Original subtitles

♪ I’m a mother’s worry in a desperate hurry ♪

♪ To get my story told ♪

♪ I can always find the mark even in the dark ♪

♪ Now I’m gon’ win a sorry game ♪♪

♪♪ [ Rock ]

[ Woman On Radio, Indistinct ]

- [ Woman ] There’s an accident clearing – - ♪ I’d like to be playing in my own backyard ♪

♪ Smelling bacon from the kitchen in summer ♪

- ♪ But my house is in a suitcase ♪♪ - [ Woman ] ...disabled truck in the right-hand lane, east San Bernardino, west of Fremont.

- ♪♪ [ Fades ] - Now a stall blocking the number two lane, north San Diego in the vicinity of Normandie.

- I’m Rhonda Kramer, KRLA traffic. - [ Man ] Sunny morning in the southland.

The high today should be near 80 downtown.

Uh, tomorrow, several degrees warmer...

getting me in the mood for heading back to –

♪♪ [ Note Strikes ]

[ Footsteps Approaching ]

- [ Doorknob Rattles ] - It’s locked.

Break the window, you –

[ Objects Clattering ]

- Shh! Knock it off. Knock it off. - So you’re the boss?

- Hey. Skelley made me the boss, okay? - [ Scoffs ]

[ Glass Crunching ]

Hey. Go check the hallway.

- [ Drawer Rattles ] - [ Typing ]

There’s bound to be something here.

Shit, man. This guy’s wife’s always kissing ass on those cowpunk bands.

- [ Chuckles ] - Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk.

[ Smashes ]

- [ Phone Rings ] - Hey, hey. That’s gonna be my agent.

Wait. Hold on. All right?

- [ Beep ] - [ Man ] Jeff. Jeff.

This is Dean, Jeff. Pick up the phone.

- [ Men Chuckling ] - Are you there? Pick up the phone!

Shit!

Listen, man. We’re in deep shit with this Skelley thing.

Uh, we gotta haul ass out of here, man, ’cause this is gettin’ serious.

Now, you remember that old drive-in off Highway 14?

Now, look. Meet me there, and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Okay?

And...

I don’t know how long we’re gonna have to be gone...

so you better bring a lot of beer.

Be there, Jeff. You better be there for me, man.

- Let’s go get Deaner. - All right.

[ Laughs ]

Denny, we’re moving out.

[ Man ] No, man. I’m not even talking to you about the Pistols.

But look at the Clash, man. The Clash are the cornerstone...

of social significance in rock-and-roll music.

[ Man #2 ] Fuck the Clash, man. All those bands–

They just ripped off everything from Iggy & the Stooges.

It’s just like dumb heavy metal, man.

It’s ridiculous. We’re not talking about heavy metal at all.

We’re talking about punk rock music, man.

It’s social significance, man.

No, man. It’s just, like, music to get fucked up, you know.

- Go and get drunk. - Oh, rubbish.

Talk – Get drunk for shit. Of course you get drunk...

but you get drunk and break all that shit set up by capitalist bastards like you and –

and that asshole driving over there.

Would you get your mind on what we’re doin’? Get the map out or something.

- Where are we? - Ah, fuck.

- You don’t even know what we’re doing. Jesus. - Fuckin’-A.

- Yeah. Fuckin’-A. Right. - Fuckin’-A.

♪♪ [ Country ]

♪ Little honey ♪

♪ Won’t you come over here ♪

♪ Little honey ♪

♪ I gotta get something clear ♪

♪ Little honey ♪

♪ I promise I won’t get mad ♪

♪ If you tell me about a boyfriend ♪

♪ That you have ♪

♪ Who lied last night ♪

♪ Who made you mad ♪

♪ Left you cryin’ by the side of the road ♪

♪ Left you cryin’ to hitchhike home alone ♪

♪♪ [ Hums ]

♪ Little honey ♪

♪ Are you goin’ out tonight ♪

♪ Hey, little honey ♪

[ Man Speaking Spanish On Radio ]

♪ I ain’t lookin’ for a fight ♪

♪ Little honey are you goin’ out tonight ♪♪

[ Man Speaking Spanish On Radio ]

[ Car Approaching ]

[ Engine Cranking ]

- Hey, Mr. Hollywood. - [ Chuckles ]

Where you been, Dean? Huh?

You just –

The very first time I saw Jeff’s band play was at the Whisky.

That was the very first time they played.

Must have been about... ’78.

They sounded really rough, but in those days you gave a band a chance.

These days all they want is professionalism.

They’ll boo you off stage if you aren’t slick enough.

But that was the first time I saw his band.

But I’d seen him before. You know, I’d seen him around.

We were friends. I had a crush on him at one time.

And, uh, I was always, you know, trying to get in his pants.

[ Clears Throat ] I was one of the first punks in L.A.

I was on the guest list for the Sex Pistols when they played in San Francisco.

I never paid to get into a gig. I was always on the guest list.

But, see, I didn’t need to be in a band, because I had this very popular fanzine.

[ Woman ] Where do you think Jeff is?

I have no idea. I don’t really know him.

♪♪ [ Mexican Folk ]

♪♪ [ Women Singing In Spanish ]

- [ Phone Rings ] - ♪♪ [ Fades ]

[ Ringing ]

[ Woman ] Hi. This is Luanna. Jeff and I aren’t home right now.

- Please leave a message at the beep. Bye. - [ Beep ]

[ Man ] Hello, Jeff. This is Paul Marcus from D.D.T. Records.

I hope you got everything straightened out with the art department...

and that there are no hard feelings.

The record’s doing great. That’s what we all want.

We’d like to schedule some interviews. So get back to me A.S.A.P....

and let’s set something up.

Bye-bye.

[ Dial Tone ]

- [ Beep ] - [ Paul ] Hi, Jeff. Paul Marcus here.

Really need to get ahold of you. We must be missing each other.

Craig Lee’s been calling me for a week.

He says he wants to write something for the Voice. So, please call me.

- [ Beep ] - [ Paul ] It’s Paul Marcus.

Look, Jeff. If you’re still pissed about the remix...

then I really think we should get it out in the open.

But you’re really screwing yourself over by missing out on all this potential press...

and you’re making me look like an idiot.

Hello.

No. He’s not here.

This is his wife.

♪♪ [ Rock ]

[ Phone Rings ]

♪ Well, every time I look at you you turn your face ♪

- ♪ Every time I reach you put me back in my place ♪ - [ Ringing Continues ]

♪ You’ve been drinkin’ since 9:00 ♪

- Yeah, yeah. I’m comin’. - ♪ And you’re not mine ♪

Yeah. County morgue. Uh-huh.

- Yeah. Uh-huh. - ♪♪ [ Continues ]

Uh, let’s see. I don’t know. I’m kind of busy.

Yeah. Yeah. I got some important things to do.

Hmm? Besides, I don’t know too much about babysittin’.

Come on, Chris. Please.

I really need your help. It’ll only be for a couple of days.

Look. When I get back, maybe we can go out together or somethin’.

Yeah? All right. Possible sex.

Well, I guess I ain’t that busy. No.

No. It’ll be fun.

Shit. I’ll take her to the dump, and we’ll play in refrigerators. It’ll be fun.

Besides, the poor kid could probably use some real manly influence...

now that her old man’s run off.

Yeah, well, Jeff’s the reason why I’m leaving town.

I’m, uh, goin’ down to Mexico.

I know that he’s there.

Well, I don’t know that he’s there, but I’m sure that he’s there, if you know what I mean.

I – I had a kid with the guy. I guess I should know that much.

Uh-huh. He’s probably stayin’ at the trailer.

You know. The trailer.

You – You’ve been there. We went there with the whole band.

You know. The place that he owns with that slut.

Yeah. That bitch.

Right. His ex-wife. Anyway...

I’ve gotta go down there to figure out what his problem is this time.

I guess he’s just still pissed about the record.

Nah. It’s gotta be bigger than that.

Shit. Jeff ain’t no crybaby.

You gotta understand. It’s tough being a seminal L.A. rock artist. You know?

It’s a big responsibility. He’s probably off pondering his next career move.

Well, he’s just gonna have to plan it up here, because the record company’s calling me...

telling me they’re not gonna give me his first royalty check unless he does press on this record.

So, uh, why don’t you just come by around 1:00, okay?

♪♪ [ Loudspeaker: “O Christmas Tree” ]

♪♪ [ Heavy Metal On Radio ]

- ♪♪ [ Heavy Metal Continues ] - ♪♪ [ Humming Along ]

♪ Beggars can’t be choosers ♪

♪♪ [ Continues, Indistinct ]

- ♪♪ [ Stops ] - Where’s Devon?

I don’t know. I think she’s out playing with her wagon.

Shit, Chris. She doesn’t even have a wagon.

Hey. What are you doin’ here? You’re supposed to be in Mexico.

I didn’t get that far. I think you’re right.

- About what? - About this thing with Jeff bein’ something bigger.

- Oh, yeah? - I mean, I got as far as Orange County, and my car started to overheat...

so I had to get off every three or four miles to put water in it, you know.

And then I noticed that this fuckin’ Jeep is following me...

- and every time I get off, they get off. - [ Chuckles ]

- A Jeep. You’re being followed by a Jeep? - Yeah. One of those –

- It was a nice Jeep. - [ Garbled ] You know, Lu...

I think your imagination’s running rampant.

You don’t believe me? Come here and look at this.

Look. Come here.

You see ’em? They’re still out there.

[ Chris ] Whoa, nelly.

Um –

Listen, um –

I’m really glad I could help you out, but I gotta get goin’.

I have a pressing engagement. Um, I’ll get the, uh, back door.

Wait a minute, Chris. You’re just gonna leave me here?

No, no, no, no. I’m gonna give you a call.

Besides, we’re still goin’ out, right?

No. Forget it. The deal’s off.

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

♪♪ [ Distorted Chimes Jingling ]

[ Man ] I lie down on the shore and take out the jewelry I bought you.

A little sapphire necklace slipping out to sea, washing sand...

across gleaming stone till it disappears in the light of the sun, sinking to the depths.

♪ She has heat from the sun ♪

♪ Just like she had a gun to my head ♪

♪ She had heat from the sun ♪

♪ Walkin’ a Mexican shore That’s my babe ♪

♪ She had heat from the sun ♪

♪♪ [ Distorted Chimes Jingling ]

♪ Veil of nuclear smoke around her head ♪

♪ You set ’em up and I’ll knock ’em down ♪

♪ You set ’em up and I’ll knock ’em down ♪

♪ And I’ll get together with my shame ♪

- ♪ I’m gonna ring the bells that tie me down ♪ - ♪♪ [ Bells Jingling ]

♪ I’m gonna ring the bells that tie me down ♪

♪ I’m gonna ring the bells that tie me down ♪♪

♪♪ [ Distorted Chimes Jingling ]

♪♪ [ Ends ]

♪♪ [ Acoustic Rock ]

♪ Jesus rides up to heaven ♪

♪♪ [ Continues ]

You scared the shit out of me, Chris.

[ Funny Voice ] It’s just a kitty. Don’t cut my balls off.

- How’d you get in here? - I brought you a present.

- Do you want it? - How’d you get in here?

Well, I made myself a key when I was babysittin’.

- Well, give it to me. - Okay. Here.

Look out. He’s wild.

Nice though.

- You like kitties? - No. I want the key.

Come on. Let me stay here a couple days.

Just be a couple days.

- Two days at the most. - That’s what you tell everybody.

Well, this time it’s true.

- [ Sighs ] - Where’s Devon at?

- She’s asleep. - She can’t be asleep.

It’s 9:00 Tuesday night. She’s still smokin’ dope with the caballeros.

♪♪ [ Continues, Indistinct ]

Well, we better go, kitty.

It’s okay. We’ll just sleep on the street out here if it’s all – Ouch.

It’s, uh, nice and cozy tonight. Warm night.

It’s all right. We don’t mind. Uh –

Sure would be a waste though. I mean –

Gettin’ all...

dressed up and everything.

Me spending my last cent on that cat.

Five-dollar kitty.

♪ There’s a picture of the devil in his prayer book ♪

You don’t want me to go, do you?

♪♪ [ Continues, Indistinct ]

♪ He remembers her head on his chest ♪

♪ How she’d fall off to sleep ♪

♪ And drift in a peaceful rest ♪

♪ How she’d dance in smoky bars ♪

♪ Crowds all gathered around him ♪

♪ How a smile he’d – ♪♪

What are you thinkin’ about?

Oh, a lot of things.

- I was thinkin’ about that boat out there. - Oh, the big gamblin’ ship.

- Oh, is that what it is? - Yeah.

- It’s a gamblin’ ship. - [ Jeff ] What kind of games do they play out there on that ship?

[ Man ] Any kind of gamblin’ you want.

They come in every day. Come in at 3:00, leave at 6:00.

Yeah. If you want to gamble, that’s where it is.

You can get back and forth. No problem.

Ah. Back and forth to where?

If you want a ticket home to San Diego, I can get you back on that.

If that’s where you want to go.

Yeah. I’m not too sure about that.

Why would you want to leave a place like this?

Oh, I don’t know.

At the moment I don’t want to.

It’s pretty nice down here.

You got the right idea.

- Gotta live a little in your life, you know. - That’s right.

Sit back, kick back, have a little drink.

Eat food.

Go to the beach once in a while.

Got a nice life.

You’re out of the mainstream. But who wants the mainstream anyway?

[ Jeff ] That’s right.

[ Man ] If you need a ticket on that boat, I can get you a ticket on that boat.

No big problem.

If that’s what you want to do.

- Of course, I’d love to see you stay down here. - [ Jeff Chuckles ]

[ Man ] It’d be neat. It’d be nice. This is not a bad life here.

[ Jeff ] Yeah, it’d be nice if I didn’t have some loose ends...

up north.

What the hell do you call loose ends?

Oh...

a gal who’s my wife and a...

little baby girl.

Those are loose ends.

Roadie, hell.

I’m his best friend.

Yeah. Me and Jeff – We go back way back.

Like, you know, at least 10 years. Before the band was started. Everything.

- [ Man ] You like Jeff’s band? - Fuck, yeah.

Bets band in the world. We kick ass.

Well, yeah. I’m the roadie, but I –

I do a lot more than that.

I, uh – I mean, I – I do a lot more than just set up equipment and stuff.

I’m like a – Well, I’m more what you call a hands-on roadie.

I’m basically Jeff’s right-hand man.

And when he needs advice or somethin’, he comes to me. And –

You know, like when he has trouble with Dean or something like that.

Yeah, when Jeff’s up there onstage, it’s like a –

It’s like a part of me is up there with him.

[ Man ] Do you get paid?

Nah, I do it for rock.

Rock’s much more important than money.

It’s like a statement.

A statement of what?

[ Clears Throat ] Well, it’s –

Uh – I don’t know. It’s – It’s, uh –

Well, it’s like when guys are rockin’ out onstage, you know...

and they’re – they’re doin’ what they want and bein’ cool.

That’s a statement.

Well, how do you support yourself?

Well, that’s extraneous information. I mean –

But if you want to talk about Jeff, you come to the right place...

because I’m his best pal.

And, uh, I’m even a good friend of his wife’s.

You know what I mean?

- [ Woman ] How old are you, Devon? - Seven.

- What’s your dad do? - He writes music.

- Oh, yeah? Do you like it? - Yeah.

- Do you listen to your dad’s records? - Yeah.

Yeah? And how about his new one?

- I like it. - You like it?

What kind of music is it?

Um –

Um –

- Where is your dad, Devon? - At Mexico.

Oh, he’s in Mexico.

Would you like to be a musician when you grow up?

- How come? - Because I want to be a bus driver.

- ♪♪ [ Loud Rock ] - [ Chris Speaks, Indistinct ]

[ Luanna Screams ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

[ Screams ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

[ Shouting ]

[ Devon Shouts ]

Back.

[ Devon Giggling ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

[ Mumbles ]

[ Man ] How did Jeff seem to you?

He was really pissed.

They remixed his record.

And... they changed the artwork on the cover too.

So, what’d you think of the record?

[ Dog Barks ]

Well, his last three albums were great...

but, uh, this one...

the way it is now –

- You used to right for Slash in the early days, didn’t you? - Mm-hmm.

And you’re still writing, right?

Yeah.

And you’ve written several glowing reviews of Jeff’s new album.

Yeah. I have.

I mean, I like his album.

You know, I play it. I like it.

But you said you had some problem with it.

- Well – - You implied that you had some problem with it.

Yeah. I think there are problems with it, you know.

- What kind of problems? - Well, the problems that I just mentioned.

I mean, it was kind of out of his control, but –

I mean, his – his work’s still there. I really like that.

I don’t think it’s as strong as his last three, but...

I think it’s good.

[ Woman ] Does the fact that Jeff’s roadie...

uh, is living with you...

have anything to do with the reason that, uh, Jeff has mysteriously disappeared?

First of all, Chris does not live with me.

He hangs around here a lot ’cause his parents threw him out of his house, but he doesn’t live here.

[ Woman ] He gave us the impression that he did live here, and –

He doesn’t live here.

We can stop this right now too.

I think it’d be... good.

[ Man ] What – Is there some – Did we say something wrong, or –

No. I just don’t – He doesn’t live here. Okay?

I don’t want that in there. He doesn’t live here.

So we should stop this right here. I think you’ve got your story.

You know. Got your interview.

[ Woman ] When’s Jeff coming back?

I don’t know.

[ Woman ] Where is he?

You got your story, right?

[ Man ] Are you saying you don’t know where – have any idea where he’s at?

Yeah. I know where he is. I know – I don’t know when he’s comin’ back.

[ Woman ] Is he in Mexico?

Yeah. He’s in Mexico.

I don’t know when he’s comin’ back. You’ve got your story, so turn it off.

[ Man ] Do you have any idea why he’s down there?

No.

[ Man ] Do you have any –

any theories on why he’s down there?

No.

In the beginning there was only a handful of people going to clubs and dressing outrageous.

It was like surfers and hippies were the enemy...

and everyone stared at you for having short hair – everyone.

So we tried to look as ugly as possible, because it was rebellious.

You know what I mean? So then...

in about ’79...

there were so many clubs that you could go to three or four shows in a night...

and a couple of parties too.

♪♪ [ Rock ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪ There’s 16 kids, 16 ways ♪

♪ They shot my baby by mistake ♪

♪ But all alone on a midnight ride ♪

♪ Sixteen kids They all have died ♪

♪ They ain’t comin’ back ♪

♪ It’s too late ♪

♪ They shot my baby but they could not break ♪♪

- [ No Audible Dialogue ] - ♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪♪ [ Guitar: Blues ]

So, Luanna, what brings you back to the old Hong Kong?

I haven’t seen you in – I don’t know –

a couple of months – ever since Jeff left.

Actually, I, uh, came to talk to you about Jeff if you got a couple minutes.

I thought you came down here to give me one of those great reviews...

like you always give Jeff and you never gave me.

But, uh – So I’m not gonna say one word about Jeff till you promise to stay and see the show.

- Deal? - No. Come on. I mean...

I’m in a lot of trouble, and I think Jeff’s in –

You know, I think he’s in more trouble than I’m in. So –

Oh, come on. You and Jeff are always in trouble. That’s been your whole relationship. Come on.

I just want to ask you a couple of questions.

Shoot.

Well, okay. Uh, I mean...

when Jeff left, you know...

um, did he act weird or strange or anything?

Not any more than normal. We did that recording session for that demo that he wrote.

And, uh, he was kind of drunk and acting kind of all arty...

and all, “Oh, I’m so obsessed with death. Life is so horrible.”

Nothin’ out of the usual.

- You know Jeff. - Well – Yeah. Did he –

- Dave. - Hi.

- I really like your new band. - Oh, thanks.

♪♪ [ Imitates Wolf Whistle, Blues Riff ]

Come on, Dave. Get serious, you know. I mean, he’s in a lot of trouble.

Yeah, well, he’s always in trouble, and he’s always serious.

You know how Jeff is.

♪♪ [ Guitar: Blues ]

- Look, Dave. Did he say anything at all to you? Before he left. - I don’t talk to him.

I don’t talk to him.

We used to be close, but not anymore.

But I’ll tell you what. I heard a little rumor.

It’s – I’ll let you in on it.

It’s just between you and me...

and everybody else in town.

♪♪ [ Strums Guitar Strings ]

That’s not a bad – You know, that’s not a bad name for a country song, do you think?

- ♪ Just between you and me ♪ - ♪♪ [ Guitar ]

♪ And everybody else in town ♪♪

That some books were stolen from Skelley’s nightclub...

and old Jeff’s name just happens to be involved in the disappearance of these books.

- Books. - Books.

What kind of books? Do you know?

Like with people’s names in ’em.

People – You know. [ Sniffs ]

- Skelley’s kind of people. - Hmm.

[ Sighs ] Wh –

What – What would Jeff have to do with that?

Why don’t you ask your old buddy Dean?

- ♪ Because just between you and me ♪ - ♪♪ [ Guitar ]

Dean’s in on it too.

- Hey, Julie. - There’s three – Hi, Dean. How you doin’?

- Think I can get in tonight? - Well, let me see here.

- Aw, hell. You’re always on the list. You know that. - What a gal.

- Go on in. - You can’t go in, man.

- Didn’t you just hear her? - You can’t go in.

- But she said I could get in. - I don’t care. You can’t get in.

It’s crowded up there.

♪♪ [ Rock ]

Well...

- I just gotta go think about it, I guess. - Okay.

- I don’t know. - Come see the band sometime.

- I will. Thanks a lot, Dave. - Hope your little problem gets solved.

- Yeah. - Give me a kiss. Just for old time’s sake.

- Take care. - All right. Tell Jeff, if he ever needs a guitar player...

I’ll do it if he pays me.

- I’ll tell him. I’ll tell him you said that, Dave. - Tell him I’m real scared.

♪♪ [ Rock Continues ]

♪ Well, I got too much faith ♪

I’m goin’ in, man. She said I’m goin’ in.

Hey, man. Take a walk, buddy.

- What is your problem? These guys are making a monkey out of you. - Just can’t get in.

- Dean. - I’ve played here more times than you’ve been here.

- Why don’t you leave him alone? - Take him with you.

- Yeah. I will take him with me. - Take him for a walk.

♪♪ [ Continues ]

Look, Dean. I just – I just thought maybe you could help me find out what happened to him.

Because...

if I could find out why he left, then maybe I could get him back here.

- That’s all. - I don’t know why he left.

[ Sighs ]

Oh, that’s – that’s dumb.

What’s dumb?

What you said is dumb.

“If I find out why he left, I could get him –” Is he gone, or is he back?

That’s dumb. It’s the dumbest fuckin’ thing I ever heard in my whole dumb fuckin’ life.

So you’re drunk.

Big deal. Come on.

I’m drunk. Why don’t we continue on this –

on this idea of me being drunk...

and you and I can just go over there...

and just have a drink?

And I’ll be – I’ll still be drunk.

But, uh, let’s go over there and have a drink.

- You want me to have a drink with you? - Come on.

- Come on. Come on. Let’s out. - You just called me a slut, and you want me to have a drink with you?

- I called you a slut? - Yeah. You called me a slut.

[ Mumbles ] I did that?

I don’t want to have a drink with you. Okay?

You don’t want to have a drink with – Did you hear that, Ray?

Did you – She doesn’t wanna have one drink with me.

It’s just charity.

And no. I don’t want to have a drink with you.

I don’t want to have anything with you. I don’t want to have a drink with you. I don’t even want to talk to you.

- Come on. Let’s talk about Jeff. - I’m really sorry.

- I’m trying to get him out of here. - Let’s talk about Jeff.

If Jeff was here, I wouldn’t be fucked up like this.

And – And you wouldn’t be sad. You wouldn’t be talking with Dave. And –

- Step around – - Just leave the fuck alone.

Leave me the fuck alone. I’m fine.

I don’t care about this fuckin’ stool. I don’t care about you. Just go. I’m fine.

- I’m gonna leave you alone, okay? - Leave me alone. I’ll just go to sleep on the pool table.

Okay? I’m playin’ pool.

Playing pool now. Is that okay with you?

Just play pool.

♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪♪ [ Acoustic Guitar ]

♪♪ [ Man Singing In Spanish ]

[ Gobbles ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

♪♪ [ Singing In Spanish ]

[ Speaking Spanish ]

No. No.

Bueno.

- [ Spanish ] - [ Spanish ]

Hi.

Luanna, this is Dean.

Yeah. Look, I’d say I’m sorry about last night, but I’m not.

Uh-huh.

Well, look. I think you’re kind of confused about a few things.

Why don’t you come out here, and I’ll try to clue you in.

Yeah. You know where I am?

I’m in Antelope Valley.

♪♪ [ Country ]

♪ One more midnight her man is still gone ♪

- ♪ The nights move too slow ♪ - [ Luanna ] So.

- So what? - ♪ She tries to remember the heat of his touch ♪

Well, I – I thought you wanted to talk to me.

♪ Border radio ♪

- Not really. - ♪ She calls toll-free and requests an old song ♪

♪ Something they used to know ♪

- ♪ She prays to herself that wherever he is ♪ - Well, what am I doing here?

- ♪ He’s listening to the border radio ♪ - Why are you here?

Why am I here?

I’m a goddamn musician, Luanna.

I can’t use my hands.

I can’t play in any club in Los Angeles. I’m 86’ed.

- Nobody will let me play in a band. - ♪ Border radio ♪

It’s just absurd.

I’ve got bullets in my pocket.

I’ve got a gun that I’m carrying around...

hiding out in the goddamn mountains.

This is a – This is a western.

♪ While listening to the border radio ♪

This is so fuckin’ screwed.

Yeah. It is screwed. You’re screwed. You’re a mess.

Chris is screwed. Jeff’s screwed.

You know, I’m up here raising his kid by myself while he’s in Mexico.

And I don’t know why he’s there. Nobody’s talking to me.

Nobody’s telling me why he’s there.

You know, I need him here. I need him up here.

♪ They play her tune but she can’t concentrate ♪

♪ She wonders why he had to go ♪

♪ One more midnight her man is still gone ♪

♪ She’s listening to the border radio ♪

♪ This song comes from 1962 ♪

- ♪ Dedicated to a man who’s gone ♪ - Hey.

Can I have this?

- Hmm. No. But you can play with it. - ♪ This is the border radio ♪

- What are you gonna name it? - Elephant.

Elephant, huh?

- That’s pretty good. - ♪ This is the border radio ♪♪

You stinker.

Don’t get “drunked.”

Okay.

I won’t get drunk, and you go play. Stinker.

Wait a minute. Come here.

Get out of here.

Look, uh, you gonna tell me what happened or not?

Or am I just wasting my time here?

You know where Devon went off to?

There.

[ Imitating Engine Revving ]

Luann...

we were playing out at the Fleetwood.

They didn’t give us nothin’.

No fair cut, no money, no nothin’.

So we –

Jeff and me...

and Chris –

- [ Luanna ] Chris? - [ Dean ] Yeah.

We decided we were gonna take it.

We got the combination. We got the money. [ Chuckles ]

About a thousand bucks and a handful of quaaludes.

Pathetic.

Okay.

- [ Handle Clicks ] - All right.

[ Hinge Squeaks ]

All right!

Wait, wait, wait.

[ Chris ] Shut up. Shut up!

[ Whispers ] Oh.

- Let’s split out of here, man. - Let’s go.

Next thing I know, Jeff’s down in Mexico.

He’s probably scared you and Devon are gonna get mixed up in this.

Three guys come over to my place...

beat the crap out of me...

and I’m pissin’ blood for three days.

Some books are missing. What do those mean?

I know there’s books missing.

I don’t know what the hell they mean.

They’re treating ’em like the goddamn Bible.

I still don’t understand what Chris’s part is in all this.

Chris.

Chris is a lyin’ sack of shit, first off.

And second, it was his idea.

- [ Gunshot ] - Jesus!

He got the combination.

All him. What a guy.

[ Gunshots ]

Lu! Sorry I’m late.

Don’t you wanna know why I’m late? Huh?

Well, if you must know, I was at my grandmother’s 90th birthday.

Ninety years old. [ Chuckles ]

You oughta be happier for her. Ninety’s still pretty old to be kickin’, you know.

She’s got a great sense of humor too. Look what she gave me.

[ Laughing, Oinking ]

Pretty racy, huh?

[ Clears Throat ] Are you mad at me or somethin’?

Well, you seem to be harboring some kind of latent hostility.

Like – Well, it’s bad for ya, you know.

It builds up in your brain and causes brain cancer.

Come on, Lu, just let it out. Just let it pour out.

Express your feminine space. That’s what we have this open relationship for.

- That’s the first funny thing you’ve said. - What?

- That we have a relationship. - Oh, come on. What did I do?

Think about it, Chris. Think about it real hard.

I don’t know. What?

I saw Dean today.

Look, don’t listen to Dean, whatever you do.

Dean hates everybody, and especially me.

I can’t believe that all those times that I’ve slept with you...

you knew that you’d set Jeff up.

Is that what Dean told you? Well, that’s a bald-faced lie.

We were all in that together.

And none of us took those books, whatever they are.

Look, Lu, you gotta believe me.

I don’t even care. All that matters is that you lied to me. You know?

All the times that we were together – I can’t even believe I slept with you, period.

I mean, I’ve been sitting here thinking, what the fuck’s happened to my self-respect?

Well, you think it’s been easy for me?

I mean, getting seduced by my best friend’s wife – it’s not easy.

- What does that mean? Huh? - Well, basically that’s what happened, isn’t it?

Oh. Great. Great.

- Listen, you son of a bitch. - Ow!

- You’re gonna fuckin’ straighten this out! - What do you want me to do?

I want you to go down to Mexico and get your story straight with Jeff.

That’s the first thing I want you to do!

Then the second thing I want you to do – talk to whoever you have to to get him cleared.

- Do you understand? - Yeah.

- Are you sure you understand? - Okay, I understand.

- Are you sure? - I said okay! Jesus! Calm down.

Jerk.

Ow.

[ Jeff ] Okay, King, I got you down here for one reason.

I wanna play you a new song. I want your honest opinion of it.

And if you don’t tell me the truth, it’s gonna be the devil to pay.

That’s why I got that little bugger sittin’ next to you there.

So, you ready?

I can’t play guitar so good anymore, King. That was just the first verse.

Hope you don’t – weren’t too offended by that one.

[ Horn Honking ]

[ Honking Continues ]

[ Honking Stops ]

[ Chuckles ] You know what I heard?

- [ Chris ] What’s that? - I heard...

that you were babysitting for Luanna.

You were taking care of Devon. I can’t imagine you with a kid.

Are you kiddin’? How do you think I feel?

The idea of you, my rock idol, with a kid.

Jesus!

Luanna’s got these pictures she keeps bringing out...

of you holding Devon as a little baby.

She thinks it’s real cute, but it gives me the fuckin’ creeps.

It’s weird, you know. I never wanna see it again.

So, how is Luanna anyway?

She’s good. She’s real good.

You know, sometimes when I’m with Luanna now, I –

I feel like –

I don’t know. I –

I get a – I get –

- [ Sighs ] - You get a –

- I get a – - A boner.

You get a boner. [ Guffaws ]

[ Chuckling ] You’re funny, Chris. You’re real funny.

- That’s real funny. - [ Laughing ]

That was a good one.

No, is – is there anybody else? Are other guys coming around the place?

Nah.

When I’ve been over there, there hasn’t been anyone else there except me.

Just me.

[ Chuckles ] That’s all.

♪♪ [ Guitars: Mariachi, Mid-tempo ]

♪♪ [ Guitars, Tempo Accelerating ]

- ♪♪ [ Tempo Accelerates Further ] - [ Musicians Shouting, Whooping ]

♪♪ [ Man Singing In Spanish ]

♪♪ [ Male Group Joins In Singing ]

[ Radio: Announcer Speaking Spanish ]

[ Vocalizing ]

♪ Down in Mexico we kick bandito’s butt ♪

♪ Down in Mexico ♪

♪ We kick somebody’s ass ♪

♪ Down in Mexico we kicked that skinhead’s butt ♪

- Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam! - [ Banging On Table ]

- [ Radio: Announcer Continues ] - I’m thinkin’ of starting a new band.

You what?

You idiot. You don’t know anything about startin’ a band.

What are you gonna do? Who are you gonna get to play in your band?

I don’t know. I’m looking around.

[ Muttering ]

I got some people together.

- I got – - Hey, don’t ask Dean.

- ’Cause he hates your fuckin’ guts. - Okay, well, I –

And don’t ask Dave, ’cause he’s got a new band.

Luanna thinks I got a pretty good chance.

Why?

She thinks I can sing just as good as you.

You know, Chris –

You know, Chris, you might have a good voice...

but you can’t write songs worth shit.

Well, that’s a petty detail.

That’s extraneous information.

I don’t have to concern myself with that.

[ Clears Throat ] As a matter of fact –

[ Clears Throat ]

Luanna was tellin’ me I can do just about everything as good as you.

Know what I mean?

No, I – I don’t know what you mean.

What do you mean?

With your woman like Luanna, she’s got certain needs, you know.

- Hey, Chris. Hey, Chris! - Certain womanly – uh, womanly needs.

How long have I known you?

Well, let’s see.

[ Muttering ]

- And then I – - Hey, come on!

“Know what I mean.” What do you mean, “know what I mean?”

Ten years. Ten years.

Naw. Try three or four years.

Okay, uh, four.

- Okay. - Four.

Wait, I know how long I known you.

I’ve known you long enough to know your pet name for your dick.

[ Both Laughing ]

In fact – In fact, that’s what I think I’ll name my new band.

Dick.

Chris’s Dick.

What do you think? [ Laughing ]

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

Shit.

[ Radio: Announcer Continues ]

♪♪ [ Guitars: Mariachi, Mid-tempo ]

♪♪ [ Guitars, Tempo Accelerating ]

- ♪♪ [ Tempo Accelerates Further ] - [ Musicians Shouting, Whooping ]

♪♪ [ Man Singing In Spanish ]

♪♪ [ Male Group Joins In Singing ]

[ Luanna ] No, 800’s not enough. I’ve gotta have a thousand.

No way is it worth $1,000.

You know, it may be worth $1,000 five years ago, but –

- No. I gotta have a thousand. - I’ll give you 825, and that’s a gift.

No. I gotta have a thousand.

Look, if you had $800 in the trunk it’d be worth $1,000.

♪♪ [ Singing Jumbled Spanish Phrases ]

♪♪ [ Singing Continues ]

“Hellooh!”

Bueno lo visto.

Monsieur señor es home-o.

Hey, Lu!

I brought a little friend.

Little surprise for ya.

Got any bread?

- Dean. - Look what the cat drug in.

What are you doing here?

- Have a nice time in Mex – - You been porkin’ my old lady? Hmm?

- No. Have a nice time in Mexico? - Yeah, great.

Look, I brought a little Jeff back to keep Luann happy.

- Nice hat too. - Yeah. Cool hat, huh?

- Matching, huh? - Yeah. Me and him –

- What the hell – What the hell did I do? - What did you –

What the fuck is wrong with you, man? What did I do, you –

Get your hands off of me!

- Assholes! - [ Chris, Dean Grunting ]

Fuck!

Come on. You stupid ass – Get out!

- Let’s go! - I ain’t goin’ with him!

He’s a fuckin’ lunatic! He just tried to kill me!

[ Luanna ] Come on!

Lunatic!

