DIRTY HONEY's MARC LABELLE: THE BLACK CROWES' CHRIS ROBINSON 'Gave Us The Confidence To Feel Like We Were Ready To Make A Record'

In a new interview with "Carr Stereo With Terrie Carr", the music interview show and podcast hosted by veteran radio personality Terrie Carr, DIRTY HONEY singer Marc LaBelle spoke about the band's upcoming third full-length album, "Catch My Butterfly", which will arrive on January 15, 2027, including the album's first two singles, "Lights Out" and "Butterfly". Asked what he and his bandmates wanted to "accomplish with album number three as opposed to the other two", Marc said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, there was certainly a conscious effort to grow in every way — songwriting, in the studio, what sort of instrumentation we were using in the studio. And I think a lot of that came with the choice in our producer. We were kicking around ideas with a lot of people, and ultimately we had met Feldy [John Feldmann] along the way, and it was just, like, 'Well, this one guy is clearly a different flavor than everything else, and these other options are probably the more comfortable path. And this one's scary and different, and the way he produces records is different.'"

He continued: "We had a conversation before we really dove into doing the whole record with [Feldy]. 'Cause we had tracked 'Butterfly' with him, and we just did a demo of it at his studio, and there was a little bit of, like, 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' sort of thing happening. And so I showed him 'Butterfly', and then he took it and produced it and sent it back to us, and we were, like, 'Whoa. This is amazing.' And especially what he did with the vocals, the arrangement of the vocals and the harmonies and stuff. So imagine like hearing that and you're just, like, 'This is- head and shoulders above everything else.' So, [John] Notto, the [DIRTY HONEY] guitar player, was, like, 'I really just think that guy gets something special out of you,' [meaning] me. And so I called Feldy and I was, like, 'Would you be interested in doing the record? I think there's a really beautiful potential to make something great, if you take what you do best and we do what we do best,' which is being a live rock and roll band, and we bring these things to the middle, and we target that space between the circles that connect, the Venn diagrams. That's the sweet spot. And he was, like, 'I'm totally down. I'm not precious about anything in the studio. I can throw you some suggestions, but let's go in there and let's experiment and let's do it.' And it was that easy. And we spent so much time with him over the last six months, on and off, from January to May or June, and came out with a really bitchin' 14-song album."

LaBelle, who previously said that opening for THE BLACK CROWES on their 2021 "Shake Your Money Maker Tour" was like a "dream", went on to say that THE BLACK CROWES frontman Chris Robinson was instrumental in giving DIRTY HONEY the motivation to return to the studio to make the follow-up to 2023's "Can't Find The Brakes" album.

"One of the most magical parts of this whole record was, Chris and I, THE BLACK CROWES and I, share management," Marc said. "And Chris has always been super supportive and sweet, and he was just, like, 'Hey, if you need any help...' I saw him a couple of times, and he was serious, but he was, like, 'If you wanna talk about stuff, talk about songs, if you guys are getting ready to write a record, just come over sometime and we'll sit down.' He literally sat down with Notto and I for, like, three hours, and we went through every single demo that we had in our Dropbox — probably 35 songs or something. And then he was literally singing 'Butterfly' to my face. He was, like, 'The song's amazing.' He was one of the first ones to be, like, 'The song is so incredible. That is for sure a single.' And I started tearing up right at this guy's kitchen table, seeing him sing one of my songs back to me."

Marc continued: "[Chris has] always kind of treated me like an older brother would treat a much younger brother. Like, 'Okay, you think you're hot shit or whatever. You're not. But I love you. Don't ever forget that.' And he really gave us the confidence to feel like we were ready to make a record when some of the people we were talking to, they were just, like, 'I'm not sure. I don't know.' But he can see potential in things and ideas. And then when he starts singing on them, I was, like, 'Damn. Do you wanna duet on this song? Please, I'm all for it.'"

DIRTY HONEY broke on to the scene with their breakout single "When I'm Gone", which made rock history by becoming the first song by an unsigned artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Since emerging in 2019, the trio have established themselves as one of the standout rock bands of their generation through their powerful songwriting, high-energy live performances, and unmistakable sound. The band released their self-titled debut album, "Dirty Honey", in 2021, followed by "Can't Find The Brakes" in 2023. The latter debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart, further cementing the band's commercial success. Along the way, DIRTY HONEY have toured extensively with legendary artists including GUNS N' ROSES and THE BLACK CROWES, while also selling out successive headline tours of their own.

Their success has been matched by widespread critical acclaim. Publications including Loudwire, Classic Rock magazine, Spill magazine and Rolling Stone have praised the band's ability to channel the spirit of classic rock while bringing something fresh to the genre. Rolling Stone notably described DIRTY HONEY as a band that "harken back to the days of the rock gods but add a modern twist."

"Catch My Butterfly" track listing:

01. Lights Out
02. If It's Over
03. Numb
04. Wanderlust
05. Good For You
06. Butterfly
07. Good Times Gone
08. American Lies
09. Poison
10. Sweeter
11. No Way Out
12. New Blood
13. Lullaby
14. I Should've Known

DIRTY HONEY never play it safe. Rather than ever get comfortable, the Los Angeles trio — Marc LaBelle (lead vocals),John Notto (guitar) and Justin Smolian (bass) — adrenalize rock 'n' roll by breaking all of the rules, defying expectations, and forever going against the grain. Instead of re-tracing a pre-paved path, the group zig, zag, and blaze a trail of their own. Back in 2019, DIRTY HONEY rolled right into the fast lane at high speed. The group claimed a place in rock history with their breakout smash "When I'm Gone", which took flight as "the first song by an unsigned artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart." Years later, a recharged version of "When I'm Gone" appeared in 2025's record-breaking blockbuster "A Minecraft Movie". In between, they unleashed "Dirty Honey" (2021) and "Can't Find The Brakes" (2023),which bowed at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart. The boys notably hit the road with everyone from GUNS N' ROSES to THE BLACK CROWES in addition to selling out successive headline tours. Beyond praise from Loudwire, Classic Rock, Spill and more, Rolling Stone marveled at how the band "harken back to the days of the rock gods but add a modern twist." The sold-out headline tours, No. 1 radio impact, widespread critical acclaim, and streaming success have merely lit the fuse for them to explode on their third full-length LP, "Catch My Butterfly".

Photo credit: Ross Halfin