During a recent appearance on “The Joe Pags Show,” Ted Nugent was asked if there are any newer bands from the 1990s or early 2000s, such as the FOO FIGHTERS, that he really loves. He responded in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):
“The FOO FIGHTERS are not really a new band, but when they came on the scene, they were delivering the same dedication and work ethic. You can tell that [Dave] Grohl and his bandmates really put their heart and soul into delivering a monster every night. Now, as much as I love and adore and admire the FOO FIGHTERS, and Dave Grohl is one of the masters of crescendos, there’s not that fire-breathing crescendo guitar solo that elevates the entire musical moment to a higher place.
“I don’t know nothing about Auto-Tune. I let my ears and my spirit and my balls dictate the delivery of my music. The point being is that I want a killer guitar solo or a sax solo or even a Jimmy Smith keyboard monster. Andy Solomon with the AMBOY DUKES would deliver a Hammond B3 solo that was just so elevating.”
Ted continued:
“So I’m afraid to say in this world that’s gone down the toilet in all aspects, I’m afraid the success of Taylor Swift, and God bless her work ethic and musical dreams, but that’s cartoon music. It doesn’t have any piss and vinegar. There’s no fire, no sensuality. It’s all poppy nonsense as far as I’m concerned, and it’s the most popular stuff in the world, which is an indictment of the music industry and music fans. They’re not looking for that fire from a ZZ TOP or from MITCH RYDER AND THE DETROIT WHEELS or from BROWNSVILLE STATION or AMBOY DUKES. And I miss that. Thank God I’m still around. We still deliver the fire that THE BEATLES did [at clubs] in Germany.”
In his remarks, Nugent emphasized his appreciation for bands that bring intense energy and musical craftsmanship to their performances, contrasting this with his view on the current state of popular music. He praised the FOO FIGHTERS for their dedication but expressed a longing for the fiery solos and raw energy he associates with older rock bands. Nugent also critiqued the pop music industry, particularly the popularity of artists like Taylor Swift, whom he perceives as lacking the intensity and authenticity of classic rock acts.
