"Ever since I was young, I wanted to be stuck in hot, sweaty, smelly, overpriced, under-air-conditioned clubs with no ventilation,†says bassist/lead singer Rich Hoss when you ask him how Noble Rot got started, “We're taught from an early age in America to follow our dreams.†And so Noble Rot did, once they settled on their current lineup in January 2006. They sealed the deal with a killer show in Rich’s basement—a hot spot of sorts for underground rock shows. Since then, Hoss, along with guitarists Rodrigo Van Stoli and Adi Luv and drummer Wes Narron, have played countless such clubs while hard at work on their self-titled debut album.
Members of Noble Rot work collaboratively on and off stage; sharing writing duties and influences as well as beer (though it’s rumored that Adi Luv handles the ladies solo). They capture the pure rock of Motorhead, the sleaze of the Hellacopters, and the punk snark of the Dwarves without really sounding like any of them. It’s rock n’ roll magic, which is obvious as soon as The Hoss opens his mouth and spits out a string of guttural, whiskey-soaked lyrics. Cleary these men have a deal with the devil.
The name Noble Rot comes from drummer Wes’s vineyard experience. It refers to a kind of parasitic bacteria that makes grapes super-sweet—serendipitously resulting in an exotic dessert wine. And what could be a better name for an infectious blend of rock that leaves your headed pounding like a hangover? As Hoss says, “In the end, you make the name, the name doesn’t make youâ€. If this is true, within a few years drinkers will be wondering why the hell someone named a type of wine after a rock band from Boston. Get into them NOW before it’s impossible to get your hands on them.
-Nicole Berard
