Roger Clyne is eager to show off new album

Roger Clyne struggles with writing songs, and the COVID-19 pandemic certainly didn’t help.

“We had to navigate the economy and environment during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “There were no crowds, and all venues were in distress. There was nothing we could do to help them.”

Once stores, venues, and other buildings reopened, Clyne found the words flowed. The result is “Hell to Breakfast,” Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers’ album due in early March, but fans can hear it in its entirety at Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers’ party/concert Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Celebrity Theatre.

Afterward, the Peacemakers will dip into their catalog, as well as Refreshments tunes. His latest missive was recorded at Casona de Pappas, a renowned studio in Tempe. 

Music is in Clyne’s DNA. Inspiring him was his first concert: the Go-Go’s open for the Police at Legend City in the eighth grade.

 In 2019, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers were inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, joining fellow Arizona legends such as Alice Cooper, Buck Owens, Glen Campbell, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt and Waylon Jennings.

The release of “Hell to Breakfast” coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Refreshments’ 1996 collection “Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy.” The Refreshments were best known for the theme song for the TV show “King of the Hill,” titled “Yahoos and Triangles,” and breakthrough track, “Banditos.” 

The Refreshments changed their name in 1998 to Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, with Clyne and drummer P.H. Naffah continuing to tour and play Refreshments songs.

A feature-length documentary titled “Here’s to Life: The Story of The Refreshments” was released in 2017. 

Rober Clyne & the Peacemakers’ “Hell to Breakfast” is an ode to Clyne’s father, a rancher in southern Arizona.

“We got the idea (for the album title) from my dad when I was working cattle with him recently,” Clyne said. His father frequently uses the idiom, an expression denoting great length or completeness, or duration.

“Hell to Breakfast” marks the band’s first studio album since 2017’s “Native Heart.” Clyne’s blend of punk rock, country-western, and mariachi influences has made him, Naffah, guitarist Jim Dalton, and bassist Nick Scropos — collectively known as Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers — one of the country’s best live rock bands.

“Music itself is the process of creation. ‘Hell to Breakfast’ was a labor of love. I love to write. It all lines up great.” 

“Typically, I don’t enjoy the writing process. I had some difficulty in writing this record. The words came out; it just took so many years. I don’t feel like writing is futile. We got back on the horse, licking our wounds.”

Clyne’s tentative plan is to have the official release party in the Yucca Tap Room’s parking lot, just as he did three decades ago.

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers recorded “Hell to Breakfast” at their own pace at Casona de Pappas in Tempe.

“We took different paths to get to our final track,” he said. “There wasn’t a big rush, though. We weren’t looking at a budget.”

With no budget or deadline, Clyne said he hopes his album will continue his mission to entertain fans. 

Performing at the Celebrity Theatre is an honor, Clyne said, considering the legendary acts who have played the venue’s revolving stage — Styx, Blondie, Van Halen, and Velvet Revolver, among others. At the top of the accomplishments is serving as Alice Cooper’s house band at his Christmas Pudding and hosting record release parties there. 

“It’s really cool to walk into (the theater’s energy),” Clyne said. “We can make eye contact with fans. There’s not a bad seat in the house.”

Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Celebrity Theatre. Tickets start at $51.06.