24 Hours With Johnny Marr & Rosario Dawson

This afternoon, here at the MTV, my officemate Robert and I were listening to Styx’s “Mr. Roboto” — pretty loudly — for a nostalgic laugh, when MTV Radio’s assignment editor Raquel Bruno showed up at our door with ex-Smith’s guitarist Johnny Marr.

Apparently, my jaw dropped, I turned red, and stammered, “Great, the one time I’m cranking Styx and you show up.” Johnny F’in’ Marr! I mean, “Strangeways Here We Come” planted the whole strummy airy acoustic sound in my head, and here’s the guy right at my door! Wack. And fun. We talked about my guitar a minute (next to my desk on account of me demoing tonight and all), and he was gone.

So, Last night’s Cockfight rehearsal lacked the cohesion of the week prior, but what it lacked in cohesion, it made up for in star power. Bassist Abby Goodman’s friend (and “Josie & The Pussycats” star) Rosario Dawson came in and jammed on bass and vocals a while. Not that I recognized her until the guys knocked me upside the head afterwards, but we had fun. Which is the objective of Cockfight. We do have at least one song that’s really pretty cool, and I could play over and over and over (and did). It’s either called “Tony,” “Stony” or “Phonie.” I can’t really keep ’em straight.

Anyway, I’m headed to Control One Studios with Kevin Anthony to record new songs. But you knew that — I’ve been writing about it for days. I’m not all the well rehearsed, so it should be interesting. Or painful. Tune in tomorrow to find out which…