Choking the Monkey

In the last few weeks I got a taste of Hollywood lunacy while choking the monkey with Songwriter/Producer trickster Angelo in Nashburg. We’ve been writing/recording songs for an upcoming film directed by Mark Ruffalo starring James Franco as “The Stain”.

What’s the saying? Dickinson told us: “You know the deal with Opera—they say it’s not over until the fat lady sings? Well, in rock and roll it ain’t over until the monkey chokes.”

Meanwhile we’re writing one more song over the phone. I think we’re getting closer. The whole project’s actually been a hoot for a couple of doofus’s looking to catch a break.

Meanwhile, did anyone else pony up for for the Manny Pacquiao/Oscar De La Hoya HBO pay-per-view fight last night? That was my reward to myself. I was corresponding this AM with Brink’s own Guy Williams aka The Swamp Dog (himself a bad-ass pugilist in his day). Boy, what an incredibly likeable pair Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach are.

Is it just me? How could you not pull for them? Roach with his Parkinson’s, and that little Manny smiling to the crowd, crouching down and praying on his knees in his corner. Those two—they’re like some Howard Hawkes western heroes. Manny as the small town Sheriff who enlists the over the hill cripple against the men in black. Very John Wayne.

Pacquiao came out sizzling. “Blinding damn speed” said Guy. Left hook raging. Round after round pounding on De La Hoya.

Between rounds, Roach was heard to say, “Son, you’re too fast for him, just keep doing what you’re doing.”

As so it went for 8 rounds until they threw in the towel.

Phew.