Luke Sick & Damien Discuss STRIKE THE CLUTCH's THUNDER! SILENT, Megakut Records & I Had An Accident Releases (The Witzard Interview)

Damien is a rather mysterious character. The producer is owner of Spokane, Washington-based tape label, I Had An Accident (IHAA) Records and we've been in contact for quite a few years now. IHAA has released limited edition tape and digital collections from Rabbi Max, Walter Gross, Tenshun, CCCRRCCSSLLRRKKRRSSS, Brycon & G-Pek's annual There's No More Room In Hell Series, EQUIPTO, BRZOWSKI & MC Homeless, Uncommon Nasa, P.SO & 2 Hungry Bros., and Stu Bangas. Damien has issued a handful of his own solo cassette tapes on the label, as well as collaborative projects with the likes on Tenshun (10shun,) Namo, Luke Sick, Bonzo Speechless, Deep (2 Hungry Bros.,) Koba Dera, Kuartz, and with Luke Sick, Deep & QM as The Snake Mountain Crew. Luke Sick is an emcee, producer, artist, etc. Gurp City crew member, and the owner/operator of both Megakut Records. He's sometimes known as J. Luke Oakson, Clell Miller, Luke The Sick Sailor, and Sour Porch.

Luke has been in countless Hip-Hop & Punk-leaning groups over the years, including Brougham, CCCRRCCSSLLRRKKRRSSS, DANK GOBLINS, DANKSLOB, The Disturbers, Dwarves, F.T.A., Get The Hater, Grand Collab, Grand Invincible, Grand Killa Con, Koba Dera, Motel Crew, Mutual Daps, ON TILT, Rime Force Most Illin', S. Brothers, Sacred Hoop, Underbucket, and Yole Boys. After a few collaborative projects credited to Luke Sick & Damien, or otherwise, across Megakut & IHAA Records, Damien & Luke decided to make it "official" in 2018 with the release of STRIKE THE CLUTCH's self-titled debut. They've reunited in the years since for a few limited-run releases and their latest collaborative effort, THUNDER! SILENT, was released in early February for Bandcamp Friday. We recently got a chance to speak with both Luke Sick & Damien about all things STRIKE THE CLUTCH and what to expect next from Megakut & I Had An Accident Records. Check out our interview below, which has been lightly edited for general clarity.


I. When and how did STRIKE THE CLUTCH initially form?

Luke Sick: We released our first four-song tape on February 23, 2018, but we came together, maybe, a year before that to put out some other Megakut Records/[I Had An Accident] (IHAA) Records [collaborative] tapes.

Damien: Through collaborations with the label [I Had An Accident Records], like Luke said. I put out Odd Clocking [by] CCCRRCCSSLLRRKKRRSSS (2017) and the rest is history.

II. Who are the members of STRIKE THE CLUTCH?

Luke: Luke Sick & Damien.

Damien: Damien & Luke.


III. How does THUNDER! SILENT differ from your past releases together?

Luke: With each release, [STRIKE THE CLUTCH] (S.T.C.) tries to progress as far as format is concerned. Our first release was a four-song tape, then, we did a full-length tape, then, we did a 7-inch record (Tear It Off,) and, now, THUNDER! SILENT is our 12-inch LP effort. We, also, have some super-limited lathe-cuts out there, too, cut by Tenshun. We, also, have guest producers on this one: Kuartz, Fatees & Deeskee and a verse from my ON TILT [homie,] QM. On previous releases, Damien has hooked up all the beats.

Damien: This one has more contributing artists, for one; but, I believe, it still has that STRIKE THE CLUTCH vibe. It is, also, our first full-length vinyl project.

IV. What did each or you contribute to THUNDER! SILENT?

Luke: I did the rhymes, arrangement, and mixing on all the songs, except the one Deeskee made. Damien does the production/beats.

Damien: I did the beats on most tracks. Luke, also, did the art for the back cover, outside of what he already mentioned.


V. Aside from yourselves, who else helped make THUNDER! SILENT what it is today?

Luke: Kuartz, Fatees & Deeskee contributed beats, as I [mentioned] before, and the QM feature on "Elder Hedz." Tenshun did all the cuts on "Suckaz R Miniature," "Army Jacket Judo," and "Time to Get Took." Deeskee, also, mastered the whole thing for Weightless Audio Productions.

Damien: Everybody that [Luke] already mentioned.

VI. What would each of you cite as some of your greatest sources of inspiration and influence while making THUNDER! SILENT?

Luke: Mac Clan, The Youngen, Un Pacino, Showbiz & A.G., C.P.O., Ultramagnetic MC's, Gurp City, and Al Scratch.

Damien: Any 90's Hip-Hop producer, basically.


VII. How was a typical track included within THUNDER! SILENT (such as "Only Dappin' The Chicks Up," for example) created from start to finish?

Luke: That's an interesting one to pick... I, actually, hooked that chop-up off the Ultra Moe Love 1 & 2 joint and just said, "[eff] it, I'mma rhyme to this." I probably started by packing the pipe and finished it, also, packing the pipe.

Damien: For most tracks, I made the beat. I would send it to Luke and he would say "yes" or "no." If it was a "yes," he would add the rhymes to it and any other things he thought would be necessary. I really like his creativity and felt that we worked well together.

VIII. What is each of your favorite quality or aspect about working with one another? (ie: Damien for Luke / Luke for Damien)

Luke: Damien takes it back to the days of showing up to the studio [session] with a stack of breaks and having the engineer hook up the beat the way you hear it, which harkens back to the rudimentary raw sounds of E.P.M.D. or, say [The] Jungle Brothers' first records. I dig that aesthetic the most and Damien is down for that; so, it charges me to make the type of Hip-Hop I wish there was more of.

Damien: I like Luke's lyrical ability. Plus, his other projects, ON TILT, Sacred Hoop, [The Disturbers], and Grand Killa Con, to name some.


IX. Where can fans purchase THUNDER! SILENT, as well as the rest of your collaborative discography together as STRIKE THE CLUTCH?

Luke: THUNDER! SILENT is available [through] both the Megakut Records & IHAA Bandcamps and, I think, you can download our complete discography (or close to it!) from the IHAA site.

Damien: Both Megakut & I Had An Accident Records.

X. What do each of you have planned next, either as STRIKE THE CLUTCH, separately, or as part of any other projects?

Luke: Grand Invincible, my main group with DJ Eons One, just released [a] new record [through] IRON LUNG Records called The Result and Megakut/IHAA just released ON TILT's The 5th Album on tape, which I'm, also, a part of with the homie, QM.

IHAA/Megakut will, also, release new tapes from DANKSLOB and Yelir X Luke Sick in the near future. And I, also, have the long-awaited Brougham second album ready to go on tape, too. DANK GOBLINS, a band I do noise for, also, has a record (Fruity Cigars) that is being mixed by Bart Thurber right now and will, eventually, be released on vinyl [through] IRON LONG Records; really stoked for that one!

Damien: I'm currently working on a solo project called El Diablo with various emcees, including Luke & QM, of course. I, also, have a compilation in-the-works with Kuartz, Deep (Deep & Damien, 2 Hungry Bros. DEEP BREEZ,) and Observe [Since '98] (former Loretta Records founder.)