TED NUGENT - Kills Swedish Death Metal Dead! Page 2
by Martin Popoff

"I remember it like it was yesterday," reflects Ted, asked about the writing of Amboy Dukes classic 'Great White Buffalo', the question valid given the native epic's surprise status on Sweden Rocks as final encore number. "We were in the studio tuning up and jamming for the Tooth, Fang & Claw record in upstate NY with Lew Futterman producing, when as usual I started slamming out this driving, grinding rhythmical guitar theme line lick. Rob stopped me and asked what it was, and I said that I didn't know - just a spontaneous pattern. In fact, when he asked me to keep playing it, I couldn't quite deliver it exactly as I had just a moment prior and it frustrated him to no end. Eventually I stumbled onto the lick again and we immediately recorded it as I shouted out the arrangement like a stream of consciousness. I hollered the lyrics off the top of my head, articulating to the best of my ability my take on the great Indian legend of the spiritual beast of yore. As a bowhunter and nature craver, the emotion was palpable and powerful. Rob came up with that wonderful fluid bass melody at the end, Vic the thundering double bass drum assault and history was made. To this day it is one of my and the audience's and band's all-time favourites."

Perhaps a sensitive subject, but we had to ask Ted for a comment on the shocking recent suicide of Cliff Davies, drummer on all the huge Nuge albums of the '70s, not to mention co-writer, arranger and considerably uncredited producer...

"Cliff was a world class virtuoso, consummate professional and fine gentleman," says Ted. "We are all still in shock at his untimely demise. There is no question that he played a huge role in guiding all of Derek's vocal performances on those Nugent classics. He really put his heart and soul into milking the maximum emotion from Derek's already enormous talents and Motown Funkbrother touch. That Cliff, from a lifetime of mostly jazz/rock bands, so flawlessly performed my very demanding R&B-flavoured songs with such authority and soul is a testament to his amazing musicality. In the wind, he is still alive."

TED NUGENT - Kills Swedish Death Metal Dead! Page 3