Besides the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, no rock band has left such a lasting legacy of hit songs in the U.S. as Creedence Clearwater Revival. In a short burst of creativity from 1968-1972, CCR released great single after great single (“Bad Moon Rising,” “Born On The Bayou,” “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” to name a few) while defining what we would later call “American roots rock.”
Creedence Clearwater Revisited will perform at 8 p.m. on Jan. 5 at Pechanga Resort & Casino. (Courtesy photo)
They were enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
They’re also arguably the greatest American rock band of all time.
Creedence Clearwater Revisited, led by original Revival members Doug Clifford (drums) and Stu Cook (bass), have picked up where their original band left off in 1995 — at first just to play private events.
That idea blossomed, however, into playing up to 100 shows a year and touring the world.
Creedence Clearwater Revisited is set to perform at 8 p.m. on January 5, 2013 at the Pechanga Resort & Casino.
Stu was kind enough to take time from vacationing in Honduras to talk with SWRNN:
Q: Did you ever envision you and Cosmo playing all of your most famous Creedence Clearwater Revival songs 40 years after breaking up back in 1972?
A: Absolutely not. These last 18 years (performing in Creedence Clearwater Revisited) have been amazing. I’d say it’s been as good as it was in the beginning for us (as Revival).
Q: I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m guessing that playing live shows with Revisited is more fun than back in the day with Revival.
A: Both experiences were great, but overall, yes, it’s fantastic right now. As players, we have a great group of guys. It’s the same songs, but it’s been more fun — less pressure now. We’re really on top of our game.
Q: Compare the audience’s response to these classic CCR songs — is there a difference between, say, 1969, and now?
A: The same energy is still there, but now we have three generations of fans, from 10 years old to 70. Those 30 years old and younger make up to half of our audiences in some places.
Q: Which songs seem to get the biggest response at your shows? Everything you play is so ingrained in every music fan’s brain — your songs are almost like family. Are there certain favorites each night?
A: Our entire set list is full of “hits” to some degree, so they all get a great response. But the bigger songs like “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” “Proud Mary,” and “Down on the Corner” tend to be the most popular. It’s about having fun and playing these songs as best as possible.
Q: For those Revival fans who hedge on coming out to see you today in Revisited because John Fogerty (CCR’s original lead singer/main songwriter) isn’t singing, what would you say to them?
A: If you like Creedence Clearwater Revival, you’re going to love what we do. If you’re unsure about what to expect, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised.
Q: Would you say that in the end, it’s more about the songs and the music, not necessarily who’s on stage playing them?
A: It’s a lot of both, really. The music brings everyone together, of course – us and the audience. At the same time, the fact that we’re the original rhythm section of Revival is huge and it matters.
Please visit www.pechanga.com for more information and concert tickets.
Chris Baptiste is a local writer and regular contributor to SWRNN.
Loading ...
