On this day (October 15), Creedence Clearwater Revival split after just four years in the spotlight. Despite the band’s short life, the split was a long time coming. Jealousy and animosity had been brewing between John Fogerty and the rest of the band for years before they chose to go their separate ways.
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Creedence Clearwater Revival started as the Blue Velvets in 1959. The band changed its name and lineup a handful of times before releasing its self-titled debut album in 1968. They found early chart success with their second single, “Suzie Q,” which peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100. The next year, “Proud Mary” became their first major hit when it peaked at No. 2.
The next few years saw the band release a string of hit singles, including “Green River,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Down on the Corner,” “Travelin’ Band,” and other classics. Fogerty penned all of the songs. At the same time, he was the guitarist and lead vocalist for the band. As a result, he became the de facto face of the band. This caused tension within the band.
That tension, however, wasn’t the only cause of the band’s downfall. Instead, it came down to a battle for creative control and a failed album.
Why Creedence Clearwater Revival Broke Up
The edges started to fray when Tommy Fogerty, John’s brother, quit the band in 1971, after the release of Pendulum. He wanted to be more involved with the band’s creative process and maybe sing on a song or two. However, John refused to change the band’s status quo.
Then came their final album, Mardi Gras. While it was still technically a hit, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, it was far from the band’s best work. Many believe that Doug “Cosmo” Clifford and Stu Cook forced Fogerty to allow them to write songs and sing on the album. According to Cook, though, that wasn’t the case.
“Tom may have wanted to contribute songs, but Doug and I never wanted to,” Cook said. “John told us–this was in the limousine after the last gig of a tour before we’re having a break–that we could each do a third of the songs on the next album. And he would not be singing on our songs because his voice was ‘a unique instrument.’ He didn’t even play guitar on them,” he added.
Cook went on to say that Fogerty told him that was how Mardi Gras would be made, or he would quit the band. So, they went along with it. Then, a few months after the album hit shelves, Fogerty paid Cook a visit to announce his departure from the band. “At this point, so am I. I’ve had enough,” Cook remembered telling Fogerty.
Tom Fogerty died from AIDS-related complications in 1990. John Fogerty’s solo career is still going strong. Cook and Clifford formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited in 1995 and actively toured until early 2020.
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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