Bands to Watch: The Hiss

Who: Guitar-roaring crew of Atlanta rock zealots founded in 2001 by singer/guitarist Adrian Barrera and drummer Todd Galpin, who met at the University of Florida in the late ’90s. When their favorite Gainesville rock dive became a sports bar, the duo said, “Fuck it, we’ll move.”

 

Sound like: The Hiss' debut album, Panic Movement, is melodic, beer-soaked rock'n'roll that assimilates the blue-collar elements of the Rolling Stones, the Who, Oasis, and Teenage Fanclub. Tunes like "Riverbed" and "Clever Kicks" roil with distorted riffs and apocalyptic 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 beautiful women," says Barrera. "In exchange, we offered him the chance to party around the world with three filthy guys. I don't know what he was thinking."

Rock School 101: The band got a stiff lesson in rock notoriety supporting Oasis on a tour through Germany (makeup dates for shows the Gallaghers had to cancel after Liam got his teeth knocked in by a bunch of thugs). "There was this weird tension in the air and military police at every gig," Barrera recalls. "The fans were rabid [to see Oasis]; they broke the barricade before the show and broke the barricade again when the band came on!"