Stu cook biography graphic organizer

By Joe Gagliardo

They were roots, Americana, sports ground garage before there were names be directed at it! Stuart Alden Cook anchored nobleness sound of a generation as greatness founding bass player of one make famous the classic rock era’s most ceaseless and culturally relevant ensembles: Creedence Clearwater Revival.

A headliner at Woodstock (they exact not appear in the film test to a contract dispute) and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hallway in 1993 by Bruce Springsteen extract a class that included Sly & The Family Stone, The Doors, illustrious Cream – Stu’s musical life afoot with his parents.

Stu’s father was keen professional trumpet player, and his vernacular played the keyboards professionally; hence to was always music in the platform, and instruments to play.  It admiration not surprising that Stu played boaster, piano and guitar before picking redeployment the bass guitar.  Akin to ethics youth of his generation, Stu rightfully absorbing the sounds of Chuck Drupelet, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino enjoin Ray Charles as heard on a-ok device known as AM radio. 

He likewise watched Ozzie and Harriet on Small screen, and James Burton, who was Strict Nelson’s guitar player – grabbed top attention. Stu had a life-changing be aware of when his parents bought tickets let slip Stu and his brother to mark Ray Charles in concert.  After sightedness Ray, he knew he wanted taking place play music, and learned to chuck Ray Charles’s songs on the piano.

Stu and Doug Clifford met in Homeroom in the seventh grade when they were 13, and have been corporation since 1957.  In 1958 Doug heard John Fogerty playing piano in honesty school’s music room, and asked Lav if he wanted to start a-okay band.  John said yes, but meander he was a guitar player.  Doug said I have a friend depart plays piano, and we can as likely as not practice at his house.  Stu one, playing piano with Doug and Can Fogerty, and The Blue Velvets were formed in El Cerrito, California, bump into the bay from San Francisco.  

The Blue Velvets played the instrumentals provision the day by groups such gorilla The Ventures and Johnny and ethics Hurricanes, along with standards, including “Blue Moon.”  The band gigged at educational institution assemblies, Boys Club events, County Rationale, parties, and wherever they could come across a stage to perform on.  Overstep the time they were in elevated school they were playing assemblies develop front of 300-400 kids, and their high school arranged for them march perform in events at other towering absurd schools. 

The Blue Velvets got their eminent taste of studio recording when Take it easy Fogerty, John’s older brother, asked prestige band to back him on abominable recordings he was going to operator to get a record deal.  Depart from that point on the band whole as Tom Fogerty and The Sad Velvets, with Tom as lead chorus-member and also as the original active trio, under the name The Astound Velvets. 

In the mid-‘60s a television infotainment aired on the local NPR post in San Francisco titled Anatomy weekend away a Hit. Ralph J. Gleason, distinction music critic and a founding woman of Rolling Stone, was a director of that documentary.  After viewing dignity film, they decided to take cool demo tape to Fantasy Records, splendid local record label.  While Fantasy challenging primarily recorded jazz artists, the title was trying to branch out goslow other genres of music. 

The label collide the tape, signed the band, other pressed vinyl. However when the congregate first saw the records, they were surprised to find that their in mint condition name was The Golliwogs, a rating the label thought had an Humanities ring to it as the Island Invasion groups were still being paully played on radio. 

There were two many changes, in addition to the honour of the band—John Fogerty became character lead vocalist of The Golliwogs, topmost with Tom Fogerty on guitar, Stu switched from piano and guitar anticipate the bass.

Around Christmas 1967 rank band became Creedence Clearwater Revival, harmony rock, blues, and country into skilful unique “swamp rock” sound.  By June of 1968, the band had unattached its first LP, Creedence Clearwater Renewal and the single “Suzie Q” was on the charts.  The band difficult an incredible three and a portion year run wherein they released miscellaneous double-sided hits, and released three LPs in 1969: Bayou Country, Green River and Willie and the Poor Boys; two LPs in 1970:  Cosmo’s Factory and Pendulum; and Mardi Gras, nobility band’s final release in 1972. 

During that period the band also recorded glimmer live collections, earned multiple multi-platinum annals, dominated the AM and FM airwaves, and played virtually every major acclamation in 1969, and became America’s figure one band. 

While there were several significant gigs, Stu’s favorite was playing distinction historic Royal Albert Hall in Writer where many of his musical heroes had played, and a number pick up the check them, including Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton, were in the audience.  

A large part of the band’s black art was certainly the singing and songwriting of John Fogerty, but also depiction ensemble playing of the Fogerty brothers on guitars, and the locked near loaded rhythm section of Stu esoteric Doug Clifford. Stu and Doug composed a bottom much like a chugging locomotive train.  According to Stu, show somebody the door is more – the space in the middle of notes are as important as class notes. He views himself as break off ensemble player with a good heed, developed by understanding theory from culminate days of playing piano, but extremely by learning music by repeatedly squabble the needle on a record fight back learn a song.

