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TED NUGENT

Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent (born December 13, 1948) is an American hard rock guitarist and vocalist from Detroit, Michigan. He originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes.

Members: 6
Latest Activity: Dec 28, 2014

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Music career

To date, Nugent has released more than 34 albums, which have sold more than 30 million copies. He was known throughout his early career in the 1970s for using Fender amps, a large part of his signature sound, and is now also famous for playing the semi-hollow Gibson Byrdland. Gibson Guitar Corporation has developed a model named for him.

Performing professionally since 1958, Nugent has been touring annually since 1967, averaging more than 300 shows per year (1967–73), 200 per year (1974–80), 150 (1981–89), 127 concerts in 1990, 162 concerts in 1991, 150 concerts in 1993, 180 in 1994, 166 in 1995, 81 in 1996, Summer Blitz '97, '98, Rock Never Stops '99, 133 concerts with KISS 2K. Nugent's 2005 plans involved a tour with country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith, whom Nugent met in Iraq while they were both performing in USO-sponsored shows for the coalition troops.

On July 4, 2008 at the DTE Energy Music Theater in Detroit, Michigan, Ted Nugent played his 6,000th concert. Derek St. Holmes (original singer for the Ted Nugent band), Johnny Bee Badanjek (drummer for Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels), and Ted's guitar teacher from 1958 Joe Podorsek all jammed on stage with Ted for various tunes.

Amboy Dukes

His first iteration of The Amboy Dukes played at The Cellar, a teen dance club outside of Chicago in Arlington Heights, Illinois, starting in late 1965, while Nugent was a student at St. Viator High School. The Cellar's "house band" at the time had been the Shadows of Knight, although the Amboy Dukes eventually became a staple until the club's closing.

The Amboy Dukes' second single was "Journey to the Center of the Mind," which featured lyrics written by the Dukes' second guitarist Steve Farmer. Nugent, an ardent anti-drug campaigner, claims to this day he did not realize this song was about drug use. The Amboy Dukes (1967), Journey to the Center of the Mind (1968) and Migration (1969) — all recorded on the Mainstream label — sold moderately well.

After settling down on a ranch in Michigan in 1973, Nugent signed a record deal with Frank Zappa's DiscReet Records label and recorded Call of the Wild. The following year, Tooth Fang & Claw (which contained the song "Great White Buffalo") established a fan base for Nugent and the other Amboy Dukes. Personnel changes nearly wrecked the band, which became known as Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes.

Ted Nugent reunited with the other members of the Amboy Dukes at the 2009 Detroit Music Awards, which took place April 17, 2009. The psychedelic band received a distinguished achievement honor at the event. The Dukes also played together at the ceremony, marking their first public performance in more than 30 years.

Solo career

Nugent dropped the Amboy Dukes band name for good in 1975, and signed to Epic Records. Derek St. Holmes (guitar, vocals), Rob Grange (bass) and Clifford Davies (drums) were the primary additional band members for his classic 1970s multi-platinum albums: Ted Nugent (1975), Free-for-All (1976) and Cat Scratch Fever (1977). These albums produced the popular radio anthems "Hey Baby," "Stranglehold," "Dog Eat Dog" and "Cat Scratch Fever." This band lineup toured extensively, also releasing the multi-platinum live album Double Live Gonzo!, until its breakup in 1978 when St. Holmes and Grange departed. St. Holmes was replaced by Charlie Huhn and Grange by Dave Kiswiney. Davies finally left around 1982 after staying on to record Weekend Warriors (1978), State of Shock (1979), Scream Dream (1980) and Intensities in 10 Cities (1981).

On July 8, 1979, Ted was on the rock radio program King Biscuit Flower Hour. This was the original broadcast of Ted's performance of Live at Hammersmith '79 which had been recorded during the second set of a sold-out night at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1979. An album of this program, however, was not released until 1997.

During this era, Nugent was notable for his frequent declarations that he did not drink alcoholic beverages or smoke tobacco or marijuana. In an interview for VH1's Behind The Music, Nugent said this was due to his father having sternly reprimanded him when he came home smelling of alcohol after a night of drinking. This was an unusual stance for a major rock performer of the 1970s, and Nugent has been cited as an important early influence on the straight edge movement, which disavows drinking and recreational drug use.

Damn Yankees

During the period of 1982-86, Nugent released a series of moderately successful solo albums. Near the end of the 1980s, he formed the supergroup Damn Yankees, with Jack Blades (bass/vocals, formerly of Night Ranger), Tommy Shaw (guitar/vocals, formerly of Styx) and Michael Cartellone (drums/vocals). Damn Yankees (1990) was a hit, selling 5 million albums, thanks in no small part to the smash-hit power ballad "High Enough." The video for this song featured Nugent in a priest's collar, and later in a zebra-striped cape during the guitar solo. It also saw the first appearance of his famous 'WhackMaster' hat.

