Roddy Doyle: The Commitments

He didn’t organize a rehearsal for the weekend, to give James time to study and to keep them away from each other so there’d be no rows before Wednesday.

Jimmy called to Dean’s house on Friday. He wanted to talk to him and maybe even catch him in the act, listening to jazz.

Dean was watching Blankety Blank.

They went up to Dean’s room. Jimmy eyed the wall for incriminating posters. Nothing; just an old one of Manchester United (Steve Coppell and Jimmy Greenhoff were in it) and one of Bruce Springsteen at Slane. But maybe Dean’s wall hadn’t caught up with Dean yet.

— Did yeh come on the bus? Dean asked Jimmy.

— I haven’t gone home yet, said Jimmy. — I went for a few scoops with a few o’ the lads ou’ o’ work. — Bruxelles. — D’yeh know it?

— Yeah.

— It’s good. — Some great lookin’ judies.

— Yeah.

— Eh — I was thinkin’ we could have a chat abou’ the group.

— Wha’ abou’ it?

— Wha’ d’yeh think of it?

— It’s okay.

— Okay?

— Yeah. Okay. — Why.?

— How is it okay?

— Jaysis, Jimmy, I don’t know. — I like — the lads, yeh know, Derek an’ Outspan, an’ James. An’ Washin’ton D.C. An’ Joey’s taught me a lot, yeh know. — I like the girls. They’re better crack than most o’ the young ones I know. — It’s good crack.

— Wha’ abou’ the music?

— It’s okay, said Dean. — It’s good crack, yeh know. — It’s good.

— But?

— Ah, Jaysis, Jimmy. I don’t want to sound snobby but — fuck it, there’s not much to it, is there? — Just whack whack whack an’ tha’ fuckin’ eejit, Cuffe, roarin’ an’ moanin’ —an’ fuckin’ gurglin’.

— Forget Cuffe. — What’s wrong with it?

Jimmy sounded hurt.

— Nothin’.

Dean was glad this was happening, although he was uncomfortable.

— Don’t get me wrong, Jimmy. — It’s too easy. It doesn’t stretch me. — D’yeh know wha’ I mean? Em, it was grand for a while, while I was learnin’ to play. It’s limitin’, know wha’ I mean? — It’s good crack but it’s not art.

— Art!

— Well — yeah.

— You’ve been listenin’ to someone, haven’t yeh?

— No.

— Watchin’ Channel fuckin’ 4. Art! Me arse!

— Slag away. Sticks an’ stones.

— Art! said Jimmy. (Art was an option he’d done in school because there was no room for him in metal work and there was no way they could get him into home economics. That’s what art was.) — Cop on, Dean, will yeh.

— Look, Jimmy, said Dean. — I went through hell tryin’ to learn to play the sax. I nearly jacked it in after every rehearsal. Now I can play it. An’ I’m not stoppin’. I want to get better. — It’s art, Jimmy. It is. I express meself, with me sax instead of a brush, like. That’s why I’m gettin’ into the jazz. There’s no rules. There’s no walls, your man in The Observer said it —

— I knew it! The Observer, I fuckin’ knew it!

— Shut up a minute. Let me finish.

Dean was blushing. He’d let the bit about The Observer slip out. He hoped Jimmy wouldn’t tell the rest of the lads.

— That’s the difference between jazz an’ soul. There’s too many rules in soul. — It’s all walls.

— Joey called them corners.

— That’s it, said Dean. — Dead on. — Four corners an’ you’re back where yeh started from. D’yeh follow me?

— I suppose so, said Jimmy. — Are yeh goin’ to leave?

— The Commitments?

— Yeah.

— No, Jaysis no. No way.

Jimmy was delighted with the way Dean answered him.

— How come? he said.

— It’s good crack, said Dean. — It’s good. The jazz is in me spare time. That’s okay, isn’t it?

— Yeah, sure.

