Another arrival to the crazy train

[boombangaboom]

Joakim was now stepping out of the taxi just outside the apartment complex hoping to meet up with the rest of his band, The Dolls, who were already here. They'd travelled around two weeks ago from Stockholm to join the Ziggy Stardust tour via invite from Ragnar. Joakim had to delay his flight with the band to stay behind in order to take care of his son and arrange someone to look after him. Who knew how long the tour would be? The drummer had dropped his son, Randulf, who was four, off at his parents house, knowing he'd be safe there. Being a single parent and rock star often wasn't easy.

"Ok, this must be the place."

The drummer touching the wooden bear pendant around his neck for luck as he often did. The pendant itself was something that his son had given his father which he'd made at nursery. Joakim never took it off. Picking up his clothes bag he entered the apartments and stepped into the lobby. Maybe Ragnar or Heikki would be around somewhere. Jorgen was always off his head drunk or passed out somewhere.

"Where can a man get a drink around here?"

Joakim drank when he felt like it and right now he needed it after such a long flight. He was often called crazy but he wasn't a drunkard like Jorgen and didn't drink as much as the others in his band. Being a father came with responsibilities and this meant he didn't have the luxury of getting trashed as rock stars did. This didn't really bother him much though.

Comments

[suomi_thunder]

Aarne was coming back from being out when he saw the guy standing in the lobby with a suitcase. He wondered if this was the Dolls' drummer since they had mentioned he would be coming along after taking care of some things back home.

"What do you drink?" Aarne asked but his eyes immediately focused on that bear around the man's neck. He wore some amulets but after being around Vars for so long, who wore an excessive amount of them, he had a curiosity about anything amulet like.

[boombangaboom]

Joakim turned around at the voice and then looked up slightly noticing the tall dark-haired feminine man speaking to him. His accent---Finnish? It certainly sounded similar to Heikki but a little different.

"Anything right now. I just got off the plane and am pretty tired."

The drummer noticed that the man was staring at his bear amulet. Perhaps he liked bears?

"I'm Joakim, drummer for The Dolls."

[suomi_thunder]

The first comment confirmed Aarne's suspicion on who this was, and the introduction too.

"Aarne, drummer for the Hammers." He offered a hand for a shake and then would be encouraging him to follow in the elevator. Maybe they could just stow his stuff in Sven's room since the Swede was away a lot now while chasing the American guitarist. "We have plenty upstairs."

[boombangaboom]

"Aarne? You are Finnish? Our bassist, Heikki, is from Finland."

Joakim assumed this guy was in how he spoke and his dark hair. Shaking Aarne's hand, he offered a polite smile and then looked past to where the elevator was behind them. How big was this place anyway?

"You guys always drink in your rooms or is there a bar upstairs?"

[suomi_thunder]

"I'm Saami." Aarne commented because that was important to the Finn.

"There's a lounge but in the rooms too." Aarne was already pushing the button on the elevator. They weren't so much rooms as they were apartments but the drummer understood given the usual was hotels for musicians. "We can drop your things off in one of the rooms."

Sven's it was. Surely the Swede wouldn't mind if he did come home, which was unlikely this late in the evening.

[boombangaboom]

"Saami? Ah, well I wasn't far off."

Heikki wasn't Saami but just Finnish. There was a difference but the drummer wasn't about to ask such things about Aarne's culture now because he was tired. Perhaps another time. Getting a room and having a drink was on his priority now.

"The people in the room won't mind me having my stuff dumped inside will they?"

Joakim didn't know what the living arrangements were so didn't wish to intrude.

[suomi_thunder]

"I see it as.. different." Aarne meant significant. It was a Saami from Finland more than a Finnish person that was Saami.

Aarne got into the elevator and shook his head. "He's been living in an American's place trying to get laid. I doubt he'll be back tonight."

[boombangaboom]

"Yes, it is different in a way. You'd know more about it than me."

Joakim nodded as he followed Aarne into the elevator. The comment about this Sven getting laid by an American had the drummer laughing slightly. He didn't know anyone on the tour except his own band mates and Aarne so far. Getting to know people would come in time.

"So, how long have you been on tour for?"

[suomi_thunder]

"I can tell you some time."

Aarne headed up to the upper floors in the apartments.

"A year and a half, I think." Some of it has been a blur, especially since coming to LA.

[boombangaboom]

"I'd like to hear it."

