CCR drummer Doug Clifford says band's full Woodstock performance is expected to be released in 2019

Wish Cosmo would write a book. He always seemed down to earth in interviews. We can all benefit from hearing the other side to this story. JCF from what I gather seems to be highly manipulative with an obsession for painting himself as the victim.

 

I think I agree with you. In general, I'm not in disfavor of revisiting classic recordings via modern remixes, and though I understand the perils. I don't usually hold original mixes as necessarily being the "best". Original mixes are a single snapshot in time - if they had had another remix session a week later, it might sound very different but possibly just as "good". But in the case of CCR, the original clotted mixes added to the out-of-time atmosphere, and an attempt to modernize or clean that up could upset the balance. Case in point: Fogerty's solo recordings contain songs that could easily have worked in the context of CCR, and while I like some of them a lot, they just don't have that compelling vibe for me.

I wish CCR would record again. I think Fogerty still has the songwriting chops, and the Clifford/Cook rhythm section is the secret sauce. Yeah, I know it won't happen...

 

I think it's a Rashomon scenario. There are many versions of the truth, and none are baldface lies. John's version, Saul's version, the versions of the other three guys in CCR...The more interviews and background you read, the more you see that nothing here is black and white.

 

The above sounds like what was written in the book "Bad Moon Rising" from 1998. Fogerty tells a different story in his own book "Fortunate Son," from 2016. The passage is quoted below. Not taking side on this, just presenting what Fogerty claimed, since info from Stu and Doug have been circulating for 20 years from their quotes in "Bad Moon Rising." Fogerty:

"We’d already signed a contract with options adding up to seven years, and other than what the casual, everyday, average American has heard about business and the stock market, I really didn’t know what any of this meant. When I explained this to the band, I made that clear—“I’m not taking this on myself. I don’t want to be blamed for this later.” I wanted our professionals to sort this out and explain it to us. By this time we had an accountant, Edward J. Arnold, and a lawyer, Barry Engel, who was with the firm that Stu Cook’s dad was a partner in. We sent them to meet with Saul’s people.

When they came back, they explained that Saul wasn’t offering 10 percent of the company—just the opportunity to buy 10 percent of the stock offering that represented 11 percent of the company. What it boiled down to was that Creedence, which was responsible for 99.5 percent of the records Fantasy sold, was being offered a ten-year contract, and in return we could buy 1.1 percent of the company ourselves. That didn’t look very appetizing."

 

Or get all of Tom's solo work back in print.

 

I think they were all still in high school (or just out?) when they signed that terrible deal. And this was in the mid-60s, everybody wasn't as lawsuit crazy back then. They just wanted to make a record and had no idea how else to do it. So yeah, they were young, dumb and naive and Zaentz took full advantage of that to the hilt. I don't blame Fogerty at all for how he eventually felt. Zaentz also built his whole film center on the back of those CCR profits that the band barely saw. It's truly a shame Fogerty lost as much time as a writer/performer as he did due to Zaentz, but at least he found his way out of that morass and depression, eventually. I'm happy for him now.

 

It took two to tango, they both bear some responsibility in aggravating each other, I think Zaentz took things to an extreme a couple of times, and while I can see John Fogerty might also get very absolutist in his way, I don't see it as always intending to push buttons even if it did. I definitely side with the artist but there were a lot of years under various names before any big success where they stayed with Fantasy and Fantasy stayed with them. Grievances did accumulate in all that time. The complete Woodstock set would be a worthwhile historic recording to have out there, if JCF wants to edit out some of his commentary I wouldn't mind at all, I'm sure they had a lot of trouble hearing themselves, but like The Beatles getting screamed at they still performed very well! Tom was very underrated, but also may've been underutilized.

 

I'd love new CCR on DVD or MOV as long as the SQ and DR are OK

 

Excellent long-awaited news!

