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Ted Nugent
Detroit's Ted Nugent came to prominence as lead guitarist of the Amboy Dukes, the psychedelic outfit whose churning 'Journey to the Center of the Mind' became a Top 20 hit in the summer of 1968. Resolutely drug-free, Nugent nonetheless supplied wailing lines to the acid manifesto. An extended version of the blues standard 'Baby Please Don't Go,' from the previous year's self-titled debut LP, landed on the influential 1972 Nugget collection, but by then personnel changes and frustration with their stalled career had the Dukes in a terminal state. In 1975, Nugent dropped the moniker and set out on a solo career that would quickly make him one of the decade's foremost hard-rock stadium attractions.
Ted Nugent, his Epic debut, was a typically over-amped affair, with a nod toward his Stones-fed blues roots -- the single 'Hey Baby' was basically a rewrite of Jimmy McCracklin's 1950s dance tune 'The Walk' -- amid a variety of other attitude-smeared rockers. Rising star Meat Loaf supplied vocals for half of 1976's Free For All, but it was Nugent's third LP that would guarantee his superstar status. Cat Scratch Fever's title track put sniggering sexual innuendo on AM radio alongside Barry Manilow and Andy Gibb, while other cuts sped along like the nascent punk rock that drew inspiration from garage rock musical compendium, 1986's Nuggets.
The coup de grace was Double Live Gonzo, another in the long line of '70s two-record concert sets. Nugent gave the format his own touch, however, delivering between-song raps as fast as his guitar playing; a '90s biker-rock band would take its name from the Motor City Madman's praise of 'all that sweet Nashville pussy.' Even the savage soul needs soothing occasionally, and high school parking lot debates broke out nationwide over the merits of Nugent's next single, the Beatles' pretty 'I Want to Tell You' (Weekend Warriors, 1979). As if to prove that he hadn't been drained of adolescent fun, Nugent distilled his stage patter into something like an ultimate masterwork: 'Wango Tango,' which could well have been a garage rock hit 15 years earlier.
Nugent continues to tour and record, but gains as much or more attention these days for his uber-conservative views and a stance on firearms and the environment that is barely done justice by the phrase 'pro-hunting.' He was briefly mentioned as a potential Illinois senatorial candidate for the Republican Party in 2004. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be: a race between the Nuge vs. Barack Obama would've topped Double Live Gonzo for sheer spectacle.
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Artist Biography - Ted Nugent
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 13 December 1948, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Inspired by 50s rock 'n' roll, Nugent taught himself the rudiments of guitar playing at the age of eight. As a teenager he played in the Royal Highboys and Lourds, but this formative period ended in 1964 upon his family's move to Chicago. Here, Nugent assembled the Amboy Dukes, which evolved from garage band status into a popular hard-rock attraction. He led the group throughout its various permutations, assuming increasing control as original members dropped out of the line-up. In 1974 a revitalized unit - dubbed Ted Nugent And The Amboy Dukes - completed the first of two albums for Frank Zappa's DiscReet label, but in 1976 the guitarist embarked on a fully fledged solo career. Derek St. Holmes (guitar), Rob Grange (bass) and Cliff Davies (drums) joined him for Ted Nugent and Free For All, both of which maintained the high-energy rock of previous incarnations. However, it was as a live attraction that Nugent made his mark - he often claimed to have played more gigs per annum than any other artist or group.
Ear-piercing guitar work and vocals - 'If it's too loud you're too old' ran one tour motto - were accompanied by a cultivated 'wild man' image, where the artist appeared in loin-cloth and headband, brandishing the bow and arrow with which he claimed to hunt for food. Trapeze stunts, genuine guitar wizardry and a scarcely self-deprecating image ('If there had been blind people at the show they would have walked away seeing') all added to the formidable Nugent persona. The aggression of a Nugent concert was captured on the platinum-selling Double Live Gonzo, which featured many of his best-loved stage numbers, including 'Cat Scratch Fever', 'Motor City Madness' and the enduring 'Baby Please Don't Go'. Charlie Huhn (guitar) and John Sauter (bass) replaced St. Holmes and Grange for Weekend Warriors, and the same line-up remained intact for State Of Shock and Scream Dream. In 1981 Nugent undertook a worldwide tour fronting a new backing group, previously known as the D.C. Hawks, comprising Mike Gardner (bass), Mark Gerhardt (drums) and three guitarists - Kurt, Rick and Verne Wagoner. The following year Nugent left Epic for Atlantic Records, and in the process established a new unit that included erstwhile sidemen Derek St. Holmes (vocals) and Carmine Appice (drums, ex-Vanilla Fudge).
Despite such changes, Nugent was either unwilling, or unable, to alter the formula that had served him so well in the 70s. Successive solo releases offered little innovation and the artist drew greater publicity for appearances on talk shows and celebrity events. In 1989 Nugent teamed up with Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitar, ex-Styx), Jack Blades (bass, ex-Night Ranger) and Michael Cartellone (drums) to form the successful 'supergroup', Damn Yankees. After the Damn Yankees were put on hold in 1994, Nugent resumed his solo career for his first studio album in seven years. Reunited with Derek St. Holmes, Spirit Of The Wild also saw Nugent return to his usual lyrical posturing, including the pro-firearms 'I Shoot Back' and 'Kiss My Ass', a hate list featuring Courtney Love (of Hole) and the cartoon characters Beavis And Butthead among its targets.
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For more information , enjoy the official homepage of Ted Nugent
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