Jude smiled and kissed her lips. "How is it that we just met but it feels like I've known you my whole life? I love writing. And you're right, maybe if there's a next album, you'll see some songs on there with a J. Morrisonbyline."
Keeping his arm around her shoulders, they entered the studio and followed Richard. The entrance of London Bridge Studios was made up of a series of doorways and rooms divided by red makeshift walls. Richard brought them into a room with green curtains and an Asian style print rug. Cade stood in front of a computer monitor with a pair of headphones on while two men sat on a tanloveseat.
“Jude, Zoey,” Richard said, “I’d like to introduce you to Matt and StoneMurdock.”
Matt was a muscular man who made the acoustic guitar on his lap look small. His stubbly beard faded into his short dark hair. Wearing a pair of faded jeans, boots, and a white t-shirt, he looked relaxed as he noodled on theguitar.
Standing up, Stone walked over and shook Jude’s and Zoey’s hands. With a similar look to Matt, except not as muscular, it was easy to tell they were brothers. Stone also had short, closely-cropped dark hair, but he was clean-shaven, revealing a chin dimple. In a worn denim shirt tucked into his jeans, Jude could already tell that despite their physical appearance, the brothers were nothingalike.
“Forgive my brother, he can be a little rude sometimes. He’s trying to figure out some melody that’s stuck in his head. If we’re lucky, he’ll be at it for days,” Stone said, laughing. “Cade’s listening to some tracks he recorded yesterday. You’ll have to hear them later, they’re really great. Any interest in jamming while they’re busy? Cade’s been going on and on about how well you play and I'm tired of waiting aroundforthem.”
“Yeah, that would be great,” Jude said. “I was a big fan of yours when you were in Mother. You laid some of the sickest groovesonbass.”
“Thanks, I trymybest.”
“Zoey, do you mind hanging out here?” Jude asked, not wanting to leave her if she feltuncomfortable.
“Don’t worry about her,” Cade said as he lowered the headphones to his neck. “I’ll keep her company. It’s good to see mymusehere.”
“Ugh, shut up with that already, will you, Cade?”Zoeysaid.
Jude pulled out a pair of drumsticks from a bag he carried from the car. Stone pointed to a series of doors, and they walked through and entered the recording area. Letting out a low whistle, Jude looked around at the light wood floor and tiered ceiling. While the other room had a bohemian vibe, this room was allbusiness.
“This is a sweet setup,”Judesaid.
“Yeah, it is really nice. This is where we record, and the sound is amazing,” saidStone.
Jude walked over to the drums, a cherry-stained maple kit with Sabian cymbals. He sat on the black leather throne, adjusted the seat, and hit a few of the drums and cymbals to test theirplacement.
“Anything specific you want to play?” heasked.
“Nah, just play and I’ll come in,” Stone said as he picked up an ivory five-string FenderJazzbass.
Jude thought of the melody Matt was working on in the other room and started playing. Stone nodded and began filling in the bottom end. As they played, Matt came intotheroom.
“Holy shit, that’s it!” he said as he picked up his sunburst Les Paul and played what he was working onearlier.
Feeling at ease, Jude realized what he had been missing while playing with his friends. This felt right and even though they were just jamming, itwasgood.
* * *
Later that night,Richard drove them to the house he rented for them to stay in. It was a restored painted lady, a Victorian home with light green and dark red paint. As they walked up the front steps, Zoey pointed to the sunrise painted on the front of the covered porch. It was a four-bedroom home, fully furnished, surrounded by a black wroughtirongate.
They grilled some burgers and hot dogs for dinner and sat on lawn chairs around a fire pit while they ate. Richard held up a bottle of beer and cleared histhroat.
“This is it, guys. You four are going to be huge. I can feel it. Thank you for all your hard work so far and for dropping everything to come out here,”hesaid.
“What’s the band’s name?” Zoeyasked.
“I was waiting until everyone was together to figure that out. I’m heading out now to the hotel, but you guys think about it and let me know what you comeupwith.”
“Maybe we should think of something local,” Stone said. “Matt and I are from here, and we’re recording here. Might be nice to honor where we cametogether.”
“Like what? Seattle?” Matt said,laughing.
“It’s no wonder you can’t write lyrics, you have no imagination at all,”Stonesaid.
“We’re staying in one of those painted ladies,”Cadesaid.
