Mannen, myten, konceptet. Ted Nugent är inte den som håller tillbaka utan håller sin fana högt i alla väder. Han är en vapenförespråkare av rang, älskar allt som har med jakt att göra och anser att liberalerna har kört hans vackra USA i botten.
Jag bestämde redan innan samtalet att jag inte skulle ge mig in i någon politisk debatt med the Motor City madman. Han skulle få prata fritt och säga vad han ville, vilket kanske inte var helt politiskt korrekt, men väldigt underhållande. Vi står väldigt långt ifrån varandra politiskt sett, men det finns också en del saker han säger som inte är fullständigt uppåt väggarna.
Nedan följer vårt långa samtal om allt och lite till.
What are your feelings about Detroit these days? It having filed for bankruptcy and what not.
Ted: My feelings about Detroit start with just an exploding positive love of my roots. The most powerful, emotional, spirited relationship with my origins. The music power of Detroit. The friendly neighborliness. The love and pride of ownership. The pride of one’s property and the pride of one´s patriotism and geography. It was all positive and absolutely the best place in the world to be born and raised, until the liberal Democrats came in. If you examine the history of Detroit, as soon as the liberal Democrats came in and started brainwashing people, that instead of being the best that you can be, you can go ahead and not give a damn. And instead of producing the best of your abilities, you can go ahead and not just give a damn and that´s of course why it is now bankrupt. I go back to Detroit every year. I moved to Texas 12 years ago, but I will always be the Motor city madman and I will always be a Detroit boy. Thank god that Kid Rock, Eminem and Jack White keep that music spirit that Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels created, Motown, the mighty funk brothers and certainly all my friends from Bob Seger, the MC5, The Rationals, Brownsville Station and certainly the mighty Grand Funk Railroad. So many incredible bands and of course Kid Rock keeps that high energy rock and roll alive. Those positive memories are overwhelming and I also have to admit that there is a recipe for destruction and there is a recipe for suicide and it can be found tragically, heartbreakingly and it hurts me to have to say this, but it can now be found as the agenda of our president. The president and the liberal Democrats are trying to do to America what they did to Detroit. That´s why there´s a battle going on here and that´s why there´s a line drawn in the sand. Detroit takes on a much larger ramification than just one city and one state and one region. It really is an indicator whether America will sacrifice and dedicate that work ethic that made Detroit the most productive epic center of the world or they will follow the suicide path of liberal Democrats and not just care anymore and go bankrupt. Let me finalize that by saying that in 2013 I had the greatest concert of my life in Detroit, so the energy and the love of the music and that spirit of being the best you can be, it´s still alive and well in Detroit and in Michigan, but unfortunately the city itself is a manifestation of a cultural abandonment and spiritual abandonment and economic abandonment. I´m glad that it exists, but it´s a tragedy that it must exist. But it´s important, just like the Nazis were important, we have to be reminded of how stupid and evil and rotten people can be, so that we can fight to not be stupid, evil and rotten again.
Do you think there´s hope for Detroit to come back and be a vibrant, big city again?
Ted: Well, I believe there is hope. I have a song called “I still believe” and it actually talks about Detroit, “I was born in that Detroit town, heart and soul of America. I have seen her ups and downs, mostly down with Obama. I still believe, I believe in America.”. I believe that what I saw in the audience this last summer in Detroit, is that they´re alive and well and unstoppable. I believe that the geography is a gift from god. Do you know that the Detroit river is the number one walleye and small mouth bass fishery in the world? It´s cleaner than it´s been in over a hundred years. We know that man is capable of idiotic destructiveness, but also capable herculean, miraculous quality redemption. I really believe that if the pimps and the whores and the welfare brats and all of those in elective office that represent them and the Barack Obamas and the mayor Coleman Youngs, get the hell out of our way and we boat them the hell out of office, then yes, America can come back when it remembers that being the best that you can be is the only way for the American dream.
On your Facebook there´s been this ad for “Ted Nugent for president!”. How serious is that?
I watched it yesterday, actually.
Ted: Yeah, and if you try and debate me on black and white issues, on good over evil issues, on right over wrong issues, I´ll just rip your head clean off. But I´ll do it like a gentleman.
You´ve got a new live album coming out, but when can we expect a new studio album?
Ted: We´re going into the studio in February and March. I´ve got a whole bunch of killer new, fun, rock and roll, outrageous musically adventurous songs and we´re going into the studio to capture these sons of bitches. It´s gonna be a stone cold motherfucker! (laughs)
Is it just ideas and riffs so far? Any titles?
Ted: A bunch of songs are completely done, but I know they will still develop once we get into the studio and start jamming our balls off. Most of them are riffs and theme concepts. I´ve actually got two or three monster instrumentals. I´ve got all kinds of titles, but I´m gonna hold back until the day we´re done. I think we both must admit Niclas, that I have come up with the greatest song titles and the greatest album titles in the history of the human race. Nobody else has a “Stranglehold” or a “Cat scratch fever” or a “Free for all” or al “Ultra live ballistic rock”! (laughs)
Where did you get the title “Ultralive ballisticrock” from?
