Creedence Clearwater Revisited comes to Pechanga

Scientists pore over data to try and figure out how some people are blessed with the ability of perfect pitch.

Four Sacramento men studied and rehearsed a unique style of the blues until fans believed they were the perfect Southern rock band.

For the uninitiated, bassist Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revisited -- formerly Creedence Clearwater Revival -- said there's nothing autobiographical about much of the band's songs, "Born on the Bayou" in particular. Instead, when the current incarnation of the the band performs at Pechanga Resort & Casino on Sunday, it will simply mark an irony: a quintessential Southern band in its real home state.

"We grew up in a very radio diverse area," Cook said. "It was a lot of different influences for us. We just sort of garage-banded our way to that sound."

As part of the rhythm section -- he and drummer Doug Clifford were inspired to restart the band with its current alignment after about two decades out of action -- Cook played an integral role in the distinct Creedence groove that led to seven songs reach as high as No. 2 on the U.S. singles charts. However, Cook credited original lead singer John Fogerty for making the sound completely unique from the rest of what was heard in Northern California in the late 1960s.

"The whole swamp thing was pretty much his imagination of what he wanted to cast as the basic image," Cook said. "And it definitely became a badge of honor. The people of Louisiana thought we were from Louisiana, and then the media turned it into its own subgenre.

"We just had no intention of doing anything but just playing our version of the blues, with country and rock 'n' roll all mixed together."

Fogerty, whose infrequent solo output included the '80s hit "Centerfield," is following up 2004's "Deja Vu All Over Again" with "Revival," due out Oct. 2. He performed at the Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point in May.

For Cook, the spent time away from CCR in other bands became more rewarding in a personal than monatary nature.

"Southern Pacific was a big educational experience," Cook said of the band, which included members of the Doobie Brothers. "With an outside producer, an outside manager, it could help us focus on the bigger picture. We never had that in Creedence. It was always John producing, John writing."

From that perspective outside of Creedence, Cook came to appreciate how input influences songwriting. There's a happy medium to be found between letting one person have control and the anarchy democracy can cause.

"It's unfortunate Creedence was strangled the way it was," Cook said. "But (in Southern Pacific), we didn't spend a lot of time voting. A band shouldn't spend time voting. If someone has an idea, try it and if it works, great.

"Everybody needs to feel like they have input in what's going on. But doing songwriting by committee, it's where everybody agrees on something, but nobody's happy in the end. You're supposed to try to make the music your best."