[ Chris ] I don’t even know where the hell we’re goin’!

[ Luanna ] Just keep driving. I’ll tell you where we’re going.

[ Chris ] Tell me now. I don’t like to drive when I don’t know where I’m goin’.

[ Luanna ] We’re going to Skelley’s so that we can straighten out this whole mess.

[ Chris ] He doesn’t even have a club anymore.

[ Luanna ] He’s got a rehearsal studio, and that’s where we’re goin’.

[ Dean ] They’re not gonna let me in. Those guys beat me up.

Yes, you can. Why don’t you just act like a man for once?

I’m not a man. I’m a kid.

You both gonna let me go in here by myself?

Yeah.

We’ll be right here, all right? We’ll be standing guard back here.

You won’t get hurt. They’ll hurt us.

Yeah, you’ll be all right.

[ Luanna ] Thanks a lot.

[ Chris ] Be right here.

♪♪ [ Rock ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

♪ This feeling is all I know ♪

♪ Give this night a motherfuckin’ hour to get all shitty ♪

♪ What’s wrong with me ♪

♪♪ [ Backup Singers Singing, Indistinct ]

♪ Oh, don’t say that, bitches ♪

- ♪ Ohh ♪ - ♪ I don’t know what you heard ♪

♪ But I just can’t stay here ♪

♪ That’s why I dress so strange ♪

♪ I’m a fool, and that’s a fool ♪

♪♪ [ Indistinct ]

♪ What’s wrong with me ♪♪

♪♪ [ Rock Continues, Faint ]

[ Toilet Flushing ]

- Hi. - [ Luanna ] Hi. Is Mr. Skelley in?

- Who are you? How did you get in here? - I just came to see Mr. Skelley for a few minutes.

- If you could tell him I was here – - Mr. Skelley’s a busy man.

- How did you get – Did you knock? - No, I just came –

- Hey, wake up. - It’ll only take him a few minutes.

If you could call him and tell him that somebody’s here to see him –

- I know that he’s busy. - Yeah, he is a busy man.

I know. It’ll only take a few minutes, believe me.

And I don’t think you’d understand why I was here. So –

Try me. Try me.

Okay, well, I’m Jeff Bailey’s wife...

and he and some other guys that are waiting for me outside –

That’s why I’ve gotta talk to him kinda quick.

Um, they took some money out of the safe of Skelley’s a long time ago.

I went and sold my car to get the money so I could pay Mr. Skelley back.

If I can do that – If I can square it with him, then maybe Jeff can come back, but I –

- He’s the only one that would understand. - Okay, wait, wait. Let me see that.

[ Luanna Clears Throat ]

There’s $1,000 in there, and that’s how much they took, so –

- This is $1,000? - Yeah, there’s $1,000 in there.

- I know there’s a thousand in there. - You sold your car for this?

Yeah, so that I could get Jeff back. That’s – That’s –

- I know that you don’t understand, so – - I understand. I understand. Believe me.

- Why don’t you just wait here. - Okay.

You look ridiculous. What are you gonna do with that?

Knock ’em on the head with it.

That’s a good idea.

You oughta get yourself one, man. Those guys are gonna come out there with Lu.

What the hell’s she doin’ in there for so long?

I don’t know. I’m gettin’ hungry too.

Well, that’s not surprising.

- Human garbage pail. - Hey, I got a healthy appetite.

[ Dean Laughs ] Yeah, that’s one way of saying it.

I’m tellin’ you, man. You better get a stick, ’cause those goons are gonna come out here.

I’m gonna be ready for ’em, man.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

You cut a fine figure with that stick, I tell you what.

Strike fear in their hearts.

You look like the minuteman with his rifle...

just ready for fuckin’ action.

- Ready for head-bustin’. - [ Laughs ]

Boom! Boom!

Stick ’em in the ass! [ Blows Raspberry ]

- You’d better get yourself a stick, man. - All right, I’ll go find a stick.

Well, here’s a little stick.

♪♪ [ Rock Continues, Faint ]

Look, Miss Bailey, Mr. Skelley appreciates the gesture...

but we know you’re hard up for money and you’ve got a kid and all...

so why don’t you just take the money.

No, I really – I really want him to take it so that I know that everything’s okay...

and Jeff’s not in any danger.

Look, you don’t understand. Jeff cleared everything up with us. Uh –

We thought that he had something of ours, and, um, now we know he doesn’t.

Mr. Skelley talked to him already.

How could he have talked to him?

Uh, Jeff called us from Mexico, collect.

- Do you know when that was? - A couple of days after he left.

Oh.

Thanks.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

♪♪ [ Rock ]

[ Water Running ]

- ♪♪ [ Headset: Rock ] - Jeff, what are you doing here?

What are you doing here? I live here.

Babysittin’.

- Where’s Luanna? - I don’t know.

♪♪ [ Headset: Rock Continues ]

Well, when’s she coming back?

I don’t know. She said it might be a couple days.

♪ But my house is in a suitcase ♪

♪ Scar from the preacher’s raves on my face ♪

How about Devon? Do you know where Devon is?

I don’t know. Probably makin’ mud pies or somethin’.

Mud pies?

Kids don’t even do that anymore.

♪♪ [ Continues ]

So you don’t even know where Devon is, huh?

Mmm. Hell, you gotta give kids a little freedom.

♪♪ [ Headset: Rock Continues ]

You call yourself a babysitter?

- Don’t go nuts, man! Calm down! - I’m not going nuts.

- You’re not goin’ in. - Come on! Stop it!

Don’t let him go in first! He’s gonna go crazy like he usually does!

Come on, Chris! Shut up!

- Jeff! - Jeff, open the door!

- Just – - Jeff!

- [ Chris ] Go in! Go in! - All right! All right!

God, you guys! Come on!

- [ Luanna ] Jeff! Where is he? - [ Dean ] Jeff!

[ Chris ] Hey, Jeff!

[ Sighs ] I can’t believe this.

I risked my fuckin’ life to come back here, and she’s gone.

She’s not even here.

