James Pendersmith has dreamed of being a rockstar for the past several years and is totally depressed that record executives haven't already discovered his great talent. Using a casio keyboard for percussion, he always made sure he played his guitar really really loud in his garage with hopes of being overheard by a booking agent or talent scout passing through his neighborhood.
"When I realized I needed to get out there to bring my music to the masses, the first thing I knew I'd have to do was come up with a really really cool band name, then everything else would just fall into place." he said in his interview, where I caught up with him on his lunch break outside the Jack in the Box on East Main where he works.
"At first things weren't so good. There would only be a couple of people that showed up to see me play and I knew I had to do something drastic, so I renamed my band, 'Free Beer, Everyone Gets Laid' which worked for a few weeks until everyone figured out the beer wasn't free, and the only girl that usually showed up was my mom, and there's only so much of her to go around, ya know."
Pendersmith was essentially blacklisted from most of Spartanburg's venues by popular demand towards the beginning of the summer. He says it's due to the old band name, while others claim it's his choice of sloppy renditions of 'Hootie and the Blowfish' covers and 'Creed' tunes, with the occasional attempt at that one 'Ugly Kid Joe' song.
An outspoken critic, and fellow employee of Jack in the Box that was present after the interview explained, "He doesn't even play the songs all the way through, and he talks mostly about his cats and video games in between songs. He just sucks."
Things may be looking up for James though. He says he's going to be opening for the blues/soul/funk/beach music/and 80's cover band 'Sexual Chocolate' this fall at Sonny's Brickoven Pizza, in hopes to make a lasting impression on those who show up a few hours early.
He spoke downheartedly as he put back on his apron, preparing to go back to work, "If I don't at least get a record deal by the end of the year I might just hang it up. I've poured my heart and soul into my music for almost two whole years now and still haven't gotten any groupie action, it's definitely not like it is on TV."
He plans on creating a myspace page when he upgrades from a dial up connection, and writes and records some new songs, hopefully sooner then later, he mentioned.
"I must be way ahead of my time I guess, a lot of famous people weren't even discovered until after they were already dead, but I'm still trying to decide if that would be the best way to further my career. I may just give up music altogether and make abstract art. They let me take home food from work here after all, so at least I know I won't starve."
You can currently get a cassette tape of Pendersmith's music for $2 upon request if you inquire at the Jack in the Box on East Main street, Mondays through Thursdays from 4pm till midnight. Check your local listings for his opening show before 'Sexual Chocolate' does their soundcheck at Sonny's Brickoven Pizza in Spartanburg, SC this fall.
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