www.facebook.com/NobleHopsmusic
From: Pennsylvania
Sounds like: American Rock/Alt-Country
All questions answered by Utah.
1. What's new with Noble Hops?
2025 was a very busy year for the band. We dropped 3 new songs, spent more time in the studio, were nominated for two Josie Music Awards, got a nomination for Song Of The Year through X-Posing Music, did over 44 shows from mid-Ohio to mid-Pennsylvania, as well as a half dozen or so in the Erie area, lots of interviews and articles, and worked on new material.
2. What's the word with new music?
We are getting ready to drop our next single "Music Man", and also are looking to drop a live acoustic EP that was recorded for a live performance on Americana Highways. We have two other songs still in the can and we'll be recording another 3 to 4 this year.
3. How does the writing process go with the band?
Currently we are working on songs that I have written, but we've been doing some jamming together and our hope is to come up with material as a group through this process. Nonetheless though, even though I've been writing the songs so far, the parts and musicianship that the others in the band, Tony Villella, Johnny "Sleeves" Costa, and "THE" Brad Hurlburt, bring to the songs is what fills them out and completes them. Makes them more than I ever envisioned when I wrote them.
4. What have you been listening to lately?
My listening is about 90% local music. I co-host my own radio show on The Rock Station 97.7 (WLER - Butler PA) along with "The Rock Doctor" Bob Cup that spotlights Western PA local original music, so I'm very tied to it. Of late this has included bands like Wine & Spirit, who are probably my favorite local band, Dinnerbell Road, who put out my favorite album last year, The Redlines, WoJo, Post Traumatik, Yigga Digga, Gary Burk, Little Luna, Tom Kurlander, Ben Valasek, Sourmash, Homicide Black, A Common Crown just to name a few. There are so many. I've also been revisiting some 80'e era albums from America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band, Cheap Trick. They dropped a new album as well this year which is pretty damn good.
5. Do you have any pre-show rituals before performing?
Not really, other than just joking around with each other and trying to stay loose. Sometimes there might be a shot of Patron involved.
6. What's one thing you'd change about the local music scene?
I always want to see more bands working together. The more we do together and try to help each other, the stronger the local music scene is.
7. What's your favorite show that you've played and why?
I like all of our shows. Especially the ones where nobody knows who we are and by the end of our set, people are wanting to know who we are. We love being able to go to new places and do our thing, meet new people, and have that impact.
8. Any plans for any music videos?
Yes! I'm working to release one for our Josie Nominated Song of the Year "Kelso Beach". We have the script for a couple more that I hope we can pull off this year. Plus we have the live video from our Americana Highways performance.
9. What do you wish to accomplish for the rest of the year?
Grow our base is probably the biggest thing. We are doing that pretty good in the online world, but we want to go different places where we are something new and play. We want to hit a stage and win people over. We are looking to travel, share shows, open up for your band, play your festival. Other than that, the items I've mentioned previously are all on our docket for 2026.
