I met Jeff Fogerty.. I made contact to see if he was related to the infamous Fogerty family. Sure enough he was Tom Fogerty's son.. Jeff is in bad shape with Neurological Sarcoidosis disease. I am grateful he was able to respond to my questions. Please excuse the lower and upper case replies to my question. But as Jeff says he will not be defeated.
Punk Globe: Besides your last name I remember contacting you regarding George Clinton and an old pal Marcy Manslaughter. Do you remember that?
Jeff: YES, I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR AND WITH GEORGE SINCE HE HIRED ME 2 DAYS AFTER MEETING ME IN 1996. I AM STILL WITH HIM AND P FUNK... I NO LONGER TOUR THE WORLD. I WAS ON THE ROAD WITH PARLIAMENT/FUNKADELIC FROM 1996-2002. Many Many Shows
Punk Globe: What was your association with Mr. Clinton?
Jeff: I WAS ORIGINALLY HIRED TO BE HIS STAGE MANAGER, EQUIPMENT TECH, GEAR ADVISER AND ANYTHING ELSE GEORGE ASKED FOR.
I TOLD HIM ABOUT NAMM AND HOW ENDORSEMENTS WORK AND THAT I CAN HELP HIM AND THE BAND GET SPONSORED, SUPPORT AND NEW INSTRUMENTS FROM COMPANIES. AS AT THE TIME I 1ST STARTED THE GUITAR PLAYERS HAD A GIBSON DEAL, AND HAD A GUITAR EACH... GEORGE ASKED ME TO ACCESS ALL HIS STAGE AND TOURING GEAR. IT WAS A MESS ACTUALLY, THEY HAD GOTTEN ALL NEW MARSHALL STACKS FOR THE GUITAR PLAYERS AND NEW AMPEG BASS AMPS RIGHT BEFORE THE LOLLAPALOOZA 1994 TOUR. I WAS HIRED IN 1996, ALL THE MARSHALL HEADS NEEDED NEW TUBES AND A FULL CHECK OVER, THERE WERE ALOT OF BLOWN SPEAKERS IN THE MARSHALL CABS. SO THOSE NEEDED REPLACING AND THE CABINETS NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND REWIRED. THE AMPEG BASS HEADS ALSO NEEDED TO BE RETUBED, FULLY TECHED AND REBUILT. THERE WERE BLOWN SPEAKERS AS WELL. I CALLED MARSHALL FOR SUPPORT, THEY SAID THEY WOULD SELL ME REPLACEMENT PARTS AT COST, BUT THAT WAS GONNA BE OVER $2K. AMPEG WOULD BE A BIT LESS $$$. I HAVE BEEN A MESA BOOGIE ARTIST SINCE I WAS A KID, THEY BUILT ME MY MARK 3 IN EARLY 1985 ( I STILL HAVE IT, IT IS ACTUALLY NEXT TO MY DESK IN MY ROOM AT HOME WHERE I AM WRITING THIS ) IT STILL WORKS PERFECTLY, I HAVE ONLY RETUBED IT ONCE SINCE 1985 !!! I TOLD GEORGE THAT MESA MAKES KILLER AMPS AND THAT THE RECTIFIER SERIES AMPS AND CABINETS WILL SOUND FANTASTIC FOR PFUNK AND HE SHOULD TRY THEM OUT. I HAD CALLED MESA, TALKED WITH SEAN BERESFORD ABOUT GEORGE AND HE TOLD ME HE WOULD LOVE TO HELP, TO SIGN PFUNK UP FOR ENDORSEMENTS. HE SAID HE WOULD LOAN US BACKLINE FOR OUR UPCOMING 3 WEEK + WEST COAST MINI TOUR. TOLD ME TO GIVE HIM THE STAGE NEEDS AND SUGGESTED PFUNK TRY OUT MESA TRIPLE RECTIFIER HEADS AND RECTIFIER CABINETS. ALSO MESA HAD GREAT BASS AMPS. I ASKED FOR THE ROAD READY 8X1O ( 2 OF THEM ) AND 2 OF THE ROAD READY 2X15. ALL WITH THE EVM SPEAKERS. AMAZING SOUNDING. THEY HAD A NEW BASS AMP HEAD, HE LOANED US 3 OF THEM. SO WE USED THAT RIG FOR THE MINI RUN. AFTER THE LAST NIGHT, 3RD OF 3 NIGHTS AT THE PHOENIX IN SEATTLE I ASKED MR. CLINTON WHAT HE THOUGHT OF THE MESA BOOGIE BACKLINE. GEORGE TOLD ME HE LOVED IT, THAT THE BAND SOUNDED BIG AND LOUD, BUT CLEAN AND POWERFUL... MUCH BETTER THAN HIS MARSHALLS. THAT THE MARSHALLS WERE LOUD, BUT SHRILL AND WAY TOO MUCH TREBLE. I TOLD HIM THAT SEAN SAID MESA BOOGIE WOULD GIVE HIM A FULL ARTIST ENDORSEMENT DEAL. TO LET HIM KNOW WHAT HE WANTED SO MEDA COULD START TO BUILD THEM.... I ASKED GEORGE WHAT MODELS, HE TOLD ME " YOU PICK JEFF, YOU KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR PFUNK " YESSSSSSS. SO I SAID LET'S GET 6 TRIPLE RECTIFIER HEAD, 1 SPARE HEAD AND 1 TREMOVERB HEAD, BECAUSE BILLY BASS NELSON WANTED REVERB IN HIS AMP. RECTIFIER AMPS HAVE NO REVERB. AND LETS GET 6 FULL STACKS, THAT IS 12 4X12 RECTIFIER CABINETS AND 2 SPARE CABINETS. I ALSO GOT US 2 MESA TREMOVER B 2X12 100 WATT COMBO AMPS. IN CASE OF GUEST GUITARIST SIT INS, OR IF WE WANT TO HIT A STUDIO, ETC.
