Ted Nugent recently took to his Twitter account and posted a Tweet about Kid Rock:
Ted Nugent never shies away from sharing his opinion publicly. Also, discussing his musical influences, and in particular, musicians who hailed from the Detroit area in the 1960s.
During a recent chat with Indiepower TV about the new Cactus tribute album he plays on, “Temple of Blues: Influences & Friends,” the Nuge took the time to discuss his fondness for this oft-overlooked proto-metal group.
“The musical authority, the musical spirit, the musical adventure, the virtuoso work ethic, musical monsters that I was born amongst,” Nugent said (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “You know, obviously the Motown. Everything Motown is sacred. All the black heroes had so much more emotion, so much more piss and vinegar, so much more energy, so much again, I use the word ‘musical authority.'”
“And I think obviously, if you and I are here to talk about Carmine Appice and the incredible Cactus music, Jim McCarty, my dear friend and my musical hero, the greatest guitar player in the world… Somebody write that down! And Rusty Day, the singer of The Amboy Dukes [who also sang for Cactus]. So, the excitement level was just immeasurable.”
The conversation then turned to other specific artists that Nugent was inspired by. The number of now-legendary artists who hailed from the Detroit area in the ’60s remains remarkable.
“The MC5 and The Rationals and Brownsville Station and Dick Wagner and the Frost and the Scot Richard Case and the Amboy Dukes. Certainly, Bob Seger. All these amazing, amazing bands were so influenced by Billy Lee and the Rivieras, who turned into Mitch Ryder the Detroit Wheels, and all those unbelievably gifted, authoritative musicians that inspired all that high energy tightness.”
“We were passed the baton of musical authority of James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, Motown, Funk Brothers tightness by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. And that continued to inspire all of us to this very day.”