Back to solo

Returning to a solo career, Nugent released Spirit of the Wild in 1995, his best-reviewed album in quite some time. This album also marked the return of Derek St. Holmes to Nugent's studio band. A series of archival releases also came out in the 1990s, keeping Nugent's name in the national consciousness. He also began hosting a radio show in Detroit and took ownership in several hunting-related businesses. He created TV shows for several networks; Wanted: Ted or Alive on Versus, Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild on PBS and The Outdoor Channel, as well as Surviving Nugent and Supergroup-Damnocracy on VH1.

Ted Nugent appears on David Crowder Band's 2007 release, Remedy, playing guitar on the song "We Won't Be Quiet".

Reality programming

Nugent starred in his own outdoors television show named after his popular song "Spirit of the Wild". The song was the theme music to the TV series in which Nugent took viewers on a variety of wild game hunts using his bow. In the series he teaches and advises hunters and "hands-on" conservationists around the world on the different aspects of hunting and politics, and informs the public on the importance of getting children away from the TV and video games and getting them out beyond the pavement in order to better their lives.

In 2003, he was host of the VH1 reality television program called Surviving Nugent in which city dwellers such as model Tila Tequila moved to Nugent's Michigan ranch in order to survive such "backwoods" activities as building an outhouse and skinning a boar. The success of the two-hour show spawned a four-part miniseries in 2004 entitled Surviving Nugent: The Ted Commandments. This time it was filmed on Nugent's ranch in China Spring, Texas. During filming, Nugent injured himself with a chainsaw, requiring 44 stitches and a leg brace.

In 2004, Nugent was a guest on the VH1 program Forever Wild, hosted by Sebastian Bach (former lead vocalist for the band Skid Row). They shot some firearms and walked around Nugent's cabin in the woods.

In 2005, Nugent was the host of a reality-type show entitled Wanted: Ted or Alive on OLN (now the sports channel 'Versus') where contestants competed for money as well as for opportunities to go hunting with "Uncle Ted." The contestants had to kill and clean their own food to survive.

In 2006, he appeared on VH1's reality show SuperGroup, with Scott Ian (Anthrax, guitar), Evan Seinfeld (Biohazard, bass), Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row, vocals) and Jason Bonham (Bonham, UFO, Foreigner, drums). The name of the supergroup was originally FIST but later was changed to Damnocracy. Bach had lobbied for the name Savage Animal. Captured on film by VH1 was a rare Nugent duo with guitar phenom Joe Bonamassa at the Sand Dollar Blues Room for a 45 minute blues jam.

In 2008, Nugent appeared in a fourth season episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.

He will star in another reality show for CMT in August 2009. The show, entitled Runnin' Wild ... From Ted Nugent, will feature Nugent instructing competitors in the art of survival; the competitors must use those skills in challenges in which they will be hunted down by Nugent.

In 2009 he played guitar at The Alamo for a Tax Day Tea Party hosted by Glenn Beck and the Fox Cable News Network. He was most notably known for playing an insane metal version of the United States National Anthem in which he shredded using primarily alternative picking and whammy bar effects. The clip and sound bite of this is constantly re-played on Fox News as well as on The Glenn Beck Program.

Acting

In 1986, he guest starred in an episode of the hit television show Miami Vice entitled "Definitely Miami." Nugent played a villain. His song "Angry Young Man" was featured in the episode. His song "Little Miss Dangerous" was also featured on a Miami Vice episode of the same name, although he did not appear in the episode.

In 1990 he guest starred in the Canadian film Heavy Metal Summer. It was shown on cable channels in the US as State Park.

In 2001, Nugent appeared as himself in a third season episode of That '70s Show entitled "Backstage Pass." Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), who works for radio station WFPP, obtains tickets to the upcoming Ted Nugent concert for the entire gang. Following the concert, her boss Max (Howard Hesseman) gives Donna a backstage pass to meet Nugent, where he volunteers to sit for an interview. Meanwhile, Steven Hyde (Danny Masterson) and Fez (Wilmer Valderama) try to sell unauthorized concert t-shirts accidentally spelled Tad Nugent.

Nugent made a guest appearance on the cult television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force, in the episode "Gee Whiz," on Adult Swim. Locals believe to have seen the face of Jesus in a billboard, and they mention how He looks like Ted Nugent. Throughout the episode they think it's Jesus' face, but at the end they discover it was in fact Nugent's. He proceeds to shoot a flaming explosive arrow at Carl (mistaking him for a "varmint").

In 2007, Ted Nugent appeared in the music video for Nickelback's Rockstar, and in 2008 he played a key role in the Toby Keith movie "Beer For My Horses" as the quiet deputy.

Other media appearances

Attracting attention for his outspoken statements on issues ranging from guns to biodiversity, Nugent has been a regular guest on such programs as Larry King Live, The Howard Stern Show, and Politically Incorrect.

In 1991 Ted guest starred on the PBS science show Newton's Apple in a short comedic feature called "Science of the Rich and Famous" in which he demonstrates and explains the phenomenon of electric guitar feedback.

On , 2007, Nugent was interviewed on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and performed the songs "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Rawdogs and Warhogs."

In 2007, Ted debated The Simpsons producer Sam Simon on the Howard Stern Show about the ethics of hunting animals. Coincidentally, he would later lend his voice to an over-the-phone appearance in the season 19 episode of The Simpsons, "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", where, in a humorous jab at his political stance, inmate Dwight picks up his call for voting no to the fictional Proposition 87, which bans crossbows in public schools.

Also in 2008, Nugent appeared on the Memphis-based The Political Cesspool, a radio talk show known for its "pro-white" racialist views.

Nugent was featured in MTV's "Cribs: Gods of Rock" episode.

On April 15, 2009, Nugent appeared onstage with his guitar in San Antonio, TX, as part of Glenn Beck's coverage of the Tax Day Tea Party protests on the FOX News Channel. He hosted the show with Glenn Beck, and played music for the protestors at the Alamo.

He is a playable character in Guitar Hero: World Tour.

Personal life

Ted Nugent was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan before moving to Palatine, Illinois, as a teenager. He attended Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois His first wife was Sandra Jezowski, to whom he was married in 1970 and divorced in 1976. Sandra died in a car crash in 1982.

His second marriage was to Shemane Deziel, whom he met during one of his guest morning personality gigs on Detroit's WLLZ-FM, where she was a member of the news staff. They married on , 1989 and remain married to the present day.

In 2005, Nugent was involved in a legal battle for not paying enough child support for a child he had out of wedlock in 1995. It was finally resolved when Nugent was ordered to pay $3,500 a month to the mother of the 10-year-old son named Christian Taylor that Nugent has allegedly never met.

In the late 1990s, Nugent began writing for various magazines. He has written for more than 20 publications and is the author of New York Times Best Seller God, Guns and Rock 'n' Roll (July 2000), Kill It and Grill It (2002) (co-authored with his wife, Shemane), BloodTrails II: The Truth About Bowhunting (2004), and "Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto" (2008).

In 1996 Ted joined the WWBR-FM air staff. The Ted Nugent Morning Show on 102.7 FM in Detroit was an instant success. Ted and his co-host Steve Black (now host of the syndicated radio show Chop Shop and Chop Shop Classic) often shocked the motor city with their opinions, and Ted's unique method of delivering his ideas.

In May 2005, Nugent said he was "getting real close to deciding to run" for governor of Michigan. On , 2005, CNN reported that Nugent had withdrawn from the race for 2006 but was keeping his options open for 2010. Nugent also was rumored to be under consideration by the Illinois Republican Party as its candidate in that state's 2004 Senate race. Ted and his family now live in Crawford, Texas, a small town west of Waco, Texas, which is the former location of President George W. Bush's ranch, before Bush moved to a gated suburb near Dallas. He is a weekly contributor to the local newspaper, the Waco Tribune-Herald. In July 2008, Nugent reiterated his desire, saying "I was serious when I threatened to run for office in the past if I cannot find a candidate who respects the U.S. Constitution and our sacred Bill of Rights." He has been a special deputy sheriff in Lake County, Michigan, since 1982 and he also has been a reserve deputy constable in McLennan County, Texas.

Nugent also suffers from hearing loss. A November 2005 Rolling Stone article noted Nugent, among others, has publicly acknowledged hearing problems.

Philanthropy and activism

Since the early 1990s Nugent has become both popular and criticized for his conservative beliefs and his anti-drug and anti-alcohol stances. He is a national spokesman for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, advocating the "natural highs" to be found in an outdoor lifestyle.

He has hosted the Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids, which combines a curriculum of hands-on hunting, conservation, archery and a strong anti-drug message aimed mainly at underprivileged inner-city children. Nugent also is a spokesman for the National Field Archery Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

An advocate of hunting and gun-ownership rights, Nugent currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Ted Nugent created a summer camping program for teens (and younger) called Ted Nugent's Kamp For Kids. This summer non profit program has had in excess of 1,000 kids attend over the last decade where respect for nature, preservation, stewardship and basic archery are taught. Each session is attended by parents as well.

