Creedence Clearwater Revival has had a rich history, they also have a history in Colorado. It’s been over 42 years ago since Creedance Clearwater Revival, but the demand and hunger of its members have not. In 1995, founding members of CCR Stu Cook (guitar) and Doug Clifford (drums) formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Performing the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cook and Clifford would not deny the music that millions have enjoyed, nor deny their place in music history.
On Friday, July 19th, Mountain Weekly News had a chance to catch up with legendary drummer Doug Clifford while Clifford was taking a break from the golf course in Nevada for a chat. Creedence Clearwater Revisited will be performing on July 27th in Littleton at Hudson Gardens and July 31st, at Vilar Perming Arts Center in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
MWN: Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, shortly after Creedence Clearwater Revisited was formed. Was the introduction the catalyst that got you and Stu to re-form?
I think so. The actual introduction didn’t go too well. We were jilted during the festivities. Somebody wouldn’t play with us, and nobody in our camp new it until the day of the event. It was heart wrenching with all of our kids and families there. We had Tom’s (Fogerty) ashes there. It was a cold experience going into what I thought was going to be one of my best nights. It planted the seeds for the Revisited project. In the end, we won and persevered. We couldn’t be happier with the results.
MWN: You guys are playing two Colorado dates this summer, the beautiful Hudson Gardens and at Vilar up in Vail. After all this time, do you still enjoy touring? What is the most rewarding part of life on the road?
The most rewarding part is when I get on stage (laughs. The travel is brutal. I play for free, and I get paid to travel. People think it’s a glamorous job, and it is glamorous for the 100 minutes when you’re on-stage. Other than that, it’s hard work. You lose a lot of sleep, always on the move. You really burn the candles at both ends for the love of the music. It’s worth it because there is no rush like the one I get when I’m on-stage with my band mates playing for Creedence fans. They are the best fans in the world.
MWN: After playing live for nearly 50 years, do you get any pre-show jitters or have backstage rituals?
Of course not. I’m going on to see the fans who love the music that we play. I get excited, and I’m an adrenalin junkie. I get anxious, and I can’t wait to get out there.
MWN: You guys played at the now infamous Denver Pop Festival. What are your memories from the show, and did you have a sense that tensions were rising between the police and fans?
(laughs) That’s putting it mildly. I got tear gassed. I’ll never forget it. They knew what they were doing with their tear gas. They were up wind of us, and we were down wind of them. They let the tear gas go. There were many, many people with tears in their eyes. I remember that one.
MWN: It must have added fuel to the fire for you guys, I bet you gave Denver a great show that night.
Oh yeah. We had a chip on our shoulder after that, no questions about it. Also, you keep looking over your shoulder; you didn’t want to get hit in the head with a billy club or get sprayed with mace (laughs).
MWN: What was one of the craziest on-stage moments you had?
Oh yeah, we’ve had a few. The worst on-stage moment I had was in Central America. A guy snuck up behind me and gave me a hug. The stage people tried to pull him off of me and that flipped me backwards. I went down ten feet onto the concrete surface.
MWN: The Denver Pop Festival was also The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s last performance together. Hendrix announced, “This is the last gig we’ll be playing together.” What was your initial thought after that announcement?
I didn’t believe it. I just thought we all get tired out here (pause); I just didn’t believe it.
Doug Clifford
MWN: That show was promoted by Barry Fey, who is a legend in these parts. Do you think promoters like him are a thing of the past, now that we have mega-promoters like Live Nation and AEG that handle tours worldwide?
I think you can find niche. It depends on how big you want to go. I’d like to see more guys like Barry; he was one of the best. It was all about the music. Bill Graham was another one. That part of the business is gone. Everything seems to have gone corporate, and that seems to be the way of the world.
MWN: Do you have any stories from the Barry Fey years?
Not really, I was a performer in a band. He always had his hands full, but he was a gentleman, I can tell you that. I only have kind words for him.
MWN: In less than three years, it will be the 50th anniversary of CCR. Can you divulge what you are planning.
That’s a long way away. I don’t plan that far ahead. It’s not something I think about. I haven’t heard a word from anybody else. I haven’t even thought about it to tell you the honest truth.
MWN: If the opportunity presents itself, would you guys jam with John again for an occasion like that?
I really doubt it. If you entertain those thoughts, I would think the first people you call would be the people you would play with, that would be Stu and myself. I’ve never heard a word from him. When my manager called his people, they said he wasn’t interested. I think it was just a ploy to get some press, and he got plenty of press with that one. I don’t take it seriously. I’m happy with the guys that I’m with. If there was any anniversary, I would be doing it with them.
MWN: You have been to the top of the mountain. Did you enjoy the struggling climb or the view more?
A lot happened really quickly. We had no direction management wise. That’s where the internal problems came from. My favorite view was when we were sitting in the Oakland Coliseum at a sold out Elvis Presley show. Elvis is up their doing his thing; he was such a huge influence on me, especially on the Ed Sullivan show. He got up on the microphone and said, “I know they’re out there. This one is for the Creedence boys.” He played Proud Mary . That was WOW. I get chills now when I think of it. That was the pinnacle of the whole thing.
MWN: Any last words before you come and rock Colorado?
If you like the music, come party with us. We take the music seriously, but not ourselves. That’s a recipe for a good time.
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