Doug "Cosmo" Clifford Doug Clifford

• 1 Latin Music 03:25
• 2 Regret It (For The Rest Of Your Life) 02:29
• 3 Guitars, Drums And Girls 02:12
• 4 I'm A Man 02:29
• 5 She's About A Mover 02:31
• 6 I Just Want To Cry 02:19
• 7 Get Your Raise 02:36
• 8 Daydream 02:13
• 9 Take A Train 02:10
• 10 Death Machine 02:26
• 11 Swingin' In A Hammock 02:24
• Total Runtime 27:14

Info for Doug "Cosmo" Clifford

Originally released in 1972, Cosmo - the only solo effort from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford - was recorded not long after the breakup of the legendary Bay Area band. Encompassing elements of country and R&B, plus plenty of up-tempo hooks. The album features CCR’s bassist Stu Cook on rhythm guitar, legendary sideman and Stax session musician Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, plus members of Tower of Power on horns. Available for the first time in 45 years, the album is newly remastered by Clifford. An essential addition to every CCR or Grateful Dead aficionado’s record collection.

"Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford would stick with his bandmate Stu Cook long after the band fragmented and dissolved, and Doug makes an appearance on this interesting release. But as Doug and Stu's Creedence Clearwater Revisited doesn't perform the music from Cosmo in concert, what the listener finds is a competent artifact from the end of the Creedence era, a competent but not very compelling voice covering Doug Sahm's "She's About a Mover," John Sebastian's "Daydream," and the Spencer Davis Group hit written by Jimmy Miller and Steve Winwood (with Davis getting added to the copyright after the fact for throwing in that great chord that breaks the riff up). The eight other songs on this 11-track outing are composed by the drummer, and they aren't bad. But they also prove why being adequate is much different from being great, and why John Fogerty steered the ship. Thirty years after the group disbanded, Doug "Cosmo" Clifford and Stu Cook are still performing Fogerty's material. The addition of Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass and Tower of Power on horns while they were just starting to get hot is a plus. Tower sound great on "Get Your Raise," and had Clifford issue about ten of these albums on Fantasy instead of one, he may have developed a Doug Kershaw- or Rusty Kershaw-type following. There's some neat instrumentation on the upbeat cover of the Lovin' Spoonful, but nothing extraordinary here. "Take a Train" -- like much of the music on Cosmo -- plays like a throwback to a different time. It's R&B with a country flair, and would fit into a movie soundtrack nicely enough. The difference between solo recordings by ex-members of mainstream artists like Creedence Clearwater and left field groups like Roxy Music and the Velvet Underground is the difference between music you purchase to cherish and records you pick up to complete your collection. For what it is, Cosmo is better than what you'd expect, but not as good as it could have been. Photography is by Bob Fogerty." (Joe Viglione, AMG)

Doug Clifford, drums, lead vocals
Stu Cook, rhythm guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn, bass
Judiyaba, cello
John Mingo Lewis, maracas, conga
John McFee, guitar, steel guitar
Steve Miller, piano
Armando Peraza, bongos, guitas
Tower Of Power Horn Section:
Greg Adams, trumpet
Emilio Castillo, tenor sax
Mic Gillette, trumpet, trombone
Stephen Kupka, baritone sax
Skip Mesquite, tenor sax
Walter Hawkins, vocals
Lynette Hawkins, vocals
Feddie Smith, vocals
Eddie Bayers, vocals

Digitally remastered

Doug Clifford
formed a high school band with Stu Cook and John Fogerty. The trio were later joined by John's older brother Tom and were called Tom Fogerty and the Blue Velvets. After leaving school the band played the Bay area in 63. In 64 they auditioned for local jazz/blues label Fantasy Records. They call themselves The Visions and record some instros. The label changes the name to the er more " British" sounding but well dodgy Golliwogs!!!! Their Brown Eyed Girl 45 becomes a local hit in 66 but Uncle Sam comes a knocking for John and Doug, drafted to Vietnam like many an All American Boy (whose dad wasn't a politician that is!!).

After national service the band reunites with John on lead vocal and the intriguing name change to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Creedence, apparently from the Christian name of a pal of Tom's, Clearwater, from a local beer commercial and Revival as a statement of intent. John being a great fan of southern rockabilly, Sun in particular, Duane Eddy, Little Richard, Bo Diddley,Gene Vincent (John inducted Gene into the US Rnr Hall of Fame by singing Be Bop A Lula acappela), hard edged r&b and his southern bayou inspired chooglin' rhythms.

Early 45s are covers, Susie Q and I Put A Spell On You, before a mega hit penned by John (the day he was released from the army), Proud Mary. Later covers by Elvis, Solomon Burke, Spector's Checkmates and Ike & Tina, speak volumes for the quality of this Mississippi steamboat romper.

Their albums were million sellers, as were their 45s, they became the most successful band in the world for a while. They played Woodstock, though John insisted they were left out of the film as he was unhappy with the sound, cost them big bucks that decision BTW.

The Sun sounding Bad Moon Rising, Little Richard inspired Travellin' Band, Bakersfield styled Lookin' Out My Back Door, hillbillyish Willie & The Poor Boys and many other 45s/lp cuts kept up an incredibly high standard for nearly 2 years until the dreaded musical differences reared between chief song writer/vocalist John and his sibling and old school pals.

Drummer Doug was nicknamed Cosmo, their finest album was named Cosmo's Factory with fine covers of My Baby Left Me, Ooby Dooby and the sadly prophetic Before You Accuse Me. After Tom Fogerty left Doug and bass player Stu Cook insisted on their songs being included instead of John Fogerty's or covers, result Mardi Gras and the worst album reviews the band ever had, John Landau called it the worst album ever released by a major band. Shortly after they split CCR, John went on to a patchy (but with many highlights) solo career interspersed with lengthy sabbaticals, the loss of his brother, bitter law suits versus Fantasy Records and his former band mates interspersed with critical/live audience and top ten albums .

Afetr the split in Oct 72, Doug and Stu worked with others like Doug Sahm, lately they formed Creedence Clearwater Revisited, playing the old songs, another Fogerty inspired law suit meant that the band is now Cosmo's Factory. When CCR were elected into the Hall Of Fame, Fogerty refused to allow his old mates to join in the ceremony closing on stage jam session featuring many CCR/Fogerty classics.

Recommended Listening: Anything cut by CCR, a fine overview can be found on the two volumes of Chronicles. The recent digi pak reissues of the classic albums have better sound than the earlier series of reissues. There's a fine box set including all the CCR sides and the pre CCR era. I'm not a fan of the CCRevisited/Cosmo's stuff but some CCR listeners do rate it. I prefer Fogerty's reinterpretations.

Recommended reading: Bad Moon Rising by Steve Bordowitz, Schirmer Books>From rocking roots to the law courts, shame such bitterness interferes with some of the best post 50s music cut IMHO.

This album contains no booklet.