Ted Nugent (album)

Ted Nugent is the debut studio album by American rock musician Ted Nugent. The album was released in September 1975 by Epic Records. It was Nugent's first release after the disbanding of his former group, The Amboy Dukes.

Ted Nugent
Studio album by
Ted Nugent
ReleasedSeptember 1975 (1975-09)[1]
Recorded1975
StudioThe Sound Pit, Atlanta
GenreHard rock, heavy metal
Length38:52
LabelEpic
Producer
Ted Nugent chronology
Tooth Fang & Claw
(1974)		 Ted Nugent
(1975)		 Free-for-All
(1976)
Singles from Ted Nugent
  1. "Where Have You Been All My Life"
    Released: November 1975[2]
  2. "Hey Baby" / "Stormtroopin'"
    Released: March 1976[3]

Background

Tired of The Amboy Dukes' lack of effort and discipline, Nugent decided he had enough and left the group. He took a three-month vacation (his first ever) clearing his head in the Colorado wilderness, spending his time deer hunting and enjoying the outdoors.[4] Renewed, Nugent returned to civilization in search of a new direction and a new band. Joining him in the Ted Nugent Band were former Amboy Duke Rob Grange on bass, along with Cliff Davies (ex-If) on drums and finally, from a local Michigan band called Scott which had opened for the Dukes previously, a singer/guitarist named Derek St. Holmes.

The new group hit the road and then the studio, forming the songs which would send their first album into the Billboard Top 30 and into the multi-platinum range. The first track, "Stranglehold", would set the stage for Nugent's career: an eight-minute plus guitar attack with vocals by St. Holmes and Nugent, a long solo played on Nugent's Gibson Byrdland guitar recorded in one take and a unique phase bass guitar effect by Grange. St. Holmes' sang tracks such as "Queen of the Forest", "Hey Baby", "Just What the Doctor Ordered" and "Snakeskin Cowboys", the latter featuring an 8-string Hagström bass played by Grange, which would prove to be staples of the band's concert tours for years to come. "Motor City Madhouse" is an ode to Ted's hometown of Detroit.

The album was produced by Tom Werman and former If manager Lew Futterman. Nugent said about the album, "If anyone wanted to know what rock 'n roll was all about, that's the only album they'd need".[4]

"One had to recognize that there was a definite synergy between the band and Nugent", said producer Tom Werman.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Classic Rock[6]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[7]

In 2005, Ted Nugent was ranked number 487 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[8]

"Stranglehold" has been ranked 31st greatest guitar solo of all time by Guitar World.[9]

Track listing

All songs are credited as "written and arranged by Ted Nugent", except "Hey Baby", which is credited as "written and arranged by Derek St. Holmes". In Martin Popoff's book Epic Ted Nugent, Nugent admits that "Stranglehold" was co-written by Rob Grange, who never received a royalty share.[4] Derek St. Holmes claims the album was co-written by the whole band, and that Nugent took sole credit as a way to not pay them royalties.[10]

Side one
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Stranglehold"Derek St. Holmes8:22
2."Stormtroopin'"Derek St. Holmes3:07
3."Hey Baby"Derek St. Holmes4:00
4."Just What the Doctor Ordered"Derek St. Holmes3:43
Side two
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
5."Snakeskin Cowboys"Derek St. Holmes4:38
6."Motor City Madhouse"Ted Nugent4:30
7."Where Have You Been All My Life"Derek St. Holmes4:04
8."You Make Me Feel Right at Home"Cliff Davies2:54
9."Queen of the Forest"Derek St. Holmes3:34
CD edition bonus track
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
10."Magic Party"Derek St. Holmes2:55

Personnel
Band members
  • Derek St. Holmes – lead vocals on all tracks except "Motor City Madhouse" and "You Make Me Feel Right at Home", rhythm guitar, arrangements
  • Ted Nugent – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals, percussion, arrangements, lead vocals on "Motor City Madhouse"
  • Rob Grange – bass, eight-string bass on "Snakeskin Cowboys", bass phase effect on "Stranglehold", arrangements
  • Cliff Davies – drums, vibraphone, backing vocals, arrangements, lead vocals on "You Make Me Feel Right at Home"
Additional musicians
  • Steve McRay – keyboard
  • Brian Staffeld – percussion
  • Tom Werman – percussion, producer
Production
  • Lew Futterman – producer
  • Anthony Reale – engineer, mixing
  • Howard Fritzson – art direction
  • Al Clayton – photography
  • Gerard Huerta – lettering
  • Bruce Dickinson – producer (1999 reissue)
  • Vic Anesini – remastering
  • Stephan Moore – 1999 reissue project director
  • Gary Graff – 1999 reissue liner notes

Charts

Singles
Year Title Chart Position
1976 "Hey Baby" Billboard Hot 100 (US)[15] 72

Certifications
Country Organization Year Sales
U.S. RIAA 1986 2× Platinum (2,000,000)[16]
Canada CRIA 1978 Gold (50,000)[17]

References
  1. "New LP/Tape Releases". Billboard. Billboard Publications, Inc. September 13, 1975. p. 66.
  2. Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 594. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
  3. Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 594. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
  4. Popoff, Martin (2012). Epic Ted Nugent. Toronto, Canada: Power Chord Press. pp. 64–65.
  5. Prato, Greg. "Ted Nugent - Ted Nugent review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
  6. Dome, Malcolm (February 2005). "Ted Nugent". Classic Rock. No. 76. p. 108.
  7. Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 206. ISBN 978-1894959025.
  8. Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Rock Hard. 2005. p. 12. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
  9. "50 Greatest Guitar Solos". guitarworld.com. January 29, 2009. Archived from the original on September 3, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  10. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Ep. 260 Derek St. Holmes, The Voice of Ted Nugent Remembers Touring with KISS in the 70s". YouTube.
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 220. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. "Ted Nugent | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  13. "Ted Nugent Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  14. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1976". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  15. "Ted Nugent Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  16. "RIAA Database: Search for Ted Nugent". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  17. "Gold Platinum Database: Search for Ted Nugent". Music Canada. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
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