and it packs a right punch.
Whatever. How much does it cost?
Say 30 for the amp.4 for the strings. Let's call it 35?
Max Stone, that's who you look like. From Nothing.
Sore point. He got fired from their tribute band.
Yeah, I know there was all that nonsense but...
...people forget how good he actually was.
Rock Guitars' guitarist of 1993.
That guy's dead. Wanna keep it that way.
I'd do it. I'd sell my soul.
Sometimes the Devil cheats.
You'll get the hang of it.
Show me.
Can't do it.
Don't play anything you don't feel.
The Devil cheated me Took me for a ride
Packed me in his limousine Drove me to the other side
The Devil cheated me What a hell of a ride
He showed me good times He showed me fun
He said "You can have all of this, son
All for nothing All for free
Just sign your name on this dotted line for me"
The Devil cheated me Took me for a ride
Calculating your route.
Stuffed me in his limousine Chauffeured me to the darker side
I lost my soul But what a hell of a ride
He showed me wild times Wine, women and song
He said "Son, this is where you belong
All your desires All your needs
Will be fulfilled, so c'mon, sign these deeds"
The Devil cheated me
Perform a U-turn immediately.
The Devil cheated me
- Danger. - END OF ROAD
Danger.
You've reached your destination.
Hello, Mr.. Angry. How's it going with your band?
I'm just working on some new material.
I'd love to hear it sometime.
See you around.
- Steve? - Yeah. Just a minute.
Hi.
I just came by to say thank you for the other day.
- Is this a bad time? - Yeah, it is, actually. I was just...
Smashing some crockery.
Well, yeah.
Well, I can clear it up for you.
No! Don't.It's... Just go.
But come back later. You and Tom.
Yeah. You should come back for dinner.
Really?
Okay.
I can bring the food.
Great. And plates.
Okay.
Knives and forks.
Sure.
You want a couple of chairs.
- Why don't you just come up here? - Okay.
Nice work. You don't actually wanna have dinner with her, do you?
No.No.You were in here with the guitar... Go.
For what we are about to receive may the Lord make us truly thankful.
I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that in real life.
Is this alright for you?
Yeah.I...
It's chewy.
I feel like I'm burning energy just chewing it.
It must be better than all those ready meals for one.
...it's nice to be sitting here...
...together, eating.
We don't usually do this.
I tried when you were younger.
But your dad was always out late, so...
...it didn't really happen.
Perhaps I'm sometimes a bit too quick to judge people.
I think he's lonely down there. Just needs a bit of love.
- Mum! - God's love.
Hi.
She wants to make you walk.
I just wondered...
- ...if you'd like to... - No, no, no.
Wasp.
...come out for a coffee... if you've nothing better to do.
No.
No, no, I've nothing better to do.
The thing about wasps, sometimes when you wave at them they just get more stubborn.
- I hope this wasn't too far. - No, I need to walk more.
I did try to warn you.
Fantastic. That's, that's really come on.
Gemma, I think we're gonna lose your pum-pums. They're not really working, are they?
I thought they were sounding okay.
I didn't.
- What do you think? - It's unique...
...and I love Gemma's pum-pums.
Might you be joining us? The male section could do with beefing up.
This is Steve. He's moved in below us.
The neighbour from hell.
Can I have a quick word, please?
- Why have you brought him here? - Because...
...he's new to the area and he doesn't seem to have any friends.
- Just be careful, okay? - Look, I know you mean well but just...
So, are you gonna come to our charity gig?
Yeah, definitely. I'll be there in the mosh pit, going for it.
Alright.
Goodbye, ladies. You have a nice evening.
Bye, Steve.
Lovely.
- I don't think Jonah likes me very much. - He's just jealous.
Tom.
Are you coming to school next week or are you being a bad boy again?
- No, I'll be there. - Cool.
See you there.
Oh, why didn't you introduce me?
It's like being in a Jane Austen novel.
Youth is wasted on the young.
I bet it wasn't wasted on you.
Why is it so dark in here?
Well, yeah, because I have a headache.
- What's going on with you and that girl? - Nothing.
I see. She is kind of cute and she does seem into you.
- You don't think it's like you and my mum? - How's that?
They both just feel sorry for us. You should play on it.
She trusts you. You could take me to the Battle of the Bands next weekend.
If you're gonna play that thing, you're gonna have to do it in front of an audience.
An audience...
...is a multi-headed monster...
...with a thousand sharp fangs ready to stab you in any second.