FOR BASS WE WENT WITH THE MESA BOOGIE ROAD READY SERIES BASS CABINETS. 2 OF THE 8X10 CABINETS, AND A SPARE, 2 OF THE 2X15 BASS CABINETS, AND A SPARE AND 2 OF THE MESA 1X18 BASS CABINETS... 4 MESA HEADS, I DON'T REMEMBER THE MODEL,SORRY. SEAN SAID THAT WAS THE BIGGEST SINGLE ORDER FOR MESA FROM A BAND THEY EVER HAD. GEORGE WAS ABOUT TO START A 4 MONTH CROSS COUNTRY USA TOUR AND WE NEEDED THEM BY A CERTAIN DATE. SEAN HAD THE FACTORY WORK OVERTIME ON OUR ORDER AND HAD EVERYTHING FINALLY FINISHED THE DAY BEFORE OUR 1ST CONCERT OF THAT SPRING 1997 USA TOUR. THEN GEORGE AND BYRD AND LIFE WALKED INTO A VENUE AT A SOUNDCHECK, AS I WAS PLAYING MY CRAZY LEAD GUITAR STYLE THRU A MESA AMP ONSTAGE. GEORGE AND THE GUYS SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT I PLAYED GUITAR CENTER SO WELL. GEORGE SAID "HE IS IN THE BAND NOW" AND I PLAYED ON SOME SONGS FROM THEN ON...
Punk Globe: Was Marcy working with him during your time with him?
Jeff: WELL THE MARCY THAT I KNOW WAS OUR PRESS PERSON AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Punk Globe: Tell us more about your background?
Jeff: Hmmm. Well I grew up 1st in El Cerrito California until 1971, then we moved to Berkeley California. Dad's band got famous and he told my mom he would buy her ANY HOUSE in the world she wanted. They drove all over the SF Bay Area for 3 months. Then up in Berkeley they drove by a house, and my mom said " stop, that is the house " !!! It wasn't for sale, but they talked to a realtor, who called the owners, who called my mom. Said they were actually going to move in a few months and wanted to meet my parents. Said they wanted the house to go to a family with kids... we went to the house and met them, there were 4 of us kids. They liked us and my parents, so they agreed to sell us the house when they moved... my mom went down to the realtor in person. This was 1971, my mom was cool azz hippie looking !!! The stuffy realtor lady looked at my mom and asked snarky, bitchy " can you AFFORD this house " ?? Mom took off her big green sunglasses , stared at her directly and said " YES I CAN " so that week mom and dad went in and PAID IN FULL, with cashiers check !!! $110, 000... as dad had made a bunch of money from his band (Creedence Clearwater Revival) being successful. I love that story. Mom said the boss came out, called the bank, and had a WTF look get on his face. Then it was Yes Mrs. Fogerty, we are here anytime Mrs. Fogerty , HA HA !!! I have a photo somewhere with the outfit mom said she was wearing, Ginger you will love it... her sunglasses were amazing !!!
I grew up in Berkeley from then on , went to elementary school in Berkeley, Jr. High school in Berkeley and high school in Berkeley.....
