It’s a dream that’s been around as long as rock’n’roll itself: being in a band, being a rock star, playing music to adoring masses. While most dreamers actually only get as far as perfecting their air guitar and that fake, muffled audience scream, some get pretty close to the real thing.
Santa Maria resident Paul Hobbs had that dream as a child. He’s still waiting for his chance to play before a throng of screaming fans, but for now, he’s content with putting out good music.
Now he’s a little grayer and a little wiser, and his life experiences have culminated in the release of his first CD, titled Till We Meet Again. The release has been a triumph—and a necessary means for working through some tough times.
The album is a compilation of songs inspired by a time of loss. Hobbs originally thought of the CD’s title several years ago when he lost his mother. Then, about two years ago, Hobbs’ father, former Santa Maria mayor George Hobbs, passed away. In recent years, he also lost a best friend and a nephew. The songs on his latest release reflect his attempts to work through those losses.
“Writing songs is fulfilling,” he said. “The ones that have deep meaning to you are cathartic. They are a way of working things out in your mind. You see a problem, and you come away with a better understanding.”
Hobbs’ tunes are acoustic folk/rock and guitar oriented. Many have to do with sorting out events in his life; others are “some whimsical stuff I thought would make a cool song,” he said.
“I’m pretty pleased with it,” he explained. “I was very obsessed with my vocals. I feel like when the record button goes on, I’m nervous. Then I listen to it and think [it’s] awful. Then the fourth time, it’s like, ‘That’s the least horrible ’.”
His sound reflects the music influencing him the first time he picked up a guitar in the sixth grade.
Initially, the Beatles inspired him. Later, he would be encouraged by the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s and artists like Jackson Browne and James Taylor.
Hobbs took that inspiration and created a mellow style that he’s roughed up a bit. He takes that sound to the Santa Maria Brewing Co. every other Friday, where he gets a chance to connect personally with his audience and get feedback.
Hobbs always knew he’d find some level of success as a musician.
“I think my sixth-grade self believed I’d be a rock star,” he said. “I was always very confident I was going to be successful in music. Then, as you grow up, you find you become a mailman or something like that, and you try to keep the dream alive on the side.”
Though he’s now a mailman working in the Santa Ynez Valley, Hobbs is keeping the dream alive. He’s in an L.A.-based band called The Jacks, and has been for about eight years. They play gigs only occasionally.
But it wasn’t always something he did on the side.
About 10 years ago, Hobbs made a living by playing music. It gave him the chance to grow as a musician and plenty of time to strengthen his bond with his children. He said that he’s grateful for that time, and the experience even rubbed off on his kids.
His daughter plays piano, and both of his children play guitar and sing.
And even though none of his children followed in his musical footsteps, Hobbs collaborated with them for the cover of his CD. He and his two children each had a hand in creating the collage of line drawings that makes up the cover.
“This is something we always do,” he said. “We go out to dinner and draw on a napkin.”
From lyrics to music, napkin to CD cover, Hobbs is finally seeing his dream turn into reality.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “I’ve always dreamed of it, to have people talk to you about your songs and have favorites. I’ve always dreamed of it.”
INFOBOX: Where to find it
Paul Hobbs’ CD, Till We Meet Again, is available at www.cdbaby.com. Check out his website at www.myspace.com/paulhobbsca.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone once rushed the stage at a Van Halen concert. Send your David Lee Roth photos to scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 3, 2008.