Music

Creedence Clearwater Revisited ‘Chose Not to Be Bullied’ by Fogerty

"We have never objected to John Fogerty performing any song he ever wrote, or performing any song recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival," the band says

December 11, 2014

Stu Cook and Doug Clifford of Creedence Clearwater Revisited, who recently sued their former bandmate, John Fogerty. Jeff Dow

The former members of Creedence Clearwater Revival who filed a lawsuit against the band’s ex-frontman, John Fogerty, this week have responded to the singer’s claim that he would continue to play the band’s music live. In the lawsuit, which bassist Stu Cook and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford filed along with the widow of Fogerty’s rhythm-guitarist brother Tom, the musicians claim they never asked him to stop playing the songs.

“Because of recent inaccurate statements in the media regarding pending litigation, we want to set the record straight,” said Cook and Clifford, who tour as part of another group called Creedence Clearwater Revisited. “We have never objected to John Fogerty performing any song he ever wrote, or performing any song recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival. That idea is ridiculous. Even when he refused to play those songs, and publicly called for a boycott of CCR music, we encouraged him to perform them whenever and wherever he wanted.

“The facts are that Mr. Fogerty, while proclaiming joyful rebirth in the press, repeatedly has [had] his lawyers threaten us with lawsuits and demand unreasonable concessions of our rights,” they continued. “Last week, the threats and demands left us with little doubt that a lawsuit would be filed by him against us for the second time. This unfortunate situation required us to take unpleasant preemptive legal action.

“This action is about the need to defend ourselves and rights, Mr. Fogerty’s failure to perform contractual promises and unlicensed uses of the trademark ‘Creedence Clearwater Revival,'” they concluded. “The trademark is not owned by him, but by the Creedence Clearwater Revival Partnership. We have a business relationship with him and, under prevailing circumstances, chose not to be bullied.”

The lawsuit against Fogerty alleged that he’d infringed on the band’s trademark and used the band’s name in a way that violated a contract he had with the other ex-CCR members. Cook, Clifford and Tom’s widow are collectively seeking damages from John Fogerty.

Despite the complaint not mentioning the band’s music, Fogerty issued a statement earlier this week defending his right to play the music he wrote. “No lawyers, lawsuits or angry ex–band members will stop me ever again from singing my songs,” he said. “I am going to continue to tour and play all my songs every single night I am out on the road.”

The singer has no scheduled tour dates, though he recently wrapped a tour dubbed “1969: Live Across Canada,” which was billed as a chance to see him perform the songs of Creedence Clearwater Revival.