Joakim was interested in the new band members he was meeting and Aarne was the first Saami he'd ever met before. Heading up with the Finn, Joakim then began thinking about how his son would be getting on without him. That always made him worry when he knew he shouldn't.

"A blur you say? I can understand that. Back home in Stockholm I've got a young son called Randulf. He's staying with my parents while I'm on tour."

[suomi_thunder]

Aarne nodded. "Missy has kids. Their older and I think they stay with her family when she's on tour too."

He didn't really know but he assumed that was true. They would have to go somewhere. "Some people's parents are here too." At least Mick's but some of the LA people had family close too.

[boombangaboom]

"Missy? So, I'm not the only parent on tour then. This makes me feel a bit better."

Maybe he could talk to Missy and some of the other parents to relate to being on tour and having children at the same time. The other side of the story regarding Joakim's wife though---that was the sad part.

"I'm a single dad since my late wife passed away a few years ago due to sickness."

That had been the hardest.

[suomi_thunder]

Aarne frowned. "Some are... touchy about the subject."

Aarne thought about how Rekker was when it came to kids but Aarne understood.

"I'm sorry." Aarne gave him a bit of a hug and smiled. "Missy's band threw her husband off a balcony."

[boombangaboom]

"I understand this. Talking about my wife's sickness is hard for me too."

Joakim rarely spoke about the details but wasn't afraid to say why he was a single parent just in case others got the wrong idea. The hug was welcome and then Aarne's comment about Missy's husband getting thrown off a balcony had the drummer staring for a bit.

"Really? He must have been a total asshole."

[suomi_thunder]

"One of the band members....lost... a kid." Rekker's kid wasn't dead but the loss was probably as bad as far as Aarne could think it over.

"He beat her...and maybe the kids. I don't know but Rekker threw him from a second floor porch." Aarne stepped off the elevator to take Joakim to Sven's room to drop off his stuff.

[boombangaboom]

"I'm sorry. That can't have been an easy thing at all."

Joakim offered Aarne a sad expression and shook his head. No parent should have to go through losing a child. Then the drummer felt anger build up inside at knowing Missy's ex husband was a wife and child beater.

"Jävla jävel!"

He cursed in his own tongue because that was nothing any man should do. Beating up his wife and children was disgusting and wrong. This Rekker was right to throw him off.

"This Rekker had the right idea to throw that fucker off."

[suomi_thunder]

"No, it can't."

Aarne nodded and opened Sven's door. The room was empty and quiet. Aarne didn't think Sven had been been back except to get clothes for a few days. He and Davy must be really into each other.

"She was his teen sweetheart, I think, and he has a bad temper." That was the truth of the matter but Rekker should get along with the drummer.

[boombangaboom]

Joakim nodded, not wanting to talk more about bastard exes and loss. He was here to meet everyone and get a good night's sleep because the flight had taken a lot out of him. During the flight he'd dare not drink any booze because he was worried about going to sleep and not being able to wake once the plane landed. This due to Joakim being a heavy sleeper.

"This is a nice room. I can smell cologne and shampoo."

The drummer noticing the many photographs of a blond man posing for a model shoot it looked like. Was this Sven? Or perhaps someone else.

"The man on the posters---is that Sven?"

[suomi_thunder]

Aarne noticed that it was more than Sven's smell here. It made the Finn giggle.

"Yeah, that's Sven, singer for Skökorna." Aarne stepped in and turned on the lights so Joakim could stow his stuff. "He's probably off banging the guitarist from City Charms, one of the LA bands."

He looked around and shrugged. "You could probably sleep in here tonight until we find somewhere."

[boombangaboom]

"Skökorna? The Harlots? Nice name."

Joakim put his bag down and then snorted out a laugh at the Finn's remark about Sven and his guitarist love interest. Was he always so open about things like that? It would seem so. The drummer had only been here five minutes and Aarne was already telling him about Sven's sex life.

"Thanks, Aarne. I'm so fucking tired I could drop right now but how about a night cap first?"

[suomi_thunder]

"They're all slutty. It fits."

Aarne saw no reason to hide who was sleeping with whom. Joakim would know soon enough when he started seeing and meeting people.

"You could sleep. There's round the clock drinking here." Aarne was serious. With so many rockstars here there was always someone up drinking or partying in some way.

[boombangaboom]

"I'll sleep after I've met a few of you boys."

Joakim was tired but not enough to just slump onto the bed and pass out. He was excited about getting to LA and meeting up with the rest of the band as well as meeting Aarne and whoever else from the other bands.

"Round the clock drinking? Good to know. I'm not a huge drinker like Jorgen or Ragnar but I do enjoy a couple of drinks. Heikki is the one who drinks the less out of us all."

That man when he got trashed though---he was total trash.

[suomi_thunder]

"Heikki and Jorgen are already chasing the same guy, I think. I can't tell. Heikki is staring at too many people like that."

Aarne giggled and then started walking with Joakim toward where the main, shared room was.

"When I left Damien and Rekker were testing thier hand to hand combat and we were all watching."

The two had moved all the furniture to the edge if the room and made a ring of sorts. They were good, terrifying if Aarne didn't know them both. It reminded him of watching Vars with his throwing knives... a moment when he was glad to be thier friend and not an enemy.

[boombangaboom]

"They are? I'm not surprised about Jorgen because that boy is a fucking whore who snorts too much coke and gets boozed up every night. Heikki likes to think of himself as band dad, or one of them, since I am too. But, once he gets booze in him he can turn into trash himself."

Joakim grinned because he knew the man was secret trash even though he didn't want to admit it.

"Hand to hand combat? Nice. I like to keep my fitness up by a having a few rounds in the gym. Punchbags and stuff."

The drummer hoped he would fit right in with everyone else. Talking of punch bags---Joakim wondered if he should invite his brother, Gunnar, to the tour one day. That man was a weight-lifter as well as lead singer in his band.

"My brother is a gym buff and weight lifter. Maybe I should invite him one day."

[suomi_thunder]

"I think they both have the hots for long legs and long hair." Aarne was always observant of people and watched closely. He had noticed who the new people were checking out.

"Rekker's a black belt in a few martial arts and Damien is a second for a huge.... street gang but he's our tour security." Meaning Damien was safe. Sure enough, when they walked into the room the two were still at it. A few bruises, scrapes or busted mouths but relatively unharmed.

"He'd have no lack of people to test strength with." Aarne mentioned as he entered the room, skirting the edge to lead the newcomer to the makeshift bar off to the side.

[boombangaboom]

"You might be right."

Joakim was more interested in what Aarne was telling him about Damien and Rekker. They both sounded like strong guys and ones to have on your side in a fight. At least the tour had such men on it to defend against thugs and crazy groupies. Walking into the room with Aarne, Joakim looked around and smiled.

"Gunnar is a crazy strong bastard but I love him. He's always in the gym weight training if he's not fucking in bed or on stage singing."

The Swede moved towards the makeshift bar and was now wanting a drink to keep him awake.

[suomi_thunder]

"Ithink Harald is the strongest here though, I've seen Rekker go toe to toe with him. I don't know what happened with it though since I wandered off."

There was coffee and tea as well as booze if Joakim wanted something other than alcohol.

"I don't think many of us go to the gym but most of us swim." They did go to the beach a lot but part of that was Rekker and Bjorn dragging people out.

[boombangaboom]

"Harald? I haven't met him yet. Is he here among everyone?"

Joakim didn't know who anyone was so was listening to Aarne intently, trying to get a feel of who was with which band. There were some strong blokes which pleased the drummer and he knew it would please his baby brother too when he arrived eventually.

"Swimming is fun. I like having a dip now and then myself. As for booze I'll have a whiskey but then a cup of tea after that."

He didn't want too much booze before going to bed.

[suomi_thunder]

"You can't miss him. He's a huge Viking." Aarne liked Harald, in part, because he was so much into the old ways.

Aarne poured out a glass of whiskey and then smiled. "I'll make sure you get taken along next time we go to the beach."

It would be easy to find tea around once Joakim was ready for it.

[boombangaboom]

"A big Viking? That sounds like my baby brother, Gunnar. He's big and tall too."

Joakim took the glass with a nod of thanks and sipped some slowly. He wasn't looking to get trashed tonight, just to have a nightcap because he was jet-lagged. So far he'd not bumped into any of The Dolls yet.

"I trust my band haven't been causing chaos have they? Jorgen is a hyperactive boy who is always trashed."

[suomi_thunder]

"Harald is taller than me." Aarne smiled, but maybe not in his boots. Still, Harald was so tall.

