Hobex

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=718301" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=125 BGCOLOR="#AAAAAA" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c467d1euxmic.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Kristi Singer</b></FONT><B>     </b><B>|     </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kristi Singer"><U><B>home</b></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hanson"><U>Hanson</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id180.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Havana Taxi"><U>Havana Taxi</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart and Soul"><U>Heart and Soul</U></A>   |   <B>Hobex</b>   |   <A HREF="id221.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hall Oates"><U>Hall & Oates</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#111111" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writing Samples"><U><B>Back to Articles</b></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=355 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Hobex</div> <div> <B>Hobex is 'ready, man' to embrace change</b></div> <div> Leaving simple rock 'Back in the '90s,' frontman Greg Humphreys has found a new vibe</div> <bR> <div> By Kristi Singer</div> <div> <I>Star-News Correspondent</I></div> <div> November 27, 2002</div> <bR> <div> Hobex frontman Greg Humphreys is burned out from rock and wants to know, "Where's the roll?"</div> <bR> <div> "I love rock 'n' roll, but it's just not the only music. I'd rather incorporate all kinds of music into what I do. It's got that groove that makes people get up on their feet and move. That's part of the fun of playing live to me – watching a bunch of people leave with a smile on their faces all sweaty like they had a great time. That's the simple pleasure of playing music," Mr. Humphreys said.</div> <bR> <div> The guitarist and vocalist had an eight-year dosage of pop rock with his former band, Dillon Fence, which ended in 1995. The Carolina favorite, which began as a college band, made three albums for Mammoth and Atlantic Records and sold out venues regularly by the end of its career.</div> <bR> <div> Dillon Fence drew notable fans, including Ryan Adams, Edwin McCain, Seven Mary Three and Hootie and the Blowfish, who reference the band in its single, I Only Want to Be With You.</div> <bR> <div> "We took it as far as we could," said Mr. Humphreys, a Winston-Salem native. By the time I left the band, I was ready to do something else musically. Hobex has been that project.</div> <bR> <div> Hobex began as a trio in 1996 with Steve Hill, previously of Johnny Quest, on drums and Andy Ware, former member of Dillon Fence, on bass. Hobex played as a three-piece for almost three years until inviting guest musicians for its first full-length CD, 1998's Back in the '90s. Hobex released two other independent CDs – 1996's the payback ep and 2000's Wisteria.</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Humphreys realized that adding other instruments, such as horns and keyboard, added a new vibe to the band.</div> <bR> <div> The current lineup includes April Howell on trombone, Steve Norfleet on sax and Bob Miller on trombone.</div> <bR> <div> Progressing from radio pop/rock to an eclectic mixture of jazz/funk/soul/blues/</div> <bR> <div> R&B and everything else is an interesting transition but a natural one, Mr. Humphreys said.</div> <bR> <div> "If you do the same thing too long, you just get to the point where you're ready to try other things and incorporate other music into what you do," he said. "I'm still the same songwriter and singer, it's just like a different environment for my songs."</div> <bR> <div> The new sound can be heard on Hobex's October release, U Ready, Man? The title came from recording sessions where drummer Dustin Clifford, who replaced Mr. Hill, was caught saying "You ready, man?" repeatedly.</div> <bR> <div> "It just captures the vibe of what we're doing," Mr. Humphreys said. "One of those little moments captured on tape."</div> <bR> <div> Musicians appearing on U Ready, Man? include keyboardist Kai Alexander (Dag), singer April Howell (Jumpstarts, Mandorico) and horn players Chris Moody, Tim Lett and Bob Miller (from Bio Ritmo).</div> <bR> <div> Whether or not Mr. Humphreys will depart again from his sound to explore other musical landscapes is unclear.</div> <bR> <div> "We're going to take this band to it's last string, and hopefully there'll be a positive ending, and I'll be making music and writing songs," Mr. Humphreys said. "If it's just me around a campfire with an acoustic guitar, as long as I can play music I'll be satisfied."</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>