Taking the Long Road

            John Fogerty is back, but after one listen to his latest compilation of career hits, The Long Road Home-In Concert, you’ll swear he never went away. Finally settling longtime differences with his record company, Fantasy Records, Mr. Fogerty is now releasing many of his past hits including this two-disc set which is a recording of a September 15, 2005 concert held at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Fogerty’s vocals on the collection sound as forceful, raw and urgent as any recording from his CCR days. Not bad considering those recordings were made over thirty years ago. Even though the tracks haven’t been chronologically arranged, both Credence Clearwater Revival and solo work mesh together into a seamless offering giving the listener a cross-section of Fogerty’s storied career. Although many bands have tried to copy the style of John Fogerty, none have been able to duplicate the magic he creates on stage. A natural showman that knows when to talk and when to rock, Fogerty sums up his career in an opening concert statement, “What I’m all about is playing rock and roll, so let’s get to it!â€� 

            Most of Fogerty’s signature hits with CCR are found in the package including Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, Down on the Corner, Travelin’ Band, Lookin’ Out My Back Door and the unforgettable, Who’ll Stop The Rain. Fogerty’s solo material on the CD proved to be as compelling as any of his CCR tunes. Featured solo efforts are the 1985 top-ten hit, Old Man Down The Road, the perennial baseball anthem, Centerfield, and one of his most recently penned compositions, Déjà vu (All Over Again). Déjà vu is a haunting ballad in which Fogerty draws an insightful comparison between the Vietnam War and the present conflict in Iraq. While John Fogerty’s songwriting and vocals power the performance, his band pushes the recording over the top. The band features the polished guitar work of Bob Britt and Billy Burnette, the pounding bass of George Hawkins, Jr., the supporting keyboards of Matt Nolen and the steady drumming of John Molo. Together, Fogerty and band keep the music flowing for almost an hour and a half, surely enough to satisfy even the most hard-core Fogerty fan. Even though such great hits as Midnight Special, Susie Q, Heard It Through the Grapevine and I Put A Spell On You didn’t make the album, it’s hard to complain when it comes to The Long Road Home-In Concert. The collection chronicles the career of John Fogerty in all its intensity, energy and power. If you love CCR and Fogerty, add this one to your collection.

Kirk deCordova

staff writer
dallasmusic.com