The Story

Jonny Phoenix is a fading LA rock star, so desperate for a comeback that he returns to his childhood home in the South to convince the middle-aged members of his former garage band ("The Shine") to reunite. He lies to them by saying that he has only a year to live, and that his dying wish is to make amends for selfishly abandoning them nearly 18 years ago — but in reality he's actually trying to win the job as the replacement lead guitarist for a famous LA rock band by presenting the illusion that he's still "in the game" and that he can be a "team player."

Despite uprooting the stable lives of his old friends by taking them through "rock school," entering them into a highly competitive "battle of the bands," and then leading them on a multi-city bus tour, Jonny unexpectedly begins to re-form the bonds of brotherhood that he once had with his old band mates. He also develops a strong bond as the mentor/father figure of The Shine's new teenaged lead singer, the shy but ultra-talented son of Jonny's high school sweetheart.

Even more unexpectedly, The Shine starts to steadily grow in popularity, to the point where the band soon realizes that they might be able to save their ailing home town from bankruptcy by playing a charity concert that will raise the money needed to fight a greedy redeveloper who is bent on destroying their home. The Shine, and the citizens of their small town, rally to promote and prepare for the show. Ticket sales grow, while the greedy redeveloper does everything in his power to make sure that the charity show doesn't happen.

As a result of their journey as a reunited band, Jonny changes the lives of his band mates by giving them confidence, excitement, and a new way of looking at the world. Little does Jonny realize that this experience is changing him, too…

So when Jonny is finally offered the job he's been seeking as lead guitarist for the famous LA rock band, he is faced with the hardest decision of his life: should he accept the offer and thereby fulfill his life-long dream of being an international rock star? Or should he unselfishly return home to his friends and family to play the charity show that may possibly save them and their way of life? He is truly caught between a rock and a hard place…

"Rock and a Hard Place"

For access to the script, click on the button below.

The Band

THE SHINE is a rock band originally formed in the early '90s in the sleepy little coastal town of Southern Bend, Florida. After a lengthy hiatus, The Shine recently reunited as a band, and has since been causing quite the splash on MTV and YouTube.com. This resurgence is due in large part to the still blistering guitar work of late '90s axe phenom Jonny Phoenix, and in part to the addition of lead singer, Rock Hammer — the band's new 18 year-old front man whose vocal prowess has been compared to the likes of Robert Plant and Bon Scott.

The band's rhythm section is comprised of part-time shrimp farmer Scallop LaFontaine on bass, and the undeniably and unabashedly insane Ricky Calhoun on the skins. Pulling the sound together on keyboards and rhythm guitar is Pat "Doc" Halladay who, when not on the road touring with the band, can be found catching babies at one of his five regional OB-GYN clinics located throughout Central Florida.

The Shine's first studio album, "ROCK AND A HARD PLACE," combines a hard-driving contemporary rock sound with elegant guitar stylings, powerful yet melodic vocals, and strong songwriting sensibilities. "Rolling Stone" magazine has described The Shine's sound as "what would happen if AC/DC married Guns 'N Roses, then had an affair with Tom Petty."

The Shine's music is available on iTunes, or through the band's own label, Southern Bend Records.

The Songs

The Lyrics

Are you ready?

Get ready set go
Get ready set go

Welcome to the party
Don't be standing in our way
We're gonna have a good time
Loud and hard is how we play

Get in, get out
Let's take it all the way
(Get ready!  Get ready!)
Stand up and shout
Listen what I say, said it's time to…

Get ready set go
Get ready set go
Get ready set go
Get ready set go

We came here to party
Get up on your feet
Let's finish what we started
Or take it out in the street

Get in, get out
Let's take it all the way
(Get ready!  Get ready!)
Stand up and shout
Listen what I say, said it's time to get ready…

Oh, get ready to rock, get ready to roll
(Get ready!  Get ready!)
Oh, get ready to fly, get ready to crawl
(Get ready!  Get ready!)
Oh, get ready to fight, get ready to bleed
(Get ready!  Get ready!)
Oh, get ready to give the people what they need

Are you ready?

Get ready set go
Get ready set go
Get ready set go
Get ready set go

Get ready! Get ready!
Get ready! Get ready set go!

