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
The Incomparable Mr. Flannery
Clutch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lose the kids then our identities.
But one thing I know for a fact,
Moustache stays right where its at.
REO Speedwagon, Kansas to Boston.
My ankle bracelet, already gone and lost it.
Them yellow jackets keep the tired man from slacking.
Took my suitcase, all my pay.
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
We should get together and talk it over
At the Detroiter.
Delaware Destroyers, rocking with Dokken.
You front the money and I'll do all the talking.
Them yellow jackets keep the tired man from slacking.
Stole my Camaro, primer gray.
Took my suitcase, all my pay.
Stole my Camaro, primer gray.
Took my suitcase, all my pay.
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
Come a little closer honey, I won't bite ya.
One more lager and I might learn to like ya.
Stole my Camaro, primer gray.
Took my suitcase, all my pay.
Stole my Camaro, primer gray.
Took my suitcase, all my pay.
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
The lyrics to Clutch's "The Incomparable Mr. Flannery" are a story of a man who has undergone surgery and lost both his kids and his identity. Despite all of this, he still has one constant in his life, his mustache. The song continues to tell the story of this man who has lost almost everything, including his Camaro, his suitcase, and all of his pay. He finds himself at the Detroiter bar with the Delaware Destroyers, and they are rocking out to Dokken. The man suggests they talk it over while they drink lagers, and he promises not to bite her if she comes closer. All the while, the yellow jackets keep the tired man from slacking.
The song tells a cautionary tale of a man's loss and the struggles he now faces. The lyrics suggest that the man was close to being cured, possibly from addiction or some other ailment, and he has had everything derailed by someone close to him, stealing his possessions and leaving him with almost nothing. The song suggests that the man may be seeking comfort in Dokken's music, but regardless, he is seeking a way to cope with his loss and reconcile with those around him.
Line by Line Meaning
First we get some surgery,
We undergo some major changes to our physical appearance
Lose the kids then our identities.
We lose custody of our children and therefore a sense of purpose and direction in life
But one thing I know for a fact,
There is one thing that I am certain of
Moustache stays right where its at.
My mustache remains the only recognizable feature of my former self
REO Speedwagon, Kansas to Boston.
We travel from state to state, listening to classic rock bands
My ankle bracelet, already gone and lost it.
The electronic monitoring device on my ankle has already been lost or removed
Them yellow jackets keep the tired man from slacking.
The jackets we wear keep us safe from hazards and encourage us to keep working
Stole my Camaro, primer gray.
Someone stole my car and painted it gray without finishing the paint job
Took my suitcase, all my pay.
They also took my suitcase and all the money I had earned
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
The car is missing its taillights and has a lot of animal fur on the front grill
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
I was making progress and on the verge of a positive change, and yet someone sabotaged me
We should get together and talk it over
We need to have a discussion to work out our problems
At the Detroiter.
We should have this discussion at a restaurant or bar called The Detroiter
Delaware Destroyers, rocking with Dokken.
We listen to hard rock bands like Dokken while we plot our revenge against the person who wronged us
You front the money and I'll do all the talking.
You provide the funds and I will take care of everything else
Come a little closer honey, I won't bite ya.
I am trying to flirt and establish a relationship with someone
One more lager and I might learn to like ya.
I will keep drinking beer in hopes of becoming more interested in this person
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
The car is still missing its taillights and has a lot of animal fur on the front grill
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
I am still upset and questioning why someone would sabotage me when I was so close to making progress
Ain't got no taillights, grill full of fur.
The car is still missing its taillights and has a lot of animal fur on the front grill
How could you do this to a man so close to being cured?
I am still upset and questioning why someone would sabotage me when I was so close to making progress
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAN MAINES, JEAN-PAUL GASTER, MICHAEL SCHAUER, NEIL FALLON, RICHARD TIMOTHY SULT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind