Let's have them do the whole thing." For some artists who tour regularly, it was a time to reflect and reassess, while others scrambled to make ends meet. His top Crowes tracks include cosmic-rocker Wiser Time. He caught one of the few pre-pandemic reunion gigs Chris and Rich played, in New York. I've definitely seen Aerosmith the most. Their second single, "Rolling 7s," went into the Top 5 and was still headed up when COVID changed everything. "Lots of people come out to California, chasing a dream, and sometimes, people just don't make it," said LaBelle. What more contemporary rock bands would you say inspired you? They seem to be more a part of the record label machine, while Greta is kind of doing their own thing. It got Pro Tools-ed to death, and thats not what were about. This is 2021 rock & roll, not 1987. But it sounded kind of like two different bands. He's really fun to watch. It really gave us the confidence we were on the right track.. "As a guitarist, I'm always inspired by the everlasting pursuit of the perfect riff," says Notto. LaBelle says on the record he can only tell me half of what Chris said, but will divulge Robinson said something along the lines of, Get a lot of tattoos and just live a full life. Fortunately, DiDia was able to work his magic remotely. I was super young, like seven or eight years old. Formed in 2017, the blues-tinged rock outfit came together after singer Marc LaBelle and guitarist John Notto -- who had been playing in the LA-based group Ground Zero -- decided to split with that band to follow their muse and find their own path. Being in a bandit's a risk, you know? I took the extra time and played a lot of music in my studio, he says. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Last year, Dirty Honey self-released their debut album, which included the hit "When I'm Gone." Marc LaBelle: Yeah, I think once we figured out what was safe -- we kind of kept our distance from maybe March to early June. You drive around here in LA, you can see some of the most beautiful sights anywhere in the world, hundred-million-dollar houses. Shop online for Dirty Honey merchandise, t-shirts, clothing, apparel, posters and accessories. It consists of singer Marc LaBelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Jaydon Bean. But Dirty Honey flaunts their roots without sounding exactly like any of those bands. "He was able to listen to what we were laying down in real-time, through this app," says LaBelle. My stepdad pulled into the driveway and said, "Steven Tyler and Joe Perry are down there at the radio station right now. Catching Dirty Honey with the Black Crowes should be nothing less than a pure celebration of rock and roll. Similar sparks happened with tracks like The Wire and Tied Up, off the LP, on previous Dirty Honey tours. It will be one of the first tours out, Notto says. I Got Dirty Tee. It's the Summer Solstice Music Festival; very casual, not official. Another key early break happened when Los Angeles rock radio station KLOS began playing Dirty Honey songs on air almost immediately after the EP dropped. Do band members bring finished songs they write on their own or do you guys generally work things out together? Turns out, Kitsch and LaBelle have been friends for years. My mom, not so much, but she tried. Young Guns 2022 Tour Tee. When we were getting ready to drop the record, he was like, Lets do something fun for the record release., Dirty Honey tracked their album with Nick DiDia (a studio vet whose resume includes work with Audioslave and Stone Temple Pilots), producing and mixing. As soon as this tour ends, my dad and I are taking a trip up the coast to the California Redwoods to do some riding. BEING IN A BAND, WHAT'S THE HARDEST CHALLENGE YOU HAVE COME ACROSS SO FAR, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT? For 5000, now you can, Watch David Bowie tease David Gilmour before joining him onstage for a spine-tingling duet on Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb, This stunning orchestral version of Stairway To Heaven, featuring Orianthi on guitar, will make you fall in love with Led Zeppelin all over again, Every issue delivered direct to your door. Aw, man, obviously that was a dream come true for any young rock band, says frontman Marc LeBelle. I was just sitting at my (recording) console playing guitar one day in open-G tuning. Hes referring to the alternate guitar tuning behind many of Keith Richards Rolling Stones riffs. Their self-titled extended play was self-released in March 2019. They dont give a fuck (and neither should you). Dirty Honey's album indeed builds on the band's output to date, with airtight songwriting that plays up their strengths: sexy, bluesy, nasty rock'n'roll, melodic hard rock, and soulful '70s blues-rock. That last statement sums up what makes Dirty Honey a new must-hear amid a rap/pop era when rock has become almost career-suicide. Tour. And I know a couple of the people that are part of this lineup. I have a full kind of studio setup, so I just make the most of it. They literally would just jack lyrics and whole songs; it was that on the nose. Because in the coolest way, the most interesting thing by far about Marc LaBelle, from buzzy Los Angeles quartet Dirty Honey, is his talent. In June, Dirty Honey hits the road on a headlining tour opening June 3 at Tempe, Arizonas Marquee Theater. Marc LaBelle: Yeah, other than festivals that we've done here and there, this is definitely the first big, 10-15 thousand seat venue sort of tour that we've done on this scale ever. That's why we've created Crash Course, a recurring feature offering a concise introduction to a band or artist that we think slays, covering their origins, process and vision. He's really amazing; a super tasteful player. But it still doesn't have a meaning that's easy to pinpoint. CBS SF: Is this the first large-scale venue tour the band has done? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. John Mayer was in the next room, and he complained that he could hear our bass, it was bleeding through. In the end, even with the pandemic in full swing, it all seemed to work out. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. Lots of long-hair, band T-shirts and, in the case of LaBelle, a whole lotta cool hats. Once nobody can tell me what to do, its gonna be off the chain, Notto deadpans. And recovering. We started a video series called "The Suitcase Sessions," where we went out into nature and played acoustic. By contemporary, I'm thinking '90s forward Marc LaBelle: Audioslave, they're definitely one of them. Dirty Honey is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 2017. LOS ANGELES, CA - Friday, March 5, 2021 After a string of chart hits and live triumphs, one of rock music's most exciting new bands, DIRTY HONEY, is keeping the momentum going with the April 23, 2021 release of their self-titled debut full-length.The Los Angeles quartet is also releasing a new single, "California Dreamin'," with a news feature and video that premiered today via . "I've learned just a little bit more about what people might mean when they say, magicyou know, 'This one has the magic,'" he says. And literally one of the biggest radio stations in the country is playing your music. Band Members: groundzero.marc@gmail.com, Marc LaBelle: Lead Vocals, Justin Smolian: Bass, John Notto: Guitars, Corey Coverstone: Drums, Booking: Hometown: Back then, Dirty Honeys yardsticks by which to judge success Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC seemed to doom them to disappointment. WHAT'S YOUR ESSENTIAL ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE TO BRING WITH YOU WHILE ON TOUR? Read Full Biography Overview Biography Discography Songs Credits Related Share on facebook twitter tumblr Album Discography full condensed blue highlight denotes album pick I haven't heard much of the Struts' stuff, but from what I've heard, it's a little more produced sounding. After a string of chart hits and live triumphs, one of rock music's most exciting new bands DIRTY HONEY is keeping the momentum going with the April 23 release of their self-titled debut. It meant that we were able to workshop the songs a lot more, and I think it really made a difference.". Last year, Dirty Honey self-released their debut album, which included the hit "When I'm Gone." On the other end of the phone line, the frontman for the best new hard-rock band in recent memory sings and plays guitar for a few seconds. For Notto, its anything but a competition. We werent looking to sound different, or prove our growth, necessarily. At a very young age, I was putting two and two together and realizing thatAerosmith from the 90s was the same group that recorded Toys in the Attic 20 years before. Marc LaBelle: He is f--king amazing, by the way. I think Luke [Spiller] is a great singer, but if you were just listening to the music part without Luke singing, I was not near as much of an identifiable band. I met Aerosmith before my first concert ever, literally watched Steven Tyler and Joe Perry walk out of the radio station and jump into a limo. In early 2023, they released "Heartbreaker 2.0." Members The band is comprised of Marc LaBelle, John Notto, Justin Smolian, and Corey Coverstone. See the full list of tour dates below, followed by our video Zoom interview with Dirty Honey singer Marc LaBelle and Wolfgang Van Halen. We dont show up naked wearing socks, but well leave a mistake on if the take has the feel. If you do what feels good and right, that can't be wrong. The band became the first-ever unsigned act to top Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart with their single When I'm Gone, and kicked off the month by playing two shows as openers for Guns N . Hes literally like a big brother to me. With people salivating for piping hot rock and roll, the eight-song LP is a satisfying slab thatll have you violating every social distancing law in the book. That's what we're all about. Its never going to sound exactly like anything else, but its guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. CBS SF: That is one thing I wanted to talk about. That's definitely my thing. When it came time to record its self-titled full-length debut album, the bandvocalist Marc LaBelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Coverstonewasn't about to mess with what was already working. Eventually filling out the band with bassist Justin Smolian and drummer Corey Coverstone, the quartet started crafting a gritty style of rock that echoed elements of classic '70s Aerosmith, Sacramento blues-rockers Tesla and GnR, but still had an indelibly unique stamp. Because the group couldnt make it to Australia where their producer, Nick DiDia, is based, they opted to record the album in Los Angeles. It can be hard sometimes, but at the end of the day when you step onstage, that's what it's all about. However, Dirty Honey was still eager to work with DiDia, so they devised a Plan B: recording the full-length in a Los Angeles studio with one of DiDia's long-time engineers, and the producer beamed into the proceedings via the magic of modern technology. Ages 16 and Up. After a string of opening slots with the Who, Guns N Roses, Slash, and Alter Bridge, appearances at various music festivals across the nation, and a few headlining gigs (including one in Los Angeles), Dirty Honey joined everyone else in the pandemic lockdown and sheltered at home. Though the guitarist demos a lot of the material for the band to try out, he stresses its not quite that cut and dry. $35.00. Marc LaBelle: It can totally vary. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The widescreen thunder of California Dreamin gave Dirty Honey their third straight top-15 rock radio hit. We would have played the Byron Bay Blues Festival. LaBelle meanwhile, takes cues from his songwriting idols (to name a few, Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, Mick Jagger, Chris Robinson, and the late Chris Cornell) when coming up with lyrics. "As a guitarist, I'm always inspired by the everlasting pursuit of the perfect riff," Notto adds. I'd say we're more blues/rock-based and that certainly came from influences from all our parents and older siblings. On a few occasions, the version that people kept going back to was the sloppiest, if you look at it from a performance standpoint. $30.00 - $65.00. Having scanned the horizon for rocks next generation of giants, they decided to take the job on themselves. . I flew out to New York when they were doing the Howard Stern Show and playing the show at the Bowery Electric that night. Youll ease in on the slumbering waves of California Dreamin before a new set comes in and takes you out for a ride. Where that danger is differs from artist to artist. The Mamas & The Papas were rad, but right now rock needs new songs as singles, not covers. "I also wanted to extend the artistic statement that we've already made. All Rights Reserved. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. We want the band to grow to a place where Dirty Honey is just its own identity, like all of our predecessors. They've been nothing but kind to us and supportive. Were gonna be playing the record for the first time, a good chunk of it at least, LaBelle says. Listen to "California Dreamin'" https://orcd.co/californiadreamin Listen / Buy the debut 'Dirty Honey' LP . . A piece of Guns N Roses history sells for $80,000, Great White guitarist talks Once Bitten Twice Shy, Eddie Van Halen, Guns N Roses, The new bible of 80s glam-metal and hard-rock. Vocalist Marc LaBelle and guitarist John Notto give us their view from the fast lane. I wrote some of the demos that became songs like California Dreamin. We just tried to push the ball forward., California Dreamin was the first glimpse of what would become the bands fully formed album for 2021. Deleted user We live in a time of YouTube nerds there are probably ten-year-olds who can play the guitar solo from our new single California Dreamin better than I do. Bath BEFORE YOU TAKE THE STAGE, WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR BANDMATES DO? When Im here by myself, I just have fun. But yeah, the Struts are cool. For the Los Angeles-based quartet Dirty Honey, success came right out of the gate. Thats not how we recorded. Welcome to the Dirty Honey Official Store! Marc LaBelle: I felt like a rock star in middle school when I played like the school talent show with a band, so it goes back pretty far for me. But I really wanted to go to the reunion show and see the first one. I have to say, it was a rather uninspiring time to be making a record, says the lead singer Marc LaBelle. Recently, Dirty Honey was announced as main support for the summer tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of Crowes debut album Shake Your Money Maker., Its the latest iconic band to have Dirty Honey open shows for them, including Guns N Roses and The Who. But the studio recordings are a little more polished and produced. We weren't looking to sound different, or prove our growth, necessarily. Marc LaBelle: Yeah, we played Houston last night and we've got Austin tonight, then we're heading home to LA for a few days in SoCal and then heading up to you guys. The song snippet LaBelle just sang and strummed over the phone is from Another Last Time, the last track on Dirty Honeys first full-length album. "When you finally come through on those moments, that's where the real magic comes in," Notto says. He's sort of playing around the solos that are on the records, but putting his own little spin on it. Then this riff (and maybe, destiny) tapped him on the shoulder. Everyones announcing big tours and raring to get back on the road. Some musicians take a while to build an audience and connect with fans. They both grew up playing hockey, Kitsch in Canada and LaBelle in Upstate New York, and initially connected in Los Angeles skating at various local ice-rinks. Back when Dirty Honey was doing small clubs in L.A. or early touring dates, LaBelle learned a frontman guideline once he crossed it. Great art is a little dangerous. But you also see the darkest shit imaginable: heroin addiction under a bridge in Skid Row, poverty, homelessness; I slept in my car for nine months when I first moved here. CBS SF: Yeah, I honestly think he's one of the greatest living guitarists on the planet right now. Heres how it works. Justin had this one riff for forever that just remained unfinished until we fit it into "Heartbreaker." Then we were going to come back and do all the radio festivals for six weeks here in the U.S. and then we were going to go to Europe for a month and do the Download Fest UK. Led by frontman Marc Labelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Co. A bold opener with towering chorus hooks and slipshod grooves, "California Dreamin'" features smoking guitar solos bookended by massive riffs and hooks. Dirty Honey rented a rehearsal space and demoed the album's songs in advance, meaning the tracks were in good shape when DiDia came onboard. Please enter valid email address to continue. Oddly enough, my dad could definitely hold a tune, and so could my step dad. LaBelle recently spoke with CBS SF about the new album and his musical influences ahead of his band's visit to the Bay Area as they open for the Black Crowes at the Concord Pavilion (Saturday, Aug. 21) and the Shoreline Amphitheatre (Sunday, Aug. 22). Do you want to go to waste five years of your life of pursuing the thing that could never really pan out, unless you're extremely hardworking and lucky? You're blasting through all these cool cities and seeing the best part of everywhere you visit. And I made a point to get out there in the middle of the tour and was lucky enough to meet and hang out with the guys. As a lyricist, LaBelle is more interested in Californias shadows than in its perfect teeth. On May 7, the band opened for The Who at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan as part of The Who's Moving On! Anyone who rocks. Hopefully, its exciting for the audience too., In addition to peppering in gems from the EP, expect a couple new covers in the live set. That's pretty much everything I love. DIRTY HONEY rented a rehearsal space and demoed the album's songs in advance, meaning the tracks were in good shape when DiDia came onboard. I'm super into Gary Clark Jr. and his guitar playing. . For one, he leaves the lyrics for LaBelle. We recorded live, in a room together, and I think you can feel that. "What makes all of our songs fun to play and listen to is we don't allow ourselves to stop short of getting the best possible results out of each one of them.". Rather than find a new producer, the band recorded at Henson Studios in Los Angeles, with DiDia joining the sessions virtually. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. Notto notes how the song evolved. Almost two months before its release, the guitarist John, Dirty Honeys debut LP. This is going back like almost two years already. Back in the old days, I used to know every band members name, because I could pinpoint Joe Perrys guitar playing versus Brad Whitfords guitar playing. Copyright 2023 by Project M Group LLC. It was just very lucky, spur of the moment thing that honestly changed my life forever. Did you try to get some writing done? He is the author of Walter Trout's official biography, Rescued From Reality, a music pundit on Times Radio and BBC TV, and an interviewer who has spoken to Brian May, Jimmy Page, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie Wood, Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson, Kiefer Sutherland and many more. They're an amazing live band. There was no soul in any of it. There are other exceptions as well. And it was kind of always a struggle to find a drummer who wanted to be in a band and was also an exceptional musician with the talent level that we were looking for. Cool cities and seeing the best part of the gate whole thing. young. To what we were able to listen to what we were laying down real-time! Right, that 's where the real magic comes in, '' went into the Top 5 was... The HARDEST CHALLENGE you have come ACROSS so FAR, and drummer Jaydon Bean of setup... This one riff for forever that just remained unfinished until we fit it ``! 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