personal account by Rod Callaghan

The first time I heard the bull frog calling my name was back in 1968, I was still in secondary school and the sounds of Creedence Clearwater Revival where sounding across the airwaves. Their sound was new yet familiar, addictive and powerful, rock blues and country all rolled into one creating what some called a swamp sound. At the very heart of CCR was the musical talents and genius of John Fogerty, the bands singer, lead guitarist and song writer.

Johns vocals are awesomely distinctive, at times rough as a gravel road, at others howling like a Missisippi hoo doo man , and at others calm like a backwater swamp, but always distinctive. His guitar playing is just as distinctive as his vocals he is a true legend of the guitar and if anyone deserves a place in the all time greats hall of fame, a person we call a legend then that man is John Fogerty.

On November 18th 1998 at Melbourne Park I had the honor and privilege to see a performer whose been part of my life for the best past 30 years. His music has become a sound track to my life as it has to many others, including the sound tracks to movies. John is touring around the world on his Premonition tour. To name a highlight of this concert is a big ask.

The concert opens up to the sound of frogs and crickets singing in the boon dots. The curtain slowly opens to the first few bars of Born on the Bayou and the set is straight out of the night swamp country, and there standing centre stage, Les Paul cradled in the arms of man dressed in black looking lean and clean and happy to be there is the man him self John Fogerty, the 53 year old legend looking timeless, sounding timeless and so far all that he played was the opening few bars and sung the first chorus Born on The Bayou, the legend was back he was chasin’ down a hoo-doo there, and the audience were immediately under his spell. It was magic and the evening just got better and better. Backed by quartet featuring two rhythm guitarists, bass and drums, this was guitar band to be reckoned with.

John played a quiver of guitars, 2 Les Pauls, a black and a sunburst one, a Rickenbacker, a new shiny looking red and white Telecaster, a pinky, metallic flake looking Strat and a base ball bat, amongst others. The base ball bat type guitar was used only once to great effect not only in looks but in sound. John also played lap steel guitar, pedal steel and a couple of acoustics.

He played for over two hours with no breaks. Every number a classic – including his latest offerings, such as Premonition as well as numbers from his solo outings like Old Man Down the Road from Centrefield and of course the early classics such as Suzie Q, Green River and Fotunate Son, just to name a few. The crowd where over the moon, it was good moon, it was a great night. Johns sound is still new still familiar and I believe the best is yet to come from John Fogerty.

If you get the chance to see John on this tour take it. If you miss him this time around you can still get a glimpse of the concert on video or hear it on CD, you can check John out at www.johnfogerty.com. Thanks John for a great night, you are an inspirational performer,

Review by Rod Callaghan