By JEN ANESI
Special to The Oakland Press

On Monday, the Motor City Madman himself stepped onto the gymnasium floor during an assembly at Shrine Catholic Academy and High School in Royal Oak. The students in the audience cheered; the adults went wild.

Detroit native and famous rocker Ted Nugent came to visit his granddaughter, a student at the school, and to deliver a motivational speech to about 150 of his granddaughter’s peers and teachers.

“You children owe me,” he began, after applause had died down. “I got you out of class for this. Say, ‘Thank you, Uncle Ted.’ ”

Nugent, who is known for publicly denouncing the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, conveyed his anti-drug message to the crowd using his fellow musicians as cautionary tales.

The 61-year-old musician cited legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, The Who’s drummer Keith Moon and ACDC’s Bon Scott as examples of talented fellow rockers who all chose to abuse drugs and alcohol, and who all died from substance abuse.

“I’m proud to say my music is more intense, my love of music is more intense than ever, my love of life is more intense than ever, which inspires more music that is more intense than ever, because I’ve been 61 years clean and sober,” said Nugent.

“No drugs, no alcohol, no tobacco, no poison. No silly, funny joke called peer pressure. I’m an individual.”

Nugent peppered his speech with solo acoustic renditions of “Johnny B. Good,” “Stranglehold,” “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Fred Bear,” much to the delight of the adults in the audience who whooped and cheered after each performance.

“Not bad for an old guy, huh?” said Nugent while the applause died down. Continued...

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Nugent also took time to advocate hunting as a sport, discuss his opinion on gun control and urge children to stay in school, saying: “Without the basics, you got nothin’. You’re a bum.”

At the end of his speech, students participating in the school’s new journalism program were given a chance to ask Nugent a question.

One student asked about his favorite guitar: “Whatever’s handy,” said Nugent. “It’s not about the instrument, it’s about the spirit of the player.”

Another asked for Nugent’s view on global warming, to which he replied: “Global warming is a fraud. Watch Glenn Beck.”

As parting advice for the students who want to become musicians, Nugent had simple advice:

“Practice a minimum of a half hour a day, preferably an hour, and you need to listen to listen to the original masters, especially Chuck Berry.

“And practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice.”

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By JEN ANESI
Special to The Oakland Press

On Monday, the Motor City Madman himself stepped onto the gymnasium floor during an assembly at Shrine Catholic Academy and High School in Royal Oak. The students in the audience cheered; the adults went wild.

Detroit native and famous rocker Ted Nugent came to visit his granddaughter, a student at the school, and to deliver a motivational speech to about 150 of his granddaughter’s peers and teachers.

“You children owe me,” he began, after applause had died down. “I got you out of class for this. Say, ‘Thank you, Uncle Ted.’ ”

Nugent, who is known for publicly denouncing the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, conveyed his anti-drug message to the crowd using his fellow musicians as cautionary tales.

The 61-year-old musician cited legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, The Who’s drummer Keith Moon and ACDC’s Bon Scott as examples of talented fellow rockers who all chose to abuse drugs and alcohol, and who all died from substance abuse.

“I’m proud to say my music is more intense, my love of music is more intense than ever, my love of life is more intense than ever, which inspires more music that is more intense than ever, because I’ve been 61 years clean and sober,” said Nugent.

“No drugs, no alcohol, no tobacco, no poison. No silly, funny joke called peer pressure. I’m an individual.”

Nugent peppered his speech with solo acoustic renditions of “Johnny B. Good,” “Stranglehold,” “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Fred Bear,” much to the delight of the adults in the audience who whooped and cheered after each performance.

“Not bad for an old guy, huh?” said Nugent while the applause died down.

Nugent also took time to advocate hunting as a sport, discuss his opinion on gun control and urge children to stay in school, saying: “Without the basics, you got nothin’. You’re a bum.”

At the end of his speech, students participating in the school’s new journalism program were given a chance to ask Nugent a question.

One student asked about his favorite guitar: “Whatever’s handy,” said Nugent. “It’s not about the instrument, it’s about the spirit of the player.”

Another asked for Nugent’s view on global warming, to which he replied: “Global warming is a fraud. Watch Glenn Beck.”

As parting advice for the students who want to become musicians, Nugent had simple advice:

“Practice a minimum of a half hour a day, preferably an hour, and you need to listen to listen to the original masters, especially Chuck Berry.

“And practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice.”

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