Nugent remakes first hit for new album

WACO, Texas, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. rocker Ted Nugent has re-recorded his first hit -- "Journey to the Center of the Mind" -- for his latest album.

"Love Grenade," Nugent's first set of new material since 2002's "Craveman," features a remake of "Journey to the Center of the Mind," his 1968 hit with his band the Amboy Dukes. Declaring that "the quintessential garage band," Nugent said he tried to stay true to the spirit of the original song in his fresh version.

"To reproduce what (the Amboy Dukes) created on the original was quite a goal," said Nugent. "That was an amazing vocal performance, in those days especially. It was important to do it justice, and I'm confident that we did.

"It was a lot of fun to go back and take another whack at it."

"Love Grenade" was co-produced by Night Ranger's Jack Blades, who also plays with Nugent in the recently dormant band Damn Yankees. Besides the album, Nugent has a role in country star Toby Keith's film adaptation of his hit "Beer For My Horses," which will begin shooting in early 2008.