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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Sports >  Outdoors

Ted Nugent whacks and stacks concerts, critters and critics

July 10, 2011 Updated Sun., July 10, 2011 at 6:14 a.m.

The Spokesman-Review

Ted Nugent is heard loud and clear by millions of people each year, and we’re not even talking about the rock ’n’ roll music assault he’s been making on the ears of his fans for more than 40 years.

The 63-year-old rock guitarist says he devotes all summer to concerts and about 10 months to hunting. Meantime, he takes no time off throughout the year from his favorite sports of “crushing liberals, destroying animal rights, defending Second Amendment rights and exposing the monsters who hold political office.”

He has admirable qualities that attract conservative celebrities to his spotlight.

For example, he honors the military at his concerts and shares hunts with terminally ill kids.

“Tom Petty’s music is drug induced,” he said. “I’ve been straight and sober all my life. My musical spirit comes from nature.”

But even some gun rights activists cringe at his rock-star language, blood lust and some of his shamelessly outrageous stands.

His aversion to compromise seems to divide hunters into different camps.

“If you’re divisive with me, you’re wrong,” he said.

Yet his celebrity and gift for gab is a force to be reckoned with. Read on as The Nuge answers our questions about himself, hunting, politics and the American way.

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