Young 'N' Hungry Dirty Honey

Dirty Honey guitarist John Notto explains why this riff-fueled Los Angeles four-piece is ready for literally anything — including the big, big, big time

- By Joe Bosso

DIRTY HONEY GUITARIST

John Notto doesn’t have much use for modesty. “There was no doubt I was going to succeed as a guitarist, and I knew this band would go over,” he says. “I know that sounds bold, but for me, failure just wasn’t an option.”

Thus far, Notto has stats to back up his claims: Back in 2019, the Los Angeles-based quartet released their self-titled debut EP and became the first unsigned band to top Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart with their riff-o-rama knockout single, “When I’m Gone.” Soon after, they hit Number 3 on the same chart with the swaggering follow-up, “Rolling 7s.” Packing a sound that neatly blended the most exuberant elements of Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and AC/DC, the band quickly found their services in high demand and were opening shows for the likes of the Who, Guns N’ Roses, Slash and Alter Bridge.