From Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean,” to Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” to Deep Purple’s “Hush,” Nobody’s Fault, South Florida’s classic and new rock band, plays it all.
Although the origin of the name is lost in the ether, one possibility is that it’s a nod to Aerosmith’s 1976 “Nobody’s Fault,” or Led Zeppelin’s 1979 hit, “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.”
Now mostly in their 60s, guitarist Rick Friedlander, lead vocalist William (Bill) Murphy, his brother Steve Murphy (guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist), bass player and vocalist Mark Knight, and drummer Paul Green have been playing together since 1997; and the Murphys and Knight have been playing together since high school.
“I met Bill at 17 when we worked together at K-Mart,” says Knight, who is a laser engineer by trade. “We started making noise together, and the rest is history.”
They are one of the longest continuing bands in South Florida, with a large fan base. “We’re a band of brothers,” says Bill Murphy. “For good or bad; we fight like siblings, but love each other.”
He attributes this camaraderie for their longevity. “We’re good friends and share a musical bond,” he says. “We always make time to play together. We’re in it for the fun, and we enjoy our time together on stage.”
From a musical family—his parents were folk musicians in New York—he and his younger brother Steve grew up in the business. “We had no choice,” he jokes.
At 13, Bill Murphy went to see the Jackson 5 perform, and he says that “the concert changed my life.”
That day he made the decision to make the music industry his life. “I never looked back,” he says.
Within two years, he and Steve were performing at a friend’s wedding reception.
Bill Murphy went on to have a 35-year professional career as a radio DJ, both in Dallas and in Miami at 101.5 LITE FM, BIG 105.9 classic rock, and WSHE rock & roll 103.5 (She’s Only Rock and Roll). He was the announcer and voice of the Florida Panthers for 14 years.
He has also been a part of other local bands, including Joe Rush, Company Kane, Top Priority, the Free Radicals, and Smoke and Mirrors. One of his biggest influences is Paul Carrack (aka “The Man with the Golden Voice”), best known for his 1975 song, “How Long” (“Has this been going on?”), and his rendition of “The Living Years.”
“He has such a soulful, passionate voice,” Murphy says. “It’s a huge compliment when people tell me I sound like him.”
A highlight of his career came at a Panthers game in 2012 where he played with the band pre-game, announced the game, and then played after the game to thousands of people at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise.
“It was a great atmosphere and so much fun,” recalls Murphy. “I am blessed to make a living doing what I love. This is the key to a good life.”
Steve Murphy traveled the world and played with Alan Parsons, an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who was the sound engineer on the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” in 1969, “Let It Be” in 1970, and Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” in 1973.
A multi-disciplinary musician—he plays guitar, keyboards, and sings—Steve Murphy also drums. With dreams of becoming Stewart Copeland, Jeff Porcaro, or John Henry Bonham (all drummers), Murphy played with some of his favorite bands, including the Police, Toto, and Led Zeppelin.
He toured with the Hit Men and the Trans Siberian Orchestra, visiting more than 40 countries in eight years with guitarist Godfrey Townsend and the Alan Parsons Live Project.
Nobody’s Fault drummer Green began playing music at the age of 13 with his mother, Susan Rose, a musician. They performed at a USO show in Japan and traveled the country, arriving in Florida in 1973.
Moving out at the age of 16, Green studied at the Recording Institute of America, where he learned lighting, sound, and stage building. He brought national acts including the Police and Pat Benatar to Florida, went on tour with the Jackson 5, and recorded an album with the Joe Rush Band.
“We love what we’re doing,” says bass player Knight, “and we hope to keep doing it. We give our fans our best every time—you never know when the last show will be.”
For Green, a highlight is the togetherness and camaraderie the band provides. “I enjoy that we’ve all been together for so long,” he says. “We communicate through music.”
He notes that over the past 25 years, the band has had its share of ups and downs.
“It’s like a boot camp,” he says. “We’ve been through thick and thin and have now become a family.”
For more information, visit nobodysfaultband.com or like them on Facebook. Upcoming dates include Saturday, Jan. 13, at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs. Visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990.