By Jonel (137.113.226.180) on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 09:41 am:

Thought you might be interested in reading an interview with Robb "Dragon" Hogan, The Temptations' former bodyguard. I just transcribed and uploaded it last night. http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/dragons_8/Interview_Dragon.htm

By Carl Dixon London (62.31.32.130) on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 12:24 pm:

Nice interview Jonel. Another great point of view. I did some martial arts many years ago. I had never thought of this angle and how important it is. The nearest I have seen soul and martial arts together was with Kung Fu fighting by Carl Douglas circa 1974 I think, on Pye records. If anybody has seen that Top of the Pops clip with the performance, have you noticed 'Biddu' the great London based Indian producer as a backing singer and doing all the moves. Brits must have seen it a million times.Biddu also wrote and produced 'A man like me/Jimmy James' on Stateside, was involved with 'Honey Bee/Johnny Johnson and his Bandwagon'on Stateside too and 'Please don't leave me standing in the pouring rain/The Showstoppers' on Beacon. I would love to meet Biddu, but I think he returned home to India.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.74) on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 12:32 pm:

Carl,
I have done a bit of Knock down karate,
Boxing, and various skills of that ilk
in the army.
Unimportant I know,but hey,
Those cats were fast as lightening
in fact it was a little bit frightening
MEL.
p.s.I also read the article,
many thanks once more to Jonel.

By Jonel (137.113.226.180) on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 01:45 pm:

Carl & Mel.....I'm glad you all enjoyed the interview. Dragon has plans to update it from time to time with new questions and answers. He's been all of the world with The Temptations for almost 20 years and he worked with The Four Tops, The Commodores, Gladys Knight and others. He even did a personal bodyguard assignment for Billy Dee Williams. I'll let you know when the interview changes.

I'll have to admit that when I first began to help Dragon write about his career in the martial arts, the "Kung Fu Fighting" song was all I knew-- that and some Jean Claude Van Damme movies. But when they say martial "arts", they are being truthful. There is so much preparation and concentration involved in martial arts competition and some of the photographs of the moves are very dramatic. When he became a Master Instructor, Dragon developed his own karate system. It is a little different, because it is geared to help regular folks protect themselves on an everyday basis. I also thought it was interesting that he uses The Temptations' music in his karate classes. If truth were known, the beat of so many Motown hits have been used to motivate physical fitness.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.36) on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 02:13 pm:

Jonel,
I know exactly where your coming from.
There are so many aspects relating to the Martial arts.
As well as the physical side of it,you must get your mind properly adjusted.
A really interesting read Jonel,and
Dragon certainly sounds like quite a guy.The knock down karate I did,we would hone our shins with thin pieces of wood.If you know Knock down karate you will know that it entails that the winner is the one left standing,sounds bad but when you go into the deeper aspects,as with like any sport,a big challenge.
I always remember when training at boxing,Eye of ther tiger would always be the first sound on the beat-box,which had everyone totally exhausted after 2 mins,as we all would think of the Rocky movie and think we were either rocky or Apollo Creed.Crazy days.
But regards Dragon,were talking the buisness,as a Master,then,that says it all.All said and done,a good way of controlling your temper,and a great art,The martial arts.
Cheers Jonel.

By Jonel (66.207.73.66) on Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 10:07 pm:

Yeah..."Control" is definitely a skill that I imagine a martial artist must exhibit, especially a bodyguard. I've heard Dragon talk about the power and intensity in the art and how he trains his mind to harness that power. Back in the early 80s, he began to write poetry to help him do this. At first he wrote very short verses that helped him focus his mind specifically on martial arts training. Then he was asked to write memorial poems for friends and family who passed on. Later, he began to write longer poems with deeper thought--about social injustice, love and poems with morals. Now that he is "off the road", I am hoping that he will be able to publish a small chapbook soon.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.52) on Friday, November 15, 2002 - 12:01 am:

Jonel,
ah poetry,I must say I am partial to a bit of
Milton, Browning
Wordsworth Tennyson
Longfellow Macauley
To name a few.
Although I could never write any.The Dragon
certainly seems to be one gifted guy.
Thanks Jonel.
Mel.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.52) on Friday, November 15, 2002 - 12:04 am:

P.S.
unfortunatly nobody wanted to hear me
recite poetry when I used to do the doors
at various working mens clubs and the like.
MEL.