trends
ROCKHOUND
Rock Returns To Rockville
By Kendall Polidori
DIRTY HONEY BRINGS THE ROLL BACK INTO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
J
ohn Notto, guitarist of L.A.-based band Dirty Honey, says it’s all about the influences. That’s why the band is striving to bring the artists who inspired the roll in rock ‘n’ roll back to the forefront. “All of our heroes from the ‘70s and ‘80s were influenced by either Black blues musicians or musicians who were influenced by Black blues musicians,” Notto says. Rock ‘n’ roll became rock in the ‘90s with pop melodies and metal guitar riffs and tones, he maintains. To Notto’s point, rock bands from the 2000s have built their sounds off of influences like Blink-182, whereas Jimmy Page was listening to Chuck Berry. To bring back true rock ‘n’ roll, Dirty Honey highlights the swing and blues tones that have been lacking in most rock songs for two decades. Frontman Marc LaBelle has a voice insanely reminiscent of AC/DC’s Brian Johnson. He says that to bring back the band’s musical influences in an authentic way, Dirty Honey’s members embrace the grittiness of rock ‘n’ roll and a live-band sound that doesn’t fall into the black hole of digital music production. He names bands like
The Beatles, Stones and Zeppelin were awesome—but rock lives on. Why not break out of the classic rock cocoon and give new rock a chance? Rockhound is here to help. Think of it as a bridge from 1967 to today and beyond. 36
Dirty Honey
Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin as rockers who have unapologetically bathed in abrasiveness. Rock, he says, isn’t supposed to be polished. The band formed in 2017 and quickly became embedded in the rock scene, touring with bands like The Who, Guns N’ Roses, The Black Crowes and Mammoth WVH—all without having signed with a record label. When the band’s first single, When I’m Gone, reached Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, it became obvious that signing with a label wouldn’t be worth it. Notto says musicians should examine their situations. For rock bands, signing to a label isn’t necessary today, especially when the band has a team backing them up and is touring with big names and playing festivals that include Louder Than Life, Heavy More Dirty Montreal and a May 21 set at Welcome Honey to Rockville. When I’m Gone “It’s exposure to not only a huge group of people but also to who is headlining that night,” says LaBelle. “That’s a pretty good cross section of rock ‘n’ roll right there.” Although confident in their direction with rock, LaBelle says the band’s journey didn’t start that way. With musical interests spanning early rock ‘n’ roll, blues, funk and jazz, Notto notes the band’s scope is often too wide. Despite that, Dirty Honey’s self-titled debut album meets those in the middle with a gritty live-band feel and crisp post-production. It’s likely untouched digitally as they sound just as crisp live. It features the swing and grooves of ’60s and ’70s classic rock ‘n’ roll but has a more cohesive sound and an ability to appeal to the masses. This is the band that will draw fans back to the rock scene. Start with Dirty Honey’s song When I’m Gone, and you’ll hear a demanding intro guitar riff reminiscent of AC/DC’s Back in Black. Pay attention to the tone the guitar carries. It’s heavy and lays the groundwork for the rest of the song, as LaBelle’s vocals ring in a range of melodies and raspy-rock anthems.
DIRTY HONEY, PHOTO CREDIT: DANIEL PRAKOPCYK
For the past two years, almost everyone in the music industry has been wondering if and when live shows would return to normal. Now, they’re back, including music festivals like Danny Wimmer Presents’ Welcome to Rockville. Beyond headliners like KISS, Guns N’ Roses and Jane’s Addiction, the May 19-22 festival at Daytona International Speedway features the best emerging names in rock today. Leading up to Rockville, The Rockhound sat down with three of the scheduled acts, all of which were ready to rock the stage.
Luckbox | May 2022
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4/8/22 9:58 AM
