I’ll admit it. Back in the day, I was a huge Ted Nugent fan. Stranglehold? Free For All (baby)? Takes me back to the 70s, a friend’s basement, sitting in a circle passing a joint, laughing and digging the music. A simple, silly, and supremely friendly time.
That was then, of course; and this is now, and we are left with our memories and the (mostly) clandestine and mischievous knowledge of having a slightly misspent youth and an almost stereotypical experience of the 70s.
The music was a trip: six- and seven-minute songs to groove to, drum solos, guitar solos, expansive jams, opportunities for musicians to climb out on to a musical limb and bring you along.
Music moved on, of course, as the arts must: to disco, to dance music, to the electronic drummer and synthesizers, to punk.
OK. I can handle that. I own quite a bit of it, as a matter of fact. Things change. People grow up, get jobs, pay taxes, throw real dinner parties, serve decent liquor and form opinions based not on what their friends think but what they think.
Which brings us back to The Nuge. Ted Nugent.
He had a reality show not long ago – and who knows what it was called. I had to look it up. It was just that forgettable – morons competing for some reason for something. Who cares? It stunk. Nothing I found out about him was anything I wanted to know about Mr. Great White Buffalo. In fact, I found out that he was a patriarchal ass. I could’ve done without that.
As we said in the 70s: Burn!
What’s my point?
That I miss my illusion. All I ever needed to know about Ted Nugent was that he was/is an excellent and rockin’ guitar player. He was my childhood, my teenage years, my rock-and-roll fantasy.
My apologies to The Nuge, but I never wanted to know the real him.
I just wanted to be in the room while he played.
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14 comments:
Somethings in life, one just loves and embraces for what they are and what we believe them to be. That alone matters.
I had the unfortunate experience of seeing the Nuge live in Clear Lake, IA at the Surf Ballroom.... I, too, love love love Stranglehold and one of my most cherished memories is driving home from a date with my new husband (now coming up on 12 yrs next month!) and keeping on driving instead of turning into our driveway so we could continue grooving to the guitar solo while in motion....
He was such an incredibly awful, terrible, hate-filled, sh*t-stain of a human being that I left the show before he had even played Stranglehold.
The reality of an artist's life definitely doesn't mix with the memories or feelings that their songs can create. :(
It's the same unwillingness to lose our fantasy as the one that governments don't lie behind those inspirational speeches. They've got us by our willing optimism and wringing us out optimally — because, let's face it, it's a pretty ultimate fantasy. This post gives me the glue for a piece I've been working on in separate piles, thanks.
Stop being separated at birth!! I still refer to a crazy woman as being 'Intensity in Ten Cities' and no one gets the pun.
Ted is an example of someone who I wish he wasn't the real person he is. I want him to just be the guy he was in my mind when I listened to his music. The perfect exxample of TMI.
I would rather have found out he was gay than batshit gun and bow crazy.
Hey Pearl!
I know the man's name, but not his music. In fact, I may only recall his look now because of that wonderful throwaway line at the end of Ocean's Eleven. Clooney to Pitt:
"Ten Nugent called. He wants his shirt back."
Indigo
Wango the tango!
Oh, I loved me some Nuge back in the day when Derek St. James was the singer. But then the Nuge got a little too Wango Tango and his ego got way too big and I found out he liked his women young. As barely into their teens young. Then he just became a creepy pervert and a whackjob. But hearing "Snakeskin Cowboy" instantly whisks me back to my HS years.
Careful, you are verging into maturity, Pearl. LOL! Insightful, and yes, I do want oxygen pumped in, thank you.
Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
I'd go hunting with him in a New York minute -- he gets to go on some major hunts! But no cameras please. (Except, of course, mine.)
Poor Ted. So misunderstood. :-P
Man, that guy could totally rock that axe! I have some great memories of him from my teen years. It's too bad he turned out to be such a scary head case, though. A lot of that going around with rock stars. I think it must be from the amplifiers. Yeah, that's gotta be it.
My oh My Pearl...we learn more surprising things about you...LOL
Seems the 70's was a memorable experience for all eh...or it would have been if we hadnt smoked so many J's
He HAD some great music, if a musician does not continue to make music, what is left...
History. I seen him once in the 80's good show but I would not like to know him. Had some cold things to say about the Nervana musician that died, enough said
I'll never forget the fantastic example Ted provided this world: an example I strive to live by everyday. For now whenever I find myself in any small amount of doubt, I do indeed simply whip it out.
It's in the air to-niyyyiyyite!
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