The Los Angeles River flows from its source into the Pacific Ocean, spanning approximately fifty-one miles in total, with the planned section of the river stretching thirty-two miles. It runs through the heart of the city, dividing the City of Angels into east and west. The city center lies on the west side of the Los Angeles River. Although the western side of Los Angeles includes wealthy areas like Hollywood and Beverly Hills, the disorderly, impoverished neighborhoods of Little Tokyo and Chinatown are also located on this side.
Little Tokyo is one of the most dangerous areas in all of Los Angeles. After eight or nine in the evening, walking alone on the streets requires heightened vigilance. If an emergency occurs and one needs to withdraw money from an ATM, having a companion is undoubtedly a wise choice.
Adjacent to Little Tokyo is an area known as Skid Row, which is essentially Los Angeles' so-called slum. Skid Row does not refer to a single street but encompasses the entire area between East 6th Street and East 4th Street, from Maple Avenue to Stanford Avenue.
Unlike the slums of other cities, Skid Row—commonly called the "hobo district" by locals—is right next to the downtown streets. This is a consequence of Los Angeles' urban characteristics: the surrounding counties are far more prosperous than the city center. The alleys here are dilapidated and crowded, where African Americans, Mexicans, Hispanics, and other minority groups live tightly packed in tiny spaces resembling clay pots, engaged in the city's lowest-tier manual labor to sustain their families.
In recent years, there has actually been a heavy metal band called Skid Row, though they have little connection with this Los Angeles slum. The band, which rose to fame in 1986 alongside the metal rock wave, originated in New Jersey rather than Los Angeles.
Nevertheless, Los Angeles' Skid Row became a haven for many underground rock musicians. Just as the Bronx in New York gave birth to street hip-hop, underground rock enthusiasts gathered in Skid Row, expressing their emotions and dreams with bold, rebellious attitudes. Al's Bar is located here, at the intersection of East 5th Street and San Pedro Street, within walking distance of St. Julian Park.
By just before seven in the evening, Hugo arrived at his destination by bus. Walking through the streets, he saw a variety of vibrant outfits: striking black trench coats, gloomy black eyeliner, fiery red hair, each color popping like a ball of energy in his line of sight, radiating endless charm.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the U.S. unemployment crisis resurfaced—one of the triggers for the Rodney King incident—so heavy metal and grunge rock began to resonate strongly. Seventies punk music was also gradually reviving. Initially, these music styles appeared highly unconventional in the mainstream market. Large record labels, professional music magazines, and top studios could not accept such alternative, avant-garde forms, allowing underground rock to flourish intensely.
However, grunge rock led by Nirvana unexpectedly sparked a frenzy, drowning out all other music and achieving tremendous breakthroughs in both reputation and market presence. This led to grunge being incorporated into mainstream American culture. By 1992, this craze not only persisted but was continuously intensifying. A new rock frenzy seemed imminent, the first since 1977.
Watching the bustling scene before him, Hugo felt as if he had walked into the magical world of Harry Potter. Though there were no wands or spells, the musical notes flowing from instruments and fingertips were the most exquisite magic in the world, possessing a soul-stirring energy. Every figure—known or unknown, familiar or strange, flamboyant or reserved, carrying instruments or dressed peculiarly—seemed like a note forming shapes in his vision, performing a stunning melody against the navy sky.
Although Hugo had reminded himself more than once that this time travel was a heaven-sent opportunity, today he once again marveled at how beautiful life was. He was grateful to be in Los Angeles in 1992, not only for the chance to become an outstanding actor but also to witness the most glorious era of rock firsthand.
Hugo stood in awe, excited and slightly overwhelmed. He wanted to approach the cool girl with over twenty earrings dangling from her ears, join the unknown band performing at the street corner, or crowd around Green Day's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong like a devoted fan… this place was like a Disneyland for rock enthusiasts, exhilarating yet chaotic, leaving one distracted in every direction.
"Hey, Hugo!" a voice called from behind. Trained to react instantly, Hugo immediately turned around to see a tall, golden-haired handsome guy striding toward him.
"You're Hugo, right? I didn't get the wrong person!" The man's hair was tied in a ponytail, revealing a clean and stern face, his blue-green eyes deep and distant under the soft streetlights.
Hugo recognized the face instantly, feeling very familiar. He even remembered where they had met—during a street performance on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Charlize—but he couldn't recall the guy's name. In this regard, Hugo's talent was somewhat weak, slightly better than his sense of direction.
Seeing Hugo's puzzled expression, the handsome man laughed clearly twice. "I'm Neil Anderson, last time…"
"Yes, Neil!" Hugo's eyes immediately sparkled, the corners of his eyes forming slender crescents thanks to his bright smile. "Hollywood Walk of Fame…" Hugo hurriedly said, proving that his memory had not failed him. But seeing Neil's smile pause, Hugo couldn't help letting the tail of his voice rise slightly. "…right?"
Neil chuckled softly and nodded. "Yes, the Walk of Fame. Didn't expect to meet so soon." Neil's eyes glimmered brightly; last time he had wanted to talk more with Hugo, but unfortunately had been occupied that day, leaving him with lingering regret.
Neil hadn't asked Hugo for his contact information that day. In early 1990s America, aside from landlines, pagers were the most reliable communication method. Without either, finding another stranger in a huge city like Los Angeles was undoubtedly like searching for a needle in a haystack.
But Hugo had said one thing correctly: both shared a common hobby. Once they found the same circle, meeting again was not so difficult. Thus came today's second encounter.
"Do you have a performance tonight?" Hugo noticed the guitar on Neil's shoulder and pointed to Al's Bar on the street corner.
"Oh, no, just out of habit," Neil shook his head. "And you?" Hugo had also brought his guitar today. He wore a white T-shirt with a crow pattern, paired with light blue jeans, and a white jacket with a Superman logo. Compared to the afternoon, this outfit seemed far more integrated.
Hugo chuckled, and seeing this, Neil smiled as well. Hugo said, "Me too. I don't have a band right now, just a music enthusiast."
"Same here, alone for now, usually performing on the streets to make a living," Neil said simply. Regarding rock, solo rock singers were indeed relatively rare, and making a career like David Bowie was no easy task. "So, last time you performed a jazz piece, have you been writing some rock recently?"
Neil seemed somewhat eager, diving straight into the topic without preamble. Hugo didn't mind at all. "Oh, of course. I write a little for fun, though not many pieces are suitable for guitar performance. You know, most of the time you need a full set of instruments."
"You study other instruments too? Wow, I thought your guitar skills alone were enough." Neil glanced around and sat down directly on the street curb.
"Oh, no, aside from guitar, I'm not good at anything else. I can only manage basic keyboard stuff," Hugo sat down as well, speaking honestly. "I just enjoy creating music, so I dabble in other instruments too."
"In rock bands these days, a guitar solo is indispensable. A skilled guitarist can elevate the entire band's level. So, the guitar alone is already sufficient." Neil smiled, his brows and eyes radiating excitement. "By the way, last time you wrote that song, how did you set the chords again?"
Hugo and Neil dove into a lively conversation. Meanwhile, the surrounding area had also become bustling. Everywhere in sight, people stood or sat in small groups, animatedly discussing music. Almost everyone was talking about music, and many were already performing on the spot. The scene resembled a grand rock festival, except that most of these enthusiasts had real skill, filling the atmosphere with an electrifying, blood-pumping energy.
It was hard to imagine that under the navy-blue night sky of Los Angeles, there existed such hidden corners, pulsing with countless musical notes, quietly permeating the land, becoming part of the city's lifeblood. Reflecting on it, Hugo had spent countless nights on this sacred ground without ever truly connecting with these passionate music lovers. What a pity that had been! Naturally, the more regrets of the past, the more his heart surged with excitement now. That feeling was so vivid that even the streetlights at the corner seemed to reveal the elegant curves of the musical notes, casting a soft, mysterious glow over everything.
...
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)
Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(40 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)
The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu