Ted Nugent reunites with The Amboy Dukes

The Amboy Dukes with Ted Nugent (left) were very 'reflective'
The Amboy Dukes with Ted Nugent (left) were very 'reflective'

'Terrible' Ted Nugent left his loincloth, crossbow and buffalos behind when he reunited with his old band The Amboy Dukes at last week's Detroit Music Awards to receive a Distinguished Achievement Award.

Although the Dukes were semi-famous for synapse-altering musical excursions such as 1968's Journey To The Center Of The Mind (see the classic video below), the Tedster, well-known for his right-wing views, was thrilled to get word of the honor.

Time to celebrate good times

"I didn't have the faintest idea...'journey to the center of the mind' - yeah, it's good to be reflective" Ted Nugent on the drug-fueled lyrics of his first hit

"This is a great moment to celebrate," Nugent said prior to the event. "I got the word about [the award] and said, 'Well, of course it must be done. It's as proper as tomorrow's sunrise.' I immediately reached out to John [Brake, vocalist] and Andy [Solomon, keyboards and saxophone] and started tracking down people."

Nugent, who formed The Amboy Dukes in Chicago in 1964, then moved them back to his native Detroit four years later, called the outfit "the world's greatest garage band. We were part of that original fist of Detroit music. My brain is jam-packed with stimulating memories."

Speaking of stimulating memories, what of The Dukes' Top 20 hit, Journey To The Center Of The Mind? What does the Motor City Madman think of its, uh, hallucinogenic origins?

"I didn't have the faintest idea," Nugent said. "I thought, 'journey to the center of the mind' - yeah, it's good to be reflective."

Check out Ted Nugent and The Amboy Dukes performing Baby Please Don't Go last week at the Detroit Music Awards.

And have a looksee at Nuge getting all reflective back in the day.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.