Aarne started to giggle. "Jorgen is chasing around one of the bar owners but I think Jerry can handle himself... unless your bassist starts after him too."

[boombangaboom]

"This sounds like Jorgen. He's such a trashy boy but we all look after him."

Joakim couldn't help but smile because this sounded like the crazy blond. Five minutes on tour and he was chasing someone around called Jerry who was a bar owner. Heikki though? He wasn't after someone too, was he?

"Our bassist is bad dad or he likes to be known as this. Once he gets trashed though---he gets so fucking dirty."

[suomi_thunder]

"He'll be safe here." Aarne knew that others would look after anyone who needed.

Aarne liked the newcomer.

"I heard he was sober and staring." Aarne started to giggle. "There's other people here like that."

[boombangaboom]

"I'll have to get to know everyone here once I get some sleep. The flight really took it out of me."

Joakim knew he'd catch up with his band mates soon enough so for now he'd spend time talking to Aarne. The Fin seemed like a really fun person to be around and no doubt getting into chaos with others.

"Did you say you had someone special?"

The drummer was tired so didn't catch if he did or not.

[suomi_thunder]

"You shouldn't worry about going to sleep early if you need to."

Aarne didn't want the man to feel like he had to stay awake.

"I do." Aarne grinned and took a seat with his drink. The fighting had calmed down and now Damien and Rekker were sitting down talking to each other. "He's a sleep right now."

[boombangaboom]

"I'll be alright. Don't worry about me."

Joakim patted the Finn's arm and smiled. Yes, he was tired but he wasn't about to pass out exhausted just yet. Spending time with Aarne and having a quiet drink sounded like a good end to the evening.

"What's he like?"

[suomi_thunder]

Aarne went to have a seat among the others who were hanging out in the area.

"They call us the trash twins." Aarne started to giggle. "We're a lot alike."

[boombangaboom]

"The Trash Twins? Is this because you two are trashy or is there another meaning behind it? I await to meet this Joe and see how alike you two are."

Joakim smiled, shaking his head a little because he could imagine this wild Finn going crazy with his boyfriend. Well, it wasn't going to be a dull tour that was for sure.

"Do you and Heikki spend time together as fellow Finns talking in your own language and things?"

[suomi_thunder]

"We are trashy." Aarne smiled and pulled out his phone to show Joakim a picture of him and Joe together.

"I've talked to him in passing but I haven't had too much time to sit down and talk to him a lot yet." It was a shame and Aarne made mental note to hunt down the other Finn soon.

[boombangaboom]

"Nothing wrong with being who you are. Jorgen is the trashiest out of all the band being young and off the rails."

Joakim leaning closer to look at the photo Aarne was showing him or him and Joe. Oh, they did look alike! The hair and expressions they were pulling. The Swede could guess that they were actual twins aside from the height difference.

"You are alike. Heikki needs another Finn to speak to because he often feels left out with more Swedes and Norwegians in the band."

[suomi_thunder]

"I'm always myself." Aarne smiled and leaned in close to the drummer.

Aarne nodded. "My band speak Finnish and I'm teaching Joe my dialect." Aarne loved that his band had all learned each other's languages over time.

[boombangaboom]

"That's the way it should be; being yourself no matter what. Fuck whatever anyone else seeks to judge about you."

Joakim loved how alike Joe and Aarne looked. They almost looked like they were related or were twins which was amusing.

"What is your band like? That's nice you're teaching your boyfriend your language."

Aarne seemed like a really nice guy.

[suomi_thunder]

"Do you live that way?"

Aarne stayed there leaning in close to the other drummer. Though Aarne got along with everyone, the drummers had a special place in his life.

"We're all very different." Aarne thought that was the best way to describe them. He had some pictures of the others backstage and pulled some of those up for Joakim to see.

"Hunter, our singer, is a dirty old fox. He's all flashy and wears leopard print while drinking wine ALL THE TIME but he also acts like he's our mom." Aarne felt like that was a good description. "Our bassist, Vars, is a Norwegian Viking punk. He's quiet but he's good for advice and would defend any of us to the death. He saved mine and Rik's life when we were younger."

He was trying to describe people slowly but he's excited. He loves talking about his bandmates. "Rik's younger than us. He's so fucking good.. plays everything and can sing but he's quiet, humble, shy." Aarne started to giggle. "And my fellow prankster. He'll also clobber someone if he gets mad but it doesn't happen much. He's just sweet, all the the time."