I Started playing bass 1st in 8th grade, kinda not very so good, never practiced, then I moved to guitar... actually practiced, took a few lessons from Joe Satriani in the very beginning, but only 5-6... he said I needed to be a better student, could tell I really didn't practice or wasn't really putting effort into it... so we agreed to take a break from lessons until I got serious, he wanted to help me succeed..... i am self taught, never got back with Satriani for any more lessons.. I did get more focused in the summer 9th-10th grade. As one day I did acid and my hand and mind opened up to find the notes and feel.... Now I AM NOT suggesting anyone do drugs, not at all. BUT that is just what happened to/,for me to have my brain start to understand and the guitar, etc worked for me. Then I really did practice ALL THE TIME.. . BUT, my home life was not so good. My parents were not getting along and getting a divorce..... so being at home was not happy anymore. SO I hid in the music, practiced alone most days... ALSO Sept of 1979, 10th grade my girlfriend, Georgia moved with her dad to LA. I was crushed, heartbroken..... BUT I dove headlong into learning how to play guitar and bass and piano..... music was my ESCAPE from all the hurt.... escape, BUT also my MISSION.....
I also started learning how to be a sound engineer. Had friends who were older and worked at the SF Bay Area clubs. Mabuhay Gardens, The Stone, The Berkeley Square, Keystone Berkeley, etc... I watched and listened to instructions, asked alot questions, asked band people advice, always showed up ON TIME. My very 1st show ( as an assistant ) was on March 2-3 1977, at THE FAB MAB, it was BLONDIE !!!! and the next day March 4th was in The Keystone Berkeley. At Berkeley I asked the drummer Klen Burke where he wanted the mics, showed me how he liked the kick and snare to be AND 1 mic overhead BUT from his right side, almost behind him... remember that night clear as day ...
Punk Globe: You were also very involved with the trade show NAMM.Tell us more about that. How many years have been involved?
Jeff: I've gone to the LA NAMM show since 1996. Also some years ( 1996-2002) at the Nashville NAMM show... I've gone most years in LA.. Sometime in the 2010's I stayed home.... was there this year, very strange. It was in June, and COVID-19 was still alive. And I got Mother Fucking COVID-19 at NAMM. Arggh
Punk Globe: I went to NAMM complements of Kathy Peck and H.E.A.R. I was amazed by how big it was. How many floors were at The Anaheim Convention Center?
Jeff: THE CONVENTION CENTER IN ANAHEIM IS 1 VERY BIG FLOOR, AND A SMALL 2ND LOWER FLOOR.
Punk Globe: Parking near NAMM was nearly impossible.
Jeff: ON A NORMAL YEAR, PARKING IS CRAZY. I WOULD EITHER GET A HOTEL WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AND WALK. THE LAST COUPKE OF TIMES I GOT A CHEAP ROOM A FEW MILES AWAY ( CUZ I ONLY SLEPT IN THE ROOM ANYWAY ) AND TOOK CABS AROUND. CHEAPER TOTAL COST AND NO DAMN PARKING BS !! LOL THIS YEAR 2022 WAS A WEIRD AND SMALLER YEAR. SO I JUST PARKED IN THE MORNING AT THE HILTON FOR 20 BUCKS. EASY.
Punk Globe: Did you stay at The Marriott? That was a party in itself. My dear friend Jack Meyer worked there and he got a chance to meet and see so many cool folks. He saw Elton John playing the piano in the Lobby. I bet you have stories. Tell us about some.
Jeff: In 1997-2002 the economy was alot better. So many companies would have great industry parties. I saw Alice Cooper, Z Z Top, Los Lobos, Elton John, Heart, Santana, etc at various parties. Companies would give special tix and passes at the NAMM show booths..... was a fantastic time. The $$ is too tight in the past decade or so, as it is for all the world. So not many concert parties anymore.
Punk Globe: Tell the readers about your own business in the Bay Area?
Jeff: I have been an independent Live sound engineer and Recording Studio engineer for hire since the 80's. I worked at Ruthie's Inn for a year or 2 back in the day !! 83-86 mostly... and many of the other SF Bay Area clubs, some LA clubs too...
I ran a few clubs in the past years,
BETTYS ROCK BAR, in Walnut Creek--
REDUX - Walnut Creek
And most recently
RETRO JUNKIE Walnut Creek from opening day UNTIL. March 14th, 2020. As COVID-19 shut us and all clubs, etc down in the USA...
Then I had my deadly attack on Thanksgiving 2020. Diagnosed with my extremely rare illness, Neurological Sarcoidosis disease....
And now I'm still out of work, my UCSF docs haven't figured me out yet. So I'm I'm limbo until they get more answers........
I have a little personal studio I started in 2019, BUT then COVID-19 changed the world....
So I shut down completely... BUT I am working on music at home, I have some gear here... BUT now my hands are failing, I think it's the Neurological Sarcoidosis disease attacking my arms and hands. As I'm dropping things all the time. Guitar picks, pens, silverware, cups, my cell phone, etc. So that's a new MF problem. Arrggghhhh. BUT I'm fighting back with all I git every day... I will NOT BE DEFEATED !!
I will be getting my little studio back up and running this year.. my studio is called " THE ASYLUM " !
I will also start working doing live sound again, WHENEVER the UCSF brain docs clear me...