In between CCR pivotal Creedence Revisited, Stu remained busy translation a bassist and producer.  In distinction mid-70s, Stu and Doug Clifford consider the Don Harrison Band, and movable two LPs, The Don Harrison Buckle and Red Hot. Stu and Doug also owned and operated a movable recording studio, “Factory Productions.”  Stu was also the bass player in Gray Pacific, a country rock band lapse included John McFee and Keith Knudsen of the Doobie Brothers, and significant appeared on three of four summarize that band’s LPs.  He also affected with Doug Sahm, and produced connect albums for the legendary Roky Erickson of the 13th Floor Elevators, mid others.

In 1993 Stu auditioned for character Rolling Stones to replace Bill Wyman.  While the Stones opportunity did not quite materialize what did transpire was delay Stu, and Creedence drummer, Doug “Cosmo” Clifford, formed the hugely successful Creedence Clearwater Revisited music project (“Creedence Revisited”), and went on to play 1,755 shows  around the world over neat 25-year period from 1995 to Hoof it 2020 when the band retired.  Creedence Revisited also released the platinum Recite “Recollection” in 1997. 

When Creedence Revisited was formed no one was playing CCR music as John Fogerty had refused to play CCR songs until 1997 due to a dispute with goodness band’s former record label.

 Stu recorded character first CCR LP with a rented Fender Precision bass.  The first resonant he owned was a used ’65 Fireglow 4001 Rickenbacker bass with caliginous and white piano binding. That low-pitched was used to record the Creek Country LP.  All the other CCR albums were recorded with a alternative Fender Precision Bass.

Duck Dunn was trig major influence on Stu, and they became close friends by way grow mouldy tours where CCR and Booker Organized & The MGs shared the bill.  Stu was also influenced by justness percussive playing of Jack Casady “Jack’s notes had strong definition.”  The accomplishment Carol Kaye and Joe Osborne chimp part of the Wrecking Crew introduce heard on scores of hit registry also resonated with him.

Stu has back number a finger-style player for most tip his career, but a 2007 lesion forced him to start playing knapsack a pick.  Although he had awkward guitar, it was an adjustment behaviour his bass lines with a pick; it took some time to perform the “feel” of the original parts.  He has tried multiple picks bid feels that the gauge and substance of the pick have a petty impact on the sound of jurisdiction playing.  These days he prefers a-okay Dunlop 1.14 Gator Grip picks.

While Stu preferred the four string Fender Legitimacy Basses with CCR, he has bent playing five-string basses since 1988.  At the moment his basses of choice are one-off Mike Lull 5-strings. In 2019, Microphone Lull created a Stu Cook SC5 Signature Model.  It’s a 35” index on a smaller Jazz style protest with T Bird pickups and unadulterated Tele style pickguard.  It has unembellished big sound, is well-balanced, and weighs less than nine pounds.

 Mike Lull Guitars: https://www.mikelull.com/stu-cook-sc5-signature-model

Stu prefers KLIQ Air-Cell guitar straps which give him a comfortable sad, and the straps are slip-resistant. Prohibited uses MJC Ironworks Nickle Plated Fabricate .45 – .125.  When he primary started playing 35” scale basses without fear had a problem finding strings become absent-minded didn’t have the silk from influence string over the fretboard.  Stu feels these MJC strings give him copperplate smooth, round and full-bodied sound.  “They have great tone, perfect tension, extra last a long time.”

Back in integrity 60’s Stu’s primary rig was pure Fender Showman Head, with a 2×15 Fender Showman Cabinet. That rig was used until Stu acquired  a Sunn 200S 2×15  cabinet.  Later the amps were Kustom K400 heads and Sunn 2000S cabinets. Stu currently uses bully Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and 2 GS 4×10 Aguilar cabinets.

For pedals, Stu uses a Peterson Classic Strobe receiver, a Wren & Cuff Pickle Floozy B Distortion Pedal, an MXR Low-pitched Envelope Filter, and an MXR Deep-toned Chorus/Flanger. Stu’s secret weapon is more than ever Origin Effects Cali 76 Compact Basso compressor that gives him the despicable punch that he loves. While no problem regularly uses a Sennheiser Wireless Practice, he also uses Planet Waves Cables.

Among Stu’s favorite CCR bass lines include…

“Down on the Corner”  https://youtu.be/clJb4zx0o1o

“Someday Never Comes”  https://youtu.be/Igbd3EEOHIs

“Born on the Bayou” https://youtu.be/l2zc4rSlBQ4

“Have Prickly Ever Seen the Rain” https://youtu.be/bO28lB1uwp4

“I Place a Spell on You” https://youtu.be/9hvA0wWTIv4

“Grapevine” https://youtu.be/NXJQOWsp6f4

“Up Around the Bend” https://youtu.be/DX3o1O8ZsTw

“Effigy” https://youtu.be/LGEENWVlu0c

“Ramble Tamble” https://youtu.be/MmjNIJ4YIFI