The John Fogerty 1996 Interview

Q1: Are you aware of the ground swell John Fogerty support that is out there today and the sustaining nature of your talent and fan base?

A1: No, but I have always felt that with true talent, and a commitment to hard work, it is possible to achieve an enduring respect and appreciation. In other words, I don't take my fans for granted.

Q2: We are all awaiting your new release which hopefully will be out this year (1996). Will you follow up within the next year or so with another like you did with "Centerfield"/"Eye of the Zombie"? In other words, are we going to have to wait a long time for the next album after this one? <grin>

A2: The album I am working on now should be released within the next few months. I began work on this album nearly ten years ago and have learned a lot about music and recording that I didn't know before. I have also become much more the musician I have always wanted to be. The result of all this concentrated effort will be a much better flow of music from John Fogerty.

Q3: What guitar/amp setups are you using these days. Heard you'd been to the Fender custom shop, still using the Kubickis any?

A3: I have learned to enjoy several different combinations of guitar and amp to make the best sound for the specific song. I love the old Fender tweed amps, and I love vintage Strats, Teles, Les Pauls, Juniors and Supros. I have also developed a true love of vintage acoustics, especially Gibsons, Nationals and Dubros.

Q4: Is the new release strictly a solo effort, or do you have other musicians contributing?:

[A solo effort.] Even though I have often recorded alone, I still feel the best music is made by musicians playing off each other (Booker T and the MG's,Hank Williams, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, etc.).

Q5: Is it true you destroy unreleased material, or do you have such material in your archive?

A5: I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of coming back to haunt you...

Q6: Do you still have any of those old, classic, naughahide Kustom amps? They were pretty cool looking, but they weren't tubes (transistors only). I was once in a band that bought all Kustom amps, mostly because that's what CCR used...

A6: I still have a few old Kustom amps and cabs that I drag out occasionally to perform certain old classics like "I Put A Spell On You". In the old days, I liked the Kustom equipment precisely because it was reliable. The sound was clean, or dirty when you activated the built-in stomp box. However, for recording, we all used whatever equipment made the best sound. I used several old Fender tube amps at the time.

Q7: There's been a lot written over the years about the relationship between the original CCR members, and it is certainly not our intention to stir up any more bad feelings, but as die-hard fans of your music, we have to ask this one. Are there any circumstances in which you can see the three of you playing or recording together again, possibly as a separate entity to your
solo performances/recordings?

A7: The simplest answer is "no". Even in the old days, we disagreed wildly over the music. As you know, I wrote, arranged and produced virtually all of the music before Mardi Gras. It was always a struggle to get it to sound good. Besides musical differences, the other three band members were very different than me in human terms and business terms. I am still pulling
knives out of my back even today.

Q8: You've released a number of solo non-album singles / B sides which were only available for a short time. Are there any plans to release them in album format?

A8: Once I begin producing music on a more regular basis, I will take a closer look at the possibility of re-releasing older music.

Q9: Probably like most artists, it's your "hard to find" material which creates much interest, and the most commonly requested subject for these questions has been the "Hoodoo" album, possibly because we are almost unanimous that, for us, songs like "Telephone", and "Between The Lines" stand up as being as good as anything you've written. We've heard and read conflicting reports as to why the album was pulled. Could you set the record straight for us, as to whether it was your decision, and if so, why?

A9: It was a mutual decision between Joe Smith and myself. This was a confusing and very painful time in my life. I still feel the decision not to release it was the correct one. I feel that the songs and the music started out with inspiration, but were left unfinished and unresolved. If I had been stronger at the time, I would have worked harder to bring things up to the level that I demand.

Q10: Finally, is there any way you would be prepared to release "Hoodoo" properly for us? It has even been suggested that if you're not happy with the overall standard, it could come as a "mid-price" CD, or even as a bonus disc with a new solo release, the "special limited edition just for the fans" touch.

A10: I instructed Asylum to destroy the master tapes sometime in the 80's. I still think that was the correct decision, too. Perhaps some day I will re-write and re-record some of those songs. The old "Hoodoo" album really wasn't very good.

A FINAL WORD: I just want to thank my fans for waiting and caring all of these years. The BEST is yet to come...

Sincerely,
John Fogerty