Bull's Eye, Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1968

This poster featured Albert King co-headlining with Creedence Clearwater Revival after his blistering performance opening for Jimi Hendrix in February. Meant to look like an old outdoor billboard, the design is typical of Rick Griffin, featuring bold use of color, a heart, and fantastically constructed lettering, particularly the names of the two headliners.

Creedence Clearwater Revival was a Berkeley-based band that began as the Golliwogs. In 1966, John Fogerty and Doug Clifford received draft notices and to avoid conscription, Fogerty joined the Army Reserve while Clifford joined the Coast Guard Reserve. When they returned in late 1967, Fantasy Records offered the band a chance to record an album on the condition that they change their name. Creedence Clearwater Revival was chosen, rejecting other contenders like Muddy Rabbit and Gossamer Wump.

Their first album, released May 28, 1968 featured I Put a Spell on You and the 8:37 Suzie Q. John Fogerty specifically lengthened SuzyQ and the band tried to psychedelicize it to get it played on the alternative radio station, KMPX. "Suzie Q' was designed to fit right in," Fogerty explained. "The eight-minute opus. Feedback. Like [the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's] "East-West". But, lo and behold, it worked!"

Allmusic called the album “gloriously out of step with the times,” with Fogerty’s raspy swamp vocals, bayou beat and raw scratchy power but we all know how the story went from here.  This run at the Fillmore West with blues legend Albert King was surely three smokin’ evenings.