So, Preacher didn’t like it, but he couldn’t fight it, we were in Tennessee when Lyla turned eighteen.

That was when Preach called her.

No one picked up.

No answering machine.

He called again, someone answered, left a message.

She might have called back.

But if she did, we were gone, so she couldn’t reach him.

Tom told him to send her flowers.

I don’t know if he did or if he didn’t.

What happened, I reckon he didn’t.

But he should have.

[Off tape]

Isn’t Tennessee where the Roadmasters were born?

[Nods]

Yeah.

Tommy’s idea, no matter what Josh says. Ask Tim. Or Dave.

But I’m tellin you right here, it wasn’t Preacher’s idea.

He was not only not behind it, he tried to talk it down.

Truth be told, he wasn’t comfortable with it, his name out there, up front.

And I knew why.

Both reasons.

I could tell Tommy was geared up for it. I could tell he prepared. Had all his arguments ready.

And I knew before then he hated the name Zenith.

Said it was hair band name.

Said it was corny.

But, you know, we’d been on the road with that name for a while. Pressed records under that name with Zenith on the sleeve. Tapes.

Sent our demos to LA and New York with that name.

Preacher said it was lunacy to change it.

Tom said if we didn’t change it then, we’d never be able to change it.

He pulled out Joan Jett and the Blackhearts to get Timmy.

He pulled out Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band to try to get Preach and me.

Dave didn’t care either way just as long as he got to play drums in whatever name the band was called.

Josh asked why Preacher.

“One, he’s got a kickass name. Two, he’s the lead singer. Three, he writes all the songs,” Tommy says.

“I write songs,” Josh says.

“He writes all the good songs,” Dave mumbles.

“Fuck you, Dave,” Josh says.

Now, seriously, again, all comes into focus doing this linear-like, yeah?

I do not know why we didn’t lose that guy earlier.

Jesus.

“It’s Jesse’s band,” Tim says. “And Jesse Simms and the Roadmasters sounds cool too.”

“Yeah, it does,” Preach says.

“Cooler than Preacher McCade and the Roadmasters?” Tom asks.

Really, can you argue that?

I mean, time has told, but seriously, even then, that sounded cooler than the Zeniths or Jesse Simms.

Even Preach is stymied with that one ’cause his parents are garbage, but they gave him a kickass, rock ’n roll name.

At this juncture, knowing it’s gonna go down, Josh asks, “Why the Roadmasters?”

I mean, as my daughters would say…

Duh.

We had fucking groupies.