Dirty Honey took time to come on the pod before their show in Memphis, Tn at Minglewood Hall.
Dirty Honey is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2017. The group was founded by guitarist John Notto and vocalist Marc LaBelle, who met while Notto was performing with LaBelle’s previous band, Ground Zero. They recruited bassist Justin Smolian from the same group and later added drummer Corey Coverstone, initially naming the band The Shags before settling on Dirty Honey—inspired by Robert Plant’s mention of The Honeydrippers in an interview. The name evoked a gritty, rock-and-roll vibe for the members. Coverstone left in 2023 due to his aversion to heavy touring and was replaced by Jaydon Bean.
The band’s current lineup consists of Marc LaBelle on lead vocals, John Notto on guitar, Justin Smolian on bass, and Jaydon Bean on drums.
Dirty Honey gained early attention with their self-released 2019 EP, also titled Dirty Honey, featuring the single “When I’m Gone,” which became the first song by an unsigned band to top Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart. They followed up with their self-titled debut studio album in 2021, which included tracks like “California Dreamin’” (a cover peaking at #12 on the same chart) and “The Wire.” Their second album, Can’t Find the Brakes, arrived in 2023, spawning singles such as “Won’t Take Me Alive” (#7 on Mainstream Rock) and “Don’t Put Out the Fire” (#18). In 2025, they released the live album Mayhem and Revelry. Other notable releases include covers of Aerosmith’s “Last Child” and Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,” the latter performed at the 2022 NHL Winter Classic.
The band has built a reputation for high-energy rock drawing from classic influences like Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith, while touring extensively. They’ve opened for major acts including Slash, The Who, Guns N’ Roses, Kiss, The Black Crowes, and Rival Sons, and co-headlined the 2022 Young Guns Tour with Mammoth WVH.
