Ted Nugent on his Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame snub: “I don’t need it”
Ted Nugent has opened up once more about his snub from the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
In a new interview with The Real Music Observer, which you can see below, the controversial rocker said it was “ridiculous” he didn’t qualify.
He went on to double down on his comments about which artists he felt should and shouldn’t be inducted into the Hall.
Last month, he called out organisers for inducting the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Madonna, ABBA and more.
Nugent said: “When I criticise the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame…let’s take me out of the equation. Let’s say I don’t qualify — which is ridiculous — but let’s pretend I don’t qualify. But why ABBA before Styx? Why Patti Smith before Triumph? Why Grandmaster Flash or JAY-Z at all?
“I mean, to think that they would qualify before the artists I just mentioned, and myself included, it’s just dishonest and it’s literally disrespectful to the Gods of this music — Chuck [Berry] and Bo [Diddley] and all the Gods that created this incredible soundtrack.”
Nugent continued: “But I don’t take it personally because I don’t need it. And quite honestly, the authenticity of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has been so tainted by the inclusion of not just non-rockers but anti-rockers. Madonna? Really? So I find it offensive on that level.”
“I go back to the people thinking I hated Grandmaster Flash,” he continued. “I don’t hate anybody…I don’t take this stuff personally but I find it offensive to real rockers, to real rock artists and to real rock and roll fans…And I hope he’s happy, I hope he’s healthy and successful.
“But Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? Why don’t we just go down to Chuck Berry’s grave and take a shit on it? That’s what that represents to me. And it’s unforgivable.”
The controversial rocker has been in the news a lot this past year. In June 2021, he backed the baseless conspiracy theory that January’s riot at the US Capitol was sparked by Antifa and Black Lives Matter activists.
In May, he claimed that systemic racism does not exist in the US. In a video posted by he and his wife Shemane, he described “systemic racism” as a “lie”.
Nugent also contracted COVID-19 in April, one week after performing maskless in Florida, and said he’s “never been so scared in all my life” as when he battled the virus.