Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival |
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Formed 1959 in El Cerrito, Calif. Disbanded 1972
Widely dismissed as a Top 40 band at the time, the work of Creedence Clearwater has endured to become recognized as classic American rock. At the height of the group's career, Creedence outsold the Beatles and auteur rocker John Fogerty crafted a dozen or more records that would be known as rock standards. When the band first began, it was an after-school enterprise conducted in one of their parents' garages called the Blue Velvets. But when John's older brother joined, the band turned more professional; Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets notched a modest 1961 hit on local radio, before returning to the realm of high school dances and frat parties as the Golliwogs. Dale Hawkins oldie, "Suzie Q," and the tape landed on the legendary San Francisco underground radio station KMPX, the newly named Creedence Clearwater Revival vaulted from playing tiny unknown clubs to the marquee of the Fillmore Auditorium almost overnight. An edited version became the group's first nationwide hit, but in 1969, "Proud Mary" exploded Creedence into the top ranks of rock bands of the day.
Nine consecutive Top 10 hits later, the band began to disintegrate when Tom Fogerty left the group and the other three members agreed to equally share songwriting responsibilities. One album after that, the band was finished and mastermind John Fogerty entered the studio by himself to record an album of country and western staples. But Creedence left behind a luminous body of work that has only grown more lustrous over the years--one of the great American rock and roll originals.
Source: MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
Personnel
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CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVALOrder from: |
1. I Put A Spell On You |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (lead guitar, vocals); Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitar); Stu Cook (bass); Doug Clifford (drums). Liner notes by Ralph J. Gleason. Digitally remastered directly from the original analog master tapes by George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley). All songs written by John Fogerty except "I Put A Spell On You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins/Slotkin), "Suzie Q" (Hawkins/Lewis/Broadwater), "Ninety Nine And A Half" (Cropper/Pickett) and "Walk On The Water" (John & Tom Fogerty). CCR seemed like something of an anomaly on their 1968 debut. They were miles from the mind-expanding, psychedelic flower-power explorations of their California contemporaries. They came across as a gritty, hard-hitting band respectful of their blues, country and rock & roll roots. John Fogerty's cutting, raspy voice bore echoes of Howlin' Wolf and Little Richard as he delivered lyrics that alternately celebrated and bemoaned a working man's life, much like Merle Haggard and other '60s country artists. That the strong New Orleans swamp-rock flavor seemed so natural (John's bayou tales were pure flights of fancy) was a testament to the strength of CCR's vision. The way they put a respectful but contemporary twist on the "Suzie Q" and the chilling "I Put a Spell on You" shows that they knew enough about the past to step confidently into rock & roll's future. |
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BAYOU COUNTRYOrder from: |
1. Born On The Bayou |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Tom Fogerty (guitar), Stu Cook (bass), Doug Clifford (drums). Digitally remastered directly from the original analog master tapes by George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley). All songs written by John Fogerty except "Good Golly Miss Molly" (Blackwell/Marascalco). Released in early 1969, the second album by guitarist/vocalist John Fogerty's San Francisco quartet is perhaps the definitive example of the group's swampy brew of rock, R&B and blues. The key song on BAYOU COUNTRY is "Proud Mary," a rock milestone that still sounds just as fresh and exciting as it did when it first boomed out of AM radios three decades ago. Although Creedence indulges in a few extended jams on tracks like "Keep On Chooglin" and "Graveyard Train," they forsake the gratuitous soloing favored by many of their San Francisco contemporaries in favor of fleshing out rhythmic, rock-solid grooves. From Fogerty's formidable bluesman's growl on "Born On The Bayou" to the explosive version of Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly," BAYOU COUNTRY is what rock and roll is all about and it's one of the best American rock albums of the '60s. |
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GREEN RIVEROrder from: |
1. Green River |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (vocals, guitar); Tom Fogerty (guitar); Stu Cook (bass); Doug Clifford (drums). Originally released on Fantasy (8393). Digitally remastered by George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley). Creedence Clearwater Revival were part of a second wave of San Francisco groups, but unlike their geographical contemporaries, the quartet offered a disciplined music, indebted to 50s rock 'n' roll and southern 'swamp' styles. Leader, singer and songwriter John Fogerty possesses one of rock's most distinctive voices, his hoarse, urgent intonation matched by his group's mathematically precise drive. Green River, their third album, includes two million-selling singles, the title track and 'Bad Moon Rising', both of which encapsulate the Creedence metier. Remaining selections expose a similar economy, crammed with punchy hooklines, tight playing and incisive lyrics, taking inspiration from traditional styles, but in the process creating something unique. |
