Meet Matthew Pendrick of Slow Parade (band) in South Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Pendrick.

Matthew, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Decatur and have been playing music around Atlanta now for about ten years. My entry into the world of music was through my mother’s record collection, the high school marching band and my friend Guitar Red, who is a long time Atlanta street performer. When I took up the guitar, I started playing with Red on the street and in bars around town, then later, writing my own songs. I have played as a sideman to a lot of talented folks over the years and lead a few of my own bands. About six years ago, the band I had been leading through college started to fall apart. At the time, it was pretty devastating but I now see it as a turning point. I had been playing a lot of more traditionally minded Americana music, but I was starting to feel a little limited by that. I wanted a band that could stretch out into some different sonic territory. I rounded up some friends and recorded an album under the name Slow Parade. People liked it, so we kept playing.

Has it been a smooth road?
It’s no secret that navigating life as a musician has many ups and downs. I’m grateful to have that as a teacher though. Most of the little bit I understand about life and my place in the universe has come through my dedication to this craft. My friends, my community, my strengths and weaknesses are all bound up in the pursuit of music. Luckily, when I was starting out, I played a lot with an older generation of musicians who had weathered these same struggles. I learned, and continue to learn and be inspired by my peers. Both what to do, and sometimes what not to do.

For me, the most satisfying thing is writing songs that reveal something to me. My focus is very self-centered at the outset. If I’m not entertained, or learning something through the process, then I’m going to get bored and stop writing. But Songs can be little mantra’s. They can let you know a lot about what the hell is going on in the darker parts of your brain. And they can uplift. I think the most difficult thing for me has been maintaining the drive to keep pushing my art out in front of people. It’s a tremendous amount of work, on top of whatever the three other jobs you are working at the time. But it’s also very rewarding. And truthfully, at this point, I’m ten years in have no idea what else could be better for my life.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Slow Parade (band) story. Tell us more about the business.
Slow Parade is a band that specializes in performing music to entertain and uplift. I write songs that I hope can be more than ear candy. I think this band is known for good stage banter, solid hi fives and helping you maintain a good BAC. We’ll be releasing a new record this year and I’m very excited for people to hear it!

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The music industry has always been in a state of flux. I would like to see artists use their power to dictate a sensible value system for their art. Music is a fundamental part of people’s lives, but there is a giant gap currently between the cultural value of music and the economic value of music. I would love to see the city of Atlanta actually embrace its cultural value by supporting its artistic community with legislation. I hope artists continue to speak openly about these challenges because the greater population needs to and generally wants to know.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.slowparade.org
• Email: slowparademusic@gmail.com
• Instagram: @slowparade1
• Facebook: facebook.com/slowparadeatl

Image Credit:
Jon Kownacki (halo image). Chandler Galloway . Album artwork by Matthew Pendrick and Chandler Galloway

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