Hey all,

“Songs From The Armory Volume 2″ is now available for download! Absolutely free for the entire month of February! Just click on the “MUSIC” link above and download away! It features songs written and performed with Tad McKitterick of Sidewalk Driver, Marc Pinansky of Township, Henry Beguiristain of Aloud, and Jason Dunn of The Luxury.

You can still get Volume 1, but now you have to pay for it. That’s what you get for being a waity pants.

Just a friendly reminder that “Songs From The Armory Volume 2″ will be available for download starting on February 1. Here is the very sexy, long-awaited track listing:

1. “Let’s Pretend” with Tad McKitterick of Sidewalk Driver
2. “Natalie” with Marc Pinansky of Township
3. “Younger Man’s Game” with Henry Beguiristain of Aloud
4. “Listen To Me” with Jason Dunn of The Luxury

Don’t forget to click on the “Music” button up above and download “Songs From The Armory Volume 1″ for free.  Only 10 more days til you have to pay, bitches!

This Thursday, night 3 of the Songwriter Residency is a-happenin’. This time, I’ll be joined by the great rock and roll band Sidewalk Driver, featuring flamboyant frontman Thomas “Tad” McKitterick:

Lock up your daughters.

You may recognize Tad from my One Night Band supergroup Champagne of Bands. Tad and I very much enjoyed working together, so I wanted to rekindle our musical love affair and write a song together for this residency. What we came up with was “Let’s Pretend” – a cheeky, hooky pop song about self-delusion and heartbreak.

On the eve of the show this Thursday, I chatted with Tad over email and it came out a little something like this:

Brendan: After the triumphant success of The Champagne of Bands, this is the second time you and I have been thrown into a “write a song really fast” situation together. Was it as epic for you as it was for me?

Tad: It was! I was really excited about it. It’s like if The Red Baron and Maverick were the ones who flew the Enola Gay. Or if John Holmes and Ron Jeremy performed with Jenna Jameson in her first “scene”. I knew the results were guaranteed to be history making.

Brendan: I’d like to think I’m the Jenna in that scenario. How do you think the song turned out?

Tad: Horrible. For real, I really like it. I think it’s the best of both of us. Like how our parents hoped we would be the best of them…before we dashed their dreams and robbed them of hope.

Brendan: I was raised by wolves.

Tad: Oh yeah? What do your wolf-parents think of your band?

Brendan: They generally like it, although they do prefer the poppier stuff to the melancholy crap. Due to overworking and undersleeping, I was probably the crankiest I’ve been in any of my songwriting sessions. How was it to work with me when this kitten had her claws out?

Tad: I hardly noticed. I think you under-estimate your seemingly endless cache of charm. You being cranky Is like taking away 2 of my girlfriends. Sure, it’s no longer a bakers dozen, but it’s still a whole lot of muffins.

Brendan: Sure – your “girlfriends.” So how did the experience working with me differ from your usual process of writing with Sidewalk Driver, other than the fact that I’m way hotter than Kate?

Tad: As far as you being hotter than Kate, I mean it’s nothing to brag about. It’s like bragging about being taller than Webster. Writing with you was different in the sense that you and I really crafted this thing. We laid out all the pieces and worked them until they fit. With Sidewalk Driver, I usually bring in an idea and we work on it by simply asking one question over and over again: “Is this gay enough?” When the answer is finally “yes,” it’s done.

Brendan: What do you have planned for your acoustic set on Thursday?

Tad: Something very romantic… and sans electric guitars.

At the Champagne of Bands reunion over the winter, I got a sneak preview of an acoustic set from Sidewalk Driver. They were truly fantastic. You don’t want to miss this show on Thursday.

Somerville Armory, Highland Ave Somerville
with Sidewalk Driver and Dan Nicklin of Old Jack
Thursday May 20
8pm doors $7 All ages
www.artsatthearmory.org

That’s right – another interview with a Champagne of Bands-mate.  Today’s victim?  Sidewalk Driver frontman Tad McKitterick:

Tad took a moment before his New York City show to answer a few of my stupid questions over email…

Brendan Boogie:  I’ll start with the question that’s on everyone’s mind – what has been your favorite part about working with me?

Tad McKitterick:  Your cologne is very appealing to me.

BB:  You are the front man of the great Sidewalk Driver.  In the Champagne of Bands, you had to share the stage with some of Boston’s most charismatic front men.  I have a two-part question:  a) What was it like to be so thoroughly outshined? and b)  Are you going to cry about it?

TM:  I don’t think of it as being outshined, I think of it as if I were, let’s say, Ron Jeremy, getting nailed by Jeff Stryker all whilst jerking-off Peter North. I mean everybody wins (except the audience).  And yes I’m gonna cry about it.  Tears of fuckin pure joy.

BB:  Why don’t you give my lovely readers a brief history of your band and your creative endeavors over the past two decades or so.

TM:  2 decades ago I was 13.  Singing Queensryche and Judas Priest songs in my bedroom.  That’s pretty much stayed the same for the past 2 decades.  Then came Sidewalk Driver.

BB:  If you were to give each member of the Champagne of Bands a “For The Love of Ray J”-style nickname, what would they be?

TM:  Bo – Lashes
Brendan – Fluffy
Cullen – Popeye
Duncan – Gatling

BB:  What was your favorite memory of One Night Band?

TM:  Other than the actual show, it would be Duncan saying “I’ve never written a song with ‘oohs’,” and Brendan replying “I’ve never written a song without them’.”

BB:  Seriously, in a band full of frontmen, who do you think is the actual best frontman in the Champagne of Bands?  No one’s reading this.  It’s just between you and me, pal.

TM:  I’m sure that Duncan, in his element, would be hard to top.  So.  Much.  Intensity.

BB:  Other than the Champagne of Bands reunion, what do you have in store in the future for us?

TM:  An erotic/fun history facts calendar.

BB:  What are you most looking forward to about this Tuesday’s Champagne of Bands reunion at the Middle East Upstairs?

TM:  Wednesday.

Check out Sidewalk Driver’s excellent new album “For All The Boys and Girls,” available at the band’s website.