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WILLY AND THE POORBOYSOrder from: |
1. Down On The Corner |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (guitar, vocals), Tom Fogerty (guitar), Stu Cook (bass), Doug Clifford (drums). Recorded at Wally Heider, Studio C, San Francisco, California. Originally released on Fantasy (LP-8397). Digitally remastered directly from the original analog master tapes by George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley). All songs written by John Fogerty except "Cotton Fields" and "The Midnight Special (Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter). Opening up with the feel-good, down-home groove of the hit title track and featuring all-out, belligerent roots rock like "Fortunate Son" and loose, soul-drenched instrumentals like "Side Of The Road," WILLY AND THE POOR BOYS is sensational from start to finish. Throughout their brief career, the California-based Creedence's sound was a musical evocation of a mythical rural south and WILLY AND THE POOR BOYS is arguably the most southern sounding of all their records. Even though this ten-song album is padded out with cover versions of such folk-blues standards as "Cotton Fields" and "The Midnight Special," John and brother Tom Fogerty's ragged electric guitar playing and the minimalist bass and drum work of Stu Cook and Doug Clifford make these well-known songs sound like Creedence originals. |
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PENDULUMOrder from: |
1. Pagan Baby |
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COSMO'S FACTORY (FANTASY)Order from: |
1. Ramble Tamble |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (guitar, vocals); Tom Fogerty (guitar); Stu Cook (bass); Doug Clifford (drums). Originally released on Fantasy (8402). Digitally remastered by George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). Described as the consummate singles act, Creedence Clearwater Revival enhanced this reputation when three of the tracks included herein, 'Travelin' Band', 'Up Around The Bend' and 'Looking Out My Back Door', each achieved gold status. Such recordings fully captured the group's exciting brand of 50s-orientated rock 'n' roll, its urgency enhanced by the expressive voice of lead singer/songwriter John Fogerty. His ability to harness traditional pop but express it in a contemporary manner had been established over four previous albums and Cosmos Factory was no exception. Two extended selections, 'Ramble Tamble' and 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', show a penchant for guitar workouts unexplored since the quartet's debut album, and the combination of economy and experimentation captures an act at a creative peak. |
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MARDI GRASOrder from: |
1. Lookin' For A Reason |
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CREEDENCE GOLDOrder from: |
1. Proud Mary |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (guitar, vocals), Tom Fogerty (guitar), Stu Cook (bass) and Doug Clifford (drums). Digital remastering by George Horn (1991, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley). |
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MORE CREEDENCE GOLDOrder from: |
1. Hey Tonight |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (lead guitar, vocals), Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitar), Stu Cook (bass) and Doug Clifford (drums). Additional engineers: Hank McGill, Russ Gary. Digitally remastered by George Horn (1991 Fantasy Studios, Berkley, California). All songs written by John Fogerty except "Good Golly Miss Molly" (Blackwell/Marascalco) and "I Put A Spell On You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins/Slotkin). |
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LIVE IN EUROPEOrder from: |
1. Born On The Bayou |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (guitar, vocals), Stu Cook (guitar, vocals) and Doug Clifford (drums, vocals). Recorded during Creedence Clearwater's tour of Europe, from September 4 to 28, 1971. Rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty had left the group by this time. Digitally remastered directly from the original analog master tapes by George Horn (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley). All songs written by John Fogerty except "Suzie Q" (Hawkins/Lewis/Broadwater) John Fogerty and his bandmates were remarkably prolific, achieving more between 1969 and 1971 than most groups do in decades. By the time this document of their 1971 European tour was recorded, the seemingly unstoppable hit machine of CCR was beginning to slow down, and ultimately wouldn't make it to the next year. This then, is one of the band's final moments of glory. Virtually all of the group's hits are here, from the Chuck Berryesque "Travelin' Band" to the righteous anger of "Fortunate Son" and the rootsy fatalism of "Bad Moon Rising." Outside the studio confines, the bands roots rock is even rawer, with Fogerty wailing like a bluesy banshee and Doug Clifford and Stu Cook bashing out the rhythm like there was no tomorrow. Unfortunately for all of us, there wasn't. |
