Marty Oblak

Marty Oblak is a Passionate singer/songwriter who makes connections with fans and abroad. Talented. - Fix Magazine - FIX MAGAZINE

The Observer

Marty Oblak is conquering the country one gig at a time.

The 23-year-old Corunna native just returned from a month-long solo tour of western Canada, and he'll head to the east coast next month.

"I just hired a booking agent and hit the road," said Oblak, who has been playing music for as long as he can remember. "I hit just about every major city along the way."

The tour, he said, gave him the opportunity to gather inspiration and start writing for an upcoming project - a full length album to be recorded next year.

"It was great to experience that whole aspect of touring as a musician," said Oblak, noting the long drives, one-of-a-kind venues and sleeping in a van.

He credits his father for getting it started.

"He always told me, 'go with your whole heart, and do your music to your fullest potential.'"

Oblak first picked up the guitar after severely injuring his right hand as a child.

"I started strumming on my dad's guitar for therapy," he said.

By Grade 6, he was playing in bands and formed the group "Miles Fault" as a teenager.

The group still plays together today.

"Playing in my band is my passion," said Oblak. "But the solo thing is a good change-up; it's all me - a real, true sound."

His indie-folk-rock sound, Oblak explained, is comparable to a mix of John Mayer, Casey Baker, City and Colour and Jack Johnson.

His latest work, a live album titled, "Too quick to judge," was released in August.

"I just want to go as far as I can with music," said Oblak. "My goals are to get on tour with a bigger artist, and just see how far I can go with it.

"For now, these shows have been going really good; it's an amazing feeling."

thagan@theobserver.ca - The Observer - TARA HAGAN

The Observer

Rock and tattoos play just as well in Nova Scotia as they do in Sarnia, say a local pair just back from an East coast tour on a "hippy" bus.

Rock musician Marty Oblak and tattoo artist Kari Cook said enjoyed a strong response during the tour.

"Tattoos and music go hand-in-hand," said Oblak, 23.

"I met some really cool people," added Cook, 22. "My favourite (art form) is oil painting, but you can't make a living at it until you're dead." Other than a strong demand for navy tattoos in Nova Scotia, the requests she got matched those from Sarnians.

"Girls love flowers. Guys want skulls and scary stuff," she said.

She did tattoos in a bar and in hallways. There wasn't much time for pre-planned locations.

But she made connections, she added.

"I have an offer to fly to Newfoundland for a month."

The tour included many stops aboard the 1964 lime green and purple bus, painted in flowers. They had no problem attracting attention.

"The bus does it all by itself," said Cook.

The tour was Oblak's third in four months, which included a trip to Vancouver with many stops along the way.

He writes his own songs and also plays the music of great rock bands.

"Rush is my favourite," he said.

He tries to write songs with common themes, he said.

The song "Better Days" brings people back to being young, when the world was straight-forward.

"It's getting back to when you were a kid and the world was so much easier," he said.

He's already organizing a return trip to the west coast early in the new year.

"I've got a fan base," he said.

nbowen@theobserver.ca - The Observer - NEIL BOWEN