John Fogerty released a new single, “Weeping in the Promised Land,” in January, but it’s been more than 13 years since the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman has put out a full album of original material.
Fogerty tells ABC Audio that he’s been making progress on a new record, although he’s feels like he has some studio challenges to overcome before the project will be completed.
“I’ve been in [my home studio] with some musicians, and trying to get some of the songs [finished],” he explains. “They might have one or two verses, but they’re incomplete as a record. But trying to get the feel accomplished…sometimes that’s elusive, you know? Sometimes it means you need to call a different musician.”
Fogerty explains that he’s looking for a certain feel from the musicians who will play on the new material, and cites famed Memphis soul group Booker T. & the MG’s as a good example of what would be ideal.
“[T]hey’re just so soulful, there’s so much feeling between the musicians and the way the total comes across…musically,” Fogerty notes. “And that’s a very elusive thing, but they had that and they had it under control and did that over and over and over.”
Meanwhile, Fogerty says writing the topical, gospel-flavored “Weeping in the Promised Land,” a song he toiled over — and is very proud of — has given him confidence that he can come up with some more solid material for his next album.
“I mean, it just changes your whole demeanor, because you’ve finally accomplished something that’s worth all that anguish, which is how I feel now, I guess,” he tells ABC Audio. “And it makes the search and the journey worth it, ’cause you know you’re gonna have some more of those doggone journeys.”
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