RIDING THE STORM - JUDGE & LAUREN MURPHY / LANSDALE STATION- by DON ATERS/ HAIGHT ST. MUSIC NEWS

RIDING THE STORM - JUDGE & LAUREN MURPHY / LANSDALE STATION The brisk days of bay area winter are the impetus for an escape from the mainstream & the responsibilities that define it. Judge Murphy, the prodigal son who has conquered the medicinal demons of the last two years has provided that escape along with one of San Francisco's noted song writers and performers, the ever dynamic Lauren Murphy. An obvious harbinger of the canon of Golden Gate Park / Haight Ashbury folklore, Judge has resumed his rightful place in the hierarchy of Rock n Roll Royalty in the city by the bay & augmented by the contributions of sultry singer extraordinaire, Lauren Murphy. The past few years have been tenuous at best for both Judge & family & the burgeoning cult following of Lansdale Station. Replete with self-penned tunes of both Judge & Lauren, the bastion once known as the birthplace of psychedelia is somewhat reminiscent of those storied, legendary times by the syncopated rhythm of Lansdale Station. Comparisons are inevitable while perpetuating an era gone by when pungent smells of the era permeated the Haight Ashbury district but seems to be a non-entity in reference to the band. The affiance to reemerge as a staple of west coast supremacy has come to fruition and the doldrums of mediocrity from others has been put to rest. All ancillary endeavors have been eradicated as Lansdale Station prepares for a neoteric CD release & a myriad of opportunities await the band from their collective efforts. Frustration is always a paradox when trying to resurrect an entity that revolves around a money maker that is a passion as much as it is a vocation. Paradigm or paradox, the show is back on the road, as it should. The coterie of their ilk is minuscule in terms of numbers but the fan base has reached a numerical zenith, a link to the legendary free-concerts in long ago counter culture fodder for music trivia. These are the songs of the heart, the nexus of glory & the vision that has brought Judge & Lauren from the brink of family destruction to the pinnacle of greatness. Nancy Nevins would say "What's a little brain damage when it's rock n roll" & that statement becomes self-explanatory. Their success becomes our success as was their pain was our pain. Where they play in the demographic area becomes a moot point, many traverse that musical Appian Highway to watch & listen to the music that soothes the hearts & broadens the smiles, a key element in today's genre. I think it's time to rock, the boys ( & girl ) are back in town & leaving no prisoners. Off your ass & on your feet, as the adage goes, and don't forget to dance.

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