What Simone Lahbib wants

It's not a big revelation to say Simone Lahbib is a favorite in these parts.

We know a fair amount about the characters Simone plays and what they want. For example, you may know that Detective Inspector Alex Fielding (Wire in the Blood) wants to catch the bad guy and be a good mum to her son.

And we all know what Helen Stewart wanted:

(You can read the Bad Girls recaps for specifics.)

But that doesn't tell us what Simone wants. Well, here it is: What Simone wants right now is for you to see her brother Stephen's band, Mama Mayhem, play at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go on L.A.'s Sunset Strip on November 8.

Tickets for the show are almost sold out, but you can still buy them here. (And if you cannot catch them at the Whiskey on Nov. 8, you can still catch them at the Cat Club on Nov. 10 or the Roxy on Nov. 11.)

Stephen's a self-taught guitarist — he first picked up a guitar that Simone had bought but didn't use — and Simone is more than a little impressed by her little brother's talent. She recently told AfterEllen.com:

“Stephen started writing songs almost as soon as he learned his first chords — his talent took us all by surprise. I remember in the early days, my mum and I listening at the bottom of the stairs as he worked on some new material, grinning excitedly at each other, like a couple of school-girl groupies!”

Simone said Stephen would often try out his new songs on her and the rest of the family.

“I remember one time, my mum and one of my sisters was there and Stephen was right into one of his songs. He has such a distinctive voice that gives power and emotion to those beautiful lyrics ... The chord shifted and I was head to toe in goosebumps. I watched him, my wee brother, and all previous perceptions fell away. It was like seeing him for the first time as a man, a musician, an artist — this cool, good-lookin' young guy, doing what he loves most ... and he shone. I had no doubt he was going to be good for a tap one day!”

Can't you just hear her calling him “my wee brother”? (And “tap” is Scottish for “loan,” by the way.)

Supporting and respecting Stephen's music is not just something Simone wants us to do; she's out there supporting him, too. In fact, she let Mama Mayhem provide the soundtrack for the happiest day of her life — and the band was a hit. “Everyone I love in one room, loose and rocking out to my brother's music. It was an amazing night,” she says.

Unfortunately, Simone won't be able to provide that level of support to her brother next week. She says, “I'm gutted that I won't be there to see Mama Mayhem play their first gigs in the states and to go party with them after. It would have been great to meet a few U.S. fans of Bad Girls too, and see if they're just as crazy and fun as fans in the U.K. and South Africa.” Instead of being at the shows, Simone has to be in the U.K. to prepare for the next season of Wire in the Blood. (Sorry if you heard rumors to the contrary.)

One positive note: Those of us in New York might — and I emphasize might — have a chance to see both Simone and the band in New York in the spring. She said, "There's a good chance there's going to be a New York mini-tour next year around May. If that comes off, I'll do absolutely everything I can to get there!" [Note to Simone — We hope you're successful!]

For more information about Mama Mayhem, check out their MySpace page for songs and news. Here's a video (Stephen is on vocals):

And here's another picture of Simone, just because she's pretty.

If I still lived in Los Angeles, I'd go — both for the music and for the cheap thrill of doing what Simone Lahbib wants. And, in all fairness, I kind of owe her: Series 2 and 3 of Bad Girls kept me company when I was recuperating from surgery a while back. So, it would be the least I can do.

I'll leave you with Simone's words about what it's like to see Stephen and the rest of Mama Mayhem live:

“I went to see them play Barfly in Glasgow recently. I couldn't believe how much the band and the music had grown. They came on stage and literally blew me away. They rocked! In a true classic-rock, melt-your-woofers, rock-out sense! I just know they are going to take the States by storm. They've worked so hard, they deserve it.”