Beliefs

The urban legends Web site snopes.com has said of Nugent, "He is not one to be shy about sharing his take on things with the media, and interviews with him make for highly entertaining reading."

Conflicts with animal rights groups

Nugent and the animal rights movement have long had an adversarial relationship. In 2000, Bhaskar Sinha was jailed briefly following an incident with Nugent outside a department store in San Francisco in which he allegedly threatened and physically assaulted Nugent, who in turn took Sinha into custody until San Francisco Police arrived and arrested the protester.

Nugent has reported receiving death threats against him and his family from animal rights activists. On the Penn & Teller's Bullshit! episode about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Nugent claimed, "We've got reports and files with law enforcement across America where left-wing animal rights extremists are on record threatening to kill my children on the way to school because we eat pheasant." In 2006 he stated in an interview that "anyone who thinks hunting is terrible can kiss my ass."

In a 1992 radio interview, Nugent referred to Heidi Prescott of the Fund for Animals as a "worthless whore" and a "shallow slut," asking "who needs to club a seal, when you can club Heidi?" and was ordered by a court to pay $75,000.

Nugent owns a hunting ranch near Jackson, Michigan, called Sunrize Acres. Anti-hunters claim this fenced facility offers "canned" hunts. Nugent has said, "I understand the criticism from those who say canned hunting violates the ethic of fair chase," though he still operates the facility and euphemizes canned hunting as "high fence hunting". Nugent was recently interviewed by Field & Stream magazine regarding "canned" hunts. At Sunrize Acres he personally guides customers on a hunt for trophy bull bison ($5,000), Russian boar, or white-tailed deer ($1,000 each).

Politics

Nugent's views translate to his politics, and according to an interview in The Independent he "considers homosexuality morally wrong" and is an outspoken supporter of the Republican Party and the United States military. As a reward for entertaining U.S. troops in Iraq in 2004, he visited Saddam Hussein's war room. "It was a glorious moment. It looked like something out of Star Wars. I saw his gold toilet. I shit in his bidet." Nugent also said: "Our failure has been not to Nagasaki them."

In 2007, Nugent voiced his opposition to Democratic Party presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. In a videotaped August 2007 concert performance, Nugent waved a machine gun and stated:

“Obama, he’s a piece of shit. I told him to suck on my machine gun. Hey Hillary, You might want to ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless bitch.”

At an Anaheim, California concert on August 21, 2007, Nugent's description of trips to New York and Chicago, and the conversations he purported to have with the senators are in keeping with his trademark views, as Nugent went on to describe similar incidents and invitations to "suck on his machine gun" with other prominent Democrats, such as Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.

Despite giving previous support for Republican candidates, he thought John McCain "to be catering to a growing segment of soulless Americans who care less what they can do for their country, but whine louder and louder about what their country must do for them. That is both un-American and pathetic." He supported John McCain during the 2008 Republican Party primaries, later saying that "John would bring about an enormous upgrade for quality of life in America overall".

Military

An interviewer from the British newspaper The Independent questioned Nugent about a 1977 interview in High Times magazine in which Nugent allegedly detailed elaborate steps taken to avoid the Vietnam draft.

"I got 30 days' notice of the physical," Nugent told them. "I ceased cleansing my body. Two weeks before the test I stopped eating food with nutritional value. A week before, I stopped going to the bathroom. I did it in my pants. My pants got crusted up."

Nugent dismissed the veracity of these statements, saying "You've got to realize that these interviewers would arrive with glazed eyes and I would make stories up." He explained that he did not go to Vietnam because he had a one-year student deferment. When questioned, he admitted that he had "not wanted to get his ass blown off in Vietnam," but made note of a tour he made with the USO in 2004 to Fallujah and Afghanistan as support of his assertion that "I am not a coward." He also said that "Because I failed to serve in Vietnam, I feel an obligation now, to do everything I can to support those defending our freedom. Do I feel guilt and embarrassment? Yes."

biography taken from lyricsfreak.com

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Comment by Jon on July 9, 2014 at 6:09pm

After listening to this all the way thru, I must say it really isn't that bad. There's a couple songs that aren't that good (She's Gone", "Shutup&jam") but the rest is pretty much typical Ted Nugent. Derek St. Holmes makes an appearance on one song ("Everything Matters") and it sounds like something from 70's Nugent. Really nothing as silly as something on "Love Grenade" and the geetar™ smokes througout the album. Worthwhile purchase for Nugent fans.  