Punk Globe: You were in high demand and thriving strong . Sadly, you were the victim of a horrible accident. Fill the readers into what happened?
Jeff: AH, the accident. I was driving home late night Friday September 10th, early September 11th. No one on the 5 LANE FREEWAY on any side of me, no one in front or behind me. I could see far ahead and behind... 1/4 mile or so. When all of a sudden 2 VERY BRIGHT white lights were coming up fast behind. They wreck high and far apart. I thought they were 2 motorcycles. And I thought, " I better move over out of the fast lane " but before I could do that I got hit by a Mother Fucking truck going around 100mph. As the CHP thought that was what happened... smashed me into the cement middle meridian on the freeway. Got hit so hard and fast it lifted my Ford Ranger XLT truck up off the ground and in the air over 100 feet!! And then wham ! I slid and grinded across the meridian almost 1/4 mile, then flipped over on the passenger side, spun around 5 times to a stop.. HOLY SHIT !! I check, nothing broken, not bleeding I thought. though my head did hit the back windshield and broke it, so I didn't notice the blood and injury until the paramedics arrived.
My seatbelt was intact ( I ALWAYS wear my seat belt, ALWAYS)
Both airbags had blown, but I seemed to be ok. The truck was still running luckily, so I was able to unlock the electric door locks. Turned off the truck which was spinning wheels, lous noises and smoking tons. I undid the seat belt and stood up on what was the passenger door window, broken. Thinking " now I need to get out of my fucjibg truck. Cuz I'm in a crash, sideways on the freeway at 2:30am , with nothing but drunks and azz holes, I'm gonna get hit by some one. I was in the middle I'd the 5 lanes, just as I started to try and push up on my driver door 3 guys were next to my truck. Asked if I needed help !! l lol. FUCK YES I NEED HELP. They started to try and break the little rear window. But I told them I'm way too fat to get out through that window, DOH !! so instantly 1 guy jumped up on top and started pulling my drivers door to get it open. Somehow between the 2 of us we managed to get it open enough for me to squeeze thru and out ! Then a 2nd guy said to jump on him and he will catch me. I did, he missed me completely. So I slammed hard down onto the asphalt on my back and smashed my head. Damn. The CHP. Firefighters and ambulances all get there in about 15 minutes. Said on weekends they wait on the hill, cuz there are always 2 or 3 crashes every fri-sunday nights. SO lucky for me the paramedics had just left the hospital from a previous accident.
I had a broken back spinal injury. A compression fracture on my L1 vertebrae bone, 4 crushed disc's and permanent nerve damage. BUT I AM ALIVE !!!
Punk Globe: You are still suffering with immense pain. It has been a long ordeal right?
Jeff: Yes, I'm still recovering. BUT I am out of the back brace and now off the cane too !!!
Doc said I got hit so hard that I'm now a bit more than 1/4 inch shorter from now on.....
Punk Globe: I know that you are also a musician. Are you able to play
Jeff: I am trying to play daily... I am at maybe 30% of where I was before these problems... I will be back. Do not count me out. I WILL BE BACK, THIS YEAR !!
Punk Globe: You are a member of a musical legacy family. Tell the readers about that?
Jeff: Tom Fogerty is my dad, John Fogerty is my uncle.
My new album should be ready this year. I'm recovering from a bunch of health problems.
There is also the Lost " Tom and Jeff Fogerty " from 1990 that I found the master tapes in storage that I will be finishing hopefully this year as well. Found the 2 inch master tapes, I've baked the tapes and transferred them into Pro Tools. Again, COVID-19 stopped progress with that record.
Punk Globe: Are you involved with CCR? I KNEW John Fogerty has gone on as a solo artist. Do you think with the recent release of the CCR music that there might be a reunion? I know your dad has left us. Perhaps with you being involved?
Jeff: I am NOT involved in any Creedence stuff. It's not my place, and the BS surrounding any of it is ridiculous.
THERE WILL NEVER BE A REUNION SADLY. TOO MUCH BULLSHIT STUFF BETWEEN MY UNCLE JOHN, DOUG AND STU. SO THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. IF I DID, I WOULD SURELY BE IN AND PLAY.
Punk Globe: I would like to thank you for the interview Jeff. One last question did CCR love Tina Turner's version of 'Proud Mary' as much as I did?
Jeff: YEP, THE BAND THOUGHT TINA WAS FUCKING A GREAT. AND PUT PROUD MARY IN THE TOP OF THE CHARTS AGAIN. HER SINGLE WAS A WORLDWIDE HIT. AND BASICALLY HER CAREER IS PARTIALLY BASED ON THAT HIT. NOT TO MENTION HER OTHER GREAT SONGS. BUT PROUD MARY WAS A HUGE BREAKTHROUGH EXPOSURE FOR HER.