— No, the soul’s grand, Jimmy. It’s good crack. It’s just the artist in me likes to get ou’ now an’ again, yeh know.

— Yeah, righ’. I know wha’ yeh mean. I’m the same way with me paintin’.

— Do you paint, Jimmy?

— I do in me bollix.

Dean was happy now. So he kept talking, to please Jimmy.

— No, I wouldn’t want to leave The Commitments. It’s great crack. The lads are great. — You’re doin’ a good job too. An’ —Keep this to yourself now.

— Go on.

— I fancy Imelda a bit too, yeh know.

— Everyone fancies ’melda, Dean.

— She’s great, isn’t she?

— Oh, she is indeed. — A grand young one. — Wha’ abou’ Joey’s ideas abou’ soul bein’ the people’s music an’ tha’?

— Don’t get me wrong, said Dean. — Joey’s great. — He’s full o’ shi’e though. — Isn’t he?

— I suppose he is a bit now tha’ yeh mention it.

— Brother Dean. — But go easy on the solos though, righ’.

— Okay.

* * *

Now that Jimmy thought of it, Imelda might have been holding The Commitments together. Derek fancied her, and Outspan fancied her. Deco fancied her. He was sure James fancied her. Now Dean fancied her too. He fancied her himself.

Imelda had soul.

* * *

There was no review in Hot Press. That was a disappointment. But they were in the Rhythm Guide.

— Your Regular Beat …

What’s Happening In Residencies.

Wednesdays.

Carlow, Octopussys: The Plumbers.

Cork, Sir Henrys: Asthmatic Hobbit Goes Boing.

Dublin, Baggot: The Four Samurai.

Dublin, Ivy Rooms: Autumn’s Drizzle.

Dublin, Miami Vice: The Commitments.

Jimmy cut it out and stuck it on his wall.

* * *

The Commitments all arrived on Wednesday. They all helped with the gear. They all looked well. Deco’s hooter was back to normal.

— Is he here yet? James asked.

He stood behind Jimmy. Jimmy was sitting at a table at the door, taking in the money.

— Who?

— The man from Eejit.

— Not yet. I’d say he’ll come though.

— I sure as hell hope so, Massa Jimmy, said James. — I’ll have to piss off righ’ after, okay. I’ve another oral tomorrow afternoon.

— Fair enough, said Jimmy. — Count tha’ for us.

Hot Press arrived, with someone else.

— He’s here, Jimmy told James. — Tell the others, will yeh.

— Goodie goodie, said James.

— Howyis, lads, said Jimmy.

— Hi there, said Hot Press. — The review’ll be in the next issue, okay. We were out of space. A big ad, you know.

— No problem, said Jimmy.

— This is Dave I was telling you about last week, remember?

— Oh, yeah, said Jimmy. — Howyeh, Dave. — Jimmy — Rabbitte.

He shook Dave’s hand.

— Hi, Jimmy, said Dave. — Maurice tells me your guys are good, yeah?

— He’s righ’ too, said Jimmy. — They have it alrigh’. —Go on ahead in, lads. I’ll be with yis in a minute. I’ll just rob a few more punters.

Jimmy was shaking.

The Commitments were great. Everything was right. They looked great too. Each one of them was worth watching.

They started with Knock on Wood. Mickah was cheered every time he loafed the drum. Then they did I Thank You. Then Chain Gang, Reach Out — I’ll Be There and then they slowed down with Tracks of My Tears. After that, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted. Then The Commitmentettes took over with Walking in the Rain, Stoned Love and Stop in the Name of Love.

Once the crowd knew that The Commitmentettes were finished they began to shout for Night Train.

They got it four songs later.

— ALL ABOARD, said Deco. — THE NIGH’ TRAIN.

There was pushing. Someone fell, but was up quickly. Nothing serious happened. They swayed and bopped as Deco did the roll call of American cities.

The crowd was waiting, getting ready.