Tiger Clutch

An interview with glam rock heroes, Tiger Clutch
by Mike Huberty
December 2011

Tiger Clutch - photo by Allison Lenz

Tiger Clutch
photo by Allison Lenz

Tiger Clutch might be the greatest glam rock band you’ve never heard. With influences based on Judas Priest, Nirvana, and Kick Axe, Tiger Clutch are five local musicians who play the part of grizzled hair metal veterans, having rocked, partied, and screwed their way through decades of music history. When it’s time to rock, they take the stage names of Thor (singer and local comedian David Leon), The Blast (guitarist Derek Reinfried), Brick Johnson (guitarist Joe Cushman), Shredderella (bassist Jennifer Reinfried), and Beatz “Off” McKenzie (drummer Riley Heninger). With a rock fist in the air and their tongue firmly in their cheek, they release their latest (in reality, first) album on Thursday December 1st. We took a few minutes to discuss the new record with them.

Maximum Ink: To what do you attribute Tiger Clutch’s longevity? Does everyone still get along?
Thor: If I have to answer that, I’d say Arizona Iced Tea w/ Lemon Flavor was the main thing. And yes, we all get along. I mean, we all sleep together. Not in the same bed or anything, but in the sexually involved sense.

MI: What would you recommend as the song to listen to on the new record for people who are listening to you for the first time?

Thor: It doesn’t matter which one, it’ll rock your face so hard that your brain will melt through your nose and ruin your favorite dress shirt that you are probably wearing right now. But if I had to pick one, it would be “Sixty9”.

MI: What inspired that song and why do you think it’s perfect for people to listen to for their first Tiger Clutch experience?
Thor: The same thing that inspired most of our songs: people suck and the world is horrible, but as long as you’re face down in someone else’s genitalia and they are face up in yours, then the world can be a little bit better…

MI: What’s your most memorable performing experience?

Brick Johnson: The time we played in Rio de Janeiro when there were 7,245 women that painted their bodies with tiger stripes and laid on the beach to form the words Tiger Clutch. It was only visible from an aerial view, and stretched 353 yards along the coast. It was so super nice of them to do that, and I’ll never forget it. Like TOTALLY never.

MI: Have you ever seen Ozzy snort a line of ants? If not, what’s one of your favorite rock n’ roll partying experiences?
Shredderella: Where do you think Ozzy got that from?? I started that when we were playing sell out shows in Peru, but then “Off” stole the idea from me when he had to snort fire ants after he ran out of heroin. He’s such an asshole. Oh and by the way, that is NOT my favorite party experience. We did a private gig for NASA and they treated us by taking us to the moon where I had my first orgy in zero gravity. And the best part of having an orgy in zero gravity is you don’t know what’s coming! Get it?! Of course you don’t. Are we done yet?

MI: What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Thor: As always, being the best rock band in the history of time. But to be more specific, well, we of course have the CD release show coming up this Thursday, Dec 1st, 2011. Don’t miss that show, it’s going to be the best one you’ve ever been to in your life. We also have more shows coming up, which are listed on our many different websites. I myself might take a break for a little bit just to have a short period of time where I have non stop fornication with all sorts of men and women from all over the world.

MI: What can people expect from the Tiger Clutch live show?
Beats “Off” McKenzie: Well, mate, you should expect to get your jimmies all in a knot when you’re dipping it into another sillynanny fuckbutter while doing the ol’ Penny Lane on top of a well blitzed cunny.
Shredderella: Don’t listen to him, he’s not British now and never has been. What he means to say is that if you have to ask that question, you’re obviously just not ready for your Tiger Clutch cherry to be popped.

MI: What do you feel separates you from the rest of the glam rockers that you came up with?
The Blast: Dude, well, that’s the thing Mike, the rest of the glam bands out there are …. not …. Tiger …. Clutch.


Tiger Clutch will be playing at The High Noon Saloon in Madison on December 16th for the Dane 101 fundraiser benefit and January 14th at the Frequency. For more to to Facebook.com/tigerclutch.

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