He called this quality of the band “light and shade”, and some people told him his idea would go over like a “lead balloon.” But after Page recruited John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and John Bonham for a rehearsal, he knew his “Led Zeppelin” was something special. By 1980 when the group broke up after John Bonham’s death, Led Zeppelin was one of the most popular rock bands ever.  According to Page, their success surprised even him, and to this day, he has a tough time coming to grips with their huge popularity.
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From Junior High School To The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

They were once known as The Blue Velvets, changed their name to the Golliwags, and then changed it again to Creedence Clearwater Revival. John Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford had been friends since the late 1950’s, as students of Portola Junior High School in El Cerrito, California. They began backing John’s older brother Tom Fogerty on gigs, and together they worked their way up from school dances, to frat parties, to suburban bars, to the Fillmore East.

As the Golliwogs they got some local exposure, but real success didn’t come their way until 1968. They changed their name to Creedence Clearwater Revival and released an Lp with a re-make of the 1957 Dale Hawkins hit “Suzie Q”. Although these four Californians were raised a stones throw from the Haight-Ashbury music scene, they did not sound like the psychedelic bands from that area, nor did they sound like the pop music on AM radio, or any of the music from Britain. If you didn’t know better you’d think CCR was from Louisiana, with songs like “Born On The Bayou” and their music being described as swamp blues southern rock.

CCR achieved success on the music charts with a dozen top 20 hits from 1968 – 1971. The band released six studio albums in a little over two years, and toured consistently as well. Unfortunately there was a “Bad Moon Rising” as the band’s heavy schedule took its toll. The chemistry and friendships splintered apart with Tom Fogerty leaving the band in February of 1971. The band released one more studio album in April 1972, and while on tour one month later, in May of 1972 the band broke up for good.

Unfortunately the band members never fully reconciled. All four band members did perform together at Tom Fogerty’s wedding in 1980. Sadly Tom Fogerty died in 1990. CCR was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1993. John Fogerty refused to perform or share the stage during the induction ceremony with his former band mates Stu Cook and Doug Clifford.

CCR’s music remains a staple of classic rock radio, and the band’s music has been featured in such movies as Forrest Gump, The Big Chill, Born On The 4th of July, The Waterboy to name a few. CCR songs have appeared in many TV shows, a notable moment was when Bart Simpson sang “Bad Moon Rising”. Their song “Green River” was featured in the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game. Their music and legend has lived on much longer than their time together as a band.

Keith Moon, legendary drummer of The Who, died suddenly in 1978. His band mate, business partner and friend Roger Daltrey eulogized him in a most unique and fitting way.

In 1985, Daltrey released his sixth solo album titled “Under A Raging Moon”. The album features songs written by Bryan Adams, Pete Townshend and Daltrey himself. Most of the tracks provide Daltrey the opportunity to show off his singing talents, but perhaps no tune on the album captures his vocal passion and fury like the title track (the last song of the album), written by John Parr and Julia Downes.

“Under A Raging Moon” is a bombastic tribute to Keith Moon. With crashing guitars and tumultuous drums; and lyrics like “the wild man he laid the thunder down”, the song conjures up images of Moon’s wild and manic life, on and off the drum kit. Other lyrics invoke thoughts people that knew Moon might have been wrestling with “taking me back to better times, we never read the danger signs…Why are the young so blind?”, and “It ended all too soon.”

One of the most incredible distinctions of “Under A Raging Moon” is Daltrey honoring Moon with a recorded drum ‘testimony’ by some of the most notable drummers of the mid-80’s. Studio session and Big Country drummer, Mark Brzezicki (also known for his studio work with Townshend) provides the basic thump and grind of this rock classic. A 20 year old Zak Starkey (son of Beatle’s drummer Richard “Ringo” Starkey and the drummer on The Who’s current world tour) makes an appearance, and can be distinctly heard in the rolling and dueling outro of the song that sounds as if a storm is fading away.

“Under A Raging Moon” features a middle break solo that employs seven different drummers. Each of these skin beaters contributes a short drum solo that is not only a eulogy for Moon but also displays the individual sounds and talents of each performer. The middle break features Martin Chambers of The Pretenders, Roger Taylor of Queen, Cozy Powell of Black Sabbath and Rainbow, Stewart Copeland of The Police, Zak Starkey, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Mark Brzezicki. Each drummer can be distinctly heard and distinguished as one solo blends in with the next.

“Under A Raging Moon” is a fitting tribute for one of rock’s most infamous drummers by his friend Roger Daltrey and seven of rock’s most prominent drum warriors.

Submitted by Tom Schultz