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CHRONICLE: THE 20 GREATEST HITSOrder from: |
1. Suzie Q |
Few bands of the 1960s retained as much a sense of the roots of rock and roll as did Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music is rife with country, rockabilly, and R&B influences, a combination that produced several hit singles--most of which are present on this collection. These include "I Heard It through the Grapevine," "Lodi," "Up Around the B ," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and of course "Bad Moon Rising." This is an excellent greatest-hits collection, and a perfect introduction to the music of a band that has been enduringly influential. |
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THE CONCERTOrder from: |
1. Born On The Bayou |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (lead guitar, vocals), Tom Fogerty (rhythm guitar, background vocals), Stu Cook (bass, background vocals) and Doug Clifford (drums). Recorded at the Oakland Coliseum on January 31, 1970. All songs written by John Fogerty except "The Night Time Is The Right Time" (Lew Herman) and "The Midnight Special" (traditional). Creedence Clearwater Revival is widely regarded as one of the most electric and exhilarating live rock & roll acts of all-time, and 1980's THE CONCERT is one of rock's finest live albums. Originally released as LIVE AT THE ALBERT HALL 1970, the album was quickly recalled and re-titled THE CONCERT when it became known that the concert was in fact recorded live at the Oakland Coliseum in California, not at England's famous Albert Hall. Nonetheless, you couldn't ask for more from a live Creedence disc--at nearly an hour in length, it represents all of the hits (as well as a few key album tracks), and the selections all shine in a live setting. An opening rendition of the swamp-rock classic "Born on the Bayou" shows the band slowing the tempo a bit, creating a killer groove in the process. Soon you realize how many timeless classics John Fogerty and company created--"Green River," "Who'll Stop the Rain," "Proud Mary," and "Down on the Corner" are all prime CCR. In a live setting, the anti-Vietnam "Fortunate Son" is even more venomous than the studio take, while the nine-minute jamfest "Keep on Chooglin'" closes the album on a high note. |
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CHRONICLE VOL. 2: 20 GREAT CCR CLASSICSOrder from: |
1. Walk On The Water |
Creedence Clearwater Revival: John Fogerty (lead guitar, vocals), Tom Fogerty (guitar), Stu Cook (bass), Doug Clifford (drums). Digitally remastered from the original master tapes. |
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Changing its name from the Golliwogs, Creedence Clearwater Revival had a 1968 hit with a psychedelic remake of Dale Hawkins' rhythm and blues hit "Suzie Q" and followed up with "Born on the Bayou" and "Proud Mary," quickly achieving impressive sales. Reflecting a mythical American South, the band's music appealed to hippies, truck drivers, and Top 40 radio programmers alike. Its southernness was mythical, indeed, since songwriter John Fogerty had but fleeting acquaintance with the region. Natives of El Cerrito, California, the members of CCR created a sound unlike those of other '60s San Francisco bands, whom John Fogerty called "drugged out, moccasin wearing hippies," according to CCR bassist Stu Cook. The band broke up on account of money squabbles and internecine disaffection, seemingly intensified by the fact that the four musicians were two brothers and two lifelong friends. Bordowitz's recounting of all the acrimony is well detailed and not too hyperbolic. This is must reading for CCR-philes and fans of John Fogerty's subsequent solo career--all told, a sizable group. |
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The three-day Woodstock music festival in 1969 was the pivotal event of the 1960s peace movement, and this landmark concert film is the definitive record of that milestone of rock & roll history. It's more than a chronicle of the hippie movement, however; this is a film of genuine historical and social importance, capturing the spirit of America in transition, when the Vietnam War was at its peak and antiwar protest was fully expressed through the liberating music of the time. With a brilliant crew at his disposal (including a young editor named Martin Scorsese), director Michael Wadleigh worked with over 300 hours of footage to create his original 225-minute director's cut, which was cut by 40 minutes for the film's release in 1970. Eight previously edited segments were restored in 1994, and the original director's cut of Woodstock is now the version most commonly available on videotape and DVD. The film deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and it's still a stunning achievement. Abundant footage taken among the massive crowd ("half a million strong") expresses the human heart of the event, from skinny-dipping hippies to accidental overdoses, to unpredictable weather, midconcert childbirth, and the thoughtful (or just plain rambling) reflections of the festive participants. Then, of course, there is the music--a nonstop parade of rock & roll from the greatest performers of the period, including Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Canned Heat, The Who, Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Sly & The Family Stone, Santana, and many more. Watching this ambitious film, as the saying goes, is the next best thing to being there--it's a time-travel journey to that once-in-a-lifetime event. |
