Rock N Roll Universe : Also speaking of players, you got together last year with Ted Nugent at The Sand Dollar Blues in Las Vegas for an impromptu jam, a portion of which was shown on VH1's 'Supergroup'. What was it like playing with Ted, and what effect did your appearance on that show have on your public profile?

Joe Bonamassa : I'll tell you what, it goes to show you that a little TV goes a long way. Because I literally was on that thing for what, fifteen, thirty seconds maybe? And everybody goes, "Were you on that 'Supergroup' show?" "Yes, I was." I love Ted Nugent. He's a great guy, and he loves guitars. He's been a great friend to me, and has said some wonderful things about me. I really respect the man and what he's been able to accomplish. As a showman, an icon of rock, Ted Nugent's "Ted Nugent". You just say the name and everybody knows what he's about. It was a strange thing, because reality shows, the way it was perceived was like, "Joe just happened to be at The Sand Dollar, jamming in front of the crowd, then Ted just happened to walk in." We actually were all sitting out in production trailers, we were filming a show. It was a cool thing, because nobody knew who was showing up there, they just said, "Two famous people are coming." Now, there's a different level between how famous I am, and how famous Ted Nugent is. When I went up, playing guitar, they were like, "Who the hell is this guy?" (Laughs) Then when Ted Nugent walked in, he goes from being Ted Nugent, the guy I know and have hung out with, to being Ted Nugent the showman. There's no better guy whom I've seen work a room. He walks in and he's a rock star. People just love him. We jammed for like twenty minutes, and I got to play the Byrdland, which was a thrill for me. I guess he doesn't let everybody play it. He said, "Would you like to touch the Byrdland?" (Laughs) It was just a fun experience, then we went to the airport. We actually played a show in Vegas the night before, and I stayed over an extra day. Then I bolted to the airport, and that was it. - Read the full interview here

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