And speaking as we were yesterday of the late great Frankie Lymon, here's The Amboy Dukes -- featuring you know who -- covering Lymon's "I Am Not a Juvenile Delinquent" in 1969.
I was going to say that apparently Ted Nugent was an asshole even back in the day, but I really don't know what I think about this. I mean, it genuinely seems like a song these guys actually dug -- unless I'm very much mistaken, they're doing it straight, if not particularly well compared to the original. But strictly from a commercial standpoint, I find it confounding that a punk-psych/blues-rock band in the late 60s thought doing a faithful version of a doo-wop classic was going to endear them to the hippie audience. I mean, Sha Na Na hadn't played Woodstock when this was recorded. It's also possible, it occurs to me, that this was supposed to be some kind of ironic-but-not-really Frank Zappa weasel move.
On the other hand, Nugent still claims that he had no idea that his breakout hit -- "Journey to the Center of Your Mind" -- was about drugs.
So yes -- he was already an asshole back in the day.
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Beats me. A 1:50 song in the days of extended blues rock solos may have just been ironic album filler (was it the last cut on the LP?)
Whatever, your overall point, Ted Nugent is and always was an asshole, is valid.
As much as I have loathed the Nuge for the last couple of decades, this collection got quite a workout in my 8-track player back in the day. If memory serves, this odd artifact served as the lead off track on side two and lead into the usual guitar-laden noise fest, Good Natured Emma. Had forgotten most of this album until the obscure track, Loaded For Bear, reared it's head as background music in a bar in Breaking Bad Season 3.
who put together Nuggets? Lenny Kaye? Talk about screwing up, using the Dukes' boring, overlong "Baby Please Don't Go" instead of "Journey to the Center of the Mind."
Didn't want to go with the "hit?" Nuggets had lots of hits on it. Never understood that.
Nugent's a dick? Whodathunkit!
Two things. First, howzabout a Top Ten list of RnR A-holes? Or better yet, a Top Ten list of A-holes DESPITE great talent?
Second, yes ... JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND is great, but so is The Dukes version of BABY PLEASE DON'T GO, and Nugent's guitar on both is WHY they're great.
"Ruben And The Jets" came out in 1968.
Ted is the biggest "Rock n Roll Asshole" I can think of.
The Move covered the Coaster's version of "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart" in 1967.
Of course, that was to showcase drummer Bev Bevan's hilarious basso profundo voice, and was essentially meant as a goof.
I didn't think it was possible to think less of Nugent, but this song has disabused me of that notion.
Truly awful.
As to Teddie claiming he didn't know "Journey" was a song about drugs, he's obviously lying as the album cover has a bunch of hash pipes and the like on it.
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