Creedence Clearwater Revival fans hoping that the band would jump on the bandwagon of reformations that seem to be taking over the world should sit down before they read on. According to two founding members of the band hell will freeze over before they reunite with original frontman John Fogerty.
Fogerty was the main songwriter for the group who brought us classic songs Born on the Bayou, Bad Moon Rising, and Lookin’ out My Back Door just to name a few, and they are estimated to have sold over 26 million albums in the US alone.
But the story of Creedence Clearwater is full of deceit and betrayal and during the height of their popularity in 1971 Fogerty left the group to pursue a solo career. He has been at war with his abandoned bandmates ever since as the popularity of the band quickly wained after his exit.
Since then the only true winners have been their lawyers as lawsuits have been flying left, right, and center. More recently Fogerty sued bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford when they decided to tour under the name Creedence Clearwater Revisited.
Fogerty also refused to be seen with them when the band’s induction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Despite their questionable history Fogerty last year offered a ray of light to hopeful fans by softening his stance against Cook and Clifford saying in an interview the he’d “sit still long enough to listen” if an offer was made.
But that doesn’t mean Cook and Clifford have come around. In the upcoming February issue of Uncut Magazine the duo put the reunion rumours to rest saying that there is too much bad blood between the surviving original members to ever consider getting back together.
“Leopards don’t change their spots,” says Cook in the upcoming interview. “This is just an image-polishing exercise by John. My phone certainly hasn’t rung.” Clifford adds “It might have been a nice idea 20 years ago, but it’s too late.”
Original rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, John’s brother, died in 1990 after he contracted AIDS via a tainted blood transfusion he received while undergoing back surgery. He never reconciled with his brother.
