Since its formation in 1991, the band line-up has included Neil Fallon (vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards), Tim Sult (lead guitar, backing vocals), Dan Maines (bass, backing vocals) and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums and percussion). To date, Clutch has released thirteen studio albums, and several rarities and live albums. Since 2008 the band have been signed to their own record label, Weathermaker.
Clutch (originally called “Glut Trip” and stemmed from “Moral Minority”) was formed in 1991 by Dan Maines (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), Tim Sult (guitar), and Roger Smalls (vocals) in Germantown, Maryland. Smalls soon departed and was replaced by Neil Fallon, a longtime schoolmate of the other members at Seneca Valley High School. 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. Their debut LP, Transnational Speedway League, was released in 1993. It was followed by a self-titled album two years later that gained Clutch mainstream exposure. The band moved to the larger Columbia label for the 1998 album The Elephant Riders. They followed it in 1999 with a self-released groove-based album Jam Room.
On April 28, 2009 Clutch released Slow Hole to China, a collection of unreleased tracks.
On June 10, 2012, the band released a new single, “Pigtown Blues”, on iTunes, backed with an acoustic version of “Motherless Child” from Strange Cousins from the West.
On March 16, 2013 Clutch released their tenth album Earth Rocker which entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at #15 giving Clutch their highest chart position to date. It would remain on the chart for a total of 5 weeks. The album also reached #4 on iTunes’ overall Top 100 album charts and was #1 in their rock chart. Earthrocker won “Album of the Year” 2013 from British publication Metalhammer, and was rated highly on many rock/metal magazines’ and websites’ end-of-the-year “Top Tens”.
In an interview on January 7, 2015 with music and entertainment company 88 Miles West, Fallon stated that the band was heading to Dripping Springs, Texas, to record their upcoming eleventh album. Fallon states the venture to Texas was due to the relocation of record producer Machine, with whom they worked on Blast Tyrant and Earth Rocker, and who recently opened a new studio there. He stated in the interview that “Septemberish, give or take a couple of months” is when they hope to release the new album.
Their eleventh studio album is titled Psychic Warfare, and was released October 2, 2015. Fallon said the concept is influenced by science fiction author Philip K. Dick. “His general philosophy and questions have always crept into my lyrics, because I share an interest in it,” he adds. “On Earth Rocker, ‘Crucial Velocity’ was definitely a Philip Dick song for me. On this record, ‘X-Ray Visions’ certainly is.”. Gaster described the new material as more diverse than ever.
In April 2018, Neil Fallon announced through the radio station The Eagle Rocks that the band's twelfth studio album would be titled Book of Bad Decisions. The album will be released on September 7, 2018. The album was recorded at Sputnik Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and engineer Vance Powell.
On November 13, 2020 Released The Weathermaker Studios Vol. 1. A collection of re-recorded hits and 4 unreleased covers and songs.
On September 16,2022 Clutch released their 13th Studio album: Sunrise on Slaughter Beach.
Between 2004-2018 Clutch created seven straight top 10 releases on Billboard’s Independent Album Chart.
Neil Fallon – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, keyboards, percussion
Tim Sult – lead guitar
Dan Maines – bass guitar
Jean-Paul Gaster – drums, percussion
Juggernaut
Clutch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For your sins
But now is when
My fun begins
If I hit you,
Turn your cheek
You are righteous,
But you are weak
Orgy-Porgy, Ford and fun
Kiss the girls and make them One.
Boys at one with girls at peace;
Orgy-Porgy gives release.
American dream
Turns to dust
So give us a god
That does not rust
Points of light
Quickly fade
You are food
But you are saved
Juggernaut
This is it,
We've reached the border
This is it,
The New World Order.
If I die
Before I wake,
I pray the Order
My soul to take
Orgy-Porgy, Ford and fun
Kiss the girls and make them One.
Boys at one with girls at peace;
Orgy-Porgy gives release.
The lyrics of Clutch's song Juggernaut appear to be a commentary on society, religion, and power. The opening lines express the willingness of the singer to suffer for the sins of others and his enjoyment in doing so. However, the lyrics quickly shift to a critique of religion and its followers. The singer notes that the righteous are weak and seems to be suggesting that religion is a crutch for those who cannot handle reality on their own.
The lines about "Orgy-Porgy" are a reference to the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. In the book, Orgy-Porgy is a form of ritualized sex that is used to control and pacify the populace. The song seems to be arguing that religion serves a similar function, soothing people with promises of salvation instead of addressing the real problems in the world.
The final lines of the song also reference the New World Order, a conspiracy theory about a global government that seeks to control the world's population. The singer seems resigned to this fate, praying that the Order will take his soul when he dies.
Overall, the lyrics of Juggernaut can be seen as a condemnation of the ways in which society seeks to control and subjugate individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
I have suffered
I have experienced and endured pain and difficulties
For your sins
As a consequence of your wrongdoings
But now is when
But at this moment is when
My fun begins
I start to have fun
If I hit you,
In the event that I strike you,
Turn your cheek
Turn the other side of your face to let me hit again
You are righteous,
You have a high moral standard and are virtuous,
But you are weak
But you lack strength or power to resist me
Orgy-Porgy, Ford and fun
A reference to the book 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley, where sex, drugs and consumerism are means of control
Kiss the girls and make them One.
Encouragement of promiscuity and conformity
Boys at one with girls at peace;
The idea that peace can be achieved only when sexes merge into one
Orgy-Porgy gives release.
Orgy-Porgy is a way of achieving freedom from human emotions and worries
American dream
The ideal that everyone can achieve success through hard work and determination
Turns to dust
Becomes worthless or ineffective
So give us a god
Therefore, we want a deity
That does not rust
That is not subject to decay, deterioration or obsolescence
Points of light
A reference to a speech made by former US President George H.W. Bush
Quickly fade
Disappear or lose significance very quickly
You are food
You are a source of nourishment or energy
But you are saved
But you have been saved from sin or danger
This is it,
This is the end or the final stage
We've reached the border
We have arrived at the limit or the edge
The New World Order.
A conspiracy theory regarding a secret plan for a totalitarian world government
If I die
In the event that I pass away
Before I wake,
Before I regain consciousness or awareness
I pray the Order
I hope that the New World Order
My soul to take
Takes possession of my spiritual essence after death
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATT KOSKENMAKI, DAVID VANACORE (ASCAP), David John Vanacore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind