Yeah, this came in on the PR wire a day or two ago, but give me a break. I’m a working man now. Plus, I think it’s been a whole two weeks since there’s been any Clutch info on the site, so it’s not like you were hurting. Whatever. You’ll live.

Unsurprisingly massive update about an unsurprisingly massive reissue, plus tour dates after the jump. Check it:

Clutch have announced the track listing for the expanded-dual disc edition reissue of Robot Hive/Exodus which will be released worldwide on September 28 through Weathermaker Music. Currently out of print, Robot Hive/Exodus was at one point the band’s largest selling title of the decade due to the strength of its three extremely powerful yet diverse singles, “Burning Beard,” “10001110101″ and “Mice & Gods.” In addition to upgraded artwork and new “digi” packaging, this expanded edition will feature a bonus DVD which includes a classic 33-minute outdoor performance recorded on location at the Sounds of the Underground festival in July of 2005 in Sayreville, NJ. Also included is the Jeremy Hunt-directed “Burning Beard” video clip, which was the first ever Clutch single to reach the “year end” Top 10 most played on MTV‘s Headbanger’s Ball.

In total, the Robot Hive/Exodus reissue contains 23 songs and over 90 minutes of music. This is the second of three planned extended double disc reissues, as Weathermaker has already released From Beale Street to Oblivion in July, and plans to issue forth the Blast Tyrant package in November. For the über-Clutch fan and/or retro rocker, Weathermaker will see to it that all three releases will make their way onto limited edition vinyl.

On September 22nd, Clutch will embark on a nine-week tour with Black Label Society and Children of Bodom. In addition to 40+ dates with Zakk Wylde‘s widely popular hard rock act, the veteran rock band from Maryland have just announced six headline concerts that will be placed within the Fall tour, giving their North American fanbase close to 50 opportunities to see the band perform a combination of classic Clutch material as well as current fan favorites like “50,000 Unstoppable Watts,” “Let a Poor Man Be” and “Abraham Lincoln” from the band’s latest, Top 40 soundscan charting, “Strange Cousins From the West” full-length album.

Robot Hive/Exodus Reissue Tracklist:
Disc 1 (CD)
The Incomparable Mr. Flannery
Burning Beard
Gullah
Mice & Gods
Pulaski Skyway
Never be Moved
10001110101
Small Upsetters
Circus Maximus
Tripping the Alarm
10,000 Witnesses
Land of Pleasant Living
Gravel Road
Who’s Been Talking
Disc 2 (DVD)
Mercury –Live Sounds of the Underground
Profits of Doom –Live Sounds of the Underground
Mice & Gods –Live Sounds of the Underground
Gullah –Live Sounds of the Underground
Burning –Beard Live Sounds of the Underground
Impetus –Live Sounds of the Underground
The Mob Goes Wild –Live Sounds of the Underground
Gravel Road –Live Sounds of the Underground
Burning Beard video clip

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If you consider the end of the Robot Hive/Exodus record and how obviously into playing the bluesier material Clutch has been over the last couple years, this was kind of a long time coming. Nonetheless, it’s killer news that Clutch are going to be recording an acoustic EP. Here’s the report from Blabbermouth, and a video of the song “Fixin’ to Die,” which is a Bukka White cover and, as Neil Fallon readily admits, the source of some “Ship of Gold” lyrics for sure:

According to Metal Insider, Maryland rockers Clutch will enter Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore with J. Robbins around July 4 to record approximately half a dozen songs for an acoustic EP, to be released before the end of the year. Some of the titles being considered for the effort include a song called “Fixin’ to Die” as well as stripped-down takes of “Abraham Lincoln,” “Electric Worry,” “Regulator” and “Tight Like That.”

Clutch have a new and recently reviewed DVD out called Live at the 9:30, which means I have two of my very favorite things in the world: a new Clutch release and an excuse to interview the band. This will be the third Clutch-related feature The Obelisk has done in its 15 months of existence counting the Bakerton Group chat with bassist Dan Maines last February, and though that might seem like a lot (it is), they keep kicking ass, so I feel fully justified.

On Live at the 9:30, which was filmed at the club of the same name in Washington D.C. as part of Clutch‘s New Years string of shows this past December, the venerable four-piece play their entire 1995 Clutch album, making it a treat for the fans beyond the normal gig. Encompassing that set, which also includes a few tracks from their latest, Strange Cousins from the West, and a couple closers, the DVD set also contains a second disc titled Fortune Tellers Make a Killing Nowadays that documents Clutch on the road in Fall 2009.

Especially after watching the scene in that documentary wherein he describes the ins and outs of his kit and how using different drums can affect the outcome of an entire song, I wanted to chat with drummer Jean-Paul Gaster (also of Scott “Wino” Weinrich‘s Wino solo band) about the shows and the opposition between looking back on everything Clutch has accomplished and looking forward to what’s still to come.

Incidentally, what’s to come includes an unsurprisingly hefty load of touring throughout the summer and autumn, followed by the recording of a new album. In June, Clutch perform an acoustic set at the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee, and they’ve got reissues planned for the three albums released via DRT Records this past decade — Blast Tyrant, Robot Hive/Exodus and From Beale Street to Oblivion. So yeah, lots to look forward to.

Q&A with J.P. Gaster is after the jump. Please enjoy.

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One can’t help but wonder if, now that fabled Maryland groovers Clutch have their own label in the form of Weathermaker Music, this won’t just be their new album cycle: a studio release, a butt-load of touring, a live release, some more touring, some more touring, a studio release, a butt-load of touring, and so on. If that’s the way it’s going to go from here on out, I can hardly complain, since as any Clutch fan will tell you, the band kills it live. This was last documented on the Full Fathom Five CD and DVD releases, and the band changes up the approach with the Live at the 9:30 DVD by playing a special set and including a bonus documentary about the band on tour in 2009.

Any Clutch devotees, I’ll pause here to allow time for squealing with delight…

Now that that’s out of the way, Live at the 9:30 — filmed at the club of the same name in Washington D.C. on December 28, 2009 — catches the band supporting their July 2009 offering, Strange Cousins from the West (their first self-released studio album), but perhaps more notably, the set that night included the entire 1995 Clutch album. You remember Clutch, Clutch, right? Boasting such classics as “Big News I,” “Big News II,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw,” “Texan Book of the Dead,” “Escape from the Prison Planet,” “Spacegrass,” “I Have the Body of John Wilkes Booth,” “Tight Like That,” “Animal Farm,” “Droid,” “The House that Peterbilt,” “7 Jam” and “Tim Sult vs. the Greys” – which is, by the way, every song on the record – it’s one of the most formative releases to come out of the ‘90s as regards underground groove-based heavy rock, and it sounds no less vital today than it did at the time of its original issue. Yeah, that one.

In addition to this jammed-out landmark of landmarks, Neil Fallon, Tim Sult, J.P. Gaster and Dan Maines also include “50,000 Unstoppable Watts,” “Struck Down,” “Minotaur” and “Let a Poor Man Be” from Strange Cousins from the West as openers and “The Regulator” from 2004’s Blast Tyrant and “Gravel Road” from 2005’s Robot Hive/Exodus as closers. The whole affair is mixed by Andrew Alekel (Fu Manchu, Fireball Ministry, The Company Band, etc.) and filmed courtesy of Agent Ogden, captured on multiple cameras and suitably well-edited without, like the band itself, going over the top or lacking class in that “music video” kind of way. Of course, the test of any concert DVD is how long you can stand to sit and watch it without wanting to get up to get another drink, go to the bathroom, pick the laundry up off the floor or whatever else to secondarily occupy your time, and I’ll admit my bias here as a Clutch fan, but Live at the 9:30 fared better than most. Just putting it in the player is a big step as far as I’m concerned.

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Live at the 9:30 isn’t the first live Clutch release, but it might be the most comprehensive, what with the full-length documentary about the band on the road and all that. And if there’s one thing Clutch fans enjoy unto perpetuity, without end, it’s watching them play live, so it gives me joy to present the PR wire news that Live at the 9:30 is out today via the band’s own Weathermaker Music imprint (yeah, I’ll get a review going asap). Dig it:

Veteran rock band Clutch have issued the dual DVD set “Live at the 9:30″ through their own music label Weathermaker Music, today, Tuesday May 11th. This fan friendly $19.98 priced DVD set features a 90 minute concert DVD as well as a two hour road movie called Fortune Tellers Make a Killing Nowadays which includes classic Clutch footage from 1991/1992, never before seen band interviews, and unreleased music.

“Our fans have been longing for something like this for over a decade!” exclaims Weathermaker label manager Jon Nardachone. “Our director/producer Agent Ogden captured the band performing a 19-song set which includes a molten-hot version of the entire self-titled release! He then subsequently produced the quintessential Clutch road movie, which we wrapped up in one mega-DVD set!”

Clutch, along with their jazz-rock instrumentalist alter-ego, The Bakerton Group, will take to the road in June and July in support of the internationally released DVD and the Strange Cousins from the West CD. The 22-date tour will take both Clutch and The Bakerton Group through the US, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Italy, and the UK.

Clutch Live:
USA
6/04 Huntington, WV @ V Club
6/05 Lexington, KY @ Buster’s Billiards & Backroom
6/06 Toledo, OH @ Headliner’s
6/07 Urbana, IL @ Canopy Club
6/09 Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
6/10 Little Rock, AR @ The Village
6/11 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo as The Bakerton Group
6/12 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo as Clutch
6/13 Montgomery, AL @ Strange Days
6/14 Houma, LA @ The City Club of Houma
6/15 Beaumont, TX @ Whiskey River
6/17 Greenville, SC @ The Handlebar
6/18 Norfolk, VA @ Norva
6/19 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
Europe
7/16/10 Tönsberg, Norway Slottsfjell Festival
7/17/10 Tromso, Norway Bukta Festival
7/19/10 Goteborg, Sweden Sticky Fingers, Top Floor
7/21/10 Athens, Greece AN Club
7/22/10 Milan, Italy Magnolia
7/23/10 Pinerella Di Cevia, Italy Rock Planet
7/25/10 London, England High Voltage Festival

Clutch‘s Live at the 9:30 double-DVD is due out May 11. As per the PR wire, here’s the trailer and preorder info:

The official presale for Live at the 9:30 kicks off today at Indiemerch.com. The dual disc DVD from Maryland‘s most beloved rock band Clutch features both a 90-minute concert performance, as well as a two-hour road movie with rare footage and plenty of insight to the band’s storied 20 year history. Fans ordering the Agent Ogden produced DVD through Indiemerch.com between today’s date of 4/23 and the retail date of 5/11, will receive a 24″ Clutch logo sticker, autographed by all four Clutch band members: vocalist Neil Fallon, guitarist Tim Sult, bassist Dan Maines and drummer Jean Paul Gaster.

…Seriously, it’s a lot of news. If news was a thing you could number, it would be at least 13.

And what would 2010 be without a slew of Clutch releases, I ask you? It would hardly be a year at all. The hard-touring, hard-recording, hard-hitting Maryland rockers have a bunch of reissues coming, and as previously reported, a nifty double DVD due in May. Says the PR wire:

2010 will prove to be the busiest calendar year in the career of veteran rock band Clutch. Building on the Top 30 Billboard chart success of 2009′s Strange Cousins from the West (Weathermaker Music), the Maryland based quartet will internationally issue a brand new epic DVD set called Live at the 9:30 in mid May. This 200-minute double-disc concert film will be sold at the fan friendly price of $19.98.

Disc one features a 90-minute full-length concert filmed with seven hi-definition cameras last December at Washington DC‘s legendary 9:30 Club. In addition to newer fan favorites like “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” and “Let a Poor Man Be,” the concert film’s first disc includes an electrifying version of the 1995 Clutch self-titled release in its entirety. An audio version of the full 19-song concert will be exclusively available through iTunes on May 11th.

Disc two is the 110-minute feature film Fortune Tellers Make a Killing Nowadays, which takes a behind the scenes look at Clutch “on tour” city by city in 2009. This “bonus disc” is not limited to recent Clutch happenings however, as it includes rare band interviews as well as vintage never before seen footage documenting much of Clutch‘s history from 1991 to the present. Both discs were directed and produced by Agent Ogden, who first worked with the band, on 2007′s Full Fathom Five: Video Field Recordings.

In support of the tour dates and the forthcoming Live at the 9:30 DVD, as well as the current Strange Cousins from the West CD, Weathermaker Music will release the new single “Let a Poor Man Be” on May 3rd, with an accompanying video clip and a rare promo only EP featuring unreleased material.

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Here’s the cover:

We all knew Clutch had a new DVD coming via their new label Weathermaker Music, but unless I’m mistaken or there’s some malfunction in the PR wire (have to call a mechanic), this is the first time I’m seeing the cover of Live at the 9:30 or hearing of a release date. Good news in any case, since May 11 is sooner than anything after that, and the sooner the better.

Probably a safe bet this video won’t be included on Live at the 9:30:

If you look at the math, I should be there. It’s Clutch, it’s New Year’s, it’s Jersey, they’re performing the entire self-titled and filming it for a DVD, and I still have use of both my legs. Really there’s no excuse for my absence, and I can only imagine the heartbreak the band will feel at my not being there. I can just see Neil Fallon on stage now, gleefully bouncing his way through “50,000 Unstoppable Watts,” suddenly looking out on the already-melted Starland Ballroom crowd, realizing I’m not there, and — perhaps not mentioning it out loud, because he’s a professional — but maybe tearing up a bit. Little tear in his eye.

But, although the reasons for going are plentiful, the unfortunate rationality of sitting this one out seems to have won the day. I will not recommend you follow me in this course of action — if you’re lucky enough to have Clutch tickets for a New Year’s show, you damn well better use them — but here are my reasons for not seeing one of my favoritest bands rock in 2010:

01. Starland Ballroom.
I’m not even going to debate the matter. Last year around this time, Clutch played Starland and it was so packed I had to leave early. When Starland Ballroom fills up, it is not only a fire hazard, but one of the most unpleasant places to exist in the entire world. You know that scene in Rambo: First Blood Part II when the Russian guy comes after the not-Viet Cong have been torturing Rambo and cuts open his chest for no good reason? It’s like that, only with overpriced Bud Light. Plus, they charge $6 to park in their parking lot, which as far as I’m concerned is like paying the gorilla to rape you.

02. I don’t have a ticket.
And the show’s sold out. Might make things difficult if I suddenly decided to make the trip.

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Earlier today, I thought to myself, “Gee, you know, I haven’t heard anything about a ridiculous amount of Clutch releases in a while.” Then, wouldn’t you know it, I come home this evening and sitting on the floor from the PR wire (because, oh yes, the PR wire is a ticker tape machine and definitely not an email inbox) is notification that the seminal Maryland blues rockers are planning digital and physical reissues of their three DRT Entertainment albums through their Weathermaker Music label, a new live DVD and special edition vinyls of, well, a ton of stuff. All for the best. We wouldn’t want the band to sit still for five minutes, now would we?

Here’s the info:

On December 15th, Clutch will issue a double vinyl package of their latest studio effort Strange Cousins from the West through the band’s self owned label Weathermaker Music. This vinyl edition will feature two tracks that cannot be found on the CD version. The first is the recently recorded ?Metroliner Special? and the second is an extended version of the band’s latest single and video, ?50,000 Unstoppable Watts.? The first 4,000 pieces of Strange Cousins from the West vinyl will include a coupon for a free digital download of all 12 songs through the band’s website, www.pro-rock.com.

Also this Fall, Weathermaker will make available for digital purchase, the former DRT Entertainment catalog which includes Blast Tyrant (2004), Robot Hive/Exodus (2005) and From Beale Street to Oblivion (2007). Weathermaker plans to reissue all three of these in 2010 with a heavy dose of bonus material. Double vinyl packages are in the works for these as well.

