Fresh Catch

With a repertoire that keeps getting bigger than the trout Uncle Ernie swears was bigger than Moby Dick, Bob “Catfish” Hodge will bring his brand of acoustic blues to Cafe Voltaire in Ventura for a Blue Monday gig. While most bands don’t have this many songs, the Catfish will be celebrating the release of his 22nd album, “Bare Necessities.”

Hodge’s fish tale began in Detroit, where as a kid, he used to sneak into Motown Records’ Hitsville Studio to watch artists such as the Supremes and the Four Tops record hit songs back when radio was cool. By the late ‘60s, Hodge was in the Catfish Band, which got a record deal. But nothing lasts forever in rock ‘n’ roll, so after that band went away, Hodge relocated by 1973 to the nation’s capital, then 15 years ago, to the Golden State.

In varying combinations, either fronting bands or as a solo performer (as he is now), Hodge has played just about everywhere at one time or another. One of his notable ensembles was the Chicken Legs Band, formed in 1981 and featuring a quartet of players from Little Feat.

As a single father of two young sons, the Catfish became interested in children’s music. In 1996, he recorded an award-winning children’s album.

These days, the Catfish plays plenty and continues to write gritty and funny blues songs. And after 30 years on the road, he has plenty of stories to tell. The Catfish, whose mom still calls him Bobby, discussed the latest during a recent phone conversation.

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Why “Catfish” and not “Tuna” or “Carp”?

I have no answer for that one, but there was a time when I was younger when I could give you a number of smart answers. But at 52, I’ll have to give you the simple story. I was the singer in this band called Wicked Religion, which did this song called “The Catfish Song.” We got this deal with Epic, and at that time they thought the name was pretty racy. Since they were going to push that song, they told us to change our name. But when the band broke up, I became “Catfish,” and just added my last name.

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Twenty-two albums--that’s not a typo?

Yes, that’s right. I’ve been on a number of different labels.

So these days, releasing your own albums is not a problem?

Right now, I do it out of necessity. I’m just a grass-roots artist. For a while, I didn’t tour much because I was home raising my two kids, doing the Mr. Mom thing, but I’ve kept my audience in the East and I do fine on the road. . . . I haven’t abused my body with drugs and alcohol for a long, long time, and I play all the time. I’m one of those blue-collar artists--this is just what I do.

Most bands don’t have 22 songs, let alone 22 albums. How many Catfish songs are there?

Hundreds.

So you could play longer than the Grateful Dead?

I could. When I was with the Bluesbusters, we used to open for the Dead, and I used to wonder how they could play so long. But they just had a lot of songs to play, and they enjoyed doing it, and that’s what it gets down to.

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What do you think Catfish music sounds like?

Boy, I don’t really know anymore--I’ve been through so many changes. I guess they’re just living-room stories based on personal experience. I opened for Little Feat in December at the Ventura Theatre, and I got the same response I get at Cafe Voltaire. I’m just trying to find new ways of doing this thing because this is what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life.

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Tell me about your children’s records.

The album “Adventures at Catfish Pond” came out in 1996, and it got the Parent’s Magazine Golden Award. They give out two of those awards a year, and I was in on both of them. The other album was a compilation, and my song “Pancake Man” was on it. I think children’s music is worth putting time and energy into.

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How did you end up in Ventura?

I discovered the Cafe Voltaire one day when I was in Ventura checking out the antique stores. I walked in and got a coffee, and Todd [Winokur, the owner] recognized me and said they had blues on Mondays but they didn’t pay a lot of money. If I wanted a lot of money, I’d go on tour, so I like playing there just to keep my chops up.

How did you get started as a musician?

It was a long time ago. When I was in third grade, I had a music teacher who told me I could express myself by making music. Then, later, there used to be a bunch of hillbillies next door playing some music, but they were singing off key. Anyway, I sang a couple of songs with them, then met a bunch of other musicians, and one thing led to another. And my parents were very supportive--they still are.

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What advice would you give aspiring musicians?

Well, this is not an easy business and sometimes you get depressed, but I have found some comfort in that I have found the reason I do this. It doesn’t matter what your job or your career is--whether you’re a scientist, a priest or a steamfitter like my dad was. Life is difficult, and you just have to deal with that, but if you’ve found the purpose of why you’re supposed to be here, then you have a great gift. If you grow with that, you have become a successful person, and that doesn’t have anything to do with money.

BE THERE

Catfish Hodge at Cafe Voltaire, 34 N. Palm St., Ventura, Monday night, 7:30 p.m. $3. (805) 641-1743.