"I think we're getting better at making records, each one that we do we learn some kind of a lesson. And that's not saying that you eventually learn everything because it's certainly not a perfect album. I don't think we'll ever make a perfect record." Jean-Paul Gaster, drummer for American rockers CLUTCH, is certainly quite humble about his band. "You take in what you can from your previous records... Hopefully you can learn from all of those records, and each one is going to be a little better, in some respects. And that's the fun of it; you never figure the whole thing out."
Releasing their ninth studio album Strange Cousins From The West, a kick to the head of thumping rock and blues, Clutch have maintained their strong sound. "I think for the most part there's not a lot of heavy-music going on. We tend to listen to a lot of dub and reggae stuff, we listen to a lot of blues records, back in the '90s we used to listen to a lot of hip-hop... it changes." The concoction title was "one of the phrases that were kicking around and that was carrying some weight and seemed to have a few meanings. I think everybody's got some strange cousins from the West. I think it works on a lot of different levels and conjures up a lot of images."
Sticking together for 18 years, Jean Paul explains that simple "mutual respect" has so much to do with Clutch. "It's great to play with these guys. We were friends before we started this band. It's certainly not the easiest thing in the world but it's not by far the most difficult thing in the world. It's a great thing. We have a great time, hanging out, making music, and having a couple of beers. They're definitely the most
talented guys I know, and the easiest to play with, and that says a lot."
Performing live has always been an important aspect of the band's structure, and the process of making Strange Cousins...
was no different. "These days we make it a point to play the new songs as much as we can before going into the studio. For the last couple of records we actually booked two or three week tours with the sole intention of trying to play the songs out... For me personally, as the drummer, because I'm thinking about the pulse of the tune, thinking about the tempo of the tune, thinking about how the words sit on top of the riffs and all those dynamics really come into their own in a live setting in front of an audience. If it's a good song I think folks will react to it, and if they're not reacting to it, what I can do to better represent that tune. So that's a pretty crucial step in the process of making a record."
Strange Cousins From The West is out July 14 through Weathermaker Music.
