Nugent rocks Hippodrome, gives shout-out to area troops
By Jennifer Alexander
July 12, 2005
Troops had orders from Ted Nugent to knock down anyone who didn't say the Pledge of Allegiance at the rocker's concert Monday night at the Waco Hippodrome.
“If they ain't saying anything, just go ahead and knock 'em down. You may resuscitate them immediately,” Nugent said to laughter during a meet-and-greet with soldiers prior to the show. Nugent gave 100 tickets to area troops so they could see his performance, and he handed out guitar picks to several soldiers to express his thanks.
“I'm taking all these handshakes to heart. I really mean it,” the veteran musician told the troops. “Know that America stands with you every step of the way.
“My spirit soars because I know what it was paid for with,” he said. “I am drunk on freedom.”
Nugent said being taught to respect police officers and military personnel as a young man shaped how he interacts with them now. He said he believes that the motivation of many people in the past few decades has been “me, me, me,” but that “I think it is turning into an ‘us, us, us' nation.”
Last week Nugent visited wounded soldiers at Brook Army Medical Base in San Antonio. He said he often is approached by law enforcement personnel while on tour, who show their appreciation for his message.
“There's a certain spirit that connects us,” he said, speaking often of the term “blood brother” to identify his ties to them. “When I use the words ‘blood brother,' it means that we will be there for each other.”
Staff Sgt. Shelly Nava, an Army recruiter in Waco, said she looked forward to her first Nugent concert and appreciates his gesture.
“What we do is for the community, and sometimes it's kind of a thankless job,” she said. “It's nice to hear ‘thank you.' ”
Nugent's impromptu show came between stops in Odessa and Houston during his Uncle Ted tour, and he said while many bands will take time to rest, the recent concerns over funding for the longtime Waco theater and its proximity to Fort Hood spurred him to add a show.
The former Motor City Madman himself is now a resident of McLennan County, having moved to Crawford this year. Asked how he was getting used to being in Texas, he replied, “Before I'm a Michiganiac or a Texan, I'm an American. I would be comfortable in San Francisco. É I've been touring so long I have friends in every city.”
Nugent said he enjoys the hunting opportunities he's found in Texas, and he has met his neighbor, President Bush.
“He's a good man. He covers my west flank and I cover his east flank,” Nugent said.
Reply With Quote