For now, look for the digital release of Robot Hive/Exodus on November 30th to be followed by Blast Tyrant on December 18th. Due to the high amount of digital demand for the band’s 2007 single ?Electric Worry,? Weathermaker has already issued From Beale Street to Oblivion on November 7th to coincide with the song’s inclusion in the popular video game Left 4 Dead 2 and its television commercial.

To end 2009, Clutch will headline shows in Washington DC, Sayerville, NJ, Charlotte, NC, Boston, MA and Albany, NY. These concerts will be filmed by producer and director extraordinaire Agent Ogden and featured on the Strange Cousins from the West DVD package to be released in the spring of 2010.

Just a quick word about this show. It was over a week ago now — Saturday, Oct. 10, to be precise — but the Clutch gig I caught at Irving Plaza in NYC has taken residence in my spine, leading to residual flashbacks and long-term developing appreciation of a rare kind. Careful analysis of the input factors, variables, controls, etc., leaves open questions as to the cause here to be explored:

The second of two New York nights at Irving (it’s not “The Fillmore” no matter the dollars spent to market it as such) to close out a tour with Wino and Lionize, on paper there wasn’t really anything different about it. Just another Clutch set in Manhattan. They seem to happen every couple months like clockwork. But this one has stuck with me, and all I can really chalk it up to, as regards the band (which I say because I had many personal friends at the show and it was a pleasure to see them), is the set list.

It’s not necessarily rare for a show to make me want to go back and listen to one of the band’s records, but in the last week, I’ve hit up both Elephant Riders and Pure Rock Fury, neither of which is my favorite Clutch album by a longshot. I’ll say this as well: this was my fourth time seeing Wino‘s solo band in 2009 (Roadburn, Atlantic City with Clutch, Planet Caravan and Manhattan with Clutch), and he never sounded better.

So clearly there was a special feeling about this night. Clutch broke out “Immortal,” “Cypress Grove,” “Ship of Gold,” “Sea of Destruction,” “The Dragonfly,” “Animal Farm,” and even capped off with a rare “Spacegrass.” It was the best I’d seen them all year, but you know, I seem to say that after every show. If I’m brave enough to make it out to Starland Ballroom when they’re there in December (last year was so crowded it was a nightmare), I’ll probably say the same thing then too.

But like an idea whose time comes on Bill Murray‘s Groundhog Day, Clutch killed a crowd of familiars in NYC. Their shows are usually a party anyway, but this was a standout, and since I can’t seem to get over how good it was, it at very least seemed worthy of note here in case I wasn’t the only one with a similar experience of it.

After issuing their IPO in the form of the recently-vinylized Sign Here, Here and Here EP (on CD through the band?s own Venture Capital Records in 2008), the five-piece supergroup The Company Band return with a change in lineup and general approach on their self-titled debut full-length. The Company Band, produced by Andrew Alekel (Foo Fighters) with additional tracking by J. Robbins (Clutch), is 10 tracks of straightforward pop songwriting that is tight and given an edge because of the players involved. And before this review goes any further, it?s probably best to list them:

Neil Fallon (Clutch): Vocals
James A. Rota (Fireball Ministry): Guitar
Dave Bone (The Company Band): Guitar
Brad Davis (Fu Manchu): Bass
Jess Margera (CKY): Drums

Davis is new to the band as a replacement for Jason Diamond of New York?s Puny Human, and he makes his presence felt throughout as a suitable accompaniment to Margera?s drumming ? though quite frankly neither of them is down for much fancytalk musically. The Company Band depart from the impression they gave on the four tracks of their prior EP by keeping the stoner level low, pushing the riff all the same but angling the style of the writing toward classic and southern rock with some meaty grooves thrown in the verses and choruses.

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Despite having downsized Puny Human bassist Jason Diamond since the release last year of their EP, Sign Here, Here and Here, and replaced him with Fu Manchu‘s Brad Davis, corporately-themed stoner supergroup The Company Band are pressing forward with a new release due out Nov. 10. Here’s the PR wire news:

The Company Band, featuring vocalist Neil Fallon, drummer Jess Margera, guitarists Jim Rota and Dave Bone with bassist Brad Davis, today confirm November 10 as the release date of their full length debut. The self-titled album was recorded in Los Angeles earlier this year and teamed the band with renowned producer/engineer Andrew Alekel (Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters). The band will release in advance to the album a special digital-only single featuring the album track ?It?s a Confusing World? with an exclusive cover of BTO?s ?Not Fragile.? The single will be available for download via various DSPs in early October.

?It was pretty awesome to get everyone into a studio together and make this record,? reveals Jess Margera of the album?s recording process. ?I never thought it would happen given that everyone has insanely crazy touring schedules. But sure enough the results turned out amazing. It was a strange reality for me, personally, as I am a huge fan of Fireball Ministry, Clutch and Fu Manchu. So to be in a room playing drums with members of all those bands was kind of unbelievable.”

?It’s not very often that one gets to write and play music with people that they respect as well consider family,? says Jim Rota. ?This band is a dream come true.?

?Good times and great friends made this music that we are proud to bring you,? adds Dave Bone. ?So pick up your balls and load up your cannons for the 21 gun salute!?

Founded by Margera (CKY) with Rota (Fireball Ministry) and Dave Bone in 2006, The Company Band originally got together to jam among friends. Their initial recordings were laid down for the band?s 2008?s mini-album Sign Here, Here, and Here. It quickly sold through its limited pressing and has continued to be a popular digital seller via CDBaby.com and others since release. Restricted Release has now pressed it on a special 10-inch available now exclusively through the label?s Amazon store. The vinyl pressing features exclusive artwork and is hand-numbered; limited to 1000 copies.

…But when you think about it, is there really such a thing as a bad day for free Clutch? The groovinest Marylanders have an exclusive non-album track called “Metroliner Special” from the Strange Cousins from the West sessions they’ve made available for free download at their website, Pro-Rock.com. I haven’t even had the chance to listen to it yet, but can only imagine it rules, being Clutch and all.

If you didn’t yet, check out The Obelisk‘s interview with guitarist Tim Sult here. Goes great with listening to free goo.

In case you missed the news, Strange Cousins from the West sold 13,000 copies its first week out, which is actually less than 2007′s From Beale Street to Oblivion, which debuted with 15,000. However, because since that time sales in general have continued to suck — plus that whole economy collapsing thing I keep hearing about — the 13,000 was enough to push Clutch into the Billboard Top 40 for the first time in their career at #38!

Congratulations to the band on this new milestone. If only Casey Kasem was still doing Casey’s Top 40 and could introduce the single, “50,000 Unstoppable Watts.” “Here’s a little song about anthrax, ham radio, and liquor…” Awesome.

The PR wire has it that riffy supergroup The Company Band, featuring Clutch‘s Neil Fallon and now Brad Davis of Fu Manchu replacing Jason Diamond of Puny Human on bass, are about to release their debut EP, Sign Here, Here, and Here on vinyl via Restricted Release (MySpace here). In case you’ve forgotten how mucht the EP ruled, it ruled quite a bit. Here’s the news:

Restricted Release proudly presents a special 10-inch vinyl pressing of The Company Band‘s mini-album Sign Here, Here, and Here. Set for release September 15, the pressing features format-exclusive artwork and is limited to 1000 hand-numbered units worldwide.

Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Andrew Alekel (Queens of the Stone Age, Bad Religion), Sign Here, Here, and Here was originally released as a digital-only recording early in 2008 (followed later by its physical digipak partner). It brings together five highly-regarded musicians with nothing but the love of jamming on their minds. Two live performances to date have highlighted their still short sonic union (early fans of the band surely hoping to see more; member schedules permitting).

Founded by Jess Margera (CKY) with James Rota (Fireball Ministry) and Dave Bone in 2006, The Company Band originally got together and recorded some instrumental tracks. Jason Diamond was approached to contribute bass tracks while friend Neil Fallon (Clutch) agreed to appear as a guest on one of the songs but quickly changed status to that of a full fledged member. Brad Davis (Fu Manchu) replaced Diamond earlier this year when the band laid down tracks for their full-length debut which is planned for release later this fall.