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The band, which had yet to be named, had just finished their first rehearsal with their new singer. His name was Vince Neil and he was some guy Tommy knew from high school. He was a good singer and the band had decided that he was the one who fit the image they were going for.
Nikki wasn't focused on that. He liked Vince and he seemed like a good guy. The only thing that had been on the bass players mind was the fact that he could have sworn that he'd met the bands guitar player, Mick Mars, somewhere before. In the last week since Mick had joined the band that had been all Nikki was able to think about.
It kept bothering him and he couldn't drop it so eventually he decided to just ask Mick. Vince had just left and the rest of them were sitting around after practice.
"Have we met before?" Nikki asked.
"I don't know," Mick said, taking a long look at Nikki's face. "But I was wondering the same thing. I know I've seen you before."
"Well were you in other bands that played on the strip?" Nikki asked, wondering if he recognized him because he had seen him play before. "I was in London if you ever saw us play."
"I never saw London, but I was in a few bands. I was in White Horse before this and before that I was in a shitty band called Spiders and Cowboys."
"That's it!" Nikki said, remembering where he had seen him before. "I saw Spiders and Cowboys like three years ago. I remember you came into the liquor store I was working in and we talked music for like ten minutes and then you told me that if I wanted to see a real band play I should go to your show that night and I did."
"Wait. You're the kid from the liquor store?"
"Yep. I still had brown hair and I hadn't changed my name yet so you probably met Frankie Ferana."
"Wow. Well I don't know what I was on because Spiders and Cowboys definitely wasn't real music, but I always did wonder how you managed to get into that show."
"Hold up," Tommy had been half listening and had decided to insert himself into the conversation. "Your name is Frankie."
Nikki flipped him the bird, "Yeah. and it's Frank to you, bitch."
"Whatever, Frankie."
Nikki shoved Tommy off the couch and went back to talking to Mick. "Anyways, I don't remember how I managed to get into that club. I do remember that you did this awesome guitar solo that night though."
"I think I know the one you're talking about. The one with the mic stand, right?"
Nikki nodded excitedly.
"I think I still remember how to do that. I'll have to show it to you sometime."
"That would be awesome!" Nikki suddenly remembered something else, "Didn't you used to go by some stupid name back then?"
"Yeah. I was Zorky Charlamange and it wasn't stupid, it fit with my other worldly persona at the time."
Tommy burst out laughing again when Mick said his name. Mick stared Tommy straight in the eyes and he stopped laughing.
"Look how far we've come," Nikki said. "From Frankie and Zorky to Nikki and Mick. Two strangers who talked music together three years ago brought together by and ad for a guitar player in the Recycler."
"Don't forget," Tommy said. "I'm the one who found Micks ad, so you guys have me to thank for rekindling your bromance."
"Say," Mick said, ignoring Tommy. "rather than just sitting here why don't I show you kids how I did that guitar solo."
"That would be cool." Nikki said.
As the three of them moved over to Micks guitar and he showed them the solo the topic of conversation slowly shifted from Nikki and Mick, to music stuff, to the future of the band, and to god knows what. Even as they forgot the conversation they just had Nikki and Mick would never forgetting meeting years ago as Frankie and Zorky.