Kansas City Blog

After Sandoval broke up and my next project dissolved, Chris Meck called me and asked if I would like to try doing something together, but honestly, I was ready to throw in the towel.

Chris convinced me that it was a fate of sorts that we play together and so we tried it. It is really hitting home now, as I am now trying to start a new band, I remember how hard it is to do. It's a lot of work trying to figure out where everyone stands and learning new songs with new people... it damn hard work. Fun but hard.

Anyway Chris and I enlisted Mike Meyers on drums after trying a few other drummers with horrid results. Mike remained in the band until a year ago and was much of the glue that kept this band together and made it work. Mike was replaced by Sam Platt... the best drummer I have ever played with in my entire life. I can honestly say there is no more soulful drummer in this town nay the world than Sam Platt. All hail Sam!

Our first bass player was young Jeff. Who only played a couple shows with us... but he was there as we learned the songs that made us who we were. We parted ways with Jeff to make way for The Cocaine Cowboy... mr motherfucking Matt Erwin. Matt is a better guitar player than I am and a better singer. He is also a hell of a songwriter. He was gracious enough to bless Pendergast with his unbelievable harmonies and melodic bass playing. (This is an absolutely true story) Matt disappeared one xmas and was not heard from again until years later when we were playing a show at Davey's. I was singing my heart out... eyes closed... when I opened my eyes and looked down, The Cowboy was standing there big as life. The first words I said to him in two years were "get your ass back on this stage!" he grabbed a guitar and we finished the show Skynard style 3 guitars blazing.

But I am getting ahead of myself. After a couple great years together Chris Meck and I realized that we were better friends than bandmates... (and we were pretty good bandmates.) Chris left us to form the Gaslights.
After looking around at some really great choices, the heavens opened up and delivered unto us all... Mr. Mike Rooney. Mike is a flat out jawdroppingly good guitar player and a great friend and bandmate. Mike played on both Pendergast records and has been the backbone of what I call the Classic Era. He is a genuine BadAss. If you are not sure if you are talking to Mike... just check his wallet, it's the one that says "bad mother fucker" on it.

So where were we? Ahhh yes. After Matt Erwin disappeared, I called my old friend, and by the way, the best bassplayer ever, seriously, Rich "tennis racket" Burgess. Rich has, to my calculations, never EVER played a note that didn't need to be played. He is a master of economy and soul. Always in search of a deeper truth musically and never afraid to law down the law. In his own words Rich... with a bass in hand, has always been "kickin' it in the..." well never mind that. Those words are just for us, the men of Pendergast.

Once again I will say that Rich and Rooney and Meyers formed the classic era. I can not believe how luck I have been to share a stage with those three so and so's. And now it comes to a close. Two records... hundreds of shows... and more memories that I can recall in one sitting.

Thanks to Misters Meck, Rooney, Meyers, Burgess, Erwin, Jeffrey, and Platt. It's been good to ride the river with you. But to mix metaphors... you can only change so many parts before it becomes a different car altogether... so alas we say goodbye... (in a high note ala' sound of music... "gooooooooooooodbyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

Please join us for a musical retrospective staring original drummer mike Meyers. We will be playing all the hits! Dec 19th Davey's Uptown.

Tony Ladesich
Doublewide Productions