An independent singer-songwriter from Albury (NSW), Toby Mobbs recently released his debut album, 'Placid In The Rough'.
A collection of eight songs written across the previous two years, the record follows the slow transition from home recording to studio sessions (as COVID restrictions lifted) with a growing group of collaborators.Smooth yet tight instrumentation that harks back to '90s college rock sounds, Toby's husky-toned voice is a welcoming beacon of hope as he sings about relatable, everyday issues throughout 'Placid In The Rough' that adds a tactile warmth to the music.
Add elements of grungy alt-rock, psych-laced soul, melodic folk-pop, and cruisey dream pop, Toby has created a sound all of his own that still fits within the sonic landscape inhabited by the likes of Hoodoo Gurus, Violent Femmes, and The Lemonheads; for younger readers think Holy Holy and The Rubens.
The next adventure for Mobbs will be a massive tour across the country, with the singer-songwriter actively adding a number of capital cities that usually get overlooked by the majority of touring artists bookended by playing two local regional shows.
"After seeing so many bands and artists promote national tours that skipped Darwin, Perth, Hobart, or even all three, I was determined to book a tour that didn't skip any capital city," Toby says.
"I have also included a show where I was born (Wagga Wagga) and a show where I currently live. Effectively I'll be travelling from Wagga to Albury the long way around, by car, some 14,000km over 28 days.
"I'll be supported by local artists at every show, many of which feature on my debut album."
I sound like... I've never been too sure, which I think is a great thing. I have many varied musical influences and I'm fortunate to be told I still have a unique sound.
I do keep a list though of anytime I'm compared to another artist or band. On that list is Paul Simon, Billy Corgan, Nick Drake, Ray LaMontagne, David Gray, Ryan Adams, and a few others.
My first gig was... My high school Battle Of The Bands in 2005. I was (and still am) a big Hendrix fan. We played 'Eagle Rock' and so of course I decided to play the 'solo' with my teeth. Only instead of the hammer-on/ pull-off Hendrix style I really did use my teeth.
I remember my music teacher saying: "I could tell because of how twangy it sounded." I'll never forget how loud the crowd was cheering on this short Year 8 kid. That was the greatest of days.
When did you settle on the your artistic name, and was it a unanimous decision... My parents took the lead on this one. I'd say it was a pretty unanimous decision. My real name is actually Tobias, but no one calls me that.
In the studio I usually... I'm sure this is very common, but my best playing always seems to happen when no one is recording. I definitely have some form of red light fever syndrome. So I guess the answer to that is, in the studio I try to forget I'm in the studio.
If I could tour with anyone... Gang Of Youths for sure. I've been their biggest fan way back from when they were doing shows to only about 50 people.
I recently saw them fill Rod Laver Arena and it was surreal to say the least. Their music hits me in a way no other artist or band ever has, and they have been the biggest influence on my music to date.
Social media is... What you make it? Is that too cliché? I see it as such a powerful tool in getting the word out. That being said, I do try my best to still promote things with the mindset of 'if this song/ gig/ tour/ album wasn't promoted on social media, how would I still let people know about it?'.
My favourite app at the moment is... My notes app. How boring is that. It's a real stress reliever for me though. I have this routine of going through all notes, txts, and screenshots at the end of each day and deleting them as they're done. Anything that isn't deleted means I still have to follow it up the next day.
I remember dating someone that I'm pretty sure thought I was hiding something/ someone as my phone was so clean of any messages etc. In fairness it does look pretty suss, like I'm living a double life. It does declutter my head though and means I'm not forgetting to do anything.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time... Last year when I drove more than 2,000km from Albury to the WA-SA border and couldn't get past due to changed border restrictions. On my birthday. It was a long, sad drive straight back home. Thankfully I'll be back in Perth for the first time this October for the tour.
Life on the road can be... Exciting! This national tour will take me to so much of Australia that I've never seen. It will also be my first time in Perth and Darwin as my last attempt was thwarted by border restrictions.
This tour will see me driving around 14,000km over 28 days so there'll be many long days of driving, but I'm looking forward to seeing more of Australia.
