Here He Comes Again Now, Baby!

Originally published July 27, 2019

Mike Tomano

I've been there before, I'm comin' back for more I know what you like Back in town again, lookin' up my friends You know what I like Madness in the air, crazies ev'rywhere I know what you know It happens ev'ry night, I gotta take a bite Ev'rybody's Gonzo!

- Ted Nugent, "Gonzo"

HEY KIDS! UNCLE TED'S COMIN' TO SEE US!

The Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, has been playing his guitar, singin' his songs and blowin' the roofs off venues in Illinois since he was a teenager, fuelled by the music of Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Saturday, August 3rd, Uncle Ted will bring his The Music Made Me Do It Again Tour to Woodstock at The McHenry County Fair. Backed once again by the pile-driving rhythm section of bassist Greg Smith and drummer Jason Hartless, Nugent, now 70, proves that in 2019 the excitement and energy he brings to the stage (and in the recording studio) burns brighter than ever.

(SIDE NOTE: Ted playing Woodstock, Illinois, is especially heart-warming to this Windy City boy. The picturesque town is etched in my childhood memories : as a boy I would visit my grandfather, Fidel, who lived in Woodstock for a time. He would take me along the railroad tracks and into the woods to pick morels, dandelions and cardoons. Magical times. On a separate note, the mere phrase Ted Nugent Plays Woodstock conjures up speculation. Would the stoned-hippies wallowin' in mud in a similarly named New York town 50 years ago have survived Ted harshing their trips with Great White Buffalo? But, I digress...)

Ted took a few moments to check in with us here at The Mike Tomano Show headquarters to update us on the current tour and to discuss his never-ending crusade of truth, logic and common sense!

Mike: The Music is making you do it again! Tell us about your latest tour.

Ted: The American physics of spirituality Dream soundtrack throttles on more intense, energetic, musically adventurous and outrageous FUN than ever before! In 2019 for God's sake if you can believe it! Truly amazing how Greg Smith and Jason Hartless push the soulfulness and spirit of every song, every gig, every night. With the greatest guitartone of my long rockin life, every night is an out of body musical samurai dream come true!

Mike: There are some exciting additions to the set list this tour. Tell us about some of these tunes that haven't been played live in a while.

Ted: I so thoroughly love all my many compositions over all these 50 plus years that it is always a bit of an impossible struggle to choose my favorite 90 minutes worth, so I let my musical cravings and musical loving instincts pick a killer roustabout setlist each night and we are dusting off some of my older favorites like 1000 Knives, StreetRats, Death By Misadventure, Queen of the Forest, Wango Tango, Homebound, Free Flight, Hibernation and some of the killer new songs from my new The Music Made Me Do It CD.

Mike: Your last album, The Music Made Me Do It, was a real return to your roots. It seems the well never runs dry. How often do you find yourself writing new songs these days?

Ted: I crank on my guitars every day and remain terminally inspired to create new sounds, patterns, licks, arrangements and uncharted sonic adventure, so literally every day is intensely fertile for mesmerizing song structures to emerge. Thank God I have my beloved bow and arrows to take me away from the powerful musical tsunami every day so the jamming, creative process remains pure and spontaneous just like it did way back in the 1950s and beyond.

Mike: A recent video of you and your son, Rocco, hit social media. It was a brilliant, deep conversation regarding family, tolerance, acceptance and mutual respect. Talk about your approach to parenting with your wife, Shemane.

Ted: I thank God every day that my mom and dad DISCIPLINED me hardcore to always be the best that I can be, so comprehensive parenting comes naturally to me. Shemane is not only my soulmate, wife, lover, queen of the forest and best hunting buddy, but she is the ultimate loving, guiding, nurturing mother of mothers! Intelligent prioritization with dedicated attentiveness to duties at hand and heart and soul love will always produce great results and Rocco is living proof.

Mike: The McHenry County Fair concert is August 3rd. A small, misinformed group has caused a stir, citing your booking as controversial. It's pathetic how many lies are spread about you. We live in a day and age where living sober and healthy, working hard, being self-sufficient and living the American Dream are criticized. How did this happen?

Ted: It is tragic how such a lunatic fringe is clearly hellbent on hate and lies, and though I do not take their vicious nastiness personally, I find it heartbreaking that no on in their pathetic lives steps up and takes them to task for such rotten soullessness. Even though it is clear and obvious that the democrat party stands with this depth of hate and dishonesty, the majority of good American families in the asset column are properly represented by a great President who stands with us for America 1st.

Mike: You have perfected scheduling your work detail for the summer to spend the rest of the year in a tree. God Bless. What plans do you have for this hunting season?

Ted: Celebrating the greatest tour of my life this summer portends to what I am absolutely certain will be the greatest hunting season of my life! My beloved dogs Happy, Sadie and Coco are well trained and gonzo for the fall and winter. Our deer herds in Michigan and Texas are healthy and thriving, duck marshes in prime shape and we can hardly wait for the season to erupt!

Mike: Your commitment to truth, logic & common sense is noted. Here in Illinois, it seems like we are being subjected to new rights-restricting laws and bans on a weekly basis; as well as non-stop additional taxes. We saw some states that were deemed "blue" vote "red" in the last election. Any hope for Illinois?

Ted: I know real Illinois and the majority of IL families are NOT represented by the corruption in Chicago and Springfield. I do have hope that conservatives and Constitutionalists will rise to the occasion en mass in upcoming elections and turn out in dedicated numbers to demand proper representation. Finally!

Ted Nugent plays The McHenry County Fair, Saturday, August 3rd. Visit TedNugent.com for details on Danger Zone packages and all things Nuge! Join the conversation on Ted's Facebook page here! McHenry County Fair Tickets available here!