Ted: Oh, it´s part of my stream of conscious. Everything we do is ultra. My guitar tone is ultra unbelievable, my band is ultra tight, we are ultra alive every night and the intensity and the music is just indescribable and the audiences are ultra crazed. I do a lot of shooting and I think a lot of things in life can be measured in ballistics. I think my music has a certain fire power to it.
What was it that made you pick that one show (Penn´s Peak, Pennsylvania) for the live album? Was there something special to it?
Ted: First of all, every night we do is special. Literally every night is a stone cold motherfucker. We´ve never done a bad concert in our lives. Our worst concert is a motherfucker! We just cannot stumble between Mick, Greg and Derek and all my musicians over the years. These guys love the music, they love the songs and the energy, the attitude and the spirit and how can you not? We were offered a film from this television network AXS and I knew that the Penn´s Peak venue was perfect. All my audiences are at least 50% deer hunters, but Penn´s Peak are 100% deer hunters, so I knew just the fire power and the garlic and butter content would be at an all time high. When you say someone is a killer musician, well, mine are actually killers. (laughs) I´m a real killer musician! When they wanted to film this I said “Yes, but we have to own the footage, because I know it´s gonna be a motherfucker! I know it´s gonna be a historical moment and we have to release it as a live DVD.”. We remixed and mastered and inserted all kinds of fun elements. We
didn´t rerecord anything, we just remixed it and that´s what´s on the DVD.
There´s a lot of bands these days, releasing old live concerts they´ve dug up, like KISS and Iron Maiden. Any plans on doing that? Stuff you´ve got archived?
Absolutely fascinating to music lovers everywhere and because you have inspired me Niclas, I´m gonna make that happen! And god knows what else there is?
Fans really love that stuff! It´s fun to watch things from the 70´s or 80´s.
Ted: Yeah, absolutely! They´re magic moments and some of it may not be so good, like I saw some early footage of Nirvana and there are magic moments and there are embarrassing moments, but even the embarrassing moments has a musical power to it that identifies the adventurousness of musicians that were not afraid to stumble and were not afraid to smash something that is musically wrong, but spirit and energy wise and attitude wise, it´s something special.
You´ve written a lot of books, but you haven´t written your autobiography yet, right?
Ted: I´m writing that now. It´s called “Stranglehold” and it´s gonna scare the shit out of everybody!
How far into it are you?
Ted: Considering I´m barely getting warmed up… god help us all! 65 years clean and sober with an erection 23 hours day, something´s gotta give! (laughs) I have a real clear memory of the outrage and believe me, no one has the faintest idea about the incredible joys and adventure and outrage and funny shit that´s gone on in my life. We´re talking about a guy who´s done 6500 fucking concerts and everyone of them sheer delirium with so many beautiful girls in my vapor trail. So many wonderful friends and so many defiant moments of scaring the shit out of hippie journalists. I mean, you literally have to wear diapers when you read it, because you will piss your pants laughing so hard! I have perfected over my lifetime, how to handle idiots, with the idiots not even knowing they´re being handled. I´ve gotta write this book. What a bunch of killer memories! I´ve been in touch lately a lot with my original band, the Lourdes, from Detroit in 1959/1960. John Drake (vocalist) is writing his own memoirs and we´ve been reminiscing about stuff. We can hardly talk because we´re laughing so fucking hard. Tom Noel (drums) and John Finley (guitar) passed away a couple of years ago and I haven´t talked to Pete Primm (bass) in probably 40 years and nobody can find him. There´s some really great memories and great lessons to be had and I gotta tell you, I´ve come out smelling like a rose because of my discipline and my hunting upbringing and the love of my family and the dedication of great musicians who have become great friends. It´s quite a story!
Are you looking at a 2014 release?
Ted: “Stranglehold” won´t come out until 2015 because I´m taking 2015 off. I have 9 children and 11 grand children and I promised them that I would not tour that year and just go do stuff with them. In 2014 I will be releasing a book called “Ted Nugent bulletproof” on my politics and again I reference to the Piers Morgan interview and there´s thousands like it. People have attempted to debate me and ended up with shit on their face, because the truth is the truth and if you defy the truth, I´ll take so much evidence and shove it up your ass, you´ll look like the idiot Piers is. My stand on life´s issues is bulletproof. They´re all bulletproof. I don´t have any hunches, I don´t have any guesses, I don´t have any presumptions and I don´t have any opinions about facts, logic and history. Facts, logic and history are facts, logic and history and you can say what you want about them, but they´re still what they are. That´s what all of my politics are based on and it doesn´t just mean guns and hunting. It has to do with everything from welfare, education reform and the whole Democrat demolition derby and what they did to Detroit, they´ll do to the whole fucking world if you´ll le them and I won´t let them. That book will come out next year with the new record. Maybe the record should be called “Bullteproof”?
Your way of talking and being well read, where does that come from?
