Motor City Madman discusses his book, politics
By ERIC SCHELKOPF - eschelkopf@nwnewsgroup.com
It doesn't take much to send Ted Nugent into a tirade.
Nugent spouts off on a variety of topics in his upcoming book, "Ted, White & Blue: The Nugent Manifesto."
The musician and staunch hunting activist took aim at a few of his favorite targets in an interview prior to Thursday's concert at Naperville Exchange Club's Ribfest. The Motor City Madman will also play in August in Waukegan and Chicago.
The fact that your show "Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild" is so popular, is that gratifying to you?
People love the energy of the show, they love the honesty and authenticity of the show. So it is gratifying. We really don't produce in the traditional sense of storyboarding and scripting. I get cameramen and I go, "Record this. Just follow me around when I hunt." We literally film in a documentary style the way we live the outdoor lifestyle.
So what is "Ted, White & Blue: The Nugent Manifesto" about?
I will clearly identify the line drawn in the sand. And the line drawn in the sand is a whole bunch of humanity on my side. We don't want the country to do anything for us. We want to be the best we can be and do as much as we can for the country. On the other side, the Obamas of the world say, "It's not what you can do for your country. You squawk and whine ... about what your country has to do for you." And a lot of us are very offended by that.
What activities are you and your family involved in?
We are involved in charity work throughout the year, helping other people who are truly needy, not able-bodied people who whine. We're talking about people who are really needy, like soldiers that have their legs blown off and little boys and girls with real diseases, not drug addiction or alcoholism. The lie of alcoholism. These little boys and girls didn't choose to get leukemia. People who get drunk choose to put liquor in their mouth. Big difference. The whole book is overflowing with truth.
With your book, are you trying to change the politics of the country?
What I'm trying to say is if a guitar player can do this, if a guitar player can be good and beneficial, if a guitar player can be an asset to his fellow man, who can't? There is a list of good and bad things. People who do bad things have the same list as you and I have. But they choose to be bad. And I'm fed up with it. The book will identify how every problem in America is a self-inflicted choice. And until we admit that, we're going to have more problems.
What do you like about being able to still perform?
The music has a life of its own because of these great musicians that I surround myself with. It's never been more intense, it's never been more fun, it's never been more lively. I'm having the time of my life.
What's your favorite song to play?
That's the toughest part of my life. We've been going for more than two and a half hours every night because I can't throw any of my kids out of the boat. If I played all my favorite songs, we'd be there for eight hours. I still get a big kick out of "Great White Buffalo" and "Stranglehold" and "Cat Scratch Fever."
