The Amboy Dukes
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| The Amboy Dukes | |
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 AmboyDukes CD cover for the album, Best of Amboy Dukes
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Chicago |
| Genre(s) | Hard rock, acid rock, psychedelic rock, detroit rock |
| Years active | 1965–1975 |
| Label(s) | Mainstream, Polydor, DisCreet Records |
The Amboy Dukes were an American rock music band of the late 1960s and early 1970s from Detroit, Michigan, best remembered for their hit single "Journey to the Center of the Mind", and for launching the career of Ted Nugent.
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[edit] Band line-ups
The pre-Nugent Detroit band was as follows:
- Ron Medeiros (lead guitar)
- Dave Opatic (guitar)
- James Jackson (bass)
- Ben Vineyard (drums)
- Bob Lehnert (vocals)
[edit] 1967
The Nugent Amboy Dukes began in Chicago and moved back to Detroit. Before landing a record deal, the members were as follows:
- Bob Lehnert (original vocalist 1965–1968)
- Ted Nugent (guitar)
- Gary Hicks (guitar)
- Dick Treat (bass)
- Gail Uptadale (drums)
[edit] 1968
After a band shuffle for signing a deal with Mainstream Records of New York, the band members were:
- John Drake (vocals)
- Ted Nugent (lead guitar, vocals)
- Steve Farmer (guitar, vocals)
- Rick Lober (keyboard)
- Bill White (bass)
- Dave Palmer (drums) ex-The Galaxy Five, ex-The Citations
Journey to the Center of the Mind saw another member shake-up:
- John Drake (vocals)
- Ted Nugent (lead guitar, vocals)
- Steve Farmer (guitar, vocals)
- Andy Solomon (keyboard, sax, vocals) ex The Apostles
- Greg Arama (bass) ex The Gang
- Dave Palmer (drums)
Migration saw another line-up:
- Rusty Day (Russell Edward Davidson) (vocals, harmonica) ex-Rusty Day & The Midnighters
- Ted Nugent (lead guitar, vocals)
- Steve Farmer (guitar, vocals)
- Andy Solomon (keyboard, sax, vocals)
- Greg Arama (bass)
- Dave Palmer (drums)
[edit] Discography
- The Amboy Dukes, The Amboy Dukes' first album, was released in November 1967 Mainstream Records 56104 mono and S/6104 stereo. It crept into the top 200 and its highest was #183. It contained the debut single "Baby Please Don't Go" which did not chart.
- Journey to the Center of the Mind, The Amboy Dukes' second album, was released in April 1968 on Mainstream Records 56112 mono (promo only) and stereo S/6112 stereo. It crept into the top 100 and its highest position was #74. The single of the same name peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. The album and song were classic examples of acid rock; for example, the original album cover depicted fifty different kinds of marijuana-smoking devices.
- Migration, The Amboy Dukes' third album, was released in fall 1968 on Mainstream Records stereo only S/6118. It failed to chart. In the UK, it can be found in mono, catalog number is London/Mainstream HAT 8393.
- You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire - buoyed by the success of the "Journey" 45, in 1968 they released this non LP, Mainstream 693. It didn't chart.
- The Best of the Original Amboy Dukes released after The Amboy Dukes left Mainstream Records, Mainstream S/6125, failed to chart.
- Survival of the Fittest Live (At the Eastown Theatre, Detroit) as Ted Nugent and The Amboy Dukes in 1971 - Polydor 24-4035. Charted #129.
- Call of the Wild was released in 1973 on Frank Zappa's DiscReet Records after the band left Polydor - Discreet 2181 - didn't chart.
- Tooth, Fang & Claw released in 1974 was the last album - DiscReet 2203 - didn't chart.
[edit] Trivia
- It is rumoured that "JB Special" was to be the single, but was scrapped when Journey to the Center of the Mind was perfected. It can also be found on the Capitol label, as it was a record club hot pick.
- In the UK, Migration, can be found in mono, catalog number is London/Mainstream HAT 8393