 

Or both things

 

My wish is for one of these bands in which enough original members are around...any of them...CCR, Stones, Zeppelin...would record an album of new material using the old equipment (in terms of recording). The problem (at least, one of them, for me), is that these "classic" bands record a new album utilizing modern day equipment and as a result, the band's aural identity-which people loved about them in the first place- get's totally drained in the process. Sure, it sounds like I'm pining for a new album (by any of the aforementioned) to take me back to "the day". And many will argue that if that's my "objective", why not just put on the old albums...
..but it's not quite like that. I want to hear new material by say, The Stones, but I want it to sound LIKE The Stones. As I've said many times, if you removed Jagger's vocals from those "current" Stones albums, the band could be anybody. Pretty much the same applies to Fogerty's solo albums . As you imply, Centerfield could have, musically, been a CCR album. But the slick production ruins it.

 

Paging Jack White …

 

Andy Zax was his name. ALL of the audio was mixed in 2009 and the only problems with it was that Rhino wouldn't release a 40 cd box. But it was suggested and certainly possible. That box is still the most comprehensive set available. It just needs to be way more! I'm totally in for a 40 cd version!!!!!!!!

 

And maybe they can find a way to zoom in the audio on the first cries of a baby born there in the background somewhere.

 

I have that black and white footage and it is indeed the same guy that filmed the Who footage. It is certainly watchable but it has some issues just like The Who set.

 

It's true that MOST of the video stuff has been released. How about Blood, Sweat, and Tears???? There's been absolutely NO video footage of them on anything EVER except one song on the ultra cheaply put together Woodstock Lost Performances. They didn't even mix the songs to stereo on that VHS only release from 1990....it's literally the mono track the film crew used to synch to. But they did manage to put in a fake stereo audience in between each song....LOL. I know at least 3 songs by B,S,&T were shot by the film crew. They were one of the biggest bands at the time. I've read they say they played poorly but every band says that. What I've heard sounds fine to me.

I do really hope there is a CCR DVD to go with the audio of the full set. Not every song was filmed by the crew but over half of it was. I'd love to see a nice video transfer of "Commotion" and "Bad Moon Rising" (both of which remain unreleased).

 

New Woodstock Films to Feature Neil Young, CCR
https://bestclassicbands.com/woodstock-films-2019-2-25-19/

In addition, a second film in the works will present, for the first time officially, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Woodstock set. CCR was arguably the most popular American band of 1969, yet their footage was not included in the 1970 film. According to the band’s drummer, Doug Clifford, that is being rectified this year. In an article published online by ABC News Radio, Clifford stated, “We fought for 50 years over [releasing the performance], and now it looks like it’s finally…gonna be out there. So, I’m excited about that, and hopefully the fans will be excited about it as well.” The news item notes that group leader John Fogerty nixed having the band’s performance included in the original Woodstock because he was unhappy with it.

Clifford, who still performs with CCR bassist Stu Cook as Creedence Clearwater Revisited, did not specify whether Fogerty is ready to sign off on that footage now that half a century has passed, but his statements seemed to indicate that the release of the footage is a sure thing.

 

Can you add this post to this merged-a-few-times-already thread please ? Thx. : Forthcoming Woodstock Documentary *

 

Thanks for the heads up on that thread.
Just for you - DONE!

 

I have heard the bootleg of CCR at Woodstock and had a lot of trouble with the drums especially the cymbals. It was overwhelming. From what i heard this could use a remix.

 

How long is the music industry going to keep screwing over the public over unreleased audiod and video footage? I know the answer -- as long as there is $$ to be made.

Consumers have already died the death of a thousand cuts.

 

I dunno, makes me glad I'm still here to hear a Mono PA Version, and see footage I ain't seen yet.

 

Thank you! Never seen this. I will watch this on the big screen tonight.




Anyone have this album, and if so, what do you think of it?

 

I would sooner The Band. Is that out there?

 

Just does not sound right to me without rhythm guitar.