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Posted in metal | music on January 8, 2013

An interview with Tim Sult of Clutch (and a new song debut)

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Tim of Clutch at Emo's East, December 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)
Clutch

One of my first ever live shows (not including arena jams with mom and pop) was seeing Clutch at the original 9:30 Club in DC. I remember it vividly, vocalist Neil Fallon strutted on stage and sang like he was reading from a bible, ripping out page by page and throwing it into the crowd. Along with the thundering groove-oriented instrumentation, that left quite an impression on my young mind (early teens at the time), as did Transnational Speedway League's mix of hardcore and stoner metal. The early days of Clutch, the always bountiful DC hardcore scene, and another little semi-local band from the area, The Obsessed, helped form my early tastes.

It's hard to believe that show was close to twenty years ago and that Clutch is approaching a quarter-century as a band. Older is wiser in my book though, and the Maryland stoner/hard rock crew are back with Earth Rocker, their tenth LP due on March 19 via their own Weathermaker Music imprint. The LP is definitely a departure from their last few efforts, which climbed further down the blues rabbit hole, and a return to the band that penned riff-y rockers like  the ones found on their self-titled, The Elephant Riders and Pure Rock Fury. We've got the premiere of the new album's title track which you can stream below.

With the band's new LP on deck and more than two decades behind him, I cornered Clutch guitarist Tim Sult to ask him a few questions about the release and their history. You can read that below.

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Interview...

One of the most impressive things about Clutch is your prolificacy, the ability to release records at the rate of every other year on average. What was the process behind Earth Rocker and why the (relatively) extended wait?

Basically, we had been compiling songs and song ideas since we finished Strange Cousins From The West. Anytime we have time off, we have a tendency to get together and work on new song ideas. In the time between studio albums, we were busy touring and didn't have a lot of time to get serious about the recording process. We did however, go into the studio with J. Robbins and record several acoustic songs, a few of which were released on the Blast Tyrant reissue.

The recording process of Earth Rocker went very smooth. We got into a room with the producer, machine, laid out all the ideas, tweaked the arrangements a bit, tried out a few more completely new ideas and next thing we knew we had 14 songs ready to go, 11 of which appear on the album.

2013 is the 20 year anniversary of Transnational Speedway... and marks the release of your 10th LP overall. 2015 will mark a quarter century as a band, a definitely impressive feat especially considering that the personnel has remained more or less intact since the very early days. To what do you attribute your longevity as a unit?

To me, Clutch has seemed to be a constantly growing entity with new people always discovering the band. The fact that I know that new people are discovering our music for the first time and the fact that old fans still come out to the shows keeps me inspired. Our shows have gotten very, very slowly bigger and better so that helps to add to the longevity.

Clutch

With this milestone coming up, are there any plans to, much like the trend is nowadays, revisit an album in its entirety? What are your thoughts on that trend?

We played our 2nd album in its entirety a few times but I think that's as far as its going to go. I have no problems with other bands doing that at all but honestly I can't imagine us ever attempting that again. I think the only album that we could really play the whole thing and have fun doing it would be Earth Rocker.

Looking back on your inception, how much did the work of Wino and the Maryland Doom scene affect you vs the booming DC hardcore scene?

I moved to Maryland when I was 14 and discovered hardcore at 16 or 17 which I loved. I didn't know who Wino was until I was a little older. I would say the MD doom scene, and wino's music in particular didn't creep into the fabric of clutch music until the mid-late 90's.

Clutch at Emo's East
Clutch

Clearly blues and jazz are an influence, as exhibited by Clutch's music and the songwriting on Bakerton Group releases, but how much of a role does 70s hard rock and doom play into your current songwriting? What moves you currently?

Of course we love 70's hard rock and doom, but we aren't and never were trying to be a retro band. Looking back on the song writing process of Earth Rocker, I've discovered the song writing was primarily influenced by our time touring with Motörhead and Thin Lizzy -- obviously 70's bands I know, but I think we managed to come up with an album that sounds like a 2013 release and not something that belongs in the past.

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Tags: Clutch, DC Hardcore, doom metal, interviews, stoner rock
posted at 1:45 PM on January 8, 2013 in metal | music | Comments (34)

Comments (34)

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Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 1:54 PM

Hey Fred... "the ones found on their self-titled debut" - self-titled debut? That's news to me, or hopefully a typo?

Posted by long time fan | January 8, 2013 2:08 PM

It is! Ha. Clearly the self-titled came AFTER the debut.


F

Posted by Fred Pessaro | January 8, 2013 2:09 PM

Thank you - quick panic over with!

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 2:32 PM

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/metal/clutch2013.jpg

^ Hmmmmmm.... wonder which one delivers pizzas and which one services the Saint Vitus glory hole?


Nah, just kidding. They all do, amirite?!?


LЦLZ

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 2:43 PM

Clutch was also one of my first shows in my early teens and they are still incredible. I met and talked to Tim and his mother at a show in Cleveland once and they were beyond nice and generous.

Posted by JT | January 8, 2013 3:11 PM

2:43: go back to Tulsa retard.

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 3:15 PM

^ LЦLZ

@3:11 yeah, once you go glory hole you never go back, amirite?

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 3:18 PM

i went back
twice

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 3:41 PM

Took my fiancee to see you in SD on Valentines day. She really enjoyed the show as did I ! Thanks guys.

Posted by Chris Hofstadter | January 8, 2013 5:26 PM

^ LЦLZ@ "fiancee", amirite?


Do they allow "that" where you live?

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 5:34 PM

A much as it pains me to say this...this songs fuckin' sucks. The "bluahahahahaha" part is retarded and ruins the rest of the song.

Posted by meh | January 8, 2013 6:34 PM

.........................................................................__________
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ./ It's a TAINT! \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _,,,--~~~~~~~~--,_ . . . . . \ ___________/
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,-‘ : : : :::: :::: :: : : : : :º ‘-, . . . .\/. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .,-‘ :: : : :::: :::: :::: :::: : : :o : ‘-, . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . ,-‘ :: ::: :: : : :: :::: :::: :: : : : : :O ‘-, . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .,-‘ : :: :: :: :: :: : : : : : , : : :º :::: :::: ::’; . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .,-‘ / / : :: :: :: :: : : :::: :: ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;\ . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . /,-‘,’ :: : : : : : : : : :: :: :: : ‘-, ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;;| . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . /,’,-‘ :: :: :: :: :: :: :: : ::_,-~~,_’-, ;; ;; ;; ;; | . . . . . . .
. . . . . _/ :,’ :/ :: :: :: : : :: :: _,-‘/ : ,-‘;’-‘’’’’~-, ;; ;; ;;,’ . . . . . . . .
. . . ,-‘ / : : : : : : ,-‘’’ : : :,--‘’ :|| /,-‘-‘--‘’’__,’’’ \ ;; ;,-‘ . . . . . . . .
. . . \ :/,, : : : _,-‘ --,,_ : : \ :\ ||/ /,-‘-‘x### ::\ \ ;;/ . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . \/ /---‘’’’ : \ #\ : :\ : : \ :\ \| | : (O##º : :/ /-‘’ . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . /,’____ : :\ ‘-#\ : \, : :\ :\ \ \ : ‘-,___,-‘,-`-,, . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . ‘ ) : : : :’’’’--,,--,,,,,,¯ \ \ :: ::--,,_’’-,,’’’¯ :’- :’-, . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .) : : : : : : ,, : ‘’’’~~~~’ \ :: :: :: :’’’’’¯ :: ,-‘ :,/\ . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .\,/ /|\\| | :/ / : : : : : : : ,’-, :: :: :: :: ::,--‘’ :,-‘ \ \ . . . . . . . .
. . . . .\\’|\\ \|/ ‘/ / :: :_--,, : , | )’; :: :: :: :,-‘’ : ,-‘ : : :\ \, . . . . . . .
. . . ./¯ :| \ |\ : |/\ :: ::----, :\/ :|/ :: :: ,-‘’ : :,-‘ : : : : : : ‘’-,,_ . . . .
. . ..| : : :/ ‘’-(, :: :: :: ‘’’’’~,,,,,’’ :: ,-‘’ : :,-‘ : : : : : : : : :,-‘’’\\ . . . .
. ,-‘ : : : | : : ‘’) : : :¯’’’’~-,: : ,--‘’’ : :,-‘’ : : : : : : : : : ,-‘ :¯’’’’’-,_ .
./ : : : : :’-, :: | :: :: :: _,,-‘’’’¯ : ,--‘’ : : : : : : : : : : : / : : : : : : :’’-,
/ : : : : : -, :¯’’’’’’’’’’’¯ : : _,,-~’’ : : : : : : : : : : : : : :| : : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : : :¯’’~~~~~~’’’ : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | : : : : : : : : :

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 7:42 PM

This band does it right...no BS hype just good music and a solid live show EVERYTIME.

