STORY
There was a before, there was an after. Fifty years ago, the Woodstock wave swept the world. Europe 1 makes you relive, at the time of the festivals of the summer, the history of this revolution, not only by what it brought, but also by those which incarnated it. Today, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Headliners that sell more records than the Beatles
They are both Woodstock's most extraordinary casting mistake and the cornerstone of the festival, those without whom nothing would have been possible. "When I imagined the Woodstock poster, I immediately wanted to secure the three key groups of the moment, and they were part of it," said Michael Lang, one of the organizers. The Creedence Clearwater Revival, is their name, have made the event credible to investors, but also other groups, initially skeptical about the potential success of this festival in the wild.
It must be said that at the time, Creedence Clearwater Revival, are "hot", as say the Americans. Hot boiling, they sell more records than the Beatles in the United States and trust the first places in the charts with their single tubes. Simplistic, even say their detractors, but devilishly effective. Just like their Born On The Bayou who wakes Woodstock on the night of Saturday, August 16 to Sunday, August 17, around 1 am.
Stakhanovists in the land of hippies
A title as upset as the band at that time. The Creedence Clearwater Revival (do not look for the meaning of this name, there is none, they just thought it sounded good) come on stage with four hours late. The fault of an endless concert and terribly missed the Grateful Dead. In addition, from Born On The Bayou, their first piece, part of their battery is no longer usable. Finally, the musicians will judge the sound and their performance sufficiently catastrophic to refuse any appearance on record and in the documentary devoted to Woodstock.
This is not the first time that "Creedence", as they are nicknamed, are angry. The leader and singer, John Fogerty, is considered one of the most unpleasant figures of the time. For him, music is not a hobby but a profession and a business, with schedules, constraints and a healthy lifestyle. A big word at the time. No eccentricity whatsoever either, the group members wear jeans and checked shirts. In short, "Creedence" in Woodstock, they are a little stakhanovists in the country of hippies.
The consecration with Proud Mary
The festival does not have the same meaning for them as for other groups, who see this concert as a consecration. For Californians, this is just another step in a hellish calendar. Despite very southerly accents and themes, Creedence Clearwater Revival is a West Coast group formed near San Francisco. A family affair: there is John Fogerty and his big brother Tom, both guitarists. Let's add Doug Clifford, the drummer, and Stu Cook, the bass player. All four work hard, it will be understood, and will find a formula, a sound, a rhythm.
Only missing the tube to launch their career. It will come a bit by chance, in 1968. "You have the right single," said a very influential DJ of the time. "You just have to change the A side and the B side." The promised song to the A side It was Born On The Bayou, not bad, but B is going around the world, Proud Mary and her unforgettable intro.
This title will be repeated dozens of times by the greatest artists, including Ike and Tina Turner. It will ensure Creedence Clearwater Revival a worldwide renown.
A formula and a group that are running out
But that will not calm the tyrannical ardor of John Fogerty, who literally squeezes his group. The discs are linked (there will be three in 1969 alone), the tours too. John Fogerty accepts all solicitations, composes his new titles in the planes. And the winning formula ends up becoming a bit too big. Like the group, she is exhausted.
The first to leave the ship is Tom, John Fogerty's brother. He will also be the first to disappear in 1990. This will not prevent him from suffering, like the others, a very complicated post-Creedence. The quartet became trio separates definitively in 1972, in the most total bitterness. We fight, we take revenge, the trials accumulate with the record company as between the members too. Rancor becomes grudge. Creedence Clearwater Revival will never reform again. John Fogerty has tried to convince his former colleagues, but they obviously keep too many bad memories to give up the sponge.
"At the time, we were the best band in the world"
There remains a kind of universality left by this typically American group and unstoppable songs. Small bombs of energy carried by the hoarse voice of their creator. Like Fortunate Son, popularized in France by Johnny Hallyday under the title Je suis suis son de personne.
John Fogerty is now 74 years old. Faithful to his work ethic, he always travels the planet and multiplies concerts. His voice has not changed much. His morgue and his exigency either, when explaining the absence of the group in the great memories of Woodstock. "At the time, we were the best band in the world, I did not need to be seen fucking our stuff, I said no, and I've never regretted it."
Find all the other episodes of our series "Woodstock, 50 years later":
> Episode 1: The origins of the most iconic festivals
> Episode 2: Richie Havens, the story of a fate that topples
> Episode 3: Tim Hardin, dubbed by Bob Dylan, destroyed by drugs
> Episode 4: Joan Baez, the consciousness of a generation
> Episode 5: Santana, and the legend was created
> Episode 6: Canned Heat, as long as the blues live