Mardi Gras

Greatly Appreciated

MARDI GRAS
 
 
Mardi Gras  is the seventh and final studio album by American band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on April 11, 1972.  Unlike previous albums, Mardi Gras had Stu Cook and Doug Clifford sharing songwriting and production with John Fogerty, as well as their own lead vocal contributions for the first time.  Reviews were mixed to poor, and critics called the album “Fogerty’s revenge”.  Following the album’s release, the group was officially dissolved on 16 October 1972 in a statement released by the group and its record label Fantasy Records.  Mardi Gras was not remastered and reissued until 2008 to mark the 40th anniversary of the band’s formation.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
 
 
The acrimony among the bandmembers in Creedence Clearwater Revival started not long after Suzie Q” became a hit.  Rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty (John’s younger brother) in particular had long felt ignored within the band and finally left the group for good in January 1971.  Eventually, John Fogerty refused to work with Fantasy at all, and he made only minimal contributions to the band’s final album in 1972Mardi Gras, insisting that he would not sing any of the songs written by the two other bandmembers, bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford.  The album was panned by the critics, with Rolling Stone reviewer Jon Landau marking it as “the worst album I have ever heard from a major rock band”.  The only reunion of Creedence Clearwater Revival with all four original members occurred at Tom Fogerty’s wedding in 1980.  Remarkably, Tom Fogerty sided with Fantasy Records during his brother’s bitter disputes with their label. 
 
(January 2013)
 
Last edited: March 22, 2021