Comment by Scandal 2000 on July 9, 2014 at 3:42pm

Yeah, post a review if you will Jon. Of the two tracks I have heard I liked one of them and hated the other one.

Comment by Jon on July 9, 2014 at 11:55am

I scanned thru some songs yesterday and it didn't really excite me. I'll be listening to the whole album shortly, maybe it'll be better.

Comment by Scandal 2000 on July 9, 2014 at 11:53am

I have only heard two songs of his new album so far, but I wanted to remind everyone that the Nuge had a new album come out yesterday.

Comment by Scott on May 23, 2014 at 1:54pm
I'm interested in hearing this. ... But won't buy it until I do. ...
Comment by Jon on May 23, 2014 at 8:19am

from melodicrock.com

TED NUGENT RETURNS WITH NEW ALBUM 'SHUTUP&JAM!' JULY 8:
Multi-platinum guitar icon Ted Nugent returns with a new full-length album SHUTUP&JAM!, due out Tuesday, July 8 on Frontiers Records (July 4 for Europe). This release marks the first all-new studio album from the Motor City Madman in seven years. Nugent leads the pack of renowned musicians, handling guitar and vocal duties, alongside bassist Greg Smith, drummer Mick Brown and longtime musical cohort guitarist/vocalist Derek St. Holmes. Special guest Sammy Hagar brings his vocal power to “She's Gone.” SHUTUP&JAM! is available now for pre-order at Amazon.
“SHUTUP&JAM! 2014…the unstoppable firestorm of Ted Nugent, all American MotorCity, high energy R&B&R&R soulmusic erupts once again with what many gungho music lovers are raving to be the best songs and best music and highest energy rockout of my insanely wonderful musical American Dream,” Nugent exclaims. “Sammy Hagar sings his balls off on 'She's Gone' and Derek St. Holmes proves once again that the MotorCity produces not just the greatest guitar grind masterlicks ever but one of the most powerful soul voices of all time on 'Everything Matters!' Unleashing early July 2014. Read em & weep! SHUTUP&JAM! you know who I am, you know where I stand, so SHUTUP&JAM! I am!”

“When I first heard Ted's demo of this song, I immediately responded with 'I'm in,'” Hagar shares of his involvement on the track “She's Gone.” “Ted's ripping the guitar like the days of old…very inspiring to sing to a track like that—old-school blues riff, hard edged rock 'n roll on fire!!!”

To coincide with the release of SHUTUP&JAM!, Ted has announced that he's packing up and hitting the road. On Saturday, June 7 he will join Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Volbeat and other rock titans at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden. He'll then prepare for his national headlining tour, kicking off July 3 in Wichita Falls, TX. Ticket info for all shows is available at tour.tednugent.com.
Nugent has carved a permanent place in rock & roll history as the ultimate guitar-shredding showman, selling more than 40 million albums, performing 6,500 high-octane live shows, and continuing to set attendance records at venues around the globe. Hailing from Detroit, the guitarist's prodigious talents, earshattering volume & over-the-top onstage antics quickly earned Young Ted the moniker of "Motor City Madman," along with international acclaim.

Recognized as the world's leading guitar showman, Nugent's no-holds-barred career spans five decades of multiplatinum hits. From the ground breaking Amboy Dukes' “Journey to the Center of the Mind,” to classics like “Stranglehold” (ranked in the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs and #1 Guitar Lick) and “Cat Scratch Fever” (32nd Best Hard Rock Song of All Time), Damn Yankees chartbuster “High Enough” and cult classic “Fred Bear” (the most requested song for radio airplay in Michigan & Wisconsin).
Nugent was recently named Detroit's Greatest Guitar Player of All Time by readers of MLive. For millions of passionate music lovers everywhere, Ted delivers the Ultimate Life Soundtrack. A Ted Nugent show is not just a performance—it's a firebreathing celebration!

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on May 9, 2014 at 2:18pm

Death By Misadventure from Cat Scratch Fever is a really cool song.  Just sayin'.

Comment by Scandal 2000 on June 27, 2013 at 2:10pm

Love the Nuge's stuff with the Amboy Dukes. His first three solo albums are stellar. I also recommend "Spirit of the Wild."

Comment by Scott on April 30, 2013 at 4:34pm

Cant believe I wasn't a member of this group!  My older bro had some Amboy Dukes tunes, been years and years since I heard them, I will listen soon...

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on April 30, 2013 at 4:17pm

Wow, that's a pretty good album.  First time I've heard anything by Amboy Dukes.  Side one, written mostly by Nugent, is really, really good.  Especially Surrender To Your Kings, the second track.  This is on my wishlist now.  

 

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