Ted: Well, it has to do with my overall attentiveness in life, which goes right to my upbringing. I never met a journalist who understood what I´m about to tell you, Niclas. Here´s your chance to shine above the world! The discipline of archery, bow hunting and marksmanship manifests itself in the discipline for intelligent and meaningful proper choices in life. I f you attempt to kill a herbivore with a sharp stick, god created the herbivore to not allow you to kill it with a sharp stick. You have to be a bad motherfucker and you have to be so tuned in, you have to aspire to and accomplish a higher level of awareness that one will then apply to musical communication, choices in life, no drugs and no alcohol… my clear thinking and clear articulation is a result of being clean and sober because I want to pay attention. When I jam with musicians I don´t wanna be like Eddie Van Halen, stumbling and drooling and fucking up. I want to listen to what BB King is playing and I want to find the spirit of that music and pivot upon it… I´ve been honored and humbled and privileged to jam with the greatest musicians in the world, like Eddie Van Halen, Billy Gibbons, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Rick Derringer, Steve Winwood. Just the list of my drummers alone, carmine Appice, Tommy Clufetos, Tommy Aldridge, Mick Brown, Denny Carmassi, are you kidding me? These are the greatest musicians that have ever lived! Why would I want to reduce my level of awareness and miss out on some of that, because you will? If you´re stoned or drunk, if you don´t get good sleep or if you have a bad diet, you will not be able to pick up on the energy levels or the information that I can! I always say, I never went to college, I was too busy learning shit! What I´ve learned is the human experience and I´m able to reasonably grasp and project that lesson and I think that´s why I´m so convincing because I have unlimited evidence to support what I say.
Do you think your father being a military man had something to do with it too?
Ted: Yes, the pretty bastard! (laughs) My brothers and sister and I still talk about it and we get a good chuckle out of it. He was hardcore. You might wanna google Chesty Puller! He was the most disciplinary hardcore ass clinching marine that ever lived. My dad wasn´t in the marines, he was in the army, but he was a drill sergeant and he kicked our ass. A great interview would be with my children, Niclas, and with my musicians and get their perspective on Ted Nugent. You know why the music is so good and unstoppable? Discipline! You know why my kids are so healthy and courteous? Discipline! Case closed. I´m the cockiest motherfucker you´ll ever meet, but I´m not cocky enough to think I know better than the truth!
On another note, what are your thoughts about Sweden? You´ve been here a couple of times.
Ted: Well, just like Detroit, it starts very positive. It´s where my blood comes from, where my mother was born, in Stockholm, Sweden. My mother passed away many years ago, but her sister Nancy still lives and she went back… I can´t remember… I have a book here because she put together a beautiful book of my Swedish heritage and the village where the Johansens came from. I can tell you that my grandpa Henning Johansen really laid down the work ethic that was alive and well in Detroit when I was born there. It was alive and well in the spirit of Swedish workers. He was a carpenter, dedicated to his craft and I´m very proud to say that probably half of the Chicago skyline is a direct result of Henning Johansen. He worked and worked and my mom and dad worked and worked and my brothers and sister and I work and work and my kids and I work and work, so that´s a great, great bloodline. From my personal visits I can say that I love the people, but I might be a little bit spoiled because the people I meet are there because they love my music. I get to relate to and meet clearly the best Swedes in the world and the best Swedes in the world obviously love my music. I love the food, I love the culture. I know you have a great hunting heritage.
Have you ever had the chance to go hunting here?
Ted: No, I haven´t but I would love to some day. It´s a great heritage there. Your moose population, or elk as you call it, is at an all time high.
One final thing. Way in the future when mr Ted Nugent passes away, what will it say on your grave stone?
Ted: Fuck You! (laughs) It´ll say “Hey you, fuck you!”. (laughs) People with a good brain, a good soul and education, and a great sense of humor, will love that. And they know that only the guilty need to feel guilty. (laughs) I don´t know. “Here lies one bad motherfucker and he took thousands with him.”, because I will be going into battle and will kill thousands of the enemy before they get me. There are so many things about me and especially in the world of political correctness and the hatred that exists is a real tragedy. The hatred that manifests itself against me for just standing up for what I believe in, and what I believe in is irrefutably the right thing and that is being productive and being the best that you can be, caring about your fellow man, caring about the environment, being involved with all the charities you possibly can, putting your heart and soul into your craft, raising your family right to be positive and productive… these are the things that people hate me for. This is a phenomenon and this is truly gonna go down in history as the dumbest society. Americans in this time will be identified in the history books as the dumbest species that ever lived, because they had it all and they gave it away for slavery, for dependency and I will be noted as a warrior for independence, self evident truth, logic and being the best that you can be. I have no qualms and I don´t take any of the hatred personally. It just breaks my heart that such ignorance and rotten, evil hatred does exist and they´re winning in America right now. I will not back down. I´m staying ahead of the curve and I think the liberal Democrats hate me more than they hate anybody and I couldn´t be more proud. I look at it this way, Niclas! I´m a black Jew at a Nazi clan rally. I´ll be blacker and more Jewish just to piss them off. God bless you! Give my love to your family and everybody over there and thank everybody for their support of my music!
/Niclas
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