CLUTCH shares more in common with The Grateful Dead, Rush, and the Allman Brothers than their heavy riffs and heady twists-of-phrase might suggest. Because like those bands, the supporters who adore CLUTCH are there for the experience, community, and authentic connection.
To love CLUTCH is to feel a sense of ownership, membership, and belonging.
Seneca Valley High School classmates Neil Fallon (vocals), Tim Sult (guitar), Dan Maines (bass), and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) share an unshakeable musical and personal bond now three decades strong. Shaped by the same region which birthed Bad Brains, Minor Threat, and Rites Of Spring, CLUTCH crafts hyper-literate and libertine jams informed by hardcore fury and fuzzy, athletic, stoner rock.
A worldwide cabal of fans and critics cherish the band’s dense and diverse catalog of underground classics, released through major labels, indies, and since 2009, Clutch’s own Weathermaker imprint. Sunrise On Slaughter Beach, the band’s thirteenth studio album, is a slamming summary of everything that makes the band great and another giant leap forward into career longevity.
“There’s no question that Clutch etched themselves a name in the pantheon of great rock bands,” Lambgoat wrote in 2004. Classic Rock Magazine counted 2013’s Earth Rocker and 2015’s Psychic Warfare among the 50 Best Rock Albums of the 2010s. Rolling Stone described 2018’s Book of Bad Decisions as “bathed in the grit and liberal fuzz tone that have made their live shows legendary.”
Those live shows over the years include tours with Slayer, System Of A Down, and Marilyn Manson, and more recent co-headlining treks with Dropkick Murphys, Killswitch Engage, and Mastodon. Like Slayer or Iron Maiden, CLUTCH outlasted rock bands anchored to “hit songs” and the pressure of replicating them. The foursome from Germantown, Maryland, isn’t bound by trends. Across 13 studio albums and assorted releases since 1991, they’ve earned a reputation as one of the best around.
Corrosion Of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity are reuniting with guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan for UK/European and North American dates. Other than a few surprise appearances, this will be the first time Keenan has toured with the band since 2006. This will also be the first time the “Deliverance” lineup of the group has played together since 2001.
C.O.C. recently emerged from hibernation as a trio and released 2012’s eponymous album and 2014’s “IX” to wide acclaim, but many have been eagerly awaiting the return of Pepper Keenan.
The band were originally an influential hardcore punk/heavy metal crossover act before reaching critical success with a new lineup on 1991’s “Blind” album. That trajectory continued with wider appeal as Keenan took over as primary vocalist on “Deliverance” (1994) and “Wiseblood” (1996).
These two recordings in particular fused the raw energy of the previous albums with some great strides forward in classic rock inspired songwriting and more spacious production and execution, which were often copied but rarely equalled.
This juggernaut gained mass and momentum with relentless touring alongside Metallica, Clutch, Eyehategod and many more.
Eventually following “In the Arms of God”, 2005, Keenan focused all energy on his hometown band Down.
Until now, that is.
Recent internet chatter on the subject of a reunion turns out be true.
JD Pinkus
JD Pinkus is an American bassist best known for his work with American punk band Butthole Surfers from 1985 to 1994 and since the 2009 reunion. In 1990, he and Butthole Surfers’ lead vocalist Gibby Haynes released Digital Dump, the only album from their psychedelic house music side project The Jackofficers. Upon leaving Butthole Surfers, Pinkus worked full-time with the Austin trio Daddy Longhead, which he had assembled during his waning months in the band, and which included longtime Atlanta associate Jimbo Young on guitar and Rey Washam on drums. Daddy Longhead retired after 10 years, leaving Pinkus free to explore other projects including Skinny Leonard and Areola 51. Pinkus played with Helios Creed on his albums NUGG The Transport [1996] and Activated Condition [1998], and has also collaborated with Bad Livers frontman Danny Barnes several times in a live setting. JD Pinkus then co- founded the band Honky who went on to record five albums and are still currently active. Pinkus also performs with Pure Luck,who released a self-titled release in 2017 on Heavy Feather Records. He leaves his bass to play Banjo and Guitar in this project. On their 30th anniversary tour in 2013, Pinkus joined the Melvins in place of Jared Warren (on paternity leave) as well as performing with the opening Honky. He subsequently joined the Melvins full-time, touring with them in 2014 in support of the album Hold It In, which also featured Butthole Surfers founder Paul Leary, and again in 2015. He also plays on the song Captain Come Down which was first released in 2015 on Chaos as Usual, a split release with Le Butcherettes, and later included on the 2016 album Basses Loaded. In 2018, JD Pinkus released a solo album, Keep on the Grass on cassette tape on Danny Barnes Minner Bucket Records and later Vinyl and Compact Disc through Heavy Feather Records. It was recorded entirely on banjo and features a rendition of the song Bride of Crankenstein from the Melvins album Hold It In. The Keep on the Grass album release show was with Sleep in San Pedro on September 15th 2018. On February 12, 2018, the Melvins announced that Pinkus would be joining them, alongside current bassist Steven McDonald (Redd Kross), on their next album and subsequent tour. Released on April 20, 2018, the aptly titled Pinkus Abortion Technician features both bass players and four songs written or co-written by Pinkus. In May of 2021 JD Pinkus and Daddy Longhead released another album titled ‘Twinkle” which was originally recorded but not distributed in 1998. JD Pinkus then released his second solo “space grass” banjo album titled “Fungus Shui.” The album was written, recorded, and mixed by Pinkus himself at Plastic Cannon Studio in Asheville, North Carolina. The album was mastered by Kramer. Fungus Shui LP’s were released on Shimmy Disc and CD’s available through Heavy Feather Records on August 20th 2021. A duo album with Tall Tall Trees called Ponder Machine was released June 20th 2023 on Shimmy Disc. The follow up solo album ‘Grow A Pear’ was released on Shimmy Disc, June 20 2024 and was a combination of songs originally written for the Butthole Surfers album that was not to be and the other side is a continuation to the solo banjo releases but with friends joining in. Currently you’ll find JD Pinkus playing Solo or with his 3 Piece Combo called the JD Pinkus Triptych with Billy Sheeran on Piano and Richard Kirby on Cocktail Kit. The first Triptych record is currently being mixed as of October 2025 and a new unannounced as of yet project of past recording associates to be recorded in December of 2025… Shhhh..
