Ted Nugent parjaa Rock And Roll Hall Of Famen taustaorganisaatiota: ”He ovat epärehellisiä”

Lukuisista värikkäistä mielipiteenilmaisuistaan tunnettu rock-kitaristi Ted Nugent on viime aikoina kunnostautunut erityisesti koronarokotusten kritisoinnissa (muusikko tosin muutti kantaansa sairastuttuaan itse), vegaanisen ruokavalion arvostelussa sekä osoittanut tukensa Kyle Rittenhouselle, joka ampui kaksi ihmistä Yhdysvalloissa vuoden 2020 protesteissa. Tällä kertaa kitaristilla on asiaa Rock And Roll Hall Of Fameen liittyen.

Knack.com-sivuston tuoreessa haastattelussa Nugentille esitetään pohdintaa siitä, miksei hän ole vielä osa Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame -kunniagalleriaa. Nugent vastaa kysymykseen tapansa mukaan suorasukaisesti:

”Why am I not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? That has a lot to do with the fact that you can’t always explain why people are rotten. Why do some people violate other people and commit vicious crimes and lie?

I would like to think about what is going on with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame… I don’t take it personal, I think I’m in the ultimate Hall Of Fame. I went on stage a couple days in Abilene with a great man Tim Montana. The Tim Montana band opened up for ZZ TOP to a packed house in Abilene. Tim Montana says, ’We learned ’Cat Scratch Fever’. Come up and play it with us.’ I asked Billy Gibbons if that was okay to do, and he said, ’Oh yeah. I’d love to hear that.’ They introduced me and the audience went berserk. So don’t tell me what my Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is. I’m in the ultimate Hall Of Fame with real and true lovers of my music! There’s nothing more important than that.”

Nugentin mukaan häntä ei henkilökohtaisesti häiritse se, ettei häntä ole valittu mukaan Rock and Roll Hall Of Fameen. Sen sijaan hän kertoo kummastelevansa muun muassa ABBA:n ja Madonnan mukanaoloa:

”I’m not offended that I’m not there. But not because of me, but for the fans. Why isn’t a band like TRIUMPH in there, but Grandmaster Flash is?! That’s just dishonest. Why are Patti Smith, ABBA and Madonna in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but not STYX?! Are you kidding me?! You can only explain that is that the people who made those decisions are just plain rotten people. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should genuflect to Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, the Motown Funk Brothers. Are you kidding me?! How dare you put Grandmaster Flash, ABBA and Madonna in that?!

”I’m not angry that I’m not in there because I’m having so much fun that it’s stupid. I have a new album called ”Detroit Muscle” which is another authoritative, rhythm and blues rock and roll from the Motor City. I’m surrounded by guitars and amps and I play with a bunch of killer musicians. My music is a flamethrower of fun, positive energy and piss and vinegar. That’s the ’real’ Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, since the people who run the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame have been dishonest.

It would be an honor to be part of an institution that celebrates the founding fathers of rock and roll, like Chuck, Bo, Little Richard, James Brown and going back to Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters and SAM & DAVE and Wilson Pickett. I would be honored to share that. What a middle finger to the ’real’ heroes of rock and roll and rhythm and blues to put in those other people. Grandmaster Flash?! Really?! Why don’t we go down to Chuck Berry’s grave and piss on it!!! Are you kidding me?! That’s not a Ted Nugent presumption; that’s not an opinion… The evidence is overwhelming.”

Lopuksi Nugent pohdistelee vielä, miten Rock And Roll Hall Of Fameen oikeasti pääsee, ja kuinka hänelle itselleen riittää luonnon parantava voima muiden stimulanttien sijaan:

”You wanna know how to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? You get ’high’ with the board, I don’t get high with anybody because I have campfires and I have the healing power of nature. I get high on high without poisoning my sacred temple. I call on God. I call on the good earth to help cleanse my soul and to help stimulate my very spirit.”