John Fogerty Sued By Bandmates; Everybody Wants To Use Creedence Clearwater Revival Name

The legal saga between John Fogerty and his former Creedence Clearwater Revival bandmates has been brewing for nearly two decades since Fogerty sued them for trademark infringement in 1996. Much has happened since, but now, for the first time, Fogerty is the one being sued.

A new lawsuit by drummer Douglas Clifford, bassist Stuart Cook and late rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty's wife, Patricia, is seeking financial punishment for Fogerty, who has been allegedly besmirching the group's Creedence Clearwater Revisited name and advertising his own shows with the CCR label despite contractually agreeing not to.

"I would prefer that that didn't happen," Fogerty told the Canadian Press (via Ultimate Classic Rock) in 2011 when asked about the whole 'Revisited' thing. "We had an agreement among ourselves way back in the day that we would never do such a thing, and having seen the result of these guys doing this now I still have the same opinion. I think it really confuses the fans."

In 2013, Fogerty explained why he attempted to block Clifford and Cook from using the Creedence name (via Daily Press): "When the band broke up, I never had any problem not trying to abscond with the name Creedence as a solo artist ... I just think that thing is from a certain time and it is untouchable, unless everybody is there. You can't do it unless everyone says it is OK to do it."

Cook cited the band's 1993 Hall of Fame induction — the night Fogerty decided to ditch the others in favor of a hand-picked group of musicians — as the turning point for their relationship.

"It all started at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when we were so disrespected by John Fogerty and all involved," Cook said. "We had a big blowout with John that day, but in the end it turned out to be an opportunity."

Creedence Clearwater Revisited has been using John Tristao to fill in for Fogerty on the mic.

"Some of our songs, John (Fogerty) really screamed more than he sung," Cook said. "We had to find someone who could sing the easier songs but also handle the rockin' material as well. John (Tristao) impressed us at his audition, and he put us at ease with the kind of guy he was."

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Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty