Numerous artists have tackled Ted Nugent songs. Whatever personal feelings musicians have for Nugent’s outspoken attitude and political views, the “Motor City Madman” remains a huge influence on many guitar players around the globe.
Recently, Nugent was interviewed by HMP and was asked what he thought of Motörhead’s version of one of his most iconic tunes, “Cat Scratch Fever.”
“I’m an honest guy,” Nugent said. “Number one, [I] love Lemmy, love Motörhead. And I’m humbled and honored that they would pick one of my songs — that’s a great connection that we have.”
“But that’s not how I hear it. [Laughs] The ‘Cat Scratch Fever’ lick — no one’s ever played it correctly… They played it real Caucasian, and if that’s what they like, God bless ’em. And the people that liked it, I love all of you.”
“But when I hear ‘Cat Scratch Fever’, I hear more of a Motown grunt. And like when the Ramones played ‘Journey To The Center Of The Mind’, my Amboy Dukes hit song, it’s just too Caucasian… And I think Pantera did ‘Cat Scratch Fever’ too. And again, I love them. Thank you for playing it. Thank you for honoring me by choosing one of my songs. But it doesn’t have the groove that I like, it doesn’t have the pulse and the Motown soulfulness that I created in the song.”
”But again, I love them for doing it, and if they enjoyed it, I love them for enjoying it. But it’s not my cup of tea.”
Nugent previously told Detroit’s WRIF that he hasn’t heard a good cover of one of his songs yet. “Unfortunately, I never have,” he said. “I’ve heard the versions of ‘Cat Scratch Fever’, and I love Pantera and I love Lemmy and I love the Ramones, but God, are they terminally Caucasian or what?”
