"Ladies and gentlemen!" Brian shouted, "The Monkees will now perform an original song, a song I wrote, a song you people will not soon forget! I call it `Ode to Power' "
Brian gestured to the side and stagehands rolled out a drum kit, guitar, organ and tambourine on a small portable stage. Micky climbed behind his kit, while the other three picked up their respective instruments. Mike smiled at the others, as the crowd grew quiet as Mike began to play his guitar and sing:
"Hey, hey mercy woman,
Play a song you know I'm listening
I need healed by falling apart.
Play the song a little bit louder,
Tell me I can live without her,
If I only listen to the band.
Listen to the Band!"
Brian looked over in shock. This wasn't the song they were supposed to play! The scientist tried to play his organ, but no sound came out of it. He checked the on/off switch on his machine. The switch was still set to `on'. He flipped the switch a few times, but Mike was still singing his own song. The other Monkees joined in playing the song.
"Weren't they good to make me happy?
I think I can make it alone." Mike sang to the crowd.
"Stop!" Brian shouted at him, but Mike kept on singing:
"Oh, woman who plays a song,
You know I'm listening,
'Cause I need healed by falling apart.
Play the song a little bit louder,
Tell me I can live without her,
If I only listen to the band!"
At that, the Monkees began to destroy their instruments! Mike grabbed his guitar and began to bang it on the floor. After a couple of smacks, the guitar smashed to pieces. Micky knocked over his drum kit and put his foot through one of the tom-toms. Peter knocked over his small organ, and Davy threw his tambourine at Brian. The scientist ducked just in time, and scrambled under the backdrop to his circuit box Discovering the damage, Brian snarled and tried to repair some of the circuitry. After reconnecting a few wires, the box began to work a little-but result wasn't what Brian wanted. There was a hum and crackle of electric sound-which altered the behavior of all the performers!
"C'mon everyone!" Micky called to over everyone on the stage, "Let's have some fun!"
Jerry Lee Lewis, always the maverick, laughed and began to play and sing:
Hold me, baby,
Let me love you like a lover should
You're fine-so kind!
I can tell this world that you're mine, mine, mine, mine!
I chew my nails down and twiddle my thumbs,
I'm real nervous but it sure is fun.
C'mon baby-you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire!
The house band behind Brian began to play along with him too. Little Richard climbed up on his piano bench and began to sing:
"Oh, long tall Sally, put his slippers on, everything that Uncle John say, oh baby!
Ooooh, baby! Have some fun tonight!
Have some fun tonight!
Everything's alright,
Have some fun tonight!
Well Long Uncle John with bald headed Sally,
Saw Aunt Mary comin and they ducked back in the alley oh baby!
Yeah, now baby!
Have some fun tonight!
Have some fun, some fun tonight!"
The Monkees were dancing all over the stage, encouraging the audience to dance too. Brian ordered the band to stop playing, but by now, Fats Domino, feeling the effects of Brian's machine too, joined in the music:
You broke my heart when you said we'll part,
Ain't that a shame
Cant feel it rain,
You're the one to blame.
Oh well goodbye,
Although I'll cry.
Ain't that a shame.
Aretha Franklin and the Clara Ward singers came to the front and began to sing as well:
Oh when the saints go marching in,
Oh when the saints go marching in,
I wanna be in their number!
Oh when the saints go marching in!
By now, Brian realized he had lost control not just over the Monkees, but over the whole production as well. His plan was a disaster! Utter and complete chaos! He turned to Gary and John.
"Get them." He ordered.
He ran off the stage, past Julie and over to the light control switch. Then, he opened the box.
"Hey, you can't touch that!" A stagehand yelled.
Brian ignored him and pulled a large lever on one side. Instantly, the theater went dark. People began to scream and panic. A few seconds later, small emergency lights came on, but by then Brian, Gary and John were back on the stage and standing with the Monkees.
"I'm very sorry about this, ladies and gentlemen." Brian shouted over the crowd noise, "We seem to be having some technical difficulties."
Nobody in the audience or on the stage noticed that Brian's hand held a small gun which was jammed into the small of Mike's back. "Let's go home, gentlemen." he said quietly to Mike and the other Monkees.
The Monkees had no choice but to follow Brian backstage. John was waiting with Julie in the wings. Dick Clark ran up to them.
"What's going on?" He demanded. "You promised me a class act and I get a riot!"
"Shut up!" Brian snarled and led his group over to the prop room. The manager tried to follow, but Gary pushed him away. When the group reached the prop door they went inside and John slammed the prop room door in Clark's face.
Back on stage, the other performers were recovering from the effects of Brian's machine.
"Whooee!" Little Richard exclaimed, "What a show!"
"Yeah, haven't had a buzz like that in a long time, baby!" Jerry Lee Lewis replied, jumping down from his piano.
"Could someone please get me down from here?" Fats Domino yelled from the top piano.
"I'll get someone!" Aretha yelled back, then went backstage to get help, the Clara Ward singers following.
Dick Clark grabbed two stagehands and together they finally managed to get the prop door open. But all they found was a room full of props. There was no sign of Brian or his companions anywhere.
"Where are they?" A stagehand asked, mystified, "There's no other way out of here."
The theater manager had no answer and could only just shake his head.