Within the walls of his classroom, history teacher John Feula appears entirely in his element. His walls boast pictures of historical figures like George Washington, and the board is coated in valuable information. But if one were to look a little closer, the CD on his desk reveals another side of him. This is not just any CD; it’s one full of music he created with a band he started himself. Feula not only has a passion for teaching, but a deep connection to playing music.

Feula’s band, Instant Hobo, is a well-versed trio that aims to incorporate different musical styles into their original work. “We recorded our first album in 2008,” Feula explains, “the idea was to have a group where I could use all my musical styles and influences. Everything from Led Zeppelin to Hank Williams, and bring them all together.”

The group writes their own music and inspiration flows from very unique places. “I like starting with a song title and building it off from there. One time my son doodled a witch flying on his paper, and that inspired me to write a song about a witch over water,” Feula says. The lyrics begin as interesting ideas and eventually mature into full songs.

Instant Hobo has a positive energy that personally stems from the group. Principal Dan Serrano has worked with Feula, and observes that his upbeat personality is exactly what a band would need. “He is the kind of person I could definitely see out on stage,” Serrano notes.

The band has created a dedicated fanbase of students here at Perry. “I really enjoy their music,” Junior Miles Foster says. “They have a cool vintage vibe that just makes me want to keep listening.”

“When students say they know my band, it’s pretty neat. Kids are pretty hip to know the history of music and things that I listen to,” Feula adds. Instant Hobo aims to shed light upon older music that may have been forgotten in today’s society. They do this by incorporating a vintage rock sound into each of their songs, and combining country lyrics with classic guitar riffs.

Instant Hobo’s original sound has also gained them recognition outside of Perry. Michael Senft, of The Arizona Republic praises, “this alt-country power trio just wanders all over the musical map, melding classic rock power with Hank Williams twang…” With a unique, old school sound, Instant Hobo has spread their musical influence both in and out of Perry. Feula plans to continue creating songs, and pursuing his love of music for a long time to come.

Check out Instant Hobo here :

https://www.reverbnation.com/instanthobo