Free-for-All (Ted Nugent album)

Free-for-All
Studio album by Ted Nugent
Released	October 1976
Recorded	The Sound Pit, Atlanta, Georgia
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	38:28
Label	Epic
Producer	Tom Werman, Lew Futterman, Cliff Davies
Ted Nugent chronology
Ted Nugent (1975) Free-for-All (1976) Cat Scratch Fever (1977)
Singles from Free-for All
"Dog Eat Dog / I Love You So I Told You a Lie" Released: November 1976

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[2]
Robert Christgau	B− [3]
Classic Rock	[4]

Free-For-All is the second solo release from American guitarist Ted Nugent and his first album to go platinum.^[5]

Overview

As the recording of Free-For-All commenced, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Derek St. Holmes left the band, citing growing personal and creative conflicts with Nugent. Two solid years of living together on the road had taken its toll on the relationship.^[6] Additionally, St. Holmes was unhappy with Tom Werman's production, saying that the producer was watering down the band's sound.^[6]

A full year before Bat Out of Hell brought him international success, vocalist Meat Loaf was brought in by producer Werman to sing on the album. The vocalist was paid the sum of $1000 for his contributions to the album, which included crafting all of the vocal arrangements and two days of recording sessions.^[7] He says that after he agreed to do the album he was sent a lyric sheet containing just the words with no arrangements. Having no idea what the songs were going to sound like, he nonetheless created the vocal arrangements for every song.^[8]

St. Holmes returned to the group after Free For All's release, performing on the subsequent tour. Band management asked him to return at the request of Epic Records.^[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Ted Nugent, except where noted, all songs arranged by Rob Grange, Derek St. Holmes and Cliff Davies.

1. "Free-for-All" – 3:20
2. "Dog Eat Dog" – 4:04
3. "Writing on the Wall" – 7:08
4. "Turn It Up" – 3:36
5. "Street Rats" – 3:36
6. "Together" (Rob Grange, Cliff Davies) – 5:52
7. "Light My Way" (Derek St. Holmes, Rob Grange) – 3:00
8. "Hammerdown" – 4:07
9. "I Love You So I Told You a Lie" (Cliff Davies) – 3:47

1999 CD reissue bonus tracks

10. "Free-for-All" (live) – 5:13
11. "Dog Eat Dog" (live) – 6:21
12. "Street Rats" (alternate version with Derek St. Holmes on vocals) – 4:14

Personnel

• Ted Nugent - lead and rhythm guitar, Lead Vocal (on 1 & 10), percussion, bass on "Dog Eat Dog"
• Meat Loaf - Lead Vocals (on 3,5,6,8, & 9)
• Derek St. Holmes - lead vocals (on 2,4,7,11,& 12) rhythm guitar on "Dog Eat Dog"
• Rob Grange - bass guitar, arrangements, bass phase effects
• Cliff Davies - drums, percussion, background vocals on "Dog Eat Dog", producer, arrangements
• Steve McRay - keyboards, background vocals
• Tom Werman - percussion, producer

Production

• Lew Futterman - producer
• Cliff Davies- producer
• Anthony Reale - engineer
• Tim Geelan - mixing engineer
• Paula Scher - album design
• Jim Houghton - photography
• Bruce Dickinson - 1999 reissue producer
• Vic Anesini - remastering
• Stephan Moore - 1999 reissue project director
• Howard Fritzson - 1999 reissue art director
• Gary Graff - 1999 reissue liner notes

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1976	Billboard 200 (North America)[9]	24
1976	RPM100 Albums (Canada)[10]	31
1976	UK Album Chart[11]	33
1976	Swedish Album Chart[12]	14

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Position
1976	"Dog Eat Dog"	Billboard Hot 100 (North America)[13]	91
		RPM100 Top Singles (Canada)[14]	73

Sales Certifications

Country	Organization	Sales
U.S.	RIAA	2× Platinum (2,000,000)[5]
Canada	CRIA	Gold (50,000)[15]

Trivia

• The track "Turn It Up" was featured in the The Walking Dead third season episode, "This Sorrowful Life", and heard on the car radio while Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) is sitting in the driver's seat of a car right before he jumps out of the car which is being followed by a horde of "walkers" attracted by the noise into Woodbury.

References

1. Prato, Greg. "Ted Nugent Free-for-All review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
2. Altman, Billy (18 November 1976). "Album Reviews: Ted Nugent - Free for All". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-01-27. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
3. Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide Reviews: Free for All". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
4. Dome, Malcolm (February 2005). "'Ted Nugent'". Classic Rock 76. London, UK: Future Publishing Ltd. p. 109.
5. "RIAA Database Search for Nugent, Ted". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
6. Ted Nugent band - Derek St. Holmes http://www.rockmusicstar.com/derekstholmes/2011/6/22/ted-nugent-band-derek-st-holmes.html
7. Ted Nugent Paid Meatloaf $1,000 To Sing On Free For All Album http://1041jackfm.cbslocal.com/2010/03/17/ted-nugent-paid-meatloaf-1000-to-sing-on-free-for-all-album/
8. Ted Nugent Paid Meat Loaf $1000 For Free For All http://www.undercover.fm/news/10383-ted-nugent-paid-meat-loaf-1000-for-free-for-all
9. "Free-for-All Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
10. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 26, No. 8, November 20, 1976". Library and Archives Canada. 20 November 1976. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
11. "Free for All Chart Stats". Chart Stats.com. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
12. "Ted Nugent – Free-for-All (Album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
13. "Free-for-All Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
14. "Top Singles - Top Singles - Volume 26, No. 13, December 25, 1976". Library and Archives Canada. 25 December 1976. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
15. "Gold Platinum Database - Title: Free for All". Music Canada. Retrieved 2011-12-16.