Band Of The Week - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Alright... this week I have to post it abit earlier because I'm gonna off from Friday to Sunday for attending my friend's wedding in Kluang, Johor. I have to be his best man for the wedding, so I think I'll be very busy for this weekend.

This weekend my choice of classic rock band is Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). I think most of you never heard this band name before, but I'm sure you all heard their songs before. Below are some of my favorite songs by CCR, Have You Ever Seen The Rain... I'm sure everyone know this song. Bad Moon Rising... this song also the same. Lodi... my friend used to perform this song live on stage, I like it. Proud Mary... I just simply like it.

Click 'Play' for music


CCR - Have You Ever Seen The Rain


CCR - Bad Moon Rising


CCR - Lodi


CCR - Proud Mary

Creedence Clearwater Revival, commonly referred to by their initials CCR or simply Creedence, was an American swamp rock band, fronted by John Fogerty. Although it hailed from the Bay Area of California, the group clearly was heavily influenced by the swamp blues genre that came out of south Louisiana in the late 1950s and early to mid-1960s. CCR cultivated a Louisiana connection through its choice of song and album titles, such as "Born On The Bayou," Bayou Country, and Mardi Gras, as well as through the southern "good ol' boy" image projected by its members.

From left: Tom Fogerty, John Fogerty, Stu Cook, Doug Clifford

History (source from wikipedia)

The band started out as The Blue Velvets, formed by John Fogerty, Doug Clifford, and Stu Cook in El Cerrito, California in the late 1950s. They were an instrumental trio, however in 1959 they began backing Tom Fogerty, John's older brother, on fraternity house gigs and in the recording studio. In the middle of 1964, the band recorded two songs for Fantasy Records, a local label based in San Francisco at that time. They were attracted to the label because Fantasy had released a national hit by Vince Guaraldi, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind". Max Weiss, Fantasy's co-owner initially changed the group's name to The Visions, but when the record was released, in November 1964, Weiss re-named the group The Golliwogs, an apparent reference to a once-popular minstrel doll called a Golliwogg. Seven singles were released in the San Francisco Bay area, but none received national attention. (However, in 1975 Fantasy released Pre-Creedence, a compilation album of recordings by The Golliwogs).


CCR is Born

The year 1967 was a watershed for the band. For one thing, the group almost broke up when the draft board came for both John Fogerty and Doug Clifford. However, Fogerty was able to enlist in the Army Reserve instead of the regular Army, serving the first six months of the year in the military, and then returning annually for two weeks for the next several years, while Doug did a short spell in the Coast Guard Reserve. Neither had to serve in Vietnam, and both received medical discharges. The second major event of the year was when Saul Zaentz purchased Fantasy Records from Weiss. He offered the band the chance to record a full album, but only if they changed the group's name. Never having particularly liked the Golliwogs, the foursome readily agreed, and Zaentz enthusiastically agreed to their suggestion: Creedence Clearwater Revival.

John Fogerty

They derived their name from several sources. First came a friend of a friend of Tom Fogerty's whose name was Credence Nuball (with three E's, not four). Next, a beer commercial gave them the idea of Clearwater. And finally, Revival referred to their personal recommittment to the band.

Determined to make this opportunity a success, the band devoted themselves exclusively to its music, the four members quitting their day jobs and rehearsing and playing area clubs incessantly. By the time they went into the studio to record their self-titled debut LP, they were an incredibly tight and disciplined musical unit.

The rootsy Creedence Clearwater Revival was somewhat out of step with the Top 40 music scene of 1968, which was then in the midst of Psychedelia and Bubblegum Pop. But the album struck a responsive note with the emerging underground pop culture press, which touted CCR as artists worth paying attention to. More importantly, AM radio programmers around the United States took note when a song from the LP, "Suzie Q", started receiving favorable airplay in both the band's native Bay Area, as well as in Chicago, where listeners used to the blues of Chess Records and the R&B of Vee-Jay Records doubtless heard similarities with CCR. "Suzie Q" went on to be the first single by the band to crack the Top 40, falling just shy of the Top 10 at #11. After some eight years of making music together, the group was an 'overnight success'.

CCR

CCR followed that up with a new 45 single in April 1969: "Bad Moon Rising" likewise went all the way up to the second rung on the charts (kept out of the top spot by "Get Back" from the Beatles), and was #1 in the UK. The song was included on their next album, Green River, which hit stores that August, and also included yet another song to crest at #2 on the charts (CCR is widely held to be the biggest act in rock to never earn a number one song in America, although they did hit the top spot in other countries around the world). "Green River" was the title track of the LP, and both single and album quickly went Gold. For good measure, the B-Side of the 45, "Commotion", also broke into the charts and peaked at #30. Another song on the album, "Lodi", became a popular staple on FM radio.

The band continued to tour heavily (including a performance at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival) while simultaneously recording material for their next album, Willy and the Poor Boys, released only three months after their last album. "Down on the Corner" and "Fortunate Son" were released as a double A-Sided single, and climbed to #3 on the charts by year's end.

Members

* John Fogerty – vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, organ
* Tom Fogerty – guitar, vocals, piano
* Stu Cook – bass, vocals
* Doug Clifford – drums, percussion

Happy Weekend!!!

I'll be back on Sunday...

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WE NEED A NEW MAID!!!

You, Me, We, Dinner, SOON.

We have set up a committee which consist of the best.. These people consist of my boss wingz (well if he is not participating he will fatt lan char), HizeCool, Lin Peh, Shireen K, Jolene, 9393, Aceone and... em em ... i know i missed out some of the committees but i cant help it if they ffk me for meetings....Anyway does it sound good? But, before we can even think about it... we need some people with some expertise. to make things..... Perfect...

This is Hizecool (right), Aceone(left) and LinPeh (middle) with their outfit

So there's dinner and there's this place where we gather together.. what do you think? We already have part of the crew set up as above. But we just lack this few;

1. a Graphic Designer
2. Games Coordinator/Committee
3. Emcee

What?? you mean you dont believe me ar? you think i sin ka you ar? ohhh.... like that la now... ok .. well you can proceed to all the weblink above, including mine just to prove that we're serious and sincere. We dont have any physical preference but my boss does. Heck, who cares what he wants anyways. Most importantly, we do have to emphasize that it is voluntary based because we are all freaking poor. For those who are really interested, please email rojaks.wingz@gmail.com

In any case you wanna comply to my bosses wishes, you will have to be something like the below because he has a fetish for that. And, if you like, you can also send a photo of yourself exactly dressed like this......


Remember, have to lift skirt up geh.. even more authentic if your bulu kaki sticking out thru the socks... he has the kinks for that*psst*

Kthxbai and of course looking forward to hear from you soon.