Born and raised on the New Jersey shore, Sean Tobin was influenced by folk-song troubadours like Guy Clark, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, as well as high-energy rockers like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Tom Petty. Self-taught and trained by the New Jersey bar scene, Tobin owes much of his high-energy performances to his time spent busking on the streets of Galway, Ireland throughout 2015 and 2017.
In 2017, Tobin graduated college with a degree in writing. Having expected to become a novelist, his business as a musician began to overshadow his prose. Uncertain of his future, Tobin walked El Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile trail through Spain, with his guitar tied to his pack. Upon the trail’s completion, the future became obvious.
Tobin returned to New Jersey in the fall of 2017 where he worked as a technical construction writer to fund his music. He released his first album, This Midnight, in the summer of 2018, and in 2019 he played Frank Turner’s Lost Evenings III Festival at the House of Blues in Boston. He quit his 9-5 soon after.
In July of 2019, Sean released Dreams & Black Caffeine, a four-song EP recorded in Ocean, NJ with his band, The Boardwalk Fire. The group played several shows promoting the work, and had planned a tour for the summer of 2020, but were forced to cancel due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Instead, Sean and the guys got to work on new music from remote locations. The releases of the nearly a dozen singles followed, and they’ll continue to release new music through 2020.
“This song follows the life of Eugene, a first generation American doing his best,” writes Tobin. “Featuring electric guitar, violin, percussion and vocals only, this song will also have an acoustic version released at a later date.”
Does your album have an overarching theme?
Yes, but it wasn’t originally purposeful. Life, death, and more importantly, life after death seemed to find its way into each of these songs. Ghosts, other dimensions, non-linear time… I tend to focus on the fleeting moments of time that make up a life, the stories that might seem mundane to the protagonist but fantastic to the listener. And from there, what happens next? Does the story end? I don’t think so, I think it’s infinite.
Who would you love to collaborate with? Why?
Brandi Carlile. The first time I heard her voice, I thought she was a sixties vocalist that had slipped past my listening catalog. Her writing, vocals and overall talent are chilling.
How do you manage having a good time at shows, but also trying to stay mentally and physically fit?
It’s hard, but I exercise regularly. Yoga, running, lifting, calisthenics when I travel, anything to get my heart pumping. I do it for physical health, but truly it’s more for my mental sanity. I find that if I exercise enough during the week (4 times usually does it), I don’t hurt as much after a show. Stage stamina is a thing!
What’s the best way a fan can support you?
Beyond sharing my music, my Patreon page is a great way to support me directly. I post song demos, photos, videos, and other exclusive content for as little as $3 a month. Patrons can also get exclusive merch through there. I’ve used the money I make there to pay for studio time, music videos, and vinyl pressings in the past.
What do you think you could do to make your music or shows more accessible to a more diverse audience?
I think the place to start with this is at live shows. If folks have a good time at a show, odds are they’ll listen to the act online when they get home. While I play alt-country, folk rock, most of my influences are punk. That said, punk shows these days are the most inclusive environments I’ve ever been a part of, and I try, and will continue trying, to make my shows the same atmosphere. Safe, inclusive, diverse; a place for everyone to have a good time.