I wanna be a rock star
Playing in a rock and roll band
Gonna have the whole world
Eatin' right out of my hand

The key to every city, a girl in every town
Gonna keep it up 'til it's time to get down

'Cuz I was born to rock and roll
I got the music down in my soul
I don't know another way to be
I got the rock and roll burning inside of me

Oh yeah
Oh yeah…

Even when I go down
To the bottom of my soul
Still breakin' out the big sound
It's the only way to roll

Dealing with the devil, selling off my soul
I give 'em what they need for a mountain of gold

'Cuz I was born to rock and roll
I got the music down in my soul
I don't know another way to be
I got the rock and roll burning inside of me

We give it all we've got
(Long live rock! Long live rock!)
From the bottom all the way to the top
(Long live rock! Long live rock!)
'Til the end of our dying days we ain't gonna stop
(Long live rock! Long live rock!)
Wavin' our hands in the air screaming "Long live rock!"

Long live…!

'Cuz I was born to rock and roll
I got the music down in my soul
I don't know another way to be
I got the rock and roll burning inside of me

I was born to rock and roll
I got the music down in my soul
I don't know another way to be
I got the rock and roll burning inside of me

Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
You got to rock it tonight!

Daddy broke his back in the midday sun
Just to keep us alive
Life ain't no fun, just get the job done
That's all he knew to survive

As soon as I could stand he had a pitch in my hand
We tried to gather sheep but it wasn't me
At the age of thirteen I got lost in a dream
But Daddy tried to shatter the mystery

He said, son, you've got a choice to make
You can lie with the sinners or fly with the saints, yeah
As long as you understand
(As long as you understand)

A man has got to work with his hands, with his hands
You've got to understand
A man has got to work with hands, his hands
His only job is to work the land
My Daddy said to work with my hands

When God above sent His only son
Just to help us survive
He said, son, the devil's won unless you get the job done
But no one here gets out alive

He said, boy, it's time for you to decide
Are you gonna dance with the sinners or be crucified?
I don't expect you to understand
(Don't expect you to understand)

A man has got to work with his hands, with his hands
He's got to try the best he can
A man has got to work with his hands, with his hands
Don't be messin' with Nature's plan
My Daddy said to work with my hands

Well, we all need love
From our mothers and our lovers
From each other and from God above
But to thine own self you must be true
Because all things must leave
And we're stronger for the storms we make it through…

Now I'm a man, and I don't work the land
No matter what my Daddy might say, yeah
My God he likes the way I make this guitar sing
He knows He made me this way

I don't suffer fools, I don't follow their rules
We've all got the right to be free
So when my little boy says to me,
Daddy, what do you think that I should be?

I'll tell him, son, you got a choice to make
You can grind a 9 to 5 or you can fly up in space, yeah
All I want you to understand…

A man ain't gotta do nothing
But I love to get to work with my hands

With my hands
I hope one day you might understand
I love to get to work with my hands, my hands
I get to play in a rockin' band

That's how I get to work with my hands, my hands
I get to travel across the land
Reach out and touch the world with my hands
With my hands, my hands

My Daddy said to work with my hands, my hands, my hands
My Daddy said to work with my hands, my hands, my hands

I ain't pretty
I ain't too shy
Ain't too proud of how I've run my life
Ain't got no money
No fancy car
But I know how to make you a star

What I see for you is your name in lights
Endless champagne nights
It's a brand new song, so put your seat belt on…

I'm gonna take you all the way
I'm gonna break you, it's the only way
I'm gonna give you what you need in every way
I'm gonna take you all the way

I ain't witty
I ain't too nice
And for what I give you'll pay the price
Ain't got no limits
I never stop
That's how you get to the top

I've got a plan for you
And baby when I'm done
You'll be number one
So honey don't ask why
Just enjoy the ride

I'm gonna take you all the way
I'm gonna break you, it's the only way
I'm gonna give you what you need in every way
I'm gonna take you all the way

Sign the dotted line, because now you're mine
Here's the golden rule
You're going back to school
You gotta learn to be cool
You gotta be cool
You gotta stay cool

Take you! (Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do)
Break you! (I want you to get down on your knees)
Give you! (What you need inside)
Take you! (Come on)

I'm gonna take you all the way
I'm gonna break you, it's the only way
I'm gonna give you what you need in every way
I'm gonna take you all the way

I'm gonna take you…all the way

My name is Rock! My name is Rock!

Feel the power, boys
I can feel this whole world spinning
In the palm of my hand
Come and feel my noise
On my game and now I'm winning
This boy's becoming a man

Born of circumstance
Cut by years of heat and pressure
My inner diamond's awake
Ain't no second chance
So give me all you got of that pain and pleasure
You'll never get me to break

My name is Rock (Rock!)
My name is Rock (Rock!)
You can say it again you won't wear it out, it's Rock (Rock!)
My name is Rock (Rock!)

