FRANKIE MILLER: HE’S ROUGH & HE’S READY

When Paul Simon pays homage to the boxer, "a fighter by his trade," carrying his years with raw honesty, I am reminded of Frankie Miller. It's no coincidence that Simon's pre-"Rocky" hit is set in hostile New York. As Frankie listened to the playback of Double Trouble in the Record Plant's Studio B in the heart of Times Square, he, too, belonged here. Though it's after 4 p.m. on a cold winter weekend, to Miller the time is still morning, and he will drink nothing stronger than orange juice, at least for now. He appears to have drawn a clear line between hanging out in the studio and working there, and as his album nears its completed mix under the production eye of Jack Douglas, Miller's thoughts rest soley with his job.