Clutch (band)
Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, Maryland.[7] Since its formation in 1991, the band lineup has included Tim Sult (lead guitar), Dan Maines (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), and Neil Fallon (vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards).[8] To date, Clutch has released thirteen studio albums, and several rarities and live albums. Since 2008, the band has been signed to their own record label, Weathermaker Music.[1]
For other uses, see Clutch (disambiguation).
Clutch
Germantown, Maryland, U.S.
1991–present
Tim Sult
Dan Maines
Jean-Paul Gaster
Neil Fallon
Mick Schauer
Roger Smalls
History[edit]
Early years and breakthrough: 1991–2003[edit]
Clutch was formed in 1991[9] by bassist Dan Maines, drummer Jean-Paul Gaster, lead guitarist Tim Sult, and lead vocalist Roger Smalls (vocals)[8] in Germantown, Maryland. Before settling on the name Clutch, the band used the early names Glut Trip and Moral Minority. Smalls soon departed and was replaced by Neil Fallon,[8] a longtime schoolmate of the other members at Seneca Valley High School. The band's name was chosen due to the band's interest in cars at the time, and it being a one-syllable name like many bands at the time, including Prong, who the band was fans of.[10]
The band quickly gained notice through constant touring. The 12" single Passive Restraints on the Earache label was Clutch's first commercial release, garnering attention from other labels.[8] Their debut LP, Transnational Speedway League, was released through EastWest Records in 1993.[8] It was followed by a self-titled album in May 1995 that gained Clutch mainstream exposure.[8] However, shortly after its release, the band's A&R rep was fired from EastWest, resulting in all of the rep's acts, including Clutch, being dropped.[11] The band moved to the larger Columbia label for the 1998 album The Elephant Riders.[1] They followed it in 1999 with a self-released groove-based album Jam Room.
The album Pure Rock Fury was released by Atlantic Records in 2001. The title track was initially released as the first single. The program director for North Carolina rock station WXQR (Rock 105), Brian Rickman, suggested that the label switch singles to another track from the album, "Careful with That Mic". Atlantic did so, and Clutch achieved a surprise hit single. The follow-up tracks, "Immortal" and "Open Up the Border", were also well received by American rock stations. In 2003 they issued Live at the Googolplex and the rarities record Slow Hole to China.
Other projects[edit]
In the late 1990s, Clutch and its sibling project The Bakerton Group (an instrumental jam band composed of all four Clutch members) formed an independent record label, River Road Records, to release their own music. River Road does not sign any other artists. The Bakerton Group has released one three-track EP titled Space Guitars and two full-length albums titled The Bakerton Group and El Rojo respectively. Clutch/Bakerton Group now runs its own independent record label for its own releases, Weathermaker Music.[26]
The Company Band was started in 2007 by Neil Fallon (from Clutch), James A. Rota (from Fireball Ministry), Brad Davis (from Fu Manchu), Jess Margera (from CKY) and Dave Bone. Initially the bass was played by Jason Diamond (from Puny Human).
Dunsmuir is a project featuring Neil Fallon, Dave Bone, Brad Davis and Vinny Appice. They released their self-titled debut album in 2016.
Tim Sult
Dan Maines
Jean-Paul Gaster
Neil Fallon
Current members
Former members
Studio albums