Stu Cook, former bassist of Creedence Clearwater Revival, is still angry over the events that have taken place during the last 10 years.

Who can blame him? In the last decade, he has been constantly challenged over his right to play the music that made him famous.

Cook and former CCR drummer Doug Clifford weren’t allowed to play on stage when the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Additionally, Cook and Clifford have been involved in one lawsuit after another trying to reclaim the Creedence name and material

“The whole situation has been despicable to put it in one word,” Cook said. “It really has been an experience in negativity.”

He is referring to his ongoing dispute with former CCR lead singer John Fogerty. Although it is difficult to keep track of the entire ordeal, Cook believes the problem began before CCR disbanded in the fall of 1972 over “internal struggles and artistic arguments,” as Cook puts it.

“John wanted to be in control of everything,” Cook said. “But he just wasn’t able to do the job in every aspect. So, rather than face a difficult situation, Doug and I decided to leave.”

Former lead guitarist Tom Fogerty left the group a year earlier because of the hostile environment created by his younger brother and the lack of creative input he was allowed. He died of tuberculosis in 1990, unreconciled with his brother.

The group’s break up shocked the entire music industry and the group’s legions of fans. CCR officially formed in 1968 even though the members had been playing together under various band names, such as the Blue Velvets, since they were high school buddies.

During CCR’s five years of activity, the group released six albums, “Creedence Clearwater Revival” (’68), “Bayou Country” (’69), “Green River” (’69), “Willie and the Poor Boys” (’69), “Cosmo’s Factory” (’70) and “Pendulum” (’70).

The group has sold more than 110 million albums, with millions more being sold every year. Every album the group released has gone platinum, and its songs are recognized world-wide.

However, Cook, Clifford and Fogerty do not collect money for the songs they wrote. Instead, they receive a fairly small amount of royalties. That is another problem plaguing Cook and the former members of the band known for playing “roots in rockabilly, R&B and gritty styles from the Louisiana bayou.”

This particular problem began when the band signed to Fantasy Records in 1964.

The record label eventually retained ownership of CCR’s songs and was able to decide how they were going to be used (in both commercials and soundtrack or compilation releases) and what material would be released (which explains the lack of a box-set and live material).

Fogerty decided to sign away a portion of his royalties to escape his ongoing contract with the label. This led to a self-imposed ban of CCR material, which lasted more than a decade. But in the meantime, Cook and Clifford wanted to hit the road again.

“We weren’t getting any younger,” Cook said, “and we wanted to play those songs for the fans.

“We asked John to join us,” Cook added. “But he refused to. So, we put together a band with the necessary attitude to pull it off.”

The new band is called Creedence Clearwater Revisited, aptly named because of the group’s dedication to playing CCR classics.

The members now include Cook on bass, Clifford on drums, Steve Gunner on keyboards and acoustic guitar, John Tristao as lead vocalist and Elliot Easton (The Cars) as lead guitarist.

“[Tristao] could challenge John any day or night of the week,” Cook said. “He is just an amazing singer who fits in perfectly with the CCR sound.”

With the band formed and a new name chosen, the group again ran into troubled waters when Fogerty sued the members for defamation and false advertising.

He was concerned fans might mistakenly believe he was part of the new group and attend a concert on the belief that he was going to be there.

In October of 1996, Fogerty was granted an injunction that blocked the use of Creedence Clearwater Revisited as a band name. Cook was forced to change the name of his group to Cosmo’s Factory, which is Clifford’s nickname and the title of one of CCR’s albums.

But that injunction was overturned by the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals last summer.

The court found that there wasn’t suitable evidence to prove any fans could possibly be confused about Fogerty’s involvement in the band. Cook and his band could use the name once again.

“It feels great to finally be able to play our music with our name,” Cook said. “The granting of the injunction was completely out-of-line in the first place. It was obvious that it was a terrible mistake.

“What it all comes down to is that John wrongfully sued us,” Cook said. “We had to defend ourselves. Why he couldn’t put aside whatever was eating away inside of him, I don’t know. It just shows that there is a very small person inside of John.”

Cook believes that Fogerty ignored the huge crowds have attended every Revisited concert, which proves the fans wanted to hear what the group had to deliver.

“He should have let the fans decide what they wanted,” Cook continued. “If he was any kind of man at all, he would have let them decide.”

Creedence Clearwater Revisited will be playing at the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo’s McElroy Auditorium tonight at 7:30. Tickets are still available at $12, $14 and $18. Steppenwolf, with original lead singer John Kay, will open for the band.