Once upon a time, there was Faith, Hope & Love, and they wanted to become manifest in corporeal form. So they found a home in the likes of a young woman with song on her lips, words and lyrics in her Louisiana Heart and grit on her stylish high-heeled shoes. She played a mean guitar and made great waves for All Things Feminine in the game of music.
One day, before she knew it, a Fancy Mustachioed Rocker Prince came along with his smoky voice, sang to her heart of sonic love and literally swept her off her feet; carried her off into the sunset and there, happily, they made beautiful music together within the love they created.
Oh, the joys of a love story. The meeting, the courtship, the trials & tribulation and eventually, if all goes according to plan, the Living Happily Ever After. It’s what we all strive for in our daily relationships. It’s what Lauren and Judge Murphy, founders and song crafters for their band, Lansdale Station, have been striving for since the beginning days of their Love Affair with each other and their music.
Song just wants to be manifest, it enters into our bodies and gets transformed into words, poems, notes, chords and eventually it all comes together to create a whole being that is morphed by our voices or an instrument into something more solid as sound. That is music.
Lauren Murphy always found solace and joy in her truthful and heartbreaking songwriting and her connection to her now husband, Judge Murphy, exponentially changed the course of her personal music to the millionth degree. In 2005, the two took their combined talents to The Plant Studios where Judge produced an album of Lauren’s compositions, augmented by a few standards on which he sang: a CD of songs that would soon bring forth a band known as ‘Lansdale Station’.
With Chip Roland serving up his multiple talents on piano, Hammond B3, dobro and lap steel, the Album gets it’s crunchy, dirty Southern Blues flavor. Add to that Robert Powell, Rich Kirch and Tom Finch taking on various tracks with their always-amazing guitar playing, with John Hasty and Liam Hanrahan taking on the heartbeats of the album with drums and bass.
Lansdale Station is truly a Marin County California Band. Aside from recording Magnolia Heart at the historic Plant Studios in Sausalito, Ca., the band’s name is derived from an old train stop in San Anselmo, Ca; the full band had it’s first gig at the small and intimate San Geronimo Community Center in West Marin and the 2006 Magnolia Heart CD release was held at the now defunct but forever idolized Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley, Ca (RIP, Sweetwater, you are sorely missed).
Lauren Murphy’s newfound role as Only Chick In An All Male Band found its strength when she realized that she was not just writing songs for herself and her guitar anymore. “I realized that I was writing for men, now”, Lauren states, “ and it brought out the shit kicking boots” in both her songwriting and how she presented herself while she sang. Her high, Southern drawl mixes well with Judge’s deep rocker voice, creating edgy-soft harmonies that brings all the words to the forefront of the songs and tells the story of both of their lives.
When 2008 hit our calendars, Lansdale Station was morphing and changing and it was time for them to take things to the next level. The band was taking on more high profile gigs, solidifying the members of the band and working on another album aptly titled Lansdale Station Featuring Judge and Lauren Murphy. Lauren felt a need for a wide sound within the next disk. “There is something for everyone in this album. We wanted to present it as a blend of the 20th Century meets the 21st Century; Where we are heading with respect to where we had been.”
With such local Icons as Danny uzilevsky with his Gibsons and Strats, Jim Cucuzella on Harmony slide, Ed Michaels and Dana Miller on drums, Rayner Brock on bass, Lauren on vocals and six-string with Judge by her side doing vocals. The album is just as deeply bluesy as Magnolia Heart, but with more of Lauren’s Southern Roots that gives Lansdale Station Featuring Judge & Lauren Murphy a fuller sound that shows that collaboration with two hearts can only make things better and more alive in everything that is created with those hearts. Says Judge of working with such amazing players, “I was appreciative of their artistry. Ed Michaels had such good timing as a drummer and Jim Cucuzella had his finger on the pulse and knew just what to do. When I asked Danny Uzilevsky if he’d do the session he said, ‘ Yeh, the studio is where I come alive.’ Danny was very professional and executed his parts well.”
Sadly, with every love story comes The Hardships and The Trials. This story will not hide the truth, as the shit does hit the fan for our beloved King and Queen of Song. The bad news hit in May “I felt a pain in my abdomen in January, during a high note, no less.” States Judge, “I have a tumor, it’s near my gal bladder and stomach. It’s cancerous”.
“I am seeing this as a catalyst for out next record” says Lauren of this trying time ahead with the man she loves.
Judge’s pending surgery to remove the tumor and hopefully be free and clear of aberrant cells did not stop Lansdale Station from performing one last gig at the Artista Gang Joy Fest in Sonoma on Sept 11, 2010. ” We had to perform!”, says Lauren, “Judge insisted on it. We needed the blessing of The Church of Music before we took this leap of faith. It was a cleansing and we feel baptized from experience. The support of community so strong. Artista (the gang) was founded by legendary Fillmore Poster Artists Pat Ryan, Wes Wilson, Victor Moscoso, Stanley Mouse, etc. We are the Official Artista House Band.”
The Artista Gang JoyFest was a good place to share love and music for Lansdale Station. The band’s solid players now includes Rayner Brock on bass, Jake Baker on drums and guitar master Dave Zirbel doing up everything from Dobro to steel to electric. “Dave is a true Prince of a man and player. He is a musician’s musician,and his multi instrumentalism has become an integral part of our sound and family,” says Lauren and Judge”
Aside from Lansdale Station, JoyFest hosted such rocking bands as Petaluma’s LuvPlanet and blues band Le Marque Jeaun from Paris plus an All Star Jam at the end of the day. “I was so happy to play,” says Judge. “When my musical buddy, Jerry Miller (Moby Grape), grabbed Buella, his Gibson L5, and jammed with us on our final song, it really got the juices going.”
The music will not stop for Judge and Lauren Murphy, nor will it stop for Lansdale Station. “”We have a positive attitude. This experience has changed our outlook on what’s important in life, our priorities are our family and friends,” states Lauren. With the Faith, Hope and Love that has been a part of the reality of these two music makers, the Hardships and Trials are only a small bump in the road. Says Lauren, “There are no coincidences. You meet people in your life for a certain reason.”
“Everyday is a blessing.” Answers Judge. When two hearts as vibrant as theirs can make beautiful music together, anything can be overcome.
PS: If all goes well with the procedure and healing time, you can see Dave, Judge, & Lauren acoustic 10/3 at the JCC for the “Rock of our Ages” event at the JCC grand opening of Rock Photography Gallery opening for the works of Bob Minkin, Bruce Steinberg and Richard Pechner. This event is co-sponsored by the Marin History Museum Music Center.”
Check out the LINK:
http://localmusicvibe.com/event/rock-our-ages-photo-gallery-featuring-the-works-bob-minkin-richard-pechner-bruce-steinberg-mus
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