Who: Guitar-roaring crew of Atlanta rock zealots founded in2001 by singer/guitarist Adrian Barrera and drummer Todd Galpin,who met at the University of Florida in the late ’90s. Whentheir favorite Gainesville rock dive became a sports bar, the duosaid, “Fuck it, we’ll move.”
Sound like: The Hiss’ debut album, Panic Movement,is melodic, beer-soaked rock’n’roll that assimilates the blue-collarelements of the Rolling Stones, the Who, Oasis, and Teenage Fanclub.Tunes like “Riverbed” and “Clever Kicks” roil with distorted riffs andapocalyptic angst.
No Average Joe: Bassist Johnny Kral was once a New York City-based model (check him out at newyorkmodels.com/NYMen/ JohnnyK/johnny_a.htm).”We rescued him from a life of partying around the world with beautifulwomen,” says Barrera. “In exchange, we offered him the chance to partyaround the world with three filthy guys. I don’t know what he wasthinking.”
Rock School 101: The band got a stiff lesson in rocknotoriety supporting Oasis on a tour through Germany (makeup dates forshows the Gallaghers had to cancel after Liam got his teeth knocked inby a bunch of thugs). “There was this weird tension in the air andmilitary police at every gig,” Barrera recalls. “The fans were rabid[to see Oasis]; they broke the barricade before the show and broke thebarricade again when the band came on!”