I can understand if she needed to be with somebody while I was gone...

but that son of a bitch Chris –

He steals my wife, he steals my kid –

He steals my whole life.

He steals my fuckin’ tattoo!

Chris has got a tattoo?

Yeah. Same tattoo.

♪♪ [ Headset: Rock Continues ]

[ Scoffs ]

I guess he just thinks I’m bitchin’.

Goddamn it, Luanna. You blew it again. You blew it again.

Dragged us all the way fuckin’ down here.

- I dragged you down here? - I told you he wasn’t gonna be here.

[ Scoffs ] What an asshole. You guys dragged me out here!

- [ Chris ] Get in the car! - Fuck you!

Shut up! We’re leavin’!

[ Dean ] I was gonna march right out. You guys got me – Shit.

If you boys hadn’t ripped off Skelley’s safe, we wouldn’t be in this mess. We wouldn’t be here!

- I could be home with my kid! - [ Chris ] That’s history!

[ Jeff ] You know, I could understand...

Chris kissing my ass and fucking with my head...

but Luanna –

Luanna writes a great review of that record, and she hates it.

I don’t even like it.

Get in the car! Come on!

I’m not going anywhere with you! Go home by yourself.

I mean, the songs –

I was just going through the motions on that record.

I’m going to Europe.

- [ Luanna ] What? [ Laughs ] - I’m going to Europe!

My parents gave me $5,000 to go to Europe!

Your parents gave you $5,000 to go to Europe, and I just sold my car to pay off your debts?

Well, that wasn’t my idea!

Well, whose idea was it to rip off the safe?

You! You! And Jeff!

[ Chris ] That’s history!

You know, you think it’s easy...

because I’m not rich and famous...

that I can just take chances?

♪♪ [ Headset: Rock Continues ]

You know, with a cult audience, you change your style, you just disappear.

♪ I’m a mother’s worry ♪♪

Hey. Hey!

- You’re not even listening to me, are you? - Y-Yeah, I was. The – The record.

Hey, you know what, Jeff?

I like that song on the record, you know, where the drums go –

[ Imitates Drums ] And then you have these saxophones –

[ Imitates Saxophones ] And the guitars –

[ Imitates Electric Guitar ]

That killed me. I gotta hand it to you. I really do.

Hey, you know what? And the record’s doing so good, they took a single off it.

Really? They took a single off it?

- Yeah. - When?

Shit, I don’t know.

See ya in L.A.! Bye!

- [ Engine Revving ] - Come on. Come on.

Wait.

[ Dean ] You are a fucking lunatic.

[ Chris ] Don’t fucking bitch all the way up there!

[ Chris, Luanna Shouting, Indistinct ]

Hey.

How’s it goin’?

- Haven’t seen you guys in a while. - [ Man ] How was Europe?

Cool. Real cool. You can buy hash in the streets.

They play Jeff’s music over there?

Yeah, he’s real popular in Europe. Especially in France.

Him and Jerry Lewis, you know.

Plastic Bertrand.

So what are you doing now?

My new car. Cool, huh?

Whew! My dad bought it for me.

- Is that your dad? - Yeah, that’s my dad.

Doin’ a number on it.

Have you seen Luanna lately?

Uh, not so much lately.

Uh, uh, every once in a while.

We’re not real tight though.

It’s not a – It’s not a big deal.

Have you gotten your band together yet?

Well, we’ve been having some technical difficulties, but...

you’ll be hearing from us soon.

You bet your ass.

[ Dog Barking ]

Wanna meet my dad?

- Sure. - Hey, Dad, come on over.

Washin’ my car.

- Hello. - [ Woman ] Hi there.

How are you?

I don’t know. Maybe I’ll do something with Jeff again.

- What the hell? - [ Man ] Have you been rehearsing with him?

Just – Yeah. Just, you know, working on songs.

Not really much though. He’s still got a lot of problems.

[ Laughs ]

What do you think about all the clubs closing down?

Is that, uh, curtailing your performance any, or –

A little bit. But it happens all the time, you know.

It’s – But that’s the way clubs are.

You never can count on the management to – to make ’em work right.

It’s just the way they are. It hurts a little.

But you’re gonna keep playing?

Well, that’s really all I got going for me, you know.

That’s the only thing that sets me apart from being just another drunk.

[ Chuckles ]

I’m researching my book that I’m writing.

It’s, um – It’s about Indian myths from a lot of different tribes.

A lot of the things I learned from my grandmother.

But I’ve been learning a lot of really interesting things about different tribes too.

So, when I finish the book you better buy it.

[ Chuckles ] You better all buy it.

[ Laughs ]

[ Woman ] So you and Jeff have split up then?

Yeah. When he came back, we just –

So much had happened, you know, that we just couldn’t really...

stay together.

So I moved out.

I don’t know. When, uh...

I started thinking about it, you know...

I realized that a lot of the time I had spent...

being a, uh – I don’t know –

man-chaser or something, you know.

And I had realized I had spent a lot of time mothering these guys...

and I hadn’t really spent a lot of time being a parent to Devon.

So I’m spending a lot of time doing that right now – and writing.

But being a parent’s really fun. It’s neat.

♪♪ [ Calliope ]

Yeah, you know, when, uh, local bands started getting signed to big labels...

doing European tours and TV shows...

it was like you knew something big was gonna happen.

Not just for the bands, but for us too. Right?

I don’t know. It was weird.

I was like, the music was still good...

but we were just left sitting around.

It was like all the mystery that was there in the beginning was gone.

It just wasn’t the same.

I guess it’s my fault. I must have...

just expected too much, invested too much in musicians.

But, um, yeah, you can’t –

you can’t expect other people to create drama for your life.

They’re too busy creating it for themselves.

They’re just people, I guess.

I suppose in about another five to eight years...

there’ll be something new and it’ll have that same excitement.

I just hope I’m not too old by then.

[ Woman ] How old are you?

Twenty.

♪♪ [ Rock ]

♪♪ [ Rock Continues ]

♪♪ [ Rock Continues ]

♪♪ [ Rock Continues ]

♪♪ [ Rock Continues ]

♪♪ [ Fades ]