Classic rocker Ted Nugent praised David Lee Roth recently on the “Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz.” When asked if he ever interacted with the Van Halen frontman Nugent said:
“I did — a few times. And I admire and praise his entertainment gifts; he’s a monster. Tell me that all that David Lee Roth music with Van Halen isn’t a smile eruption in our life. I mean, what a fun, cocky, soulfy guy. He really does evoke, emulate and deliver touches of James Brown and Wilson Pickett and some Motown melodious grunt, and certainly the blues and the gospel and the rhythm and blues masters — you can hear that in David Lee Roth. I don’t think he’s ever been given credit for those talents and those musical capabilities that I just mentioned.”
Nugent, always outspoken on the topics of alcohol and substance abuse, lamented the missed opportunities to talk in-depth with legendary rockers who were allegedly under the influence at the time of their interactions.
“Thank you, David, for enriching our lives with your incredible music,” Nugent said. “God bless you. But tragically — and this goes to Eddie (Van Halen) too, and my encounters with Jimi Hendrix and so many people — you couldn’t have a meaningful dialogue. It was all stoned disconnect, whereas when I sat down with B.B. King and when I sit down with Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, even though there were moments when it was hopeless — there were moments.”
Nugent continued: “My point is, I think it’s important to note that the incredible amount of hours that I’ve been honored and humbled to spend with some of the most powerful music authorities in the world, there was nothing to be shared because they were drunk or stoned. All those moments reinforce my anger and hate for people who leave the world to drop out comfortably numb. They don’t make anybody happy [when they do that]. They don’t owe me happiness, but wouldn’t it have been great for a smartass like David Lee Roth and a smartass like Ted Nugent to discuss the art of smartass? I would have loved to have had that conversation, but there was no chance for it — the guy was out of his mind.”
Nugent will release a new album, “Detroit Muscle” on April 29. The album’s debut single was recently released as a lyric video, “Come And Take It.”
Roth recently extended his upcoming Las Vegas residency at the Mandalay Bay House Of Blues.
“I had no idea how many of you wanted to pay to see me go,” Roth said in a recent audio message to fans. “So I’m putting more tickets on sale, instead of doing the wrong thing and pissing more people off. I have industry professionals now ringing in, telling me, ‘Dave, at your age, you should be in the middle of your third retirement. Did you watch ‘Rocky’ movies? He’s on his seventh. Same guy, ‘Rambo’ — fifth. He’s about 14 retirements ahead of you.’ Just when I get out, they drag me back in.”
Roth’s most recent Vegas residency included a 15-song set that included 10 Van Halen classics and five songs from his solo efforts.
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