CAN'T FIND THE BRAKES:

Dirty Honey spent part of the summer of 2023 out on the road as the opening act for one of the biggest hard rock bands on the planet.

On that tour — which included a show at Rupp Arena — vocalist Marc LaBelle had a rather memorable conversation with Guns N' Roses' frontman Axl Rose.

"He told me, when he was 15 that he saved up all his money for six months to go see his favorite band at the time," LaBelle said. "Then, Styx went out and played an hour set — and that **er had never been so pissed off in his life. And he said, right then and there, that if he ever became famous and people paid to come see him, they will also get everything he has got."

LaBelle shared that story with a near-capacity crowd on Dec. 14 at the Mercury Ballroom in Louisville.

The band then delivered an extended encore, even taking a request from a fan.

"My road manager and lightning guy keep looking at me," LaBelle said. "But, we are going to play a few more."

Dirty Honey — LaBelle, John Notto (guitars), Justin Smolian (bass) and newcomer Jaydon Bean (drums) — has been delighting fans world-wide since they unexpectedly burst onto the music scene four years ago.

The California-based band released their second full-length album "Can't Find the Brakes," on Nov. 3.

At the Mercury Ballroom, Dirty Honey ripped through an 18-song set, which featured the group's biggest hits — "California Dreamin'," and "Rolling 7s," — along with new songs like "Won't Take Me Alive," and covers of the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman," and Aerosmith's "Last Child."

Dirty Honey has been determined from the beginning to create its own, unique path to success.

The band remains — by choice — unsigned.

And despite not having any backing from a major record label, the California quartet's debut single, "When I'm Gone," reached No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock and Hard Rock Charts in 2019 — the first-ever independent band to reach that milestone.

The band's self-titled debut album entered the Current Hard Rock Album Chart at No. 2 in 2021.

Since then, Dirty Honey has toured with the Black Crowes, KISS, Guns N' Roses and played at major summer festivals in North America — including Louder Than Life in Louisville and Welcome to Rockville in Daytona Beach. The band also headlined a UK/European tour earlier this year, which featured 30 sold out shows in 13 countries.

The band traveled to Australia this past April to work with producer Nick DiDia.

The 11 songs on "Can't Find the Brakes," showcase a variety of musical influences which combine to create a bluesy, dirty, old-school sound that's familiar (yes), yet still very, very original and fresh.

Hard-hitting tracks like "Dirty Mind," "Get a Little High," "Rebel Son," and "Can't Find the Brakes," are filled with funky, nasty grooves.

"She burns though the night like a neon sign. Her shadows don't like the chase. Got no need to apologize for a past she can't erase. Slow down, girl, you're too young to die. She says, 'I won't stop, don't even try,'" LaBelle sinfully sings on "Can't Find the Brakes."

The album has plenty of soulful, sentimental moments as well.

"Coming Home (Ballad of the Shire)," was written during the band's two-month trip to Australia.

"This song is very special to us," LaBelle told the crowd in Louisville last week.

"Places that seemed greener, but were never sweeter than home. And all of the fears I'd leave them behind for you," LaBelle sings on the acoustic anthem.

After returning to the stage at the Mercury Ballroom for the encore, Dirty Honey delivered another emotional — an impromptu — performance of "You Make It All Right."

"You guys like the ballads, huh?," LaBelle told the crowd. "Don't worry. We aren't going to turn into Bon Jovi."