Ted Nugent - Sweden Rocks!

New Live Ted Nugent CD is now available. The DVD will be available June 10th



Ted Nugent - Sweden Rocks (Eagle Rock) 2008

1. "Stormtroopin'" (3:39)
2. "Wango Tango" (5:50)
3. "Snakeskin Cowboys" (6:14)
4. "Free for All" (3:55)
5. "Wang Ding Sweet Poontang" (8:15)
6. "Raw Dogs & War Hogs" (3:53)
7. "Soul Man" (1:22)
8. "Hey Baby" (4:29)
9. "Dog Eat Dog" (4:30)
10. "Still Raising Hell" (3:20)
11. "Cat Scratch Fever" (4:37)
12. "Stranglehold" (9:55)
13. "Great White Buffalo" (8:26)

That cover looks like a bootleg cover. He definitely doesn't go for fancy artwork.

get_the_firehouse wrote:

That cover looks like a bootleg cover. He definitely doesn't go for fancy artwork.

I thought it looked like a boot as well, but it's an official release. Great sound quality. Good track listing.

That's odd that it took 2 years to come out. Isn't the recording from a 2006 show?

spectrefate wrote:

That's odd that it took 2 years to come out. Isn't the recording from a 2006 show?

Yes, 2006. Probably didn't want to release is so close to Full Bluntal Nugity and before a second studio album.

ultmetal wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

That's odd that it took 2 years to come out. Isn't the recording from a 2006 show?

Yes, 2006. Probably didn't want to release is so close to Full Bluntal Nugity and before a second studio album.

Full Blutal Nugity is awesome one of the great live albums ever!

Wargod48

I heard that the mixing was a little off, with the guitar at about 7 the vocals at 9 and the rest of the band at about 5, on a scale of 1-10. Is that true? or is it pretty balanced?

Blabbermouth give Nugent a suprisingly good review...

Quote :

n 1978 Epic Records released what is arguably one of the greatest live hard rock albums of all time, TED NUGENT's "Double Live Gonzo". The classic lineup of The Nuge (lead guitar/lead vocals), Derek St. Holmes (rhythm guitar/lead vocals), Rob Grange (bass), and the late Cliff Davies (drums) will never be equaled. Thirty years later and we've got another live release called "Sweden Rocks" from the much older, but no mellower, NUGENT who performs with bassist/vocalist Barry Sparks and drummer/vocalist Mick Brown. There have, of course, been live albums released in the intervening years ("Full Bluntal Nugity", etc); it's just that the 30-year mark is significant in that the Motor City Madmen can still shred like a lunatic and deliver a high-energy rock 'n' roll performance like few others. This performance from the Sweden Rock Festival in 2006 proves it again.

It is quite simple, really; Nugent fans will love "Sweden Rocks" and a handful of newcomers may appreciate it. Most others will focus on Ted's right-of-insanity rants and politically incorrect diatribes and ignore the music. That's too bad because "Sweden Rocks" is hard rock the way it was meant to be played: loud and unhinged. Not surprisingly, Ted still packs the majority of his performances with classics from the first three albums of his solo career: 1975's self-titled album ("Snakeskin Cowboys", "Hey Baby", "Stranglehold", and "Stormtroopin'"), 1976's "Free-For-All" ("Dog Eat Dog" and the title track), and 1977's "Cat Scratch Fever" ("Wang Dang Sweet Poon Tang" and the title track). No complaints here with two possible exceptions. Sparks only sings lead on "Hey Baby", allowing something closer to the soulful St. Holmes treatment than what Ted is capable of delivering. While "Stormtroopin'" and "Dog Eat Dog" are acceptable with Ted singing, it would have been better to hand the reigns over to Sparks for "Snakeskin Cowboys" and "Stranglehold". Sparks is no St. Holmes, but the songs require a smoother vocal approach than what Ted can bring.

The other issue is a relatively minor one, the absence of a rhythm guitarist. Ted has gone the trio route for several years now and his bass players have filled the void left by the second guitar to some extent (Sparks' bass work on the jam session segments of "Wango Tango" is most notable), but songs like "Cat Scratch Fever" could really use it. However, it's more me nitpicking than anything else and doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the performance. I might also add that the threesome's hard left turn into a stone-cold blues jam toward the end of "Wang Dang Sweet Poon Tang" is bad to the bone.

There is no letup in firepower on the remaining tracks. "Raw Dogs & War Hogs" and "Still Raisin' Hell" are great examples Ted's resurgence and much-improved songwriting on 2002's "Craveman" and 2007's "Love Grenade". The trio's rendition of "Soul Man" is a pleasant surprise (he's performed "Midnight Hour" on past tours as well), while "Great White Buffalo" from THE AMBOY DUKES era, which was turned into a classic on "Double Live Gonzo", will always be an essential part of the set. Sure, the lyrics to "Wango Tango" are goofy, but it's good fun nonetheless and works well as a wild 'n' wooly jam.

Small criticisms aside, "Sweden Rocks" is a fun ride, especially if you're a fan. It harkens back to an era when live albums offered more than just studio sessions with crowd noise pumped in, although no one would ever mistake it for a "Double Live Gonzo", a "Kick Out the Jams", or a "Strangers in the Night". A DVD of the same performance will be released on June 10.

7.5/10

- Scott Alisoglu

DVD Tracklisting revealed:

Quote :

* Artist: Ted Nugent
* Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment
* Release Date: 6/10/2008
* Format: DVD

DVD TRACK LISTING

1. Stormtroopin’
2. Wango Tango
3. Snakeskin Cowboys
4. Free For All
5. Wang Dang Sweet Poontang
6. KLSTRPHNKY
7. Raw Dogs & War Hogs
8. Soul Man
9. Hey Baby
10. Dog Eat Dog
11. Still Raising Hell
12. Motor City Madhouse
13. Cat Scratch Fever
14. Stranglehold
15. Great White Buffalo

BONUS FEATURES

LIVE 2007 Performances
* Journey to the Center of the Mind
* Weekend Warriors
* Love Grenade

Interviews

* From the Love Grenade recording sessions with Barry Sparks and Tommy Clufetos

Additional Footage

* Bow Hunting with Ted
* Ted on the Gun Range

ult, his touring lineup is Dokken's rhythm section isn't it?

spectrefate wrote:

ult, his touring lineup is Dokken's rhythm section isn't it?

Yes, Greg Smith on bass and original Dokken drummer "Wild" Mick Brown.

ultmetal wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

ult, his touring lineup is Dokken's rhythm section isn't it?

Yes, Greg Smith on bass and original Dokken drummer "Wild" Mick Brown.

Shouldn't that be "Barry Sparks on bass"?

I thought it was Barry Sparks, but ult knows more about the Nuge than I ever will.

Fat Freddy wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

ult, his touring lineup is Dokken's rhythm section isn't it?

Yes, Greg Smith on bass and original Dokken drummer "Wild" Mick Brown.

Shouldn't that be "Barry Sparks on bass"?

Who's Barry Sparks? Is Jeff Pilson no longer with Dokken?

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

ult, his touring lineup is Dokken's rhythm section isn't it?

Yes, Greg Smith on bass and original Dokken drummer "Wild" Mick Brown.

Shouldn't that be "Barry Sparks on bass"?

Who's Barry Sparks? Is Jeff Pilson no longer with Dokken?

Jeff Pilson hasn't been in Dokken for a number of years now. Barry Sparks has played bass on the last couple of albums (LONG WAY HOME in '02, HELL TO PAY in '04, and the new album).

Quote :

Jeff Pilson hasn't been in Dokken for a number of years now. Barry Sparks has played bass on the last couple of albums (LONG WAY HOME in '02, HELL TO PAY in '04, and the new album).

Wow. I had no idea. I remember him doing some projects on the side over the past few years, but I thought he was still rokken with Dokken. I guess I'd better update my "Guess What Jeff Pilson of Dokken Is Doing These Days" blog.

Fat Freddy wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

spectrefate wrote:

ult, his touring lineup is Dokken's rhythm section isn't it?

Yes, Greg Smith on bass and original Dokken drummer "Wild" Mick Brown.

Shouldn't that be "Barry Sparks on bass"?

When I saw Nug last year on the Unleash the Beast '07 tour, I was expecting Barry Sparks, but it was Greg Smith. Barry apparently had some other obligation with another band and couldn't do the tour so Mick Brown suggested Greg Smith, who had toured with Dokken.

Quote :

Greg Smith

Greg Smith joined up with Ted on 2007's "Unleash the Nuge Beast" tour on the recommendation of Mick Brown.

Greg has also been the bassist, and backing vocals for such artists as Alice Cooper, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Alan Parsons Project, Blue Oyster Cult, Dokken, Tommy James & the Shondells, Joe Lynn Turner, Vinnie Moore, Van Helsing's Curse, O2'L and Wendy O. Williams.

Greg was also the principal bass/vocals for the Tony Award winning Billy Joel musical "Movin Out" for it's entire run on Broadway and 1 year on the road.

Greg is ecstatic to be playing with Ted and lovin' every minute of the ride!

ultmetal wrote:

When I saw Nug last year on the Unleash the Beast '07 tour, I was expecting Barry Sparks, but it was Greg Smith. Barry apparently had some other obligation with another band and couldn't do the tour so Mick Brown suggested Greg Smith, who had toured with Dokken.

Ahh, gotcha. Obviously my info is slightly out of date.

Visit What'sBarrySparks,FormerlyOfDokkenAndTedNugent,UptoTheseDays.com for all your Barry Sparks updates.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Visit What'sBarrySparks,FormerlyOfDokkenAndTedNugent,UptoTheseDays.com for all your Barry Sparks updates.

Damn! I hate when all the good .com names are taken!