Suite 88

Airdrie Drummer’s Band Rises in Arizona

July 15, 2009

by Josh Skapin

Nobody knows the importance of connections better than former Airdrie resident Jesse Clutch and his band Suite 88.

They recently found a formidable break when an employee of MTV caught wind of their group and shot a music video for them free of charge.

And just how does that all happen?

“My guitar player’s girlfriend lives next door to one guy who works for MTV’s grandma,” Clutch said pausing momentarily before adding.

“If you got all that.”

Probably not, but all that matters is that the generous MTV worker did.

While the product was low-budget and not up to snuff for broadcast on MTV, Clutch says having a video will open a number of doors for Suite 88.

“Having this makes the band look better,” Clutch said of the video, which is up and being used as a promotional tool on YouTube.

The Phoenix-based band was shot playing a single from their debut CD, “Ten Shots, Ten Minutes,” in the middle of the desert.

In 2007, Clutch moved to Phoenix to join his long-time school friend and Suite 88 lead vocalist Mike Gunns, with whom he gigged in a band back in Grade 8.

In terms of the hard rock genre that Suite 88 plays – many comparing them to a crossbreed of Motley Crue and Metallica, Phoenix isn’t a traditional market for the band.

But Clutch likes Phoenix, because it allows his band to stand out from the crowd.

“It works to our advantage because people are starting to say we’re the best hard rock band in the city,” Clutch said.

“In Los Angeles, there’s probably 5,000 other bands like us.”

To that end, the band is getting steady airplay and are regulars on daily charts like the top six at six in Phoenix, in addition to other centres like Chicago and Olds.”

While it may not have the listenership of a city like Chicago, Clutch is excited to see his band blare through radios in Alberta. Suite 88 caught on in Olds, when Clutch’s father, a resident of the town, took a sample of their music in for a listen.

“He really dug it,” Clutch said of the area radio station, adding that “Ten Shots, Ten Minutes,” is hitting the air about seven times a day.

These days the band is staying active regularly kicking back with their guitars, and a pad of paper and pen, composing material for their sophomore effort.

For Clutch, music seems to be more than just a potentially successful profession – it’s also an apparent gift on the spiritual level. Two years ago Clutch’s aunt took him to an Airdrie psychic for a reading. While he was a skeptic walking into the session, he left with a changed mind.

“I walked in and she just goes, ‘Music,’” Clutch said. “She points right at me.”

“She takes her hand and acts like she’s banging on a drum. She knew everything about me.”

If Suite 88 keeps it up, many more people will know a lot about him too.

Published in: The Airdrie Echo
Link to article: http://www.airdrieecho.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1657532