Chicago Tribune article - July 29, 1994
| Print Chicago Tribune article, July 29, 1994 | |
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| Publication | Chicago Tribune |
| Published | July 29, 1994 |
| Author | Dan Kening |
| Title | Nugent Happy To Be Thought Of As 'Politically Incorrect' |
| Format | |
| Associated concert | Weezer concert: 07/31/1994 |
| External link | Chicago Tribune Weezer Media Archive Wayback Machine |
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Nugent Happy To Be Thought Of As 'Politically Incorrect' Ted Nugent is the ultimate politically incorrect rock star. Nugent, who will be performing Thursday with Lynyrd Skynyrd at Poplar Creek, is one of hunting’s highest-profile advocates, particularly for his beloved bowhunting. He’s a frequent guest on hunting and conservation topics on Rush Limbaugh’s radio program. A teetotaler, Ted is a sworn enemy of drugs and alcohol, and is involved with several anti- drug and alcohol organizations. And then there’s his nationally syndicated radio talk show, scheduled to debut in early ’95 over ABC’s Satellite Music Network, which will give him a regular forum to air his views, which usually fly counter to P.C. rock ‘n’ roll. “To be politically correct is to be brain-dead,” said Nugent, calling from a tour stop in Rockford. “I wanted to go to Lollapalooza to set up a `Ted Nugent World’ bowhunters’ booth and give them a real alternative. The quote for Generation X should be `We the Sheep-ole,’ because they really are like sheep-all getting the right haircut, the right shirt and the right pierced body part. You want alternative? That’s me. I’ve stood on my own and I believe in what made sense in 1954, 1964, 1974 and 1984 still makes sense in 1994. “Keith Moon, (AC/DC’s) Bon Scott, Jimi Hendrix and Mike Bloomfield-those were guys who used to laugh at me because I didn’t do drugs or alcohol. They thought I was a bad guy because I carried a gun and hunted. Well, if I’m not mistaken, those guys all got high and now they’re all dead. And I’m still here rockin’ and rollin’ and hunting. Case closed.” While much of it sounds like bluster, Nugent is serious about his values, particularly family values. This 45-year-old father of four has a summer camp near Jackson, Mich., to teach youngsters about the outdoors and goes on hunting trips with terminally ill youngsters. No wonder Michigan Gov. John Engler just appointed Nugent to the state’s International Year of the Family council. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Nugent has mellowed out musically. While he may chum around with conservative politicians-Wyoming Sen. Malcolm Wallop recently read a tribute to Nugent into the Congressional Record-Nugent is still a rock ‘n’ roll animal on stage. Currently taking a hiatus from the more commercial Damn Yankees, Nugent is tearing it up on stages across America this summer and has a new album, “Spirit Of the Wild,” due out in the fall. “I’m much too old to be having as much fun on stage as I am right now,” said Nugent, whose current band includes longtime partner Derek St. Holmes on vocals, bassist Michael Lutz and Damn Yankees’ drummer Michael Cartellone. “We played a show in Louisville last night and, my God, it was so rich and dynamic and soulful that it sounded like Wilson Pickett with an attitude. We’re whipping out old Yardbirds and Rolling Stones songs, Damn Yankees and Ted Nugent classics, stuff from the new album-we’re like a runaway freight train going up your butt!” Headliners Lynyrd Skynyrd have an all-acoustic album due out on Capricorn Records a few days after their Poplar Creek date. The album includes both new material and acoustic versions of Skynyrd classics like “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Saturday Night Special.” The band will include an acoustic segment in their show. A Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute album featuring the likes of Hank Williams Jr., Travis Tritt and Wynonna will be released in October. Opening the show is Pride & Glory, featuring former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde. Other concerts of note The Smithereens, Friday at Metro: Judging by how often their music is played, either someone at WXRT owns stock in the Smithereens, or else the station just really has a collective jones for the band. Performing live, the New Jersey quartet, led by current Chicago resident Pat DiNizio, is a bit more bombastic than on album, though their current self-titled release for new label RCA has a bit more crunch to it than past efforts. The Smithereens are a fine band (how could you not like an outfit who recorded the reactionary anti-grunge anthem "Sick of Seattle"?), but after a while you wish they'd cut back on the loud guitars a bit and let those Beatle-esque melodies breathe. Opening is Cindy Lee Berryhill. ZZ Top, Friday at the Rosemont Horizon: They're bad, they're nationwide, they're two-thirds bearded, they're ZZ Top. The trio of guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and clean-shaven drummer Frank Beard remain a solid draw even though the music on their latest album, "Antenna," isn't really much different from "Tres Hombres" of almost 20 years ago. Expect some eye-popping special effects to accompany what can best be described as bar band blues-rock on steroids. Opening is the 99th or so edition of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. C.C. Adcock, Friday at Buddy Guy's Legends: Hailing from the heart of southwest Louisiana Cajun country, young C.C. Adcock takes an infectious, thoroughly modern rock 'n' roll approach to the Cajun, zydeco blues and R&B influences heard on his self-titled debut on the Island label. JACKOPIERCE, Saturday at the Elbo Room: The Dallas acoustic duo of Jack O'Neill and Cary Pierce-collectively known as JACKOPIERCE-has a winner in their new T-Bone Burnett-produced album "Bringing On the Weather." Their intelligent, carefully crafted songs, accessible melodies and fine harmonies combine for one of the year's nicest musical surprises. Dick Dale and the Deltones, Saturday at the Cubby Bear: Dick Dale, the 57-year-old grandaddy of West Coast surf music, is suddenly being discovered by surf punks and indie rockers, and it's easy to understand why. Dale's twangy guitar playing on his new "Unknown Territory" album may be about as subtle as a flying mallet, but his energy and anarchic attitude practically ooze out of the CD player. Besides, anyone who includes rave-up versions of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" and "Hava Nagila" on the same album is okay with us. Opening are Chicago's own instrumental rock 'n' roll kings, Spies Who Surf. Lush and Weezer, Sunday at the Vic: Like Blur and Ride, Lush is one of those single-word British bands whose terminally fey and ethereal music make them virtually indistinguishable from each other. A bit more interesting is opening act Weezer. "I look just like Buddy Holly/And you're just like Mary Tyler Moore" they sing on "Buddy Holly" from their self-titled new album. But instead of it being a throwaway line, the Los Angeles quartet deftly turns it into a hook so insidious it replays in your head time and time again. And the rest of the album isn't bad either. |
See also
| More interviews from 1994: | |
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| Other band member interviews from this year: | |
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