Biography
The notion of a cover ensemble devoted to Creedence Clearwater Revival and assembled by the group’s former bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford registers, for some observers, as the most egregious ’60s-rock revival stunt imaginable, while others regard it as the single revival act that can claim both musical legitimacy and internal honesty. Serious rock listeners often view Creedence Clearwater Revisited as an affront comparable to Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr touring behind substitute John Lennon and George Harrison figures. Yet Cook and Clifford possess every bit as much entitlement to perform the CCR songbook as anyone besides John Fogerty; although Fogerty wrote the material, the pair supplied a rhythm section whose drive and sonic detail matched the finest American white rock rhythm sections of the decade, especially on numbers in which pulse, bass timbre, and drum texture mattered decisively. They had stood beside Fogerty and his brother Tom since the earliest days, enduring low-paying, unglamorous engagements until the band’s sudden breakthrough in 1968. Because Fogerty kept that catalog at a deliberate distance for more than a quarter-century after the 1972 split while the songs themselves grew only more popular, the emergence of some CCR tribute act seemed unavoidable; the surprise lay in its originating with two original members.
After CCR dissolved, Cook and Clifford—friends since junior high—launched a joint production venture. Clifford later played with the later incarnation of the Sir Douglas Quintet, and Cook helped form the country-rock band Southern Pacific alongside several former Doobie Brothers. Both maintained relatively quiet careers, though each remained more active onstage than Fogerty, who stayed out of the spotlight for personal reasons until the late 1980s. Creedence Clearwater Revisited began in 1995 as a limited project intended solely for private parties, with Elliot Easton, formerly of the Cars, on lead guitar and John Tristao handling vocals. Demand quickly expanded the schedule to roughly one hundred shows annually.
These musicians are plainly unlikely ever again to function as a major creative engine in rock the way they did three decades earlier, and fresh material from them is virtually inconceivable. The same limitation applies to Chuck Berry and numerous other artists whose stature exceeds that of Cook or Clifford, yet Revisited still delivers an effective live set that satisfies audiences seeking straightforward good-time rock & roll, much as Rob Grill & the Grass Roots or the Herman’s Hermits fronted by Peter Noone can still draw fifteen thousand people to a summer amphitheater. Revisited makes no claim to be anything beyond its actual identity, a flesh-and-blood jukebox.
An odd historical coincidence accompanied the band’s recorded debut: at virtually the same moment Revisited released its double live album, Fogerty—who had delivered a strong blues-rock record in 1997—finally set aside his long reluctance and issued his own live collection of the old songs. Listeners therefore confronted both Fogerty’s fresh interpretations and Revisited’s concurrent live renderings of the same hits. Anyone younger than twenty-five and lacking extensive musical context would require a guide to distinguish among the available versions.
After CCR dissolved, Cook and Clifford—friends since junior high—launched a joint production venture. Clifford later played with the later incarnation of the Sir Douglas Quintet, and Cook helped form the country-rock band Southern Pacific alongside several former Doobie Brothers. Both maintained relatively quiet careers, though each remained more active onstage than Fogerty, who stayed out of the spotlight for personal reasons until the late 1980s. Creedence Clearwater Revisited began in 1995 as a limited project intended solely for private parties, with Elliot Easton, formerly of the Cars, on lead guitar and John Tristao handling vocals. Demand quickly expanded the schedule to roughly one hundred shows annually.
These musicians are plainly unlikely ever again to function as a major creative engine in rock the way they did three decades earlier, and fresh material from them is virtually inconceivable. The same limitation applies to Chuck Berry and numerous other artists whose stature exceeds that of Cook or Clifford, yet Revisited still delivers an effective live set that satisfies audiences seeking straightforward good-time rock & roll, much as Rob Grill & the Grass Roots or the Herman’s Hermits fronted by Peter Noone can still draw fifteen thousand people to a summer amphitheater. Revisited makes no claim to be anything beyond its actual identity, a flesh-and-blood jukebox.
An odd historical coincidence accompanied the band’s recorded debut: at virtually the same moment Revisited released its double live album, Fogerty—who had delivered a strong blues-rock record in 1997—finally set aside his long reluctance and issued his own live collection of the old songs. Listeners therefore confronted both Fogerty’s fresh interpretations and Revisited’s concurrent live renderings of the same hits. Anyone younger than twenty-five and lacking extensive musical context would require a guide to distinguish among the available versions.
Albums