Feeling stronger now
The whole world can hear me singing
I'll give you all that I've got
Flying higher now
I can feel the love you're bringing
You'll never get me to stop

I'm your Superman
You can all be my Lois Lane, yeah
I've got it under control
I'll outrun your bullets and I'll punch out any train
To keep the city safe for rock and roll

My name is Rock (Rock!)
My name is Rock (Rock!)
You can say it again you won't wear it out, it's Rock (Rock!)
My name is Rock (Rock!)

(I can feel a) Cool Breeze
Running through my hair
Can I take you there?
Over the hills to the valley below
Sometimes it seems I can do anything
If I could just stop doing nothing at all
Nothing at all
What's my name?

My name is Rock (Rock!)
My name is Rock (Rock!)
You can say it again you won't wear it out, it's Rock (Rock!)
My name is Rock (Rock!)

My name is Rock (Rock!), Rock (Rock!), Rock
My name is Rock (Rock!), Rock (Rock!), Rock
My name is Rock (Rock!), Rock (Rock!), Rock
My name is Rock (Rock!), Rock (Rock!), Rock
My name is Rock!

Sunny Day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?
How to get to Sesame Street?

Come and play
Everything's A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That's where we'll meet

Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?
How to get to Sesame Street?

It's a magic carpet ride
Every door will open wide
To Happy people like you
Happy people like you, Yeah!

What a beautiful…
Sunny Day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Sunny Day, yeah
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you show me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?
How to get to Sesame Street?
How to get to Sesame Street?  Yeah!

Shine! Shine! Shine!
(Shine shine shine shine shine!)
Shine, shine, shine…

Look at us standing here
Watching the days go by
Looking in through the out door
Dreaming of the other side

Where are you going?
Tell me what's on your mind
Tomorrow might be yesterday
Don't get left behind
It's your time to Shine
It's your time to Shine!

Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
It's your time…

All it takes is a notion
About the things you want out of life
Then all those things come rushing in
When you start to see the light

Why are you searching?
What do you hope to find?
Even though it may be raining
Everything's gonna be just fine
It's your time to Shine
Your time to Shine!

Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
It's your time…

Where are you going?
Tell me what's on your mind
Tomorrow might be yesterday
Don't get left behind
It's your time to shine

Why are you searching?
What do you hope to find?
Even though it may be raining
Everything's gonna be just fine
It's your time to Shine
It's your time to Shine!

Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!
Shine shine shine shine shine!

Some people worry about the meaning of life
They don't know what to believe
Some people cry 'cuz they don't want to die, honey
We ain't got that disease

We never wonder about the lightning and thunder
We take it as it comes and it comes okay
We're coming heavy like a '57 Chevy
You don't have to follow just get out of the way

That's how we roll
That's how we roll
That's how we roll
All night long
All night long

You spend your life giving time to the man
But the man's got nothing to give
We never worry, we're too much in a hurry
Gotta live life 'til there's no life to live

We're gonna rock it, there's no way you can stop it
We're in your face and we don't back down
We spend our time with our women and wine
We take what we want and we're never gonna stop, no

That's how we roll
That's how we roll
That's how we roll
All night long
All night long

You got a few things to learn about making it real
(Learn to keep it real, got to keep it real)
Don't matter how it looks, tell me how does it feel?
(Tell me how it feels, show me how it feels)
Little people shake their heads, that ain't no big deal
(Got to learn to deal, people got to deal)
You got to get it while the getting's good
Beg borrow or steal

Roll it!

Ooh, rock and roll it!

Woah oh…

That's how we roll
That's how we roll
That's how we roll
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long

Breezin' into town like a big black cat
Six-string thunder across his back
Don't need a weapon, he don't need no gun
The ladies get weak and the bad guys run
He's got his sights on you
You'd better run

Make way for the guitar hero
Try to forgive all the things I've done
The open road's the only home that he knows
You can find him where an evil wind blows
Fighting back's the only way that he rolls
Give a hand for the guitar hero

Kicking off the dust at the town saloon
He's got a date with destiny at high noon
Brings 'em to their knees with his wall of sound
He keeps rockin' and a rollin' 'til he takes 'em all down
He's got a bead on you
You'd better run

Make way for the guitar hero
Try to forgive all the things I've done
The open road's the only home that he knows
You can find him where an evil wind blows
Fighting back's the only way that he rolls
Take a stand for the guitar hero

Make way for the guitar hero
Try to forgive all the things I've done
The open road's the only home that he knows
You can find him where an evil wind blows
Fighting back's the only way that he rolls
Give it up for the guitar hero

He's the guitar hero
Rocking along gonna sing my song
He's the guitar hero
Rolling along gonna sing my song
Give me a sign and I won't be long
I'm gonna set you free

When all is said and done
We'll pack away the memories of years gone by
And days we laughed and songs we'd never sung
This old broken house of mine
Will hold inside the echoes of our life entwined
And silly heated battles never won

Who'll stop the pain?
When no one is to blame…

When all is said and done
We'll empty out the attics of our hearts and minds
And drift into the faded light of love's forgotten past
This deserted heart of mine will keep inside
The thought of our little war against the world

We played love like a game
Now we'll never be the same…

When all is said and done
You and me weren't meant to be
Together for eternity
Or even half the way
When all the ledgers balance
And the white shirts do their work they'll say
We were meant to be this way

When all is said and done
When all is said and done
When all is said and done…

We played life like a game
Now there's no one left to blame…

When all is said and done
We'll pack away the memories of years gone by
And days we laughed and songs we'd never sung
This old broken heart of mine
Will hold inside the echoes of our life entwined
And battles never won

Now you've had your fun, boy
When all is said and done
There's nowhere left to run, boy
Now that all is said and done

Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho!
(Are you ready?)
Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho!
(Are you ready?)
Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho!

We've been rolling town to town
'Cuz you laid your money down
And we ain't gonna stop
We came to let the world know
There's gonna be a rock show
Are you ready to rock?

Some backstage mama from a house of delight
Hits her knees and blew me away
Then she's asked me to pay
I said honey, how much for the ocean
and the birds up in the trees?
God gave us everything…

Rock and roll is free, man!
No matter what you say, man
Rock and roll is free, man!
Won't you let it be?

We ain't sweatin' in a coal mine
Or humpin' through no land mines
Ain't breakin' rocks for the man
We're just lying in the sunshine,
chasing us a good time
We're an American band

Under the lights every Saturday night
We're always ready to play
We came here to rock
I tell you honey, we ain't in it for the money
This ain't no job — getting paid to look pretty!

Rock and roll is free, man!
No matter what you say, man
Rock and roll is free, man!
Like the air you breathe, man
Rock and roll is free, man!
Like the birds up in the trees, man
Rock and roll is free, man!
Won't you let it be?
Won't you let it be?

We rock heavy, we rock steady
We do it for you all night long
(Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho!)
If push came to shove
You know we'd do it for free
(Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho!)
We raise our wine to the bottom line
We ain't greedy
(Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho!)
And if the cash runs dry
We'll get the devil to pay…

Rock and roll is free, man!
Like the air you breathe, man
Rock and roll is free, man!
Like the birds up in the trees, man
Rock and roll is free, man!
Like everything you see, man
Rock and roll is free, man!

Won't you let it…
Won't you let it…
Won't you let it be?

Mississippi morning
Chickens in the yard
He can hear his old hound dog barking
At the rusted out police car

A dark wind howls across the lake
When the man has got you down
If you don't bend you're gonna break

The Sheriff don't believe him
'bout where he was last night
Three dead in a bar room tangle
Son, don't you put up a fight, no no…

His Mama cries, his life's at stake
'Cuz when the man has got you down
If you don't bend you're gonna break

Down home I hear Mama callin'
With open arms and potato pie
Down home I can hear freedom callin'
And I know freedom never lies

Turns a cold December
Dusty prison cell
Ten years gone, seems more like forever
On a stretch from hell

How much more can one man take?
'Cuz when the man has got you down
If you don't bend you're gonna break

Down home I hear Mama callin'
With open arms and potato pie
Down home I can hear freedom callin'
And I know freedom never lies
Rock on…

Mississippi backroads
The prison sirens wail
He can hear that old guard dog chasin' him
Sheriff's hot on his trail

One shot fired, two hearts break
'Cuz when the man has got you down
If you don't bend you're gonna break

'Cuz when the man has got you down
If you don't bend you're gonna break

'Cuz when the man has got you down
If you don't bend you're gonna break

Down home I hear Mama callin'
With open arms and potato pie
Down home I can hear freedom callin'
And I know freedom never lies

Down home I hear Mama callin'
With open arms and potato pie
Down home I can hear freedom callin'
And I know freedom never lies

The Writer

Jeffrey Robert Davis is a screenwriter and professional musician living in Los Angeles, California. He wrote the screenplay, Rock and a Hard Place, and is also responsible for writing, performing, recording and co-producing all 12 original tracks of The Shine's music featured in the script.

Jeff can be reached at: moviescribe@sbcglobal.net

The Album