In Defense of Ted Nugent

You know, Ted Nugent should be given some credit. Yes, he does stuff for kids and charity and loves his country and the freedom it provides. And yes, he's written a book or two. And yes, he is an accomplished musician. And before I get any further, his ego is not a typical ego trip that many other prima donna musicians have. His ego is big because his talent is big. Other musicians, past and present, really can't match that. Most of those with the giant heads on their shoulders died from drugs, alcohol, or wreckless living. NOT Ted.

Any way, did you ever see Ted with Michael Moore? David Letterman? Conan O'Brien? How about hearing him on countless radio programs or talk shows. Ever hear him speak to Rush Limbaugh. WELL: Ted makes us laugh. He has a genuine sense of humor and I'm thinking had he not gone gonzo he might have went goofy (as in comedian). He's the funny man of rock and could give Wierd Al Yankovic a run for his money.

OK we've all heard the news about Ted Nugent losing his "job" as a columnist for the Waco Tribune-Herald. Scott Bowen's blog, which of course slants left, is merely a diatribe to put the man down. Since the Waco Tribune-Herald came under new ownership it is inferred that the new owners were not happy with what Ted was saying. He was apparently fired for what he said on his own time somewhere else. It is a free country still and we have the Freedom of speech. In essence, Ted was not fired because he "attacked those" he disagreed with but because he expressed his dismay at the "new" policy at his newspaper.

This is not new. This kind of stuff has been happening to a lot of right-wingers. When the left gets in control, the freedom of speech is limited - to the left only. Look at Michael Medved being ousted from CNN. Why? Because he has a radio show. What's so bad about that. Well CNN wants people with journalistic credentials, not a talk show host. Losers.

Look at Michael Savage. Love him or hate him, has he committed any crime? The terrorist in Scotland responsible for killing 200 people on a jet is set free and yet Savage is banned from entering the UK because of his outspokenness against radical Islam and leftism extremists.

Ted can do without the newspaper. However, I'd like to defend on another front. Drug use.

If the man says he never did drugs, why doesn't the mainstream believe him? If Obama claims he is an American citizen, we can take his word for it. Why not Ted? What proof is there or eyewitnesses that he was a user? There is none. He's telling the truth as much as Obama is.

I'll tell you. I have found in many articles about the Amboy Dukes (Ted's first band) hit single and Album, "Journey To The Center of the Mind", that many claim this is a psychedelic drug song or anthem. Recently, a writer for the Dayton Daily Newshad tried with such simplistic logic to infer that Nugent has to be a drug fiend because of the album.

Here again, I see the left slant and attack against a guy, not because of his contribution to music, but because of his political views. Long hair an indication? Hardly. What about the Journey cover? Well, the writer, keep him nameless, knows zilch about marketing.

Here's a quick lesson in 1968 marketing at a minor record label.

A.) What the strongest song on the album? Journey To The Center Of The Mind.

B.) What shall we call the album? Name it after the potential top 40 hit.

C.) What kind of cover artwork shall we use? Something that ties in with the title.

D.) What ties in with the title? Spirituality, Psychology, Self-improvement and awareness, mind-altering drugs.

E.) What's hip now? Mind altering drugs.

Duh.

Who designed the cover? An artist on commission for Mainstream Records, the same company that brought you Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin, a real drug addict)

Did Ted or even Steve Farmer (co-founder and songwriter for the Dukes) have anything to say about the cover? No, they were on tour and it was approved by the company, not the band. The only input the band had in the cover was the the liner notes by Steve Farmer. Not one mention of drugs there, just a discussion of the exciting music they created.

What about he song itself? Well, Ted wrote most of the music and Steve Farmer wrote the lyrics. This is not some drug anthem. As explained in the liner notes, the whole second side which included the "drug antem" is a story. There is no mention any drugs. It's a story, Like the Who's Tommy. It's not real.

Most people fail to understand Steve Farmer's humor. In later interviews he stated that the song was about looking inside yourself. You don't need drugs to do that. He did say that you could do that with drugs if that suits your fancy but this was not a drug song but part of a story.

Steve Farmer was not a user according to close sources so why the drug relation It's whatever people believe. Are rumors still alive that "Puff the Magic Dragon" was about drugs, too?Farmer's humor in Amboy Dukes songs were an answer to what was popular then. In answer to Jimi Hendrix "The Wind Cries Mary", Steve wrote "Missionary Mary". I won't give away what the song is about, but it's not wha you think. In response to the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"(LSD), Steve wrote "Down On Philips Escalator" (d.o.p.e.). We are dealing with humor here, not hallucinogenic promotion.

Steve Farmer was a poet and got a kick out of writing things with a sense of humor. Ted Nugent was the lead guitarist who focused on playing more than writing. Even Ted didn't always understand Steve. The Nugent-Farmer writing team wanted to be the Lennon-McCartney of America but failed for several reasons which we won't discuss here.

Suffice it to say, Ted Nugent did not do drugs, did not create the cover or the lyrics for his best song of the 60's and he has a right to freedom of speech. Not believing what he says and then denying his speech isn't just anti-American, it's moronic.