I am the Great White Buffalo and I play an American-made Gibson guitar that can blow your head clean off at 100 paces.
Ted Nugent
Yes, I am a Classic Rocker!
I have been a fan of classic Rock and Roll since I listened to my first Deep Purple album, Machine Head, at a friend’s house. I was probably in seventh grade. Smoke on the Water just blew me away!
I remember about this same time … I was maybe 12 or 13 … I assume my aunt and my grandparents had asked my parents what to get me for Christmas. And, I also assume they were told, “He likes rock and roll music. An LP record might make a really great gift.”
That year I received an Archies album and a Partridge Family album, which of course I had to play. When my grandmother asked what I liked to listen to, I played one of my albums for them. They were a bit taken back by Steppenwolf!
Cowbells? Okay! But I like a great guitar riff!
Of course, I also played (or played at) the guitar. I took lesson for a few years, but it was all “Moon River” and “Java” kinds of stuff. I wanted to ROCK! A few of us in the neighborhood formed a band and eventually learned to play bad versions of Taking of Business by Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple, Get Back by The Beatles, Baby Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult, and Riding the Storm Out by REO Speedwagon. Yes, we sucked … but it was a lot of fun.
I was inspired by several great guitarists over the years. These included Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Perry, Alex Lifeson, Slash, Eddie Van Halen, and Chuck Berry.
Another inspiration, and perhaps one of my favorites, was the Motor City Madman himself, Ted Nugent! I can still almost belt out a decent Cat Scratch Fever or Stranglehold. I even remember a little Hey Baby.
Hey Baby
As wild and crazy as Ted Nugent may be, I always admired his pro-Freedom, pro-Second Amendment, and anti-drug and alcohol messages. Of course, many would just argue he is already wild enough and just doesn’t need drugs or alcohol to be uninhibited. Uncle Nuge would argue the opposite is true. Drugs and alcohol will keep you from reaching your true potential.
You tell’em Ted!
Stranglehold Live 2017
And for all you Red Blooded Americans out there, here’s a little bit of …
Just What the Doctor Ordered!
So, there you go! A patriotic, 100% red-blooded American guitarist who enjoys his life, his liberty, and his wild pursuit of happiness! He is definitely living the dream. We should all be so lucky!
As Ted Nugent would say …
I’m healthy, have a loving and adorable family, great hunting dogs, a gravity defying musical career and most importantly, fuzzy-headed idiots hate me.
Ted Nugent
D.C. Gilbert 