Local Brisbane musician Hobart Curtis has had a bit of a crazy week. His most recent single, Hits, was inspired by the directorial debut of the same name from David Cross (known to most as Arrested Development’s Tobias Funke). Curtis got the surprise of a lifetime (and nearly blue himself) earlier this week when Cross himself shared the track across his Facebook and Twitter, and sending the local singer/songwriter/producer an email applauding him directly. He even suggested he could “maybe” use the tune in his work somewhere down the line.
Safe to say, we’re pretty jealous. Cross’s comedic work spans generations – beyond Arrested Development, he’s notably appeared in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Unbreakable Kimmy Schimdt and has his own comedy special on Netflix (it’s hilarious). Getting a co-sign from someone with his clout and following is kind of an incredible boon for a young local muso from Brizzy. We chatted to Hobart about how this brush with fame came about.
Hey Hobart! What was it about the movie Hits that inspired you specifically?
I saw myself in this a lot. I do a lot of self reflection on my ability and what talent I may have, a long with self doubt whether i’m actually worth what I think I am.
I think it caused me to do a lot of self-reflection and It was really interesting to spend time mediating on it’s effect on me and how I felt. It caused me to really wonder why I need people to listen to what I do or what I say, to make me feel like I’m important. It’s a struggle that I’ve dealt with forever and I guess, when you’re in a part of your career like I am, when you’re trying to get people to give you a chance, it really takes a toll on your confidence. Also; It’s a really funny movie.
How do you reconcile your artistic vision with your ambitions? Is this a difficult balance to strike?
Yes. In my head, when I think of what Hobart Curtis is and where I want to take it, it becomes almost impossible to have a clear artistic idea. I become influenced by so many things, all the time. I get influenced by how I am feeling in the moment, which has lead to some really frustrating moments for people involved with me, because I change my mind so much.
I dream of a day where I can write music in a log cabin in Denmark while drinking whisky, without the constraints of time frames or labels, but that will never happen. And I’ve learnt that sometimes, it’s just not practical to write a 12 minute instrumental post-rock banger and expect it to get the results I want (even though that would be dope)
What was it like to have Cross contact you directly?
Really surprising. I have a lot of respect for David Cross and what he’s done and it was great to see how personable he was, just judging from the small amount of contact I’ve had with him. It’s amazing that something so small to him turned out to have such a huge impact on how I felt about myself, too.
If he does actually use your song for something, what do you hope it is?
It would be cool if he could put it in the background of some highlights of his latest special (Make America Great Again). Or, if not, David having a few Hits of something illicit, while listening to Hits, while watching Hits. That sounds like an absolute dream.
Image: Arrested Development Wiki