Nugent talked about the late Wayne Kramer and shared the one theory he has about MC5, The Beatles, and Rolling Stones. Apparently, MC5 inspired them all to write some of their certain songs. He said:
“Let me give you this unique perspective that no one has ever said, and I think this might be the the first time I’ve said it: I believe that the [Rolling] Stones were inspired by the MC5 to write ‘Street Fighting Man.’ I believe The Beatles were inspired by the MC5 to write ‘Revolution.’ ‘Cause the Stones and The Beatles all of a sudden have these really uppity and they were aware of the Five.”
Kramer passed away on February 2 due to pancreatic cancer. His life and likes were not much different from Nugent’s.
Right from the beginning, both Kramer and Nugent had similarities in their lives: They were both born in Detroit in 1948, both learned guitar from Joe Podorsek at Capitol School of Music on Grand River, both inspired by musicians like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, and later on, by Motown music and Detroit rockers such as Billy Lee & the Rivieras and Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels.
Even though the MC5’s radical politics and well-known drug use were quite different from Nugent’s preferences, he mentioned that he was actually one of the band’s biggest fans. In another interview, he said:
“I know I’m cocky and hyper and all that, but I’m probably the only guy who memorized and revered the power of Wayne Kramer and the MC5 like this. Everyone else was comfortably numb and missed most of it.”