US rock legend TED NUGENT spoke with Steve Leftridge from PopMatters.com recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

PopMatters.com: How much are you bothered by the fact that many people are getting Free-For-All or Double Live Gonzo! without paying for them via illegal downloading and file sharing? Do you have any thoughts on what the music industry will look like as CD sales continue to dwindle?

Nugent: "All thievery is wrong and upsetting to anyone connected to logic and decency. Fortunately, I have such an incredibly diverse and exciting lifestyle that I am able to escape the violations of my fellow man. My professional management team will always optimize my commercial entities.

PopMatters.com: You and original singer Derek St. Holmes, given your occasional collaborations, seem to have a good working relationship. Your old fans would certainly love to see the two of you work together on a record and/or a tour. Have you given that any thought?

Nugent: "Derek is a perfect example of the world-class virtuosos I’m talking about. He put his phenomenally soulful voice to many great songs beyond the 'Stranglehold' and 'Hey Baby' history makers. His performance on 'LoveJacker' from our Spirit Of The Wild CD around 1995 is certainly magic. We who love killer music are not swayed by commercial success. We love the music no matter what. Derek joins us on stage often each year, and we talk all the time. You never know."

PopMatters.com: You’ve been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for a few years now. How do you feel about the Hall of Fame? Is it important to you that you get inducted someday?

Nugent: "I hang my head in shame that a Rock-N-Roll HOF showing earned reverence for BO DIDDLY, CHUCK BERRY, LITTLE RICHARD, JERRY LEE LEWIS and all those other legendary masters is desecrated by the inclusion of clowns like PATTI SMITH and GRAND MASTER FLASH. I could throw up. The RnRHOF board has no soul.

Read more here.

Nugent recently announced more dates in his Trample The Weak, Hurdle The Dead Tour 2010. His upcoming itinerary is as follows:

April

13 - Berry Events Center Berry Events Center - Marquette, MI
17 - Pima County Fair Pima County Fair - Tucson, AZ

May

15 - Charlotte Convention Center Charlotte Convention Center - Charlotte, NC (139th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits)

July

16 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Biloxi, MS
22 - Waukesha County Fair - Waukesha, WI
24 - Fond du Lac County Fair - Fond du Lac, WI

August

5 - Diamond Jo Casino Diamond Jo Casino - Dubuque, IA
6 - Washington Town & Country Fair - Washington, MO
20 - Antelope Valley Fair Antelope Valley Fair - Lancaster, CA
24 - Suquamish Clearwater Casino - Suquamish, WA
25 - Suquamish Clearwater Casino - Suquamish, WA

September

3 - Central Wisconsin State Fair - Marshfield, WI
4 - Rib America Festival at Military Park Rib America Festival at Military Park - Indianapolis, IN