But you are gonna tame the beast.
You're gonna make it love you.
Alright, we're on the main stage, it's Saturday night, in Reading.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment you've all been waiting for.
Multiple Grammy winning platinum award selling...
...artist of the year, Tom.
He had a dream A path to the stars
A promised land Writing songs
Living the dream And knocking down walls with his guitar
Writing songs of freedom
Melodies dreaming wherever you are
Hearing songs for freedom
Melodies streaming like a rising star
Glistening
High above
And I'm rising sky above Moon rising
He had a dream It seemed to be real
Telling the world Writing songs
City of stone and promise of hope
Close to gold Then he woke
High above
And I'm rising sky above Moon rising
Don't wake me up
Making my way to the promised land
Don't wake me up
Making my way to the promised land
Don't wake me up
Making my way to the promised land
Don't wake me up
Making my way to the promised land
You just played a sold out arena.
Now this gig next weekend's gonna be a walk in the park. Now get going.
Leave the guitar.
I...
...I got you something.
It's a bit silly but I thought it might...
...you know...
- What is that? - It's electronic. Helps you cut down...
...if you want to.
That's not too bad.
- Wanna try? - I haven't smoked in years.
My teenage rebellion.
The thrill of keeping something secret from your boring parents.
Yeah, but now you're the boring parent with a teenager.
Sometimes my passwords get thrown right back at me.
Yeah.
Have you got children?
A son.
I had a son.
He died.
Oh, Steve, I'm so sorry.
If you don't want to talk about it...
You should know.
He drowned in my pool because I wasn't looking after him.
He was 3 years old.
3 years, 10 months, 7 days and...
I should have been watching.
The really horrible part of it is that...
...you know, whenever I... I think of him, I...
...I hate myself, so...
...I try not to think about him.
So, she trusts you?
I don't know. You'd have to ask her.
You have to take me to this battle next week. But she can't know.
- I'm not gonna lie to her, Tom. - Your whole life is a lie.
- Yeah, I like her. - She's my mum.
She hates the music.
Then we will just have to find some way to make her realise that the music...
...it's not as bad as some of the other stuff you've been doing to yourself.
Let's just play.
Go ahead.
This is good.
Really, really good.
Can you record on this?
I can't hide
I've been running all my life
With each disguise
A little piece of us dies
We can't hide
From the truth that's inside
All our lives
Trapped and denied
Prisoner
That sounded...
...great.
That is the track.
Rock 'n' roll, baby!
How dare you!
I know this looks bad but you need to take a step back.
Step back?! You gave my son drugs.
- He took it. - He is completely out of it.
He could have fallen off the roof. What were doing up there?
I teach him guitar. He's a musician.
It's... that's all he cares about.
He can't even sing in the church choir!
He can sing. He can play.
- Writes his own music. - I don't care. He is not going down that path.
You can't treat him like a child forever. He's a teenager.
You are in no position to talk to me about raising children!
Now just stay away from Tom!
And stay away from me!
Your Mum is right. I'm not the sort of person you should be hanging out with.
What are you listening to?
Are you okay, Tom?
I can't play music any more.
The guy who was teaching me. He's gone.
- You can find someone else. - Not like him.
Is that the guy I saw you with in the park?
I thought that was your dad.
He used to be famous.
He did look kind of cool.
You ever hear of a band called Nothing?
A huge US band in the nineties. Kind of thrash/grunge.
- Is that a video? - Yeah.
- Let's see it, then? - It's very rough.
You and the movie guy. You two rock.
- I'm sending myself your song. - You can't show that to anyone.
Why not?
Just promise me.
They're old.
I'm fine now.
So, how do you stop yourself?
Play guitar.
Join our band.
We need a decent songwriter. It'll be nice to have you around.
Don't look so shocked.
Extra Latin?
After school.
It's useful for law. Jonah told me.
And I've been thinking, maybe I could help out in the choir. If you think I'm up to it.
Tom-kins, I'm sure you are.
I did like Steve.
Yeah.
I liked him a lot but I'm back on track now.
And... we're okay, aren't we?
Course we are, Mum.
- How about I play that the second time round? - That's cool. How did you do that?
It's called a higher inversion. He taught me.
You're really good.
Oi, oi, lovebirds. Break it up.
Mr.. Freeze. What you doing today? Just chilling out?
Chilling out because... Mr... Freeze.
Tom's got some good ideas. We do need help with our song.
You got a sick guitar there, mate.
Not a copy either.
Tell me, how does a boy like you...
...come to possess a guitar like that?
Go on then, take it away. Show us what you got.
Sooner rather than later.
It's a bit girlie, isn't it?
Want something, you know, something that rocks.
Like that.
Now in your own time.
- He can't hack it, can he? - Tom, wait.
- You can't hack it. - Sorry.
The first time I sang with them I had to get in a wardrobe.
And the door was shut. And I'm scared of the dark.
- That's ridiculous. - Why?
Because you're so...
- I just can't. - Tom, wait.
Felix.
It's dark in here
Escape from the zombies living in fear
Girl so lonely
With opened eyes
Woke up in a world that's bright outside
Girl broke free
Girl in the wardrobe
Out of the darkness
Girl in the wardrobe
She stepped right out
Girl in the wardrobe
And into the light
Girl in the wardrobe
She stepped right out
Girl in the wardrobe
Damien.
Next time you have a crush, don't invite him to join the band, alright?
Listen, you moron. He's got more soul and talent than you'll ever have.
I think you're right, mate. I think she does have a thing for him.
And he's a better songwriter.
I can't hide
I've been running all my life
And each disguise
- Who's that? - His teacher.
He just needs to build his confidence.
I think we can help him do that.
Trapped and denied
I can't hide
What are you doing?
I'm practising for the song that's gonna win me Battle of the Bands.
Here you go, look.
Tambourine for you there.
See how you fare with that.
I'll tell the judges. You'll get disqualified.
And why's that?
It's my song.
Not just your song. I've been doing a little reading about your friend.
Yeah, massive tax fraud, jumped bail, owes a lot of people a lot of money.
I don't blame him if he wanted to disappear, that's fine, but...
...you know as well as I do that if that video gets out it's bad news.
So tell the judges, and I'll go straight to the police.
No ...!
I've done a stupid thing.
I showed Felix the video.
I was just trying to impress her.
Somebody with half your talent could start a career with this thing.
What's the point?
All the success in the world and you lose your soul.
You are gonna be great. You can do this gig.
- You're gonna do it solo. - I can't.
You can.Hey...
...we gotta stop hiding, Tom.
So, I hope you can figure it out.
What is it?
You'll see.
Fine young capulet flawless and just immaculate
Face like a magnet but wishes she was more accurate
Drags on a cigarette Exhales but can't forget
Reconciled and desperate to do something that she might regret
Knows she's getting closer and ready to talk to most of 'em
Looks in and out but all she can see is the ghost of him
Knows she's getting closer He won't believe a word she says
He's getting closer She knows he's getting closer
And don't try to tell me not to get in a fight
And don't try to kid yourself the boys are alright
- You with a band? - No, it's just me.
Too late, mate.
- Please, you have to let me. - No, I don't.
You wanna be like the guy who turned down The Beatles? I'm good. Trust me.
But it's all alright It's all gonna be alright
She tries so hard to convince herself but in her heart of hearts she knows
Tom?
How did you get in? Where's Tom?
Look, Tom's fine. I think you need to see this.
In a flash gone the world's moved on
- What are you doing? - I'm doing my song.
That's hilarious, mate. I can't wait. It's gonna be great.
You realise you can't even look at an audience.
You're gonna look like a bit of a tit up there, aren't you?
You're in for a shock, mate.
Let's hear it for Jazz Blaack.
Okay. Next up tonight, our only solo artist.
Let's hear it for singer/songwriter Tom Heath.
Song's called 'The Prisoner'.
We can't hide
We've been running all our lives
With each disguise
A little piece of us dies
We can't hide
From the truth that's inside
All our lives
Trapped and denied
Prisoner
Time has come
Have to find the key
We need someone
Someone to set us free
Yes the time has come
To take a helping hand
Release the past
And make a new stand
We are free
There's gotta be another way out.
Steve?
I'm down here.
- No. - Get up.
No, Tom! No!
No.
They'll put you in prison.
The only prison is the one you make for yourself. I'm not...
...I'm not running any more.
This his?
You have to help me let go.
The former Nothing guitarist, Max Stone...
...believed dead until he surfaced in Battle of the Bands in South London...
...has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for tax fraud.
Don't wake me up
Phone Video goes viral. Stone gives money to children's charity.
Are you ready for this?
I can't hear you.
Are you ready for this?
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've been waiting for.
It's Max Stone...
...and Tom Heath!