John Fogerty - Autobiography on Oct. 6th, 2015

[KDS]

I wanted to revive this topic as I'm almost finished reading Fogerty's book. 

Anyone else read it? 

I read it. Not a happy book. I vacillate between sympathizing with him, and being pissed at him for the way he holds onto a grudge.

I'm about 93% of the way through it.  He may come across as bitter from time to time.  But after what he went through, losing his songs, having his band including his own brother turn their backs on him, I can't say that I blame him.  Stu and Doug are still trying to sue him for performing the songs that he wrote. 

Although, I was taken aback when he didn't rule out a reunion with Doug and Stu. 

As a little footnote, I recently pulled up the John Fogerty station on Pandora.  The song song that played was Who'll Stop the Rain...........by Creedence Clearwater REVISITED!!! 

[Rocker]

Thanks for your thoughts, guys! I haven't read it. I don't know if I will ever have the chance. The next year and a half are full of learning and stuff so I have no time. Still have the Jerry Lee Lewis biography untouched in my bookshelf sitting and waiting plus the Sam Phillips biography by Guralnick and a couple of others.
But I'm interested to hear/read your opinions.

[KDS]

Thanks for your thoughts, guys! I haven't read it. I don't know if I will ever have the chance. The next year and a half are full of learning and stuff so I have no time. Still have the Jerry Lee Lewis biography untouched in my bookshelf sitting and waiting plus the Sam Phillips biography by Guralnick and a couple of others.
But I'm interested to hear/read your opinions.

Overall, I think it's a good read.  I think the part I found the most interesting was when he decided that he was going to start playing CCR songs live again.  At first, it was a one off show for Vietnam vets.  The vets told him how much those CCR songs meant to them.  Then, he basically decided, it doesn't matter who owns the rights, these are MY songs. 

Granted I go like his solo material, but I couldn't imagine seeing Fogerty live and not hearing any CCR classics. 

[KDS]

Just finished it. 

Overall a good read.  Even if he spent a lot of time at the end discussing his Wrote a Song For Everyone album where John basically plays on a tribute album to himself.  He barely mentions the album Revival, which might be the best album he's been on since Cosmo's Factory. 

[Smilin Ed H]

One would think that, after all of these years, John, Doug, and Stu could get together in the same room. 

At least John dropped his bitterness enough to put a ton of CCR songs in his setlists. 

You mean actual CCR songs or solo numbers that sound like CCR songs?  

[KDS]

One would think that, after all of these years, John, Doug, and Stu could get together in the same room. 

At least John dropped his bitterness enough to put a ton of CCR songs in his setlists. 

You mean actual CCR songs or solo numbers that sound like CCR songs?  

The actual CCR numbers that make up about 80% of his setlists in the last 19 years. 

If John wants to keep on making records that sound like CCR, I'll buy 'em. 

[Aum Bop Diddit]

There are at least 3 songs on his 1st (proper) solo LP that rank among his best -- "Almost Saturday Night" (as good as any song ever written), "Rockin' All Over the World" (covered by the BBs live right?  Or just Carl?), and an overlooked gem, "Flying Away."

[KDS]

There are at least 3 songs on his 1st (proper) solo LP that rank among his best -- "Almost Saturday Night" (as good as any song ever written), "Rockin' All Over the World" (covered by the BBs live right?  Or just Carl?), and an overlooked gem, "Flying Away."

There's a lot to like on Centerfield and Blue Moon Swamp also. 

[Lonely Summer]

I wanted to revive this topic as I'm almost finished reading Fogerty's book. 

Anyone else read it? 

I read it. Not a happy book. I vacillate between sympathizing with him, and being pissed at him for the way he holds onto a grudge.

I'm about 93% of the way through it.  He may come across as bitter from time to time.  But after what he went through, losing his songs, having his band including his own brother turn their backs on him, I can't say that I blame him.  Stu and Doug are still trying to sue him for performing the songs that he wrote. 

Although, I was taken aback when he didn't rule out a reunion with Doug and Stu. 

As a little footnote, I recently pulled up the John Fogerty station on Pandora.  The song song that played was Who'll Stop the Rain...........by Creedence Clearwater REVISITED!!! 

I like to imagine that John and Tom will reunite in the afterlife. I think Tom was basically a nice guy; Saul Zaentz did a lot to turn those 2 against each other.

[Lonely Summer]

Just finished it. 

Overall a good read.  Even if he spent a lot of time at the end discussing his Wrote a Song For Everyone album where John basically plays on a tribute album to himself.  He barely mentions the album Revival, which might be the best album he's been on since Cosmo's Factory. 

Revival is a strong album, as are Blue Moon Swamp and Centerfield. I've always found it ridiculous when people criticize him for "trying to sound like Creedence". Heck, that IS his sound! It was his songs, his singing, his guitar playing. Of course stuff he does on his own is going to sound a lot like CCR. The time he tried hardest to get away from that sound, Eye of the Zombie, is probably his weakest solo album.
I think of CCR as being similar to the Lovin' Spoonful, in that they both brought the American influences to the fore, after the airwaves had been saturated with British bands and "merseybeat". And both bands were lead by very prolific songwriters, who seemed to dry up after the breakup of their respective groups. Fogerty has sometimes gone a decade between albums; John Sebastian went 17 between his 1976 "Welcome Back" album and 1993's "Tar Beach". To be fair, though, the other Spoonful guys did contribute to the songwriting from the start, and drummer Joe Butler had a nice voice. CCR never had anything resembling a democratic approach until their last album.

[KDS]

I wanted to revive this topic as I'm almost finished reading Fogerty's book. 

Anyone else read it? 

I read it. Not a happy book. I vacillate between sympathizing with him, and being pissed at him for the way he holds onto a grudge.

I'm about 93% of the way through it.  He may come across as bitter from time to time.  But after what he went through, losing his songs, having his band including his own brother turn their backs on him, I can't say that I blame him.  Stu and Doug are still trying to sue him for performing the songs that he wrote. 

Although, I was taken aback when he didn't rule out a reunion with Doug and Stu. 

As a little footnote, I recently pulled up the John Fogerty station on Pandora.  The song song that played was Who'll Stop the Rain...........by Creedence Clearwater REVISITED!!! 

I like to imagine that John and Tom will reunite in the afterlife. I think Tom was basically a nice guy; Saul Zaentz did a lot to turn those 2 against each other.

In the book, John mentioned reconciling with Tom in the afterlife.  John said he tried to patch things up with Tom before he passed, but one of the last things Tom said was "Saul Zaentz was my best friend."  I couldn't imagine. 

Since CCR no longer exists, I have no issue with John sounding like CCR.  Same as David Gilmour's recent albums sounding like Floyd. 

That's one of the reasons I'm not a big fan of Deja Vu All Over Again.  It doesn't really have a Fogerty feel to it. 

[Lonely Summer]

I wanted to revive this topic as I'm almost finished reading Fogerty's book. 

Anyone else read it? 

I read it. Not a happy book. I vacillate between sympathizing with him, and being pissed at him for the way he holds onto a grudge.

I'm about 93% of the way through it.  He may come across as bitter from time to time.  But after what he went through, losing his songs, having his band including his own brother turn their backs on him, I can't say that I blame him.  Stu and Doug are still trying to sue him for performing the songs that he wrote. 

Although, I was taken aback when he didn't rule out a reunion with Doug and Stu. 

As a little footnote, I recently pulled up the John Fogerty station on Pandora.  The song song that played was Who'll Stop the Rain...........by Creedence Clearwater REVISITED!!! 

I like to imagine that John and Tom will reunite in the afterlife. I think Tom was basically a nice guy; Saul Zaentz did a lot to turn those 2 against each other.

In the book, John mentioned reconciling with Tom in the afterlife.  John said he tried to patch things up with Tom before he passed, but one of the last things Tom said was "Saul Zaentz was my best friend."  I couldn't imagine. 

Since CCR no longer exists, I have no issue with John sounding like CCR.  Same as David Gilmour's recent albums sounding like Floyd. 

That's one of the reasons I'm not a big fan of Deja Vu All Over Again.  It doesn't really have a Fogerty feel to it. 

That's probably the second weakest  album in his catalog. I love the Blue Ridge Rangers albums. First time I heard "Jambalaya" on the radio,  I thought "this sounds like Creedence". CCR always had a lot of country in their sound.

[KDS]

I'm not too familiar with the Blue Ridge Rangers material. 

[Lonely Summer]

I'm not too familiar with the Blue Ridge Rangers material. 

If you like country music, you'll love them.

[KDS]

I'm not too familiar with the Blue Ridge Rangers material. 

If you like country music, you'll love them.

I like a little country tinged rock music.  But, overall, I'm not really a fan of country music. 

[Rocker]

I'm not too familiar with the Blue Ridge Rangers material. 

If you like country music, you'll love them.

I like a little country tinged rock music.  But, overall, I'm not really a fan of country music. 

I haven't listened to the second one. But the first one indeed is very good. And very traditional country.

Here's some music from that album:


Workin' on a building:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37Tfd8OE7Vk



She thinks I still care:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dMz_EXbXdY



I ain't never:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPNHerg2aM



Jambalaya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT0jTZAiN-g


I heard that Fogerty played a version of Jambalaya while jamming with Tony Joe White who then told him it sounds cool and that he should record that. Thus came the idea for the album.

[Lonely Summer]

I'm not too familiar with the Blue Ridge Rangers material. 

If you like country music, you'll love them.

I like a little country tinged rock music.  But, overall, I'm not really a fan of country music. 

I haven't listened to the second one. But the first one indeed is very good. And very traditional country.

Here's some music from that album:


Workin' on a building:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37Tfd8OE7Vk



She thinks I still care:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dMz_EXbXdY



I ain't never:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HPNHerg2aM



Jambalaya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT0jTZAiN-g


I heard that Fogerty played a version of Jambalaya while jamming with Tony Joe White who then told him it sounds cool and that he should record that. Thus came the idea for the album.

On CCR's tours as a trio, John would get out the steel guitar after shows, and the guys would jam on country songs.

[Rocker]

This is nice. About Fogerty's original Rickenbacher:


Norman Harris on John Fogerty's Famous Guitar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHfSh3oUJdA



John Fogerty Reunited with Prized Possession

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2M2Uo2zaDg