Long live CLUTCH!

Posted by Anonymous | January 8, 2013 8:15 PM

is that admiral ackbar??

Posted by Anonymous | January 9, 2013 12:10 AM

The bwahahaha's didn't bother me but they did remind me of Dust Devil by the Butthole Surfers.

Posted by Jorge | January 9, 2013 12:40 AM

Yikes, I can't believe this band is still around...and with the same dudes. I saw them play on some really bad hardcore bills in 1991/92 back when they sounded like Helmet in a major fucking way. Who listens to Clutch records in 2013??

IMPETUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Posted by Capitol_Beltway | January 9, 2013 1:54 AM

Thanks guys.

Posted by Minsk Шины | January 9, 2013 8:37 AM

this guy plays the same guitar solo in every fucking song. someone should hide his wahwah pedal.

Posted by Anonymous | January 9, 2013 10:31 AM

these dudes should get a sausage pension.

Posted by Anonymous | January 9, 2013 10:39 AM

Keep it up Clutch. Been listening to you guys since '93, and will continue listening until you're done.

You guys writing all the negative comments, life will get better for you. Just get some help...medication...whatever. I know you can do it.

Posted by Anonymous | January 9, 2013 2:22 PM

Every new album is better and better. Clutch has been my favorite band since 1994 and they never fail to prove it. At all 22 live shows I've been to, they are so insanely good, I can't wait til they come around Pittsburgh again.

Posted by Jake Fleischer | January 9, 2013 3:30 PM

I have seen Clutch live 25 times. They are the greatest band on the planet. Neil preaches it while Tim rips it apart, Beastman style. Jean Paul is a powerhouse while Dan is the mad Scientist. However, I would pay good money just to see them do Gnome Enthusiast live, while Neil does the Carlton...

Posted by Travis Wells | January 9, 2013 4:25 PM

"Yikes, I can't believe this band is still around...and with the same dudes. I saw them play on some really bad hardcore bills in 1991/92 back when they sounded like Helmet in a major fucking way. Who listens to Clutch records in 2013??"

I think I'm with ya. Transnational Speedway league was and will always be my favorite from them. They sounded like they were on speed when they wrote that. Just this "WTF did these guys come from" adrenaline-fueled ROCK.

They've sounded like a 1.5-rate 12-bar blues rock band for over a decade now.

Posted by Anonymous | January 9, 2013 4:50 PM

SAUSAGE LЦLZ@ "Beastman style", amirite?


Sausages are fans of the most homoerotic cartoon ever produced?


What a shocker, amirite?!?

Posted by Anonymous | January 9, 2013 5:48 PM

Love these dudes. Always a good time.

Posted by B-I-N-G-O!!!!!! | January 10, 2013 10:47 AM

5:48 + Mandingo <3 4 ehvah

Posted by Anonymous | January 10, 2013 5:06 PM

A real Rock n Roll band that keeps it real. No special b.s. or fancy stage crap. Dig this band, always have. I cant wait to see them again.

Posted by Jason | January 12, 2013 7:01 PM

saw them play Binge and Purge once, and they couldn't finish due to the amount of fistfights that were breaking out. I really wish they would put out another slow crushing album like they used to do. New track sounds fun tho.

Posted by Anonymous | January 13, 2013 3:28 AM

it's only music people. You can turn it off or on with the push of a button! wow!

Posted by Anonymous | January 16, 2013 11:24 AM

I know clutch since the first album
Yesterday I saw it in Germany
and they still rock like hell
to all the negative comments:
Who does not like it, it must not even listen

Posted by Anonymous | January 27, 2013 2:22 PM

The first concert I ever went to was Clutch. Now I'm going in April! Amazing musicians, great show, wicked songs! I'm a drummer and Jean Paul is a major influence of mine. Love the new track, definitely rockin! Keep on rockin Earth and the universe dudes!

Posted by McBeatz | February 21, 2013 5:11 PM

see you at Being Pure at Heart, Oberhofer, and Barons in the Attic!!!!

Posted by two way radios | March 8, 2013 12:54 AM

prefectttttttttttttttttttttt

Posted by mega fm | March 12, 2013 1:42 PM

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