[Chapter 12: The Pop King and Queen Supported Him Together]
Signing with Warner Bros. Records went smoothly. He had signed directly with Warner Bros. Records' main office, not Atlantic Records or any other Warner subsidiary, which proved how much Warner cared about him.
Orlando Keller knew, though, that Warner's attention wasn't just because he was a gifted newcomer. They did like his songs, but a talented rookie alone wouldn't have pulled Warner's president out of his office. There was a reason the contract had been made so loose: Daisy Cuomo.
This wasn't Orlando's guess. He had sensed it during the signing negotiation through his intuition. These people had basically treated him like Daisy Cuomo's lover. He even picked up on Gray's inner thoughts -- the exchange between Warner Bros.' president and the company's helmsman, Steve Ross.
[Would the Cuomo family just sit by if Daisy Cuomo kept a lover?]
[Jerry Cuomo has been dead for five years. Daisy Cuomo came from Morgenthau family, and she is already thirty.]
[So...]
[Don't be so rigid, Gray. Just treat this as a business deal. The board loves these kinds of arrangements, and the shareholders will back it. Besides, didn't you say the kid's songs are pretty good?]
[I understand.]
The world was that blunt. Without Daisy's presence, Warner would never have cared so much.
---
After leaving Warner Bros., Orlando deposited the check, got a new checkbook, and wrote Frank DiLeo a $40,000 check. That included Frank's 10% agent commission and the advance expenses -- studio and mixing fees.
He wrote Seymour Stein a $10,000 check for registering Orlando's record company and the lawyer hours he'd paid. Though $300,000 hadn't even warmed his pocket before a sixth of it was gone, Orlando gave those two checks willingly.
It wasn't just respect for the record veterans. Both Frank and Seymour had come up from nothing like him. Now that money was finally coming in, even if they thought it wasn't much, they deserved a cut. Orlando wasn't stingy in that regard. He admired Daisy, but he knew he couldn't lean on her for everything. He wasn't going to burden the woman who was preparing to move into politics with every little thing.
Daisy Cuomo was preparing to change jobs. She had told him on the phone last night that after three years as a probation officer in the Manhattan North District Attorney's office, she planned to switch posts. She didn't say what exactly she would take on. From a distance on the phone, his telepathic link couldn't reach her, and Orlando couldn't find out more. So it made sense to get on good terms with Frank and Seymour.
---
By the time all that was taken care of, night had fallen. Orlando treated Frank and Seymour to dinner to show his thanks. On Seymour's recommendation they went to an Italian restaurant in Manhattan.
"Welcome to the record business!" Frank and Seymour toasted first, two old-timers of the music world.
Orlando smiled and clinked glasses with them to celebrate the moment.
"How soon can the single hit stores?" he asked. He had just received $300,000; nothing had been done with it yet. Now only $250,000 remained -- and the IRS still hadn't been paid. Tax dodging wasn't something to mess with; he'd felt that for real back when his former life had rubbed up against organized crime.
Back then the crew -- Boss Al and his people -- had robbed a rich man's mansion. Al, who had likely landed in jail after Orlando had double-crossed him that Friday, had just scored a big payout. Before the money warmed his hands, the IRS had come knocking. When it came to taxing dirty money, the IRS didn't wait for filing season. Pay up, or go to prison. No favors. Not even someone like old Al Capone got a pass.
If he had no way to shelter the money, he could be looking at paying more than half in taxes on $250,000. The thought hurt. Orlando wanted to earn more, and fast.
"Under normal circumstances, it'd be about a month," Seymour said. He had solid ties to Warner Bros. Records. Frank had better connections at Sony/Columbia. The old man smiled. "But you're not exactly normal -- and that's a compliment. For reasons we all know, Warner Records values you very much."
"I already checked," Seymour added. "Warner has already placed orders at CD and vinyl pressing plants. If everything goes well, they can start distribution in a week -- big cities first, then outward, with overseas markets running in parallel. You have to trust Warner's distribution muscle."
"Wow!"
Frank raised his eyebrows and laughed. "That's fast. Things moved that fast only for someone like MJ."
Orlando silently praised Daisy again. He asked, "What should I be doing next? The single's about to drop. Do I need to do promotion?"
"Warner will handle the main promo. They'll take 30% of distribution revenue," Frank said. "As for specifics, wait for Warner's marketing team. But we'll be active too. I can tell Quincy Jones took a liking to you. MJ should like you and your music. I'm friendly with him; I'll get him to say a few good words in the press."
Get Michael Jackson to help push him -- that sounded like a dream.
"Would that cost money?" Orlando asked uncertainly.
Frank was confident. "I think MJ will like you -- your music and you. Between his impression and my connection, getting him to mention you in interviews wouldn't cost much. He'd probably envy you a bit, too."
"Thanks, Frank," Orlando said sincerely. He knew the songs his power had given him were strong. The attention from industry heavyweights showed the sales probably wouldn't be bad. Still, he wanted a bigger, immediate breakout.
"And of course, you, Seymour," he added. He hadn't forgotten the veteran at his side. Sensing the old man's hesitation, Orlando pressed on: "I wouldn't have such a perfect start without you guys."
They clinked glasses again. Seymour took a bite, then said, "Maybe we can make it even more perfect."
Seymour Stein added, "You know I have some ties with Madonna. Madonna's now with Warner. I'll reach out to Veronica and see if she could lend a small favor."
Veronica was Madonna's nickname -- something only those really close to her used.
"That would be even better," Frank said with a grin. "Now I'm sure, kid: you're about to get the perfect launch."
To be supported by the reigning pop king and the pop queen -- could his luck be any better?
*****
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