Describe a rock band.
“Ideally they trash hotel rooms, there’s a level of rebellion to them,” says a man named Cassin at 1418 Coffeehouse in Downtown Plano.
Cassin is sitting at the last seat on the left at the end of their coffee bar, sipping black coffee out of a white mug. He seems puzzled by a question that should yield such an obvious caricature, but he continues.
“Black t-shirts,” he says. “And you got the ripped jeans and long hair.”
Most of the time, Cassin is right. But today, he couldn’t be more wrong. He’s sitting just a few feet away from Bennet Autrey and Andrew Honescko, the core members of Honey I’m Home, a bonafide rock band that fits none of these descriptions.
The duo ditched the supposed rock band uniform in favor of wrinkle-free button-ups with thrifted hats and neat shoes. At time of publication, they have no known incidents at hotel rooms, and the only rebellion they show is their mutual obsession with trying to make the other laugh during the interview. It’s their first one as a band after all, for their hometown Plano Magazine.
For all the rockstar confessionals about a lifestyle of partying and general promiscuity, these two don’t even drink, and they can’t shut up about their wives.
“My wife, Matilda, the best thing that ever happened to me in so many different ways,” Autrey says. “If not for her, I wouldn’t have a job and I wouldn’t have my friends today.”
It’s true. The 25-year-old has been working at 1418 since May, after his wife introduced him to store manager Nolan Gertwing and suggested him for an open position. These days, he splits time between 1418 and Dutch Bros to support Matilda and their 9-month-old daughter, Florence. The couple has been married since 2019 and met Honescko together at church.
Honescko was only 17 when he met his wife, Hayley, in 2019. Now 22, he starts his days at 4 a.m. making fresh bagels at Legacy Bagels in Prosper. When his shift ends, he heads to Dallas Baptist University to work towards a degree in music engineering.
That doesn’t leave a lot of time for music, especially time to write and rehearse together. But they make it work.
It wasn’t always this hard. The band originated in 2020 with Autrey trading vocal duties with former frontman Zeke Stortz, and Honescko backing guitar. They were younger then, with a pandemic keeping them home and no babies keeping them occupied. The core trio churned out the 5-song EP, Halfway Happy, featuring songs that Autrey and Stortz had written as teenagers.
“I’ve been making music since I was about 13,” Autrey says. “But I never really liked singing in front of anybody. I didn’t like people looking at me whenever I made music. I just kind of had to get those songs out.”
Years before he met Matilda, he penned the swelling ballad “I Wrote A Letter For You,” a letter to his future wife — whoever she might’ve been.
I’m a little sad not knowing you, but that’s not the point
I’m trying to get out to you, all I’m saying is that I already love you.
All I wish is for your miracle to come, but for now I’ll just ignore that you exist.
“Ben is an incredible songwriter,” Honescko says. “The first thing I said when I heard you guys were pregnant was that I can’t wait to hear the songs you write about her.”
“I tried to write songs about Florence,” Autrey replies. “But it’s hard whenever she’s so perfect and there’s nothing wrong with her.”
Autrey doesn’t hesitate to praise Honescko.
“Drew is the most talented guitarist I know,” he says. “He’s why I really wanted to keep making music in the first place.”
When they’re able to all get together and play, the core duo enlists the support of two fellow 1418 employees, drummer Matthew Lang and bassist Jonathan Collins.
Working full time as a baker and a student while also making time for Hayley, time is sparse for Honescko to refine his music. When he’s able to record music or perform live, having her around is top priority.
“My wife is very supportive and patient,” he says. “It means a lot to me whenever she’s there. It’s really rewarding for me and sacrificial for her.”
“Tilda also has made some sacrifices,” Autrey says. “Anytime I want to do something creative, she’ll be very understanding.”
Autrey even credits her for coming up with the name Honey I’m Home, perhaps a premonition about the essence of the band altogether. For as much as Autrey and Honescko create together, it’s the responsibility they share for their wives that keeps them moving.
After a recent music video shoot that ran late, Autrey returned home to a sleeping Florence. Regretful, he went to Matilda to explain.
“I totally did not need to go do that, but she understood that was a commitment I wanted to make because I want to create,” he says. “We got some cool wives.”
