POPPING THE CLUTCH A n
I n t e r v i e w
by Ja me s Way la nd
w i t h
N e i l
Fa l l o n
I m a ge by B r andon Pec k
Clutch has been one of the most unique bands to grace the heavy scene s i n c e t h e i r i n c e p t i o n n e a r l y t w e n t y y e a r s a g o. T h e y h a v e c o n t i n u e d t o evolve as their output has baffled critics and studio execs looking to label their original sound. During that time, they’ ve given us an assor tment of ter rific albums and songs, including the treasure chest that is Elephant Rider s, the iconic stoner jam “Spacegrass”, and their most recent offeri n g , Fr o m B e a l e S t r e e t t o O b l i v i o n . T h i s n e w e s t r e c o r d i n g h a s r e c e i v e d r ave reviews, and some publications, such as Metal Hammer, have gone so far as to call it “the best album the group has ever produced.” On March 21, Clutch will bring their rollicking brand of sonic aggression to T he National. T hose of you who have seen the band live will undoubte d l y b e o n h a n d i f a t a l l p o s s i b l e , b u t i f y o u h a v e n’ t s e e n t h i s u n r u l y jugger naut at wor k, you should make sur e you scor e a ticket. T his show promises to be a vibrant celebration of beloved hits and per sonal favori t e s t h a t e v e r y o n e w i l l b e t a l k i n g a b o u t a f t e r w a r d . R e c e n t l y, I s a t d o w n w i t h l e a d s i n g e r N e i l Fa l l o n t o t a l k a b o u t h o w t h e b a n d p r e p a r e s f o r s u c h a gig, and we also discussed the band’s body of wor k, their cr eative process, and their relationship with the guys from Jackass and their future plans. Read on for a peek inside the inner wor kings of one of moder n rock’s most powerful acts, cour tesy of one of metal’s most ver satile vocalists.
J a m e s Wa y l a n d : F i r s t o f f, N e i l , o n t h e b e h a l f o f R VA M a g a z i n e , I ’ d l i k e t o t h a n k y o u f o r t a k i n g t i m e o u t o f y o u r s c h e d u l e t o t a l k t o m e t o d a y. O b viously we’ ll be talking a lot about Clutch and the music you make, but b e f o r e w e g e t i n t o t h a t , l e t ’ s s t e p o u t s i d e t h e b ox f o r a m o m e n t . M a y b e you’d like to talk about what you’ r e doing when you’ r e not making music. N e i l Fa l l o n : We l l , t h a t ’ s p r e t t y r a r e . Yo u k n o w, u s u a l l y, I k i n d o f s i t a r o u n d at home. Like right now I’m at home for a few weeks, I got a few weeks l e f t . I ’ m a l w a y s w o r k i n g o n m u s i c i n o n e f o r m o r a n o t h e r. O t h e r t h a n t h a t , I k i n d o f e n j o y j u s t b e i n g a h o m e b o d y, j u s t k i n d o f s t u d y i n g t h e d o m e s t i c sciences as it were. J W: S o I a s s u m e i t w o u l d b e f a i r t o s a y t h a t t h e w o r k i s t h e p l a y f o r N e i l Fa l l o n . N F : Ye a h , I g u e s s I ’ m i n a l u c k y p l a c e . I m e a n , I d o n’ t m i n d . A c t u a l l y i t ’ s n o t t h a t I d o n’ t m i n d , i t ’ s j u s t t h a t e v e n w h e n I ’ m n o t o n t o u r, I l o o k forward to going down to the basement and writing music. Even if it ends up in the garbage the next day – it’s not like it’s digging ditches, you know? J W: R i g h t . A s i d e f r o m t h e m u s i c y o u ’ r e m a k i n g , w h a t a r e y o u l i s t e n i n g t o these days? N F : We l l , l e t ’ s s e e . I ’ v e b e e n l i s t e n i n g t o s o m e J o h n Fa h e y. A f r i e n d o f m i n e t u r n e d m e o n t o a b a n d c a l l e d T h e E l v e s S h e l v e s Fa i r. T h e y ’ r e k i n d of associated with the Deltones and Sugar man Three, kind of instr ument a l R & B . I ’ v e b e e n l i s t e n i n g t o a h i p - h o p a r t i s t c a l l e d M r. L i f, b u t t h e n ther e’ r e all the standards, the blues stuff I’ ve always been listening to that I always r etur n to as a fail-safe.
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