Dec 14

Ted Nugent

Greatly Appreciated

TED NUGENT
 
 
Ted Nugent  (born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician from Detroit, Michigan.  Nugent initially gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes before embarking on a solo career.  His hits, mostly coming in the 1970’s, such as “Stranglehold”, “Cat Scratch Fever”, “Wango Tango”, and “Great White Buffalo”, as well as his 1960’s Amboy Dukes hit “Journey to the Center of the Mind” remain popular today.  Nugent is also noted for his strong conservative political views and his strong advocacy of hunting and gun ownership rights.  (More from Wikipedia) 
 
 
Mainstream Records does have some prominent albums to its credit, however, including the first album by Big Brother and the Holding Company (not long after Janis Joplin joined up) and the first three albums by the Amboy Dukes, Ted Nugent’s early band (including their big hit “Journey to the Center of the Mind”). 
 
The Amboy Dukes’ raw treatment of Big Joe Williams’ “Baby, Please Don’t Go” from their first album was included on the original Nuggets compilation album and already features Ted Nugent’s signature guitar licks.
 
(April 2011)
 
*       *       *
 
To my mind, Andy Colquhoun is in a class apart from other rock guitarists; his guitar work, particularly on Pick up the Phone, America!, is absolutely thrilling to me.  The only guitarist I can think of who comes close to embodying the joy and exuberance that Andy exudes throughout this album is Ted Nugent, back in his early days with Amboy Dukes.
 
(August 2011)
 
*       *       *
 
Chet Himes exited Homer in 1974 to become a recording engineer and worked with Christopher Cross as well as Ted Nugent.
 
(September 2011)
 
*       *       *
 
Without question, Patrick Leonard is the most prominent ex-bandmember of Trillion and is primarily known as a keyboard player, producer and songwriter in the early part of Madonna’s career.  Other rock artists that Leonard has worked with over the years literally reads like a Who’s Who:  Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, Ted Nugent, Bryan Adams, Kenny Loggins, Peter Cetera, Jody Watley, Natalie Imbruglia, and Natasha Bedingfield.  Showing his flexibility, he also co-wrote and produced two of the songs (including the title song, and both in Greek) for an album for Cypriot Greek pop musician Anna Vissi, Apagorevmeno (2008); and co-wrote a song for new age musician David Darling, “96 Years”. 
 
(October 2012)
 
*       *       *
 

John Lennon was even more blunt:  “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry’.”  Ted Nugent has said:  “If you don't know every Chuck Berry lick, you can’t play rock guitar.” 

 

(June 2013/1)

 
*       *       *
 

Besides the rhythm section of Vanilla Fudge – Tim Bogert (bass guitar) and Carmine Appice (drums) – the line-up in Cactus was rounded out by Jim McCarty (guitar), formerly with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and singer Rusty Day from Ted Nugent’s early band Amboy Dukes. 

 

*       *       *

 

Past UARB Ultra was every bit as different from Homer as the Outcasts; this hard rock band grew out of the final line-up of Homer, with Galen Niles and Don Evans joining the new band.  Chet Himes continued his career as a recording engineer, working with Ted Nugent, Carole King, Christopher Cross, and others.  Van Wilks left to start a solo career. 

 

(April 2014)

 

*       *       *

 

Phil Keaggy left Glass Harp in 1972 and released his first solo album in 1973 called What a Day; the songs were all written when he was still with Glass Harp.  The same year he joined Love Song briefly and has become a fixture in the CCM movement.  Ted Nugent was quoted in 1989 in Wikipedia as saying:  “I don’t know what happened to that Phil Keaggy.  He could have saved the world with his guitar.” 

 

(July 2014)

 

*       *       *

 

From Wikipedia: “Other notable [Detroit] bands from this time period include Alice Cooper, the Amboy Dukes (featuring Ted Nugent), the Bob Seger System, Frijid Pink, SRC, the Up, the Frost (featuring Dick Wagner), Popcorn Blizzard (featuring Meat Loaf), Cactus, and the soulful sounds of Rare Earth and the Flaming Ember.” 
(March 2016)
Last edited: April 3, 2021