If you'll have me on your bill, all I ask is that the rider contains... Fresh fruit and soda water and I'm set. No bananas though. Banana bread on the other hand yes please, add that to the list. If anyone else dislikes bananas but loves banana bread please reach out, I need to know I'm not the only one.
The scariest scenario I've found myself in, was... Booking a national ticketed solo tour as an independent artist making sure I don't skip any capital city.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson for you... Do brand endorsements count? I'm looking at you Maton Guitars and Kyser Capos.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? I've actually never been outside of Australia yet, so it might be too soon for me to call that one. Let me get back to you on that.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... Stephen Colbert, Michael Stevens, and Destin Sandlin. Three people that I admire for their ability to be present in a moment, feel connected in a conversation, and seek knowledge from people and the world around them. Adam Savage makes that list too, but by then it would just be Colbert interviewing three science educators and I'd be the odd one out.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? I used to make a pretty mean herb cheese omelette. My cooking has become pretty boring these days, much less adventurous. Can't we just go out to that new place that just opened up?
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? I never grew up with pets when I was young so being a pet person is something I think I've learnt as I've become older. I never really knew how to act around other people's pets due to that.
We had birds and fish, but they were more taking care of them rather than being pets. I do like Corgis very much. I think I have more of a passion for native wildlife than pets. Cats are hard no for me. Yeah I said what I said.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Phoenix organic cola from New Zealand. Old-school cola flavour. I rate any place that stocks it. Phoenix if you're reading this right now, let's talk. We'd be great together, you and I.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Righto steady on now.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? When you forget to put the bins out the night before and are woken by the thunderous rumble of an approaching garbage truck causing a mad dash in the cold morning before your body has suitable woken. Also dusting.
Do you have any phobias... I would say I have an irrational fear of snakes. Not in a petrified of them way, but irrational in the way that if I go into my garage, I check for snakes. There's no reason they'd be in there, but I check anyway.
My logic is that if a snake's gonna get me, it'll be the day I don't check. I recently joined a snake identification page on Facebook because I'm a big believer in animals like snakes being misunderstood and wanted to understand specific species a bit better.
I happen to be a spider photographer in my spare time. I go out, find, photograph, scientifically classify them, and post them to my Flickr page Flash Mobbs Photography (pretty proud of that name). So I like spiders, but not so much snakes.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Does 'BattleBots' count? Love that show. I'm not much of an engineer but I am pretty good with conceptualising ideas and the whole format of the show is right up my alley.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? I don't think I'm much of a prankster. I'm content with a bit of Updog.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? We don't really have many midnight options in Albury. Maccas doesn't count. Sweethearts Pizza is the go-to on a Friday or Saturday night out if you have a craving for potato gems. Sometimes you just gotta have those tots, y'know?
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Oh geez that's a tricky one. I think we all subconsciously view ourselves in characters that are maybe a bit cooler than we actually are.
Maybe Egon Spengler from 'Ghostbusters' for me. He's a bit obsessive about things that interest him, a maker at heart, has a scientific way of thinking, pretty nerdy but not uncool, rocks the glasses, and is known to be seen in the odd library (I'm a university librarian).
Last show you binge-watched? I really love the series 'For All Mankind' and just finished season three. It's a perfect mix of historical fiction and space travel. I've been recommending it to a lot of people lately.
I'm very keen for 'The Rings Of Power' too and have been getting into a lot of Tolkien lore through a YouTuber called Nerd Of The Rings.
Toby Mobbs 2022 Tour Dates
Wed 5 Oct - The Curious Rabbit (Wagga Wagga)Thu 6 Oct - The Food Co-op Shop & Café (Canberra)
Fri 7 Oct - Butchers Brew Bar (Sydney)
Sun 9 Oct - Can You Keep A Secret? (Brisbane)
Sat 15 Oct - Happy Yess (Darwin)
Sat 22 Oct - The 21st Amendment (Perth)
Wed 26 Oct - Wheatsheaf Hotel (Adelaide)
Fri 28 Oct - Brunswick Artists' Bar (Melbourne)
Sun 30 Oct - Pablo's Cocktails And Dreams (Hobart)
Sun 6 Nov - The Goods Shed Craft Beer Cafe (Albury-Wodonga)
