Let's Go Blues

I know there are a few Clutch bands floating around on the board…

I went and saw Clutch last night at Pops and organist Mick Schauer was not onstage. I was under the impression that after Robot Hive/Exodus, he as added as a permanent member.

I have dug around a little bit on the net, and it seems that Clutch is touring as a four piece for this very latest tour (Schauer was in the band when I saw them a few months ago in Carbondale) and the whole thing, from what little I have read, is a bit of a mystery.

Anyone hear what the heck is going on?

You were there last night too? I should have decked you in the pit

As for Mick being gone, I could not tell you. I went with a friend that has seen them around 15 times. He did not mention anything about it and neither did the guy who was by us that had seen them over 50 times.

Looks like he has been absent from some recent Bakerton Group performances as well. That's a real shame (their album rocks by the way).

I saw them both in Carbondale in November and he was there. Heck, during that show there were songs with seven people on stage.

On another note, all that Elephant Riders material they played last night rawked!

SIU LAW wrote:Looks like he has been absent from some recent Bakerton Group performances as well.

I saw them both in Carbondale in November and he was there. Heck, during that show there were songs with seven people on stage.

On another note, all that Elephant Riders material they played last night rawked!

That was one of the comments I made to my friend that went with me when we left and I was able to start hearing normal sounds. They played a lot from that CD.

Setlist:

The Dragonfly
Child of the City
Soapmakers
Burning Beard
You Can't Stop Progress
Power Player
The Devil & Me
The Yeti
New song – no vocals
The Elephant Riders
Ship of Gold
Big News I
The House that Peterbilt
10001110101 (with Sarah Balliet of Murder by Death on organ)
Profits of Doom
The Mob Goes Wild

Encore:
Cypress Grove
Who's Been Talking?

....and I get made fun of for digging Pantera.

You have something against Clutch, buddy??

I hadn't heard anything about Mick being absent. I take it that Eric the annoying harmonica guy was gone too? They were both there last fall when I saw them and they're both on the recent Australian live CD. Maybe they're just taking a break. Clutch skipped Denver on their recent tour but played up in Aspen. I wish I could've gone, especially after seeing the setlist from that show with Dragonfly and Easy Breeze on it. That's awesome that they are breaking out more ER songs now. They have ignored that album for way too long.

Ruutu15 wrote:....and I get made fun of for digging Pantera.

Not by those likely to post in this thread...at least those with a true interest in this thread.

You don’t dig Clutch? Or have you not heard enough of them to render an opinion on them?

big d note wrote:I hadn't heard anything about Mick being absent. I take it that Eric the annoying harmonica guy was gone too?

Yup. The lineup is stripped back to “classic” Clutch. I am not for sure it is just a break or not. While it is a bit of a mystery as to why he is gone, if you look around the Clutch forum, you get the feeling it is more than just a break. But there has been no official statement either way.

SIU LAW wrote:

Ruutu15 wrote:....and I get made fun of for digging Pantera.

Not by those likely to post in this thread...at least those with a true interest in this thread.

You don’t dig Clutch? Or have you not heard enough of them to render an opinion on them?

One of my friends really likes them, so I've heard a few songs here and there. I haven't care for much of what I've heard, but I'd be willing to give it another try if you have recommendations.

SIU LAW wrote:Yup. The lineup is stripped back to “classic” Clutch. I am not for sure it is just a break or not. While it is a bit of a mystery as to why he is gone, if you look around the Clutch forum, you get the feeling it is more than just a break. But there has been no official statement either way.

Hmm, I liked Mick's work on the new albums and he didn't annoy me on the old stuff during shows like harmonica guy. I was afraid he would become the 6th member of the band. He totally ruined Slow Hole for me on that Australia show CD.

Ruutu, if your friend has the Live in Flint Michigan CD from a few years ago, I would borrow that from him. It's a good mix of their different albums and it gives you a taste of their awesome live shows. Otherwise, Blast Tyrant is a good starting point for their studio albums. Their sound has changed a LOT from their early hardcore stuff up to their more bluesy current sound.

big d note wrote:Blast Tyrant is a good starting point for their studio albums. Their sound has changed a LOT from their early hardcore stuff up to their more bluesy current sound.

Big ++ on Big D's comments. He beat me to it.

They morph/evolve on different albums.

I usually use Blast Tyrant to get someone into the band (the latest example is STL JA). Hard hitting, awesome grooves, and entertaining lyrics. The Elephant Riders is pretty freaking awesome for pure rhythmic groove. I love the latest as well, From Beale Street To Oblivion, with its old school blues-rock.

The thing is, it you don’t like the groovy, rhythmic nature and crazy/zany nature & delivery of the lyrics, no album will probably hook you.

But I would definitely check out Blast Tyrant before closing the door. I cannot remember the last person that failed to get hooked on that album, whether they ever listened to another Clutch album or not.

I like Clutch. I like Blast Tyrant and Elephant Riders a lot. Those are good albums to start with if you're just getting into them.

However...

I can't say anything good about their newest cd. It is just boring beyond belief, to me.

STL JA wrote:I like Clutch. I like Blast Tyrant and Elephant Riders a lot. Those are good albums to start with if you're just getting into them.

However...

I can't say anything good about their newest cd. It is just boring beyond belief, to me.

So you saying my recommendations to you were 2 out of 3?

I love the groove of the newest one. I think because it is more subtle album, it is a grower, but that is just my opinion. I went from just kinda liking it, to loving it over time.

A word to wise STL JA, if that newest one is not your speed, you want not want to jump onto Robot Hive, and go for earlier stuff. It is hard to ignore the self titled album.

SIU LAW wrote:I love the groove of the newest one. I think because it is more subtle album, it is a grower, but that is just my opinion. I went from just kinda liking it, to loving it over time.

A word to wise STL JA, if that newest one is not your speed, you want not want to jump onto Robot Hive, and go for earlier stuff. It is hard to ignore the self titled album.

I'm still in the "just kinda liking it" stage with the new one. Overall I just haven't fallen in love with it yet. Same with Robot Hive.

I like Pure Rock Fury a lot more than most Clutch fans seem to. It's hard to beat the awesomeness of Elephant Riders or the s/t album. And Transnational has some great songs, but Neil's voice was so different back then. I really like hearing newer live versions of those songs better than listening to the studio album.

I was listening to Pitchfork and Lost Needles over the weekend. That is such a weird mix of old and new that it always throws me for a loop.

big d note wrote:I was listening to Pitchfork and Lost Needles over the weekend. That is such a weird mix of old and new that it always throws me for a loop.

What Would A Wookie Do?

Pure Rock Fury owns. It is underrated and overlooked. I like the drum sound on many of those tracks. Wide open.

As for Robot Hive and Beale Street, perhaps you are not down with addition of teh organ (even if you don’t realize it). Those two albums are pretty heavily influence by its presence. Its another instrument and musician that had to be worked in. Blast had keyboards on it, but they seemed more liked they were sprinkled on and not a definitive part of the songwriting.

I like Robot Hive, but it never blew me away. Never disliked it, just my least listened to. I don’t know what it is about Beale Street, but I love the album.

This may be a silly recommendation, but Beale Street has to be played loud. You have to feel those blues-boogie rhythms. Then, you gots to dance.

I just discovered that if you google "Mick Schauer" this thread is on the first page of results, ahead of anything on the Clutch site or message board. Ha!