And Mike Mirabella:

Video courtesy of Mike Epstein. Thanks, Mike!

In this month’s episode, I will be playing an acoustic set followed by a ripping set by Old Jack. Closing out the night will be a reunion of local rock heroes/Marylou’s News pitchmen The Charms. Should be a very fun night of rock and roll music.

In other news, the rehearsals for The Cover-Up Presents Wilburys Weekend are going great. Trying to embody the spirit and the vocal style of Roy Orbison has been probably the biggest challenge of my music career. Orbison had this unique tone that is pretty impossible to match. I’ll certainly give it the old Brendo try. I’m having a blast doing it.

After the Cover-Up, I’ve got another cool project about which to tell you all. I won’t give you all the details quite yet, but I will say it involves a beautiful woman and (this time) I have full consent. Stay tuned…

Hope you’re not all thinking that the relative quietude of my blogging is due to some sort of catastrophic gonad injury that has been inflicted upon me. Don’t you worry – my gonads are just fine, thank you very much. Some might even say extraordinary. My doctor says “Peculiar, but ultimately harmless.”

But enough about my gonads. No, I’ve kept things relatively quiet on the internet front due to the overwhelming web presence of the Rock Primary videos and consequential awesome show. Just wanted to give you all a break before I start up about the very exciting early fall I’ve got planned. There are some very cool projects, shows, and announcements coming up that will be earth-shaking or at the very least mildly earth-trembling.

As for the rest of the summer, I am playing an acoustic set as part of Old Jack’s residency at the Rosebud Bar in Davis Square, Somerville. If you haven’t seen a show at the Rosebud, you should definitely treat yourself to the area’s most fun, mellow, awesome rock and roll room. I have a blast every time I go to the Rosebud and so will you. That show is on Saturday August 28 at 9pm.

So enjoy your Brendo respite, my kittens. There is more to come…

Real men wear puppy fur

Known as an affable chap about town, Dan is also a soulful troubador with infectious enthusiasm for music, so I was very much looking forward to writing with him. Unfortunately, the volcano in Europe extended his English mother’s visit to an unearthly 5 weeks, making scheduling a songwriting session very difficult. So although this was not the last song in the series, it was the last song written chronologically. (Follow me? I can draw out a diagram if you need it.) With seven songs in the bank, I was a little nervous as the clock ticked down to this Thursday without our song written.

Once we sat down to write, I quickly learned that my fears were unfounded. Dan is an absolute dervish when it comes to lyric-writing. Calling on his background as a hip hop MC (and no, I’m not joking about that), Dan’s speed and efficiency at lyric writing was something to behold.

The song we came up with is “Interrogatives,” a simple sparse melody that echoes something Ryan Adams might write if he were feeling particularly exhausted from putting the lumber to Mandy Moore that day. Lyrically, we ended up with a bunch of specific and vague questions about love and loss (hence the title).

I chatted with Dan over email after the session:

Brendan: What do you think of the song?

Dan: I am a fan. I keep finding myself singing it. At least my parts, I don’t know your lines.

Brendan: My lines are the best ones. Throughout this entire process, you are the only collaborator who had the good sense to bring me cookies that your wife made. How did you get such an awesome wife?

Dan: Two parts perseverance, one part luck, and one part cancer. True story.

Brendan: Ok. It’s probably best if you don’t elaborate on that one, so I’ll move on. Almost everyone else I wrote songs with marvelled at how fast I came up with lyrics. With you, it was the complete opposite. You are a lyrical dynamo. What is your approach to lyric writing?

Dan: The words are all about the first line. Everything else falls into place quickly after the first line is set. The chorus is all about singing through the verse and then improvising what ever comes out when the chords change. Then the words will happen there too.

Brendan: How was the collaborative process with me? Was it everything you dreamed it would be?

Dan: Songs were never part of my dreams you were in, so it was a new experience. All kidding aside, it was perfect.

Brendan: This is your first solo show ever, right? Are you nervous? What can people expect?

Dan: Yes, yes… and people can expect me not to be solo.

Brendan: I frown on guests. You’re famous for your outlandish wardrobe, especially your enormous fur coat. Things get a little warm in the spring months. What can we look for as your next fashion statement?

Dan: Fashion is like a melody – you never know what it will be till it happens.

Brendan: What is going on with Old Jack? Any gigs coming up you want to tell the people about?

Dan: Right now, we are playing once a month at our Rosebud residency. The last Saturday of every month we invite two bands to come play with us and see what happens. The vibe of the room is great and the crowds responsive, which is the most important thing for me. We are also recording a new EP with a local producer that is due out in September.

Dan’s sort-of solo debut will be happening this Thursday at the Somerville Armory. I wonder what he’ll wear!

Night #3 of the Songwriter Residency
Thursday May 20
Somerville Armory
Highland Ave, Somerville
With Sidewalk Driver and Dan Nicklin of Old Jack
8pm doors $7 All ages

May 15. Fleetwood Mac. Bam. What what?

Check out this line-up: Old Jack, St. Helena, This Blue Heaven and Tony Goddess’ Lindsey Buckingham Appreciation Society performing the album “Tusk” in its entirety. Special guest appearances by Jim Boggia, Jason Dunn and Glenn French (Jason’s dad).

Don’t let the fact that I’m doing a residency this month consume your entire life. There’s more than enough love to go around. Lizard Lounge on Mass Ave in Cambridge 5/15 8.30 doors $10 adv/$12 door 21+

Rest easy, honkies.  Here’s the big announcement for which you’ve been waiting:  I’ll be playing every Thursday in May at the Somerville Armory.  What’s more – check out the